[Eton TV] The Standard for a Mini Facelift. How far is a mini facelift, exactly?

The standard for a mini facelift.

How far is a mini facelift, exactly?

These days, when people come in for consultations about facelifts,

about half of them want a mini facelift that delivers the best possible effect

without visible incision scars,

and the other half want a surgery that delivers the best possible result,

even if it leaves a bit of scarring.

But in fact, the term “mini facelift” seems to be used differently at each clinic.

Many clinics tend to describe a procedure as “mini” if it does not involve a full incision.

You could say there is no middle ground.

From my point of view, even when the incision line is fairly long,

if it is not a full facelift,

it is often still called mini.

In my view, a “mini facelift”

means a surgery with no visible scar.

The mini facelift I have in mind

often involves an incision inside the hairline, that is, in the temporal area,

and reaching as far as possible to lift the tissue.

Of course, to improve the result,

some procedures may also include partial incision lines in front of or behind the ear,

and these are sometimes classified as mini facelifts as well.

But when I tried that approach,

I found myself thinking,

“If this much scarring is going to remain,

wouldn’t it be better to make the incision a little longer

and pull everything up more firmly,

so the youthful look lasts longer?”

So I perform two types of procedures:

a “true mini facelift” with no visible incision,

and a “full facelift” with visible incisions.

If you look in the mirror and pull your skin upward,

people who do not have much extra skin left behind

are good candidates for a mini facelift.

If, when you pull, the skin at the back bulges out noticeably,

then a mini facelift alone

will absolutely not improve it.

That is a problem that can only be solved by removing skin.

When the skin has not sagged very much,

a mini facelift can be a very good option.

A thread lift is done without an incision,

using dissolvable threads to pull the tissue,

so if you pull too strongly, the tissue can become irregular.

But a mini facelift uses an incision in a hidden area,

and while removing part of the scalp, it lifts the tissue,

so the result is better than a thread lift.

If you want lifting and there is not much excess skin,

a mini facelift can be effective.

When a mini facelift is not suitable,

you need to move on to a full facelift,

and structurally, the two surgeries should be regarded as completely different procedures.

A mini facelift mainly approaches through the temporal area

and lifts sagging tissue such as nasolabial folds and marionette lines upward,

but with this approach alone,

it is difficult to perform the dissection needed to release the retaining ligaments in the deep layer.

In simple terms, it means it is difficult to sufficiently separate the deep tissues

and pull them up firmly.

There are endoscopic methods described in papers as well,

but in my opinion,

the lifting effect is limited compared with the effort involved.

In a full facelift, the deep layers are pulled up securely first,

and then only the remaining skin is removed,

so the result is much more dramatic.

If I were to pick the areas where a full facelift is especially effective,

the area with the biggest difference is the

“nasolabial folds.”

Because Asians tend to have a wider cheekbone width,

pulling from the sides can make the face look wider,

but a full facelift pulls firmly from the deep layers,

so it can smooth the nasolabial folds

while minimizing the feeling that the face has become wider.

The second area is the neck.

If the marionette lines are not severe,

a mini facelift can still provide some effect,

but for people whose neck line is unclear because of a double chin,

a full facelift that includes a neck lift is necessary.

The neck has a lot of tissue laxity and a lot of movement,

so if the deep layers are not properly tightened,

it easily becomes loose again.

That is why a full facelift is clearly more effective

for nasolabial folds and neck sagging.

Because it is often explained as if a mini facelift can produce

the same results as a full facelift,

some people may misunderstand.

Many clinics try to achieve the maximum effect with the smallest incision,

but there are clear structural limitations in practice.

Sagging tissue has to be removed from somewhere in order to disappear,

and if you only pull it while keeping it hidden without an incision,

it can be difficult to handle those areas properly.

If you want major change

but are having surgery with only a small incision,

there are limitations,

so depending on the situation,

I recommend combining a full facelift with a neck lift.

The most important things in facelift surgery are

time and cost.

A mini facelift has a faster recovery

and is less expensive,

so for people with busy lives who want to improve problem areas

without making it too noticeable,

it can be a good choice.

But if you want overall improvement from this surgery,

then even if recovery time and cost are required,

it is better to consider a full facelift.

That is because it allows for total correction,

with overall synergy rather than partial improvement.

In the end, what matters most is choosing the best option

based on your current condition

and what you want to improve.

If you are wondering whether a mini facelift or a full facelift

is right for you,

please remember above all else

that the most important thing is to accurately understand your own condition,

discuss it thoroughly with a specialist,

and make a careful decision.

Thank you.