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Very few things are as satisfying as knowing that you can beat aging on your face with a mini facelift. If you’re unsatisfied about the appearance of lines, sagging, droopy, or worn-out looking skin and are interested in turning back the clock on your facial features by several years, this procedure can help you achieve your goals in less time and with minimal commitment.

As with any elective cosmetic procedure, patients benefit best when armed with the following information about what to expect for their mini facelift experience.

Before a Mini Facelift

As with any medical procedure, preparation is vital for a smoother and faster recovery and optimal results. Patients should incorporate these strategies into their routine a couple of weeks before their appointment.

Medication and Health Maintenance: Inform the surgeon of all medications and herbal supplements currently in use. These items increase the risks of adverse events and complications that may arise during and after a mini facelift. Alternative medical meds can be made for individuals with health management needs.

Balanced Diet: A proper nutritional balance is key to help maximize the body’s defenses against infection and prevent complications. Patients should follow appropriate dietary guidelines for their health needs and reduce salt and sugar consumption. They should also avoid smoking, alcohol, and recreational drug use. These factors can increase swelling after the procedure and cause delays in healing and the true results to appear.

Increase Hydration: It’s important to avoid becoming dehydrated in the days leading up to the procedure. Drink more water and fluids, in general, to maintain proper hydration levels to ensure skin and overall health and healing capacity.

Take it Easy: Patients should put off strenuous activities and adjust their schedules, so they are getting an adequate amount of rest to improve their body’s response to the procedure and results.

Arrange for Transportation: Patients should arrange for someone to drive them to and from their appointment. The mini facelift requires anesthesia and can take some time to wear off after the operation. Residual effects can cause significant impairment that makes operating motor vehicles and performing other tasks dangerous.

The Night Before/Morning of

On the night before or in some cases the morning of, patients are advised to avoid eating or drinking beverages. Some patients may be instructed otherwise. A mild sedative or local anesthesia is administered to patients to alleviate their discomfort during the procedure. Preoperative fasting helps to prevent adverse effects, such as nausea, vomiting and aspiration.

During the Procedure

After arriving, patients will go over registration and other important information regarding their procedures. After administering anesthesia, the surgeon performs a mini facelift by placing tiny incisions in inconspicuous areas in the hairline and near the ears and around the lower scalp. This allows him to target areas to remove wayward fat deposits and lift and subtly tighten the skin, so the results eliminate years of the physical signs of aging.

Depending on the type of work necessary to help the patients achieve their desired results, the surgeon may also redistribute fat to fill in sunken and depressed areas for a softer or more masculine look. Incisions are sealed with special medical adhesive or medical tape. Sutures may also be used.

After a Mini Facelift

A mini facelift takes anywhere from one to two hours to complete. Once done, patients wear facial bandages to help preserve the work performed until it is safe enough to remove them, usually within one to two days. Patients are allowed to go home after the procedure and should follow their postoperative care instructions to prevent complications and protect their results.

Pain Management: There will be some swelling and soreness immediately after the procedure that is manageable with medications prescribed for the procedure. Ice packs are helpful in reducing swelling and discomfort. In some cases, patients may be advised to incorporate store-bought pain medications like non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs or acetaminophen to help with inflammation and discomfort. These effects are normal and tend to peak during the first 24 hours before gradually resolving.

Exercise Care: Patients should use soap and water to gently clean their faces as needed. Extra care is necessary to avoid disturbing the face as it will still be sensitive and vulnerable to harm that can damage the mini facelift’s results. Until the doctor states it is okay to resume, lotions, makeup and other skin or facial products should be avoided.

Keep Follow Up Appointments: Mini facelift results take time to develop. During recovery, follow-up appointments are necessary to ensure healing is progressing properly and complications do not develop. Bandages and or sutures are removed during the first few visits. Follow-up exams are also helpful in keeping patients and the surgeon on the same page about any concerns that may impact the mini facelift experience.

Mini Facelift Recovery and Results

Recovery doesn’t take long. One of the biggest benefits of a mini facelift is that patients are often ready to resume many of their normal lives within one to two weeks. Mini Facelift results take time to completely develop. It is common for the most immediate and obvious effects of the procedure to disappear within one to two weeks. By the end of the first month after a mini facelift, the results are more defined and desirable. Most surgical effects are gone or easily camouflaged with makeup.

A mini facelift doesn’t prevent aging from happening. It is necessary to adopt healthy doesn’t and lifestyle habits to help prevent the ongoing impact of aging and environmental factors from tarnishing their appearance after a mini facelift. With proper maintenance, aesthetic appeal and effects of a mini facelift can for many years.

To learn about what to expect for a mini facelift or to discover the benefits of alternative or combinational anti-aging treatments, give us a call to schedule a consultation.


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