The Comprehensive Facelift
When does a mini-lift become a maxi-lift?
The mini-lift (medium facelift) is a very versatile procedure and can be modified for smaller to larger aging. The basic technique of mini-lift can be adjusted to account for the degree of aging. For a patient with moderate or medium aging, the incisions and the degree of skin elevation may be smaller. For patients with advanced aging, the incisions and the degree of skin elevation will be larger. We call the larger procedures "a comprehensive" facelift. Other simultaneous procedures are frequently performed with mini-lift procedures. These include eyelid and brow surgery, laser resurfacing, and facial implants. When combination procedures are performed, the total is greater than the sum of the parts. In other words, the degree of rejuvenation is much greater with larger lifts and simultaneous combination procedures.
The comprehensive facelift is a larger procedure and is designed for patients with more advanced aging of the face and neck. This lift may have larger incisions and skin elevation and a slightly longer recovery.
Most patients will take two weeks away from work with the comprehensive facelift procedures. If this is not possible, some patients will have their surgery on a Thursday or Friday. This gives them a weekend, the next 5 day work week, and another weekend to recover. By doing this, they can recover 9-10 days and only miss a single work week. Most of these patients can wear sun glasses, turtle neck shirts and makeup and get out of the house after a week, but will usually recover an additional week before returning to work.
Patients who can work from home are usually able to do so at one week.
It is very common to perform other simultaneous cosmetic facial procedures with the comprehensive facelift. Eyelid and brow surgery, laser resurfacing, and facial implants are frequently performed at the same time as the facelift.
As stated earlier, there are many misleading marketing materials about supposed "new" facelifts that are done with the patient awake, don't require bandages, no time away from work, etc. The patient must really beware of these procedures, especially if they have significant aging of the face and neck. Performing a small facelift on a patient who needs a larger one will lead to an unhappy patient with compromised results. The lift will not be as tight or last as long. Many patients have fallen prey to procedures that sounded too good to be true.
The patients shown in the sidebar had more comprehensive facelifts and in some cases other cosmetic procedures such as eyelid tuck, brow lift, liposuction, laser skin resurfacing, etc.
