The mini facelift is a cosmetic surgery for facial rejuvenation, which is much less aggressive than the traditional facelift, with lasting and permanent results. It is also a very simple and fast treatment, whose surgery lasts approximately 2 hours.
Facial aging
As we age there are a number of changes that occur at the level of facial tissues: the skin becomes more lax and thinner, expression wrinkles appear, the connective tissue loses firmness, and the fat in the facial compartments decreases or even disappears; and other times it falls and gives the appearance of tiredness, flaccidity, ‘”bad face”.
On the other hand, with age the so-called “beauty triangle” becomes inverted. When we are young, the anatomical references that determine this polygon are the two malars and the chin, so that the triangle has the base at the top and the vertex downwards. With age, the triangle becomes inverted because the tissues fall and even the fat located in prominences such as the cheekbones, falls and the reference points of our initial triangle disappear. This is when the new anatomical references for the triangle are the nasal tip and the jaw jaw jawls or excess skin and fat at the mandibular level.
What is a mini facelift?
It is an innovative treatment that consists of rejuvenating the appearance of the face and neck, eliminating the signs of aging such as flaccidity, excess fat or wrinkles. It is a less aggressive surgery than the traditional facelift.
What are the objectives of a mini facelift?
Through minimal incisions, camouflaged within the scalp and skin folds close to the pinna, the skin corresponding to the middle and lower third of the face is dissected first (i.e., the skin is dissected from the middle and lower third of the face),
the areas from the zygomatic and malar area – at the level of the cheekbones to the area immediately below the jaw).
Next, a plication of the SMAS is performed, which is the connective tissue fascia that acts as a support for the facial tissues. The objective of this plication is to tighten the tissues, especially to make the “jaw jawls” or accumulations of tissue at the mandibular level disappear. Once the tissues are retensioned, a redefinition of the mandibular arch is observed, eliminating excess tissue and flaccidity, returning the chin to be the area of reference and maximum prominence, typical of younger faces.
On the other hand, it also tightens the tissues of the middle third, resulting in smoother and firmer skin, as well as reducing wrinkles and furrows, especially the nasolabial fold.
Finally, mini-lifting is often combined with adipose tissue grafting. As we have already mentioned, age is associated with a decrease in the volume of facial fat, which is why it is often advisable to complement the procedure with adipose tissue grafts in the area of the dark circles, cheekbones, chin, nasolabial fold, etc.
How is a mini facelift performed?
The surgical process is extremely delicate. It is performed through small incisions located in skin folds in the anterior and posterior area of the pinna, and in the scalp. Both skin folds and scalp hair easily conceal the surgical scar. Through the incisions we have access to the deeper facial support structures (SMAS), which are tightened as needed, and skin is removed to a greater or lesser extent depending on the excess that exists.
This procedure is generally performed under local anesthesia and sedation, and general anesthesia is not required. The duration of the procedure is about 2 hours, depending on the specific case, and hospitalization is not necessary. In this way, the procedure is very bearable, painless, and patients can return home within a short interval of time after the operation (1-2 hours).
What are the differences with the traditional facelift?
In the traditional facelift, the tissues of the face are dissected more extensively, and the SMAS is dissected over a larger area. This leads to harsher postoperative periods with greater swelling and discomfort for the patient, since the intervention is more aggressive and generates more inflammatory reaction. Consequently, the recovery is longer and we need a few weeks more of rest to resume our activities, compared to the quick recovery of the mini-lifting.
What are the complications?
As with any surgical intervention, there is always a theoretical risk of bleeding, which is prevented with a refined surgical technique that takes care of hemostasis.
The mini facelift is highly recommended for people between 34-50 years of age, since the main objective is to restore freshness and smoothness to the face. The results are long-lasting and permanent. The recovery process is very fast and you will be able to return to your routine within a week of the procedure.
If you want to have a mini facelift in Valencia or want to resolve some doubts before making a decision, contact me and ask for your first appointment free of charge and without obligation.
You can also see other facial rejuvenation treatments such as blepharoplasty or botox and fillers or dark circles filler.
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