Minimal Incision Facelift
You may see your face and neck look fresher, your features moving back toward the way they looked in earlier years, through small incisions usually hidden in the hairline or along the lash line.
Is this right for you?
Over time, the skin and muscle of the face and neck can stretch and drift downward. This approach aims to move that soft tissue back toward where it sat when you were younger. An in-person exam with your surgeon will help work out whether it is a good fit for you.
This may be a good fit if
- You are a woman or a man who is seeing sagging and loosening of the soft tissue in the face and neck.
- You are still relatively young, roughly 30 to 45.
- Your concern lies in the midface, the brow, the forehead, or the neck.
- You may or may not have skin wrinkling, but the soft tissue has begun to droop.
- You want a change that looks natural, and you are ready to talk openly with your surgeon about what you hope for.
This may not be right if
- Your sagging sits beyond the areas a small incision can reach. If so, your surgeon may suggest a different approach.
- You are hoping for a fixed result that does not change over time.
- You are not yet able to pause Aspirin-containing medications for about 10 days before surgery, as advised.
- You are hoping for something your surgeon judges to be unrealistic after the exam.
How it works
First, you are examined and counseled by a specialist in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery, who is the same person who will perform your operation. Your surgeon assesses your general health, the shape of your face, the nerves of the face, and how far the skin and muscle have sagged. This is your time to say clearly what you want and to ask every question.
You have routine pre-operative tests and are seen by the anesthesiologist. You need to stop Aspirin-containing medications for about 10 days before surgery, and to fast for 6 hours beforehand. The operation can be done under local anesthesia, meaning the treated area is numbed while you stay awake.
Depending on the area being treated, your surgeon makes a small incision in a discreet spot: above or below the brow, at the edge of the forehead hairline, just below the lower lash line, within the hair at the temple, or behind the ear for the neck and chin. These incisions are all small and usually leave no visible scar. When needed, your surgeon can also remove fat or trim excess skin at the eyelids.
Your surgeon lifts the sagging soft tissue of the face and secures it with an Endotine absorbable device, a special fixation that dissolves over time. The operation takes roughly 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how many areas are treated.
Realistic expectations
This approach aims to ease the sagging and looseness of the skin and muscle of the face and neck, for a more youthful and natural look. How much changes depends on your starting point and on the areas that are treated.
What this will not do
- It will not stop the natural aging of your skin over time.
- It will not turn your face into a different one. The goal is to bring your own features closer to the way they were before.
- It will not address sagging that sits beyond what a small incision can reach.
- It cannot promise the same result for everyone.
Recovery
Most of the recovery is gentle. In the first few days you may notice mild swelling and bruising around the incisions, but these signs usually settle after a few days. The timeline below is an estimate and can differ from one person to the next.
- Hospital stay
- You usually need to stay in the hospital for about 1 day.
- First day after surgery
- Your dressing is changed gently after the first day. You can return to normal daily activity the very next day.
- First few days
- You take pain relief for about the first 3 to 5 days, depending on the area treated and how you tolerate it. Mild swelling and bruising usually fade.
- Back to work
- You can return to work after about 1 to 2 days, depending on the nature of your job.
- Around 1 week
- Sutures are usually removed after about 1 week.
Risks & safety
Most cases done by the proper principles go smoothly, and patients are happy with the result. Even so, like any surgery, this approach can still have complications. You should understand the following clearly before you decide.
- A collection of blood (hematoma) at the surgical site.
- Infection.
- Poor scarring, even though the incisions are small and usually leave no visible scar.
- Complications related to anesthesia.
- Swelling and bruising in the first few days, which usually settles on its own.
- Results can differ from one person to the next, and can change over time as aging continues.
How we do it
At The Gioi Dep, this operation is performed by a specialist in Plastic and Aesthetic Surgery who is trained in the technique, in a facility licensed for aesthetic surgery. The same surgeon who examines and counsels you is the one who performs your operation.
This is surgery that calls for skill and high precision, along with a firm grasp of the anatomy of the face and neck and the use of Endotine absorbable fixation. Before surgery, your general health, the nerves of the face, and the state of your tissue are assessed, you have routine tests, and you are seen by the anesthesiologist.
Frequently asked questions
Will the surgery hurt?
The operation can be done under local anesthesia. After surgery you take pain relief for about the first 3 to 5 days, depending on the area treated and how you tolerate it.
Will the scars show?
The incisions are all small and placed in discreet spots, such as within the hair, at the hairline, below the lash line, or behind the ear, so there is usually no visible scar. Even so, poor scarring is still a possible complication.
How long will I need off work?
You can return to normal daily activity the very next day, and back to work after about 1 to 2 days, depending on the nature of your job.
Will the result look natural?
The goal of the surgery is to move sagging soft tissue back toward a more youthful position, for a youthful and natural look. How much changes depends on your starting point.
How long is the hospital stay, and how long does the surgery take?
You usually stay in the hospital for about 1 day. The operation takes roughly 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how many areas are treated.
Does the Endotine device need to be removed later?
Endotine is an absorbable fixation device used to hold the lifted soft tissue in place. Because it is an absorbable material, it dissolves gradually over time.
Am I too old for this approach?
This approach is meant in particular for a relatively younger age group, roughly 30 to 45. If you fall outside this range, talk with your surgeon to be advised on an approach that suits you better.
What do I need to prepare before surgery?
You are examined and counseled by your surgeon, have routine tests, and are seen by the anesthesiologist. You stop Aspirin-containing medications about 10 days before surgery and fast for 6 hours beforehand.
When are the sutures removed and the dressing changed?
Your dressing is changed gently after the first day. Sutures are usually removed after about 1 week.
What complications can occur?
Like any surgery, this approach can have complications related to anesthesia and to the operation itself, such as hematoma, infection, or poor scarring. In general these complications are uncommon when the surgery is done by the proper principles.
The next step
Book a consultation to find out if this is right for you.
The content on this page is for reference only and does not replace a direct examination and consultation with a specialist physician. Surgical outcomes vary from person to person.