You are ready for a mini Facelift if non-surgical treatments such as Botox, fillers and lasers do not give you the same rejuvenation they once did
and you are looking for a low-maintenance, long lasting result. Typically this means early 50’s for women and mid50’s for men. It rejuvenates the lower face for patients with mild to moderate sagging, early jowls and excess skin in the lower face and upper neck.
The current philosophy surrounding facial rejuvenation is to adapt the type of surgical lift to each individual, using their underlying bone structure as a template so when the tissues are redraped, the face ‘sits’ naturally and is not pulled tight in an unnatural fashion. The ingenuity of the mini facelift is to hide the incision in the inside of the small rectangular “tragus” at the opening of the ears, behind the earlobes and back of the ear. The SMAS ie the underlying muscular system is tightened as needed : with plication sutures to elevate it, with imbrication, folded on itself or an excessive piece is removed and stitched tighter. It is important to understand that a vertical direction is the correct vector, simply pulling back toward the ears may create pulled corners of the mouth aka “The Joker”!
This minimally invasive facelift is often performed under sedation so you are able to go home on the same day. Bandages are removed and the hair will be washed before you return home. Over the subsequent few days you can gently wash your hair with a mild shampoo, obviously exercising care in the suture area. It is important not to stoop or carry out vigorous activities for the first seven days after the surgery otherwise postoperative bleeding can result. Sutures dissolve seven to ten days postoperatively. Within one week much of the bruising and swelling should have resolved enough to return to work using cover makeup. It is advisable to avoid hair colouring 4-6 weeks following surgery.
Scars are usually very faint after a facelift. However, a period of thickening and reddening/darkening of the scars can be expected to last for a few months before returning to more natural skin colour and texture. Bruising, swelling and numbness are temporary following a facelift and are mostly resolved after two weeks. To help lessen the bruising, we suggest taking Arnica two weeks prior to surgery and two weeks after. Should infection occur it is usually readily treated with antibiotics. If a haematoma (a collection of blood under the skin) should occur, a revisit to the operating theatre may be necessary. However, if dealt with promptly this does not affect the long term results. Occasionally, delayed wound healing may occur, mainly in diabetic patients or patients who smoke. Please discuss your smoking habit with your surgeon. Damage to the nerves, which control the facial muscles, is an extremely rare event, which may be associated with a short scar facelift. Even if this should occur, in the majority of cases, there is a full recovery.
Angelica uses advanced facelift techniques to provide results that appear completely natural so that people will notice your rejuvenated appearance without the evidence of surgery. Her patients are delighted that their family members and friends tell them how great they look, but never figure out they had a facelift. They think they look healthy, lost weight, changed their haircut or skin care. With her bespoke approach, the days of looking “pulled” are over! Facial rejuventation plays an important role in the workplace. With retirement age becoming an increasingly distant prospect, we aim to stay relevant for longer and are keen to shed the ‘invisibility cloak’ of middle age. A mini facelift is the prefect way to achieve a youthfull , healthy look.
