Facelift | Mini Facelift Gilbert, AZ | DrSkin Med Spa

The most important facet of your facelift consultation, or any medical or cosmetic treatment discussion, is to make sure you have prepared plenty of questions to ask the office and plastic surgeon so that they can address and quell your individual concerns. Your plastic surgeon and their team should leave you with the confidence to move forward with a facelift surgery. This process requires open and honest communication, is a hallmark for a successful relationship with the office and plastic surgeon, and is a fundamental pillar in achieving optimal results as individuals will be required to follow pre- and post-operative protocols. Patients should also be prepared for a facial examination, which includes photos from different angles and a high-level discussion surrounding the procedure, expected recovery, and other treatment options based on patient concerns, facial anatomy, age, weight, lifestyle, and aesthetic goals.

Following all pre-surgery protocols your plastic surgeon provides is paramount before your facelift surgery. These protocols may begin two months before your surgery and extend through the day of your surgery. Patients can expect their instructions to direct them to quit smoking two months before surgery and cease the use of certain medications and supplements while beginning new regimes 1 to 2 weeks before their facelift. Avoid certain topical skin care products 3 to 7 days before surgery, and all individuals must obtain a medical evaluation, including lab testing, to ensure they are healthy and stable enough for facelift surgery.

This answer depends upon the type of facelift surgery an individual will undergo. Patients can expect a mini facelift to be performed in-office, under local anesthesia, in about 90 minutes. Mid- and deep plane facelifts are performed in the operating room, under general anesthesia, and typically take between 2 and 4 hours to complete, depending on the patient and the specific nature of the procedure.

The best age to consider a facelift is extremely personal and individualized. When patients struggle with self-esteem and confidence issues surrounding their facial appearance, consider consulting with a board-certified plastic surgeon to determine your options and candidacy for treatment. Technically, there is no ideal age to consider a facelift, as many variables exist. It’s important to understand that the longer you wait, the more intervention you may require as you age. Undergoing a facelift in your 30s will help preserve your youth and extend the results of your surgery. Regardless of where and when you start your journey, you can rest assured Dr. Jaiswal has performed over 1,000 facelift surgeries on patients in their 30s up to their mid-80s. While age does play an important role, a patient’s facial structure, soft tissue, fatty deposits, and skin quality are more important components to determine the right facelift procedure.

A mini facelift only targets the lower third of the face to improve skin laxity around the jawline and chin. The procedure is suitable for some in their 50s but is optimal and frequently recommended for patients in their 30s and 40s. A mini facelift requires smaller incisions, is less invasive overall, and offers reduced recovery times, leaving patients with more subtle results. A traditional facelift, often referred to as a mid- or deep-plane facelift, provides patients with more exaggerated results targeting excess skin, but also fatty deposits, soft tissue, and muscle throughout the entirety of a person’s face, not just the lower third or jowls. To better understand your surgical options and which facelift procedure is correct, we encourage you to consult a board-certified plastic surgeon to determine eligibility and candidacy for a mini or traditional facelift.

Yes, there are a variety of possible non-surgical options that may be well-suited for younger patients who want a surgical result without undergoing actual surgery. These enhancements include a combination of neurotoxins and dermal fillers, to achieve a non-surgical facelift result. Other options include fat grafting, noninvasive laser treatments for skin resurfacing and rejuvenation, PDO threads for smoothing and lifting, chemical peels, and PRP. Other considerations may include PRF gel with exosomes, Vivace RF Microneedling, microchanneling, and standard microneedling.

Any one of these individual treatments or some combination thereof may be enough to produce an enhanced or improved facial appearance. It’s important to consult with an experienced board-certified plastic surgeon to help determine whether surgery is right for you and to decipher which patients are good non-surgical candidates and for which treatments individuals will benefit from the most, based on facial structure and concerns, age, weight, lifestyle, and aesthetic goals.

The first and most vital step in preserving and prolonging your facelift results is following your plastic surgeon’s recovery plan. Disobeying post-operative protocols may lead to complications and impact your facelift’s short-term results and long-term permanence. These instructions include sleeping with your head elevated to reduce swelling and inflammation, staying hydrated, eating healthy foods, and getting plenty of rest. Other factors that help prolong the facelift results are avoiding smoking, protecting your skin from sun exposure, and maintaining a healthy and stable weight. Adjunct laser treatments for skin resurfacing and rejuvenation and medical grade skincare, which include advanced serums and hyaluronic acid, help revitalize, maintain, and extend your surgical results.

