The Weekend Facelift
Commonly called the
"weekend facelift," the mini facelift is an attractive alternative to
surgical correction of ageing facial skin. The procedure rejuvenates the face
for a fraction of the cost of surgery, with far less risk and recovery time. A
relative newcomer to the world of cosmetic surgery, the weekend facelift is
quickly becoming very popular with both sexes.
Patient Evaluation
Generally speaking, mini
facelift surgery is most effective on patients who are just beginning to
experience the initial signs of ageing. Because the procedure is less invasive,
it is also used only to treat relatively minor age-related symptoms. If you
have minor droops or sags in your skin, this procedure may be right for you, if
you are in good overall health and don't suffer from any circulatory system
disorders.
Procedures
What separates the mini
facelift from traditional full face lift is that incisions are kept to an
absolute minimum. Broadly speaking, there are two techniques used in mini
facelifts: endoscopic and non-endoscopic.
• An endoscopic : Weekend facelift uses three or more tiny incisions and a small camera, which
the surgeon uses to find his or her way around the area under treatment. The
doctor is then able to reshape muscles and trim away excess skin with the help
of a monitor.
• Non-endoscopic: Procedures require longer incisions, which are
used to fold back the skin to reveal the muscle structures underneath. Even so,
these incisions are tiny compared to those used in full facelifts, and they
carry a greatly reduced risk of scarring and infection.
Many variants based on these
two techniques exist. The European mini facelift, for example, focuses on skin
and muscle dissection and a natural re-draping of the skin. An anterior mini
facelift can be used if you want to improve the appearance of the lower part of
your face, and a two stitch mini facelift is a noninvasive solution for
treating nasolabial folds and saggy cheek lines.
Risks
Though the risks involved
with this procedure are not nearly as worrisome as those presented by full
facelift surgery, all surgical procedures carry a degree of uncertainty. The
most common risks of weekend facelifts are:
• Bruising
• Allergies to the anesthesia
• Swelling
• Scarring
• Excessive bleeding
• Infection
• Clotted blood at the incision site
In addition, the following
rare complications have been observed in a small minority of patients:
• Broken capillaries, which may require subsequent
laser surgery to correct
• Skin discolouration, which may or may not resolve
spontaneously
• Facial stiffness
• Nerve damage, which may or may not be temporary
• Loss of skin or hair in the treated area
Recovery
Normal recovery time is just
48 to 72 hours. Your actual recovery time may vary, though, depending on
whether or not you experience any infections or healing complications.
After the procedure, you
should avoid overexposure to the sun and make sure you moisturize and care for
your skin diligently. If you do, you should be able to enjoy the benefits of
the procedure for five to seven years.
