A mini facelift is a popular option for patients seeking facial rejuvenation because it generally requires less surgery and a shorter recovery period when compared to a traditional facelift. These benefits are attributed to a notable distinction between the two procedures – the extent of the treated areas.
A traditional facelift is performed to rejuvenate both the face and the neck. This includes addressing issues above the jaw line (i.e. the jowls, marionette lines, nasolabial folds, and cheeks) as well as the common problems below the jaw line (i.e. lax skin, platysmal bands, and excess fat on the neck). In contrast, the mini facelift is a subset of the traditional facelift and is employed to target signs of aging on the face from the jaw line and above, without directly rejuvenating the neck. There may be indirect improvement to the neck (i.e. tightening neck skin laxity), however, the mini facelift does not consistently accomplish this.
As a result, the mini facelift is generally a better option for patients who don’t show and/or aren’t as concerned with signs of aging on the neck, while the traditional facelift is typically better suited for patients who seek a more comprehensive rejuvenation of both the face and neck.
– Dr. Lawrence Tong, Double Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
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For more information about the mini facelift and traditional facelift procedures, or to schedule a consultation with Dr. Tong, please contact us today.