by Christian G. Drehsen, MD
Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
My website
The fundamental flaw with the so called “ mini facelifts” is that it is often promoted as a “one size fits all” procedure…the equivalent of a barber providing the same haircut for everyone. The concept definitely sounds inviting: local anesthesia, lunch-hour procedure with you being able to be out and socializing the very same day, coupled with a low cost. With catchy names like S lift, lifestyle lift, contour lift, curl lift, thread lift, and more, they really do sound appealing! But, could it be that they’re too good to be true?

Considered by most experts as gimmickry or, at a minimum, a return to primitive rejuvenation procedures, most of these “miracle treatments” are often a come-on for uninformed customers who are fearful of having an invasive procedure with limited downtime. Unfortunately, they hardly deliver the benefits they promote.
Foremost, in every aesthetic treatment, the patient’s goals need to be clearly identified in order for the appropriate steps to logically follow. Your individual needs, including the shape of your face, your facial structure, the elasticity of your skin, and the volume of your face, should be considered before recommending the same procedure across the board for every patient.

There is, however, a place for mini face lift procedures, and Dr. Drehsen can determine when they are an appropriate option based on your individual needs. You should be aware of and accept the substantial limitations of mini face lifts, most of which merely compete with each other based on trademarked names and not significantly different approaches or outcomes. Removing a small triangle of skin in front of the ear can tighten some skin but do nothing to uplift the cheek area. Likewise, pulling the cheeks with threads will do nothing to correct loose, sagging bands in the neck.

So, beware of so called Mini Lifts that promise the results of a full face lift. At our clinic, I have corrected numerous dissatisfied and disillusioned customers of the lifestyle or other mini lift.

To see actual before and after photographs, watch patient education videos and learn about the latest advancements in cosmetic surgery procedures visit my website Clinique of Plastic Surgery.