There are several factors to consider when determining how quickly individuals will return to normal, or public life, following facelift surgery. The type of facelift, patient age, and lifestyle are all important variables. A mini facelift typically requires a shorter recovery than a mid or deep-plane facelift. However, in general, patients can expect to return to normal life and feel comfortable to be seen publicly after one to three weeks following a facelift procedure. Most patients wait until bruising, swelling, and inflammation have subsided and are either minimal or nonexistent. Patients with sedentary careers may consider returning to work during this time period as well. Individuals with more rigorous jobs are encouraged to consult their plastic surgeon before returning to work.

After facelift surgery, patients should refrain from intense workouts and heavy lifting for at least six to eight weeks. However, after week one, during recovery, individuals may engage in light activities, like short walks. It’s pivotal not to overdo it, especially for gym enthusiasts, as too much exercise too soon can cause complications that will alter your surgical results. It’s vital to rest and remain hydrated throughout your recovery. Your plastic surgeon should provide you with a recovery plan and clear you to return to normal activities, like intensive cardiovascular exercise and heavy lifting when they are satisfied with your recovery and have determined it’s safe.

Patients are required to quit smoking for a period of no less than eight weeks before and eight weeks following surgery. These requirements are steadfast due to the increased incidence of complications and dangers associated with smoking when undergoing surgery. There are more risks involved when operating on a smoker versus a non-smoker. These risks include increased time in patient recovery, delayed wound healing, bacterial infections, and even necrosis. This is due to reduced circulation and blood flow, which leads to less oxygenated blood and poor healing.

After facelift surgery, individuals will be instructed to sleep on their back, with their head elevated, in a 30 to 45-degree incline position, for approximately the first four weeks of recovery. Sleeping on your back in an elevated position helps prevent unwanted strain on your new face and the incision sites and protects your incisions from dehiscence. It also promotes blood flow and healing factors that aid in cellular regeneration and helps reduce swelling, inflammation, and bruising. Sleeping on your stomach can cause complications and extend the recovery process.

Yes, as with all surgical procedures, scars will result after undergoing facelift surgery. However, Dr. Jaiswal is a master plastic surgeon with extraordinary artistic vision who utilizes the most advanced surgical techniques and skillfully hides the scars within the natural creases around the ear and hairline to make them as inconspicuous as possible. The scars fade over time with proper care and rest and typically heal extremely well, becoming white or flesh-toned after 1 year and nearly invisible to the naked eye.

No, unfortunately, a facelift doesn’t directly address the eye area. Patients may experience some residual improvement from a facelift, but a lower eyelid lift or blepharoplasty is needed to rejuvenate the eyes surgically. A lower eyelid lift targets crepey skin, dark circles, and fatty deposits that present as “eye bags,” and is commonly paired with a facelift for a scarless result when performed in the operating room. Dr. Jaiswal has performed over 1000 facelift surgeries and 10,000 eyelid lift cases in his 16-year career and employs the most advanced surgical techniques to ensure optimal results are achieved safely. If you’re interested in learning more about facelift surgery or blepharoplasty, contact our expert medical team, led by Dr. Jaiswal, at (480) 904-3311 to reserve your complimentary consultation today.

While the results of facelift surgery are permanent, the procedure does not combat natural aging, gravity, sun exposure, lifestyle, and weight fluctuations. Additionally, there are different kinds of facelift procedures, so the duration of an individual’s surgical results depends upon the type of facelift surgery they have undergone, as well as the age at which the procedure was performed. Furthermore, each patient is unique, as are their recovery and surgical results, so there are numerous variables to consider. For a mini facelift, patients can expect their results to last at least 5 to 10 years. At the same time, mid and deep-plane facelifts offer patients greater permanence and at least 15 to 20 years of durability.

One of the most vitally important decisions during each patient’s journey is whom the patient chooses to perform their surgery. Selecting the right plastic surgeon is critical to help restore and rejuvenate your face to a more youthful, radiant appearance and is likely the most important decision you will make. Your plastic surgeon should guide and direct you throughout the process, provide you with valuable insight and feedback based on their experiences, preferences, and procedures they specialize in, and will likely recommend adjunct treatments with your facelift based on their artistic style, vision, and preferences. Adding additional facial procedures to your facelift offers individuals a more complete and well-rounded facial rejuvenation result, with better symmetry and facial balance from forehead down to shoulders. At DrSkin Med Spa, our plastic surgery department, headed by Top 100 board-certified plastic surgeon Dr. Rohit Jaiswal, MD, offers a bevy of possible combinations when adding to a facelift, which include a neck lift, genioplasty or chin augmentation, lip lift, eyelid lift or blepharoplasty, brow lift, forehead reduction, fat grafting, and otoplasty. These may be viable options depending on facial anatomy, individual concerns, and patient goals for surgery. For individuals interested in transitioning or those bothered by an enlarged or oversized Adam’s apple, trachea shave or reduction may also be a viable adjunct procedure to combine with a facelift.