Mini Facelift

A mini facelift provides more subtle cosmetic improvements to the lower half of the face, addressing less severe signs of aging in somewhat younger patients. It requires short incisions around the creases of the ears, earning the name “short scar facelift”. With this minimally invasive rejuvenation, patients can gain more confidence in their appearance while still maintaining their face shape and beautifully unique facial characteristics. Mini facelifts aim to turn back the clock, revealing a younger version of yourself that won’t require as much downtime or recovery as a traditional facelift.

At Miracle Mile Cosmetic Surgery Center, we provide our patients with high-quality, long-lasting results that align with their personal cosmetic goals and aspirations. Our board-certified surgeons use their expertise and in-depth knowledge of anatomy to help patients find solutions for their problem areas while creating natural-looking results.

With the relatively minor surgical approaches of the mini facelift, you can reflect your inner youthful energy. Our practice is centered in Miami, internationally known and recognized as a popular haven for the art of plastic surgery. Come visit our office, call us at (305) 901-2388, or get in touch with us via contact form. A staff member can introduce you to one of our experienced surgeons who can treat you with premium quality care and professionalism.

About the Mini Facelift

The mini facelift adjusts an underlying connective tissue and muscle layer called the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS). Surgeons elevate the skin and promote a more refreshed and youthful facial expression. Without the SMAS layer, surgeons would not have any reliable means of contouring the face without making significantly larger incisions. By taking into account the SMAS layer, surgeons can avoid creating a “windswept” look that so many patients fear and dread.

What is the SMAS Layer?

The SMAS is an organized network of fibrous connective tissue and the platysma muscle, a superficial muscle primarily used for facial expression. The platysma extends from the lower face down to the neck, providing structural support for the face overall. But with age, it can loosen and lose its supportive thickness, leading to many familiar signs of aging like wrinkles and lax skin. ⁽¹⁾

In 1976, Dr. Vladimir Mitz and Dr. Martine Peyronie were the first to research and uncover the nature of the SMAS, revolutionizing the way facelifts are performed. Before this, facelifts gave patients unpredictable and short-lived results that only involved skin-deep tightening.

What Causes Facial Aging?

The face ages at a cellular level due to a combination of genetic, health, and environmental factors. Over time, cells’ DNA begins to degrade due to:

Also, beginning as soon as your 30s, the connective fibers in your skin can decrease in quantity and quality, weakening the dermis layer. ⁽²⁾ This process affects collagen, the protein that gives your skin a tighter quality, and elastin, the fiber that provides more elasticity. Besides aging, significant weight loss can disrupt the balance between these two fibers, resulting in lax skin that isn’t able to recoil. This is why younger people who have lost weight tend to look older than they are!

Benefits of the Mini Facelift

Unlike laser resurfacing, dermal fillers, neuromodulators, and certain chemical peels that can reduce finer wrinkles, facelifts address larger folds and loose skin related to aging and weight loss. The mini facelift, in particular, can create several enhancements:

Candidates

Typically, candidates for the mini facelift are patients in their 40s and 50s with mild to moderate facial sagging around the lower jaw area. If you have more extensive folds and wrinkles in the midface and neck area, you may want to consider a standard facelift.

All prospective patients should be in decent overall health with no major conditions that could place them at higher risk of experiencing complications during or after surgery. Those with diabetes, high blood pressure, or other health problems should have their condition well-managed long before their scheduled procedure date.

The surgeons of Miracle Mile prefer non-smoking individuals, but they will consider those who are willing to commit to quitting before and after the mini facelift procedure. Stopping all forms of nicotine encourages better blood circulation which is needed for a healthy recovery.

Personal Consultation

When you schedule a consultation at Miracle Mile, we will thoroughly evaluate your facial features and discuss the details of your expectations for the mini facelift. We will review your medical history to get a basic understanding of your health status and to ensure that the surgery is safe for you to undergo. We will also give you information regarding how to prepare for your facelift, the procedure itself, and how to recover quickly and comfortably. We will formulate a custom-tailored plan that takes into account your personal aesthetic goals. Finally, you will have the chance to ask questions to help you determine if the procedure is right for you or not.

