Mini Facelift
Traditional facelift procedures remain a popular option in treating facial signs of ageing and restoring a fresh and rested look to the face. However, a traditional facelift can require considerable time and resources. While a traditional facelift may still be the right option to meet your aesthetic goals and provide you with the longest-lasting rejuvenation, a mini facelift can give you great results and also significantly reduce your investment, your recovery time and the impact to your normal routine.
A mini facelift, a variation of the traditional rhytidectomy or full facelift, is a surgical procedure that treats visible signs of ageing on the face. These ageing signs include noticeable skin laxity, prominent folds between the nose and mouth, mouth-corners and chin (nasolabial folds and marionette lines), laxity of the jowls, double chin and loose or excessive neck skin. All of these symptoms come naturally as the result of ageing — and a mini facelift will not stop ageing’s progress — but it may help reverse many of these signs with results that may last for years.
A mini facelift surgery performed by specialist plastic surgeon Dr Morris Ritz will target specific areas of the face that are the focus of your concern. The procedure primarily consists of strategic skin excision, where excess skin that causes laxity is trimmed away. After he has removed the excess skin, he will re-suture your incisions, leaving you with much-improved skin tone, minimised skin laxity and a more youthful and refreshed look. Dr Ritz, in the majority of cases, can even perform the procedure under local anaesthetic and as day surgery.
Initial Consultation
Mini-facelifts begin with an incision which passes around the ear but which forgoes passage around the upper length of the hairline as an incision would during a full facelift procedure. As a result, the mini facelift primarily rejuvenates the mid-face region with some variants of the procedure also refreshing the upper neck area as well. The shorter incision will still provide results and is an option for patients who are seeing a majority of their ageing symptoms in the mid to lower face.
During your initial consultation with Dr Ritz in Melbourne, he will discuss the procedure with you, so you have a full understanding of what is required of you pre-operatively, what happens during the surgery, your post operative care and any risks or complications involved. There are risks associated with any surgery, no matter how big or small, and it is important that you are aware of them and understand them.
The potential risks associated with facelift surgeries include complications from anaesthesia, infection, blood clots, persistent numbness, scarring, weakness due to nerve injury and localised hair loss. While these risks do exist, they also occur infrequently and point to the need for electing surgery with a fully-accredited specialist plastic surgeon who understands the procedure very well.
During the surgery
When you arrive for your mini facelift, preparations for your procedure will include a pre operative cleanse of all skin and hair in the surgical area. Dr Ritz will then administer a local anaesthetic.
After making guide marks along the natural skin folds around the ears, Dr Ritz will make his initial incisions and continue to work only within those regions, a practice which ensures minimal scarring, which can be very easily concealed and difficult to detect. After the pre-determined amount of skin has been excised, Dr Ritz will close the incisions, further tightening subcutaneous tissues and ensuring the longest-lasting and most attractive result possible.
Recovery
Since the mini facelift uses a smaller incision than a traditional facelift, a mini facelift offers patients a significantly shorter recovery time than a traditional facelift. Dr Ritz will ask you to stay in the hospital for a couple of hours immediately after your procedure for monitoring, but you will soon be able to return home wearing a protective bandage.
Further, while traditional facelifts may require up to two full weeks off from your normal social activities, a mini facelift may require only a few days of recovery before you can resume your schedule. You will return to the doctor’s office in about four days for a follow-up.
Post operative care
As with any surgical procedure, afterwards you will experience swelling around the incisions, and some discharge may occur. Once compression bandages are removed after a few days, you will begin to see the results of your surgery. A mini-facelift may give you an overall tighter and more youthful appearance in the cheeks and areas around the nose, mouth, chin and upper neck.
Some tightness around the mouth is normal for a few days post-procedure as well as some facial numbness which will quickly subside. Your happiness, comfort, and satisfaction are important to Dr Ritz. Contact his office at any time with questions or concerns you have about your procedure or recovery. Dr Ritz is available to advise and follow-up with his patients throughout their recovery process.
It is always recommended to have a friend, loved one or driving service escort you home after your procedure, especially if additional pain medication is prescribed to keep you comfortable during your recovery. You will have some limitations to your physical activity for approximately six weeks after your procedure. These primarily include strenuous activities, such as heavy lifting and the gym, for example.
A thorough understanding of his patient’s goals, deep knowledge of all available options and a consultative, patient-centred approach make Dr Ritz not merely a respected plastic surgeon but also a trusted advisor on your surgical journey.