A mini facelift involves tightening of the neck and the jawline. It mimics the effects that you might see when you pull up on your jawline and neck looking in the mirror. The incisions for this, and the work required, is generally less than ideal for patients who have lost elasticity in their skin and require larger incisions and more work under the surface of the skin.

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What is a Minimal Incision Facelift?

A minimal incision facelift is a procedure that, as it sounds, obtains a lift of the face with a small incision. The incision can be made in the shape of an S, or may be extended behind the ear for a distance, or may only be behind the ear.

A minimal incision facelift, also called the S-lift, is described by the shape of the incision made if this procedure were to be performed on the right side of the face. It makes a dramatic change in the way you look by tightening sagging muscle and skin of the cheeks, chin and neck. It is a quicker operation than traditional facelift with a faster recovery.

The surgery is best suited for patients under the age of 50 who possess good skin tone, but the procedure can be used on almost any patient. Recovery is typically under a week, though the final result may take several weeks. We recommend scheduling a consultation to learn if a minimal incision facelift is right for you.

Philadelphia cosmetic surgeon, Dr. Allan Wulc, has presented our technique of S-lifting at national meetings and are frequently called upon to teach this technique.

The procedure, in general, is painless, especially with the medications that we prescribe. Sutures are removed approximately five days following surgery, and work may resume before one week.

How a Minimal Incision Facelift Works

The surgery is accomplished under monitored anesthesia with intravenous sedation, in an accredited ambulatory surgery center as an outpatient procedure (day surgery). You do not need to be admitted to the hospital. If you prefer, surgery can be performed under a general anesthetic.

Once you are comfortably asleep and sedated, local anesthesia is administered. The operation is performed by tightening the underlying muscles and ligaments of the face. This allows the jawline to become stronger and make the neck angles more distinct. The neckline also becomes sharper and jowls diminish. We combine the procedure with liposuction to remove and sculpture some of the fat that remains in your neck. We then carefully tailor skin excess and suture to conceal the incisions. Ointment and a light dressing is applied. Postoperatively, pain is unusual, but should be reported to us if you do experience extreme discomfort.