To take the first step today and speak with one of our highly trained plastic surgeons, call our office in Miami at (305) 901-2388 or inquire online, and we will get back to you as soon as we can.

Preparation

As part of the preparation process, your surgeon will order blood tests to rule out any issues that could present a problem during surgery or recovery. They will evaluate your prescription medications and any supplements and may advise you to make temporary adjustments. You should completely refrain from taking blood-thinning medications that could cause unwanted bleeding and other safety hazards. If you smoke, vape, or consume nicotine in any form, you should make a plan to stop at least 1 month before your procedure to give your body time to restore better blood circulation. Finally, at some point, you should make a prearranged plan for someone to escort you home post-procedure since you will be under the effects of sedation.

Procedure Steps

Mini facelifts only require local anesthesia and sedation, but you may opt for general anesthesia if you feel more comfortable with being completely unaware of the procedure. To begin, your surgeon will make markings around your ear where they will make the incisions. After properly anesthetizing you, they will make an incision that extends from the beginning of your hairline above the ear and into the front creases of your ear. From this short incision, they will tighten and elevate the SMAS layer, then strategically redrape the skin over the incision line, allowing them to remove any lax skin. They will place sutures at the incision site, ensuring proper closure and the right amount of skin tension. They will repeat the procedure on the other side of the temple and create precise results that promote symmetry and balance once you’re fully healed.

Recovery and Results

Just after your procedure, you will experience temporary side effects like swelling, redness, and some mild bruising. These are completely normal so long as they don’t worsen with time. After a mini facelift, you’ll likely be able to return to work after just 1 week- a shorter downtime than the 10 to 14 days required for a standard facelift. The recovery is tolerable, and many patients find relief from their discomfort just by using surgeon-approved over-the-counter medications. This is part of the reason the procedure is commonly referred to by the nickname “weekend facelift”.

You will have dressings to keep your sutures well-protected, but your surgeon will likely remove them after just one day of your procedure. Depending on the specific technique your surgeon uses, they may or may not apply surgical drains. These small devices are placed at the incision site to allow excess fluid to exit and reduce swelling more rapidly. Usually, these drains are removed within just a couple of days. After the first week, they will remove your sutures.

Though you will be able to return to desk work relatively quickly, you’ll have to avoid physically strenuous work and activities for at least 4 weeks; your surgeon will monitor your healing progress and let you know when it’s safe to resume your workouts. After your first month of recovery and aftercare, you will be able to enjoy and admire your rejuvenated look. You should be mindful of practicing good skincare habits to better preserve your results. This will include the daily application of broad-spectrum, SPF 30 sunscreen to protect your skin from sun damage.

Cost of a Mini Facelift in Miami

The total cost of your mini facelift will depend on anesthesia fees, surgical fees, follow-up appointments, any prescribed medications, and other various factors that will encourage the best results possible. At the time of your consultation, your surgeon will discuss this matter with you and potential financing options with CareCredit and Alphaeon Credit.

To schedule yours today, call our Miami practice at (305) 901-2388 or request it via our online form, and a staff member of Miracle Mile will help you find a time and date most convenient for you.

References

1. Okuda I, Abe K, Yoshioka N, Takayoshi Komemushi, Masahiro Jinzaki, Hiroyuki Ohjimi. Objective Analysis of Age-Related Changes in the Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System in Japanese Females Using Computed Tomography. Aesthetic surgery journal. 2023;5. doi:https://doi.org/10.1093/asjof/ojad043
2. Rousseaux I, Robson S. Body Contouring and Skin Tightening Using a Unique Novel Multisource Radiofrequency Energy Delivery Method. The Journal of Clinical and Aesthetic Dermatology. 2017;10(4):24-29. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5404777/