Many patients, while desiring the rejuvenating effects of a facelift, are deterred by the recovery time, expense, or the extent of the surgery. The mini-facelift or "short-scar" facelift offers an enticing alternative. Because it involves less dissection of the tissues, there is often considerably less bruising and discomfort and patients are able to return to their normal activities, in most instances, much more quickly than after a traditional facelift.


The mini-facelift relies on sutures placed in the deeper layers of the face to lift the soft tissue, which achieves a long-lasting lift; then the skin is re-draped to remove the excess. Most patients can return to their social schedule/work schedule within a week. There are normally no sutures to remove and the healed incisions, because they are kept to a minimum, are often difficult to discern.