Mini Facelift in Leesburg, VA

The following steps define how I approach aging faces and mentally decide how I could make you look more youthful. It is very important to understand that my mental approach is very different to what we decide would be your best treatment options. This is because the consultation should always start with YOU and what you want; there is no point in suggesting you benefit from a facelift or other surgical option when you are searching for ONLY non-surgical options.

When you come in for your consultation, we start with how you think you are aging and what you might want me to do about it. Many patients might then turn this around and ask for a a menu of what I think. In the end, it is a compromise between what you want and what I think I can provide. This is how you end up with natural results.

There is not necessarily a “right” time to get a facelift surgery. Just like the concept of beauty is subjective, the concept of facial aging can also be subjective. 

Facial aging begins with a loss of collagen and volume loss and then the skin begins to sag. Therefore, nonsurgical options that add facial volume is usually a first step in treating facial aging.  This is mostly true if you are in your thirties and early forties. 

As you get older, volume loss is more dramatic and collagen begins to stretch. The strategy at this time is to optimize facial volume and lifting the extra sagging tissue.  This is the optimum time to have a mini facelift. The average age for a mini facelift is about 40 years old.

Many patients in their forties and early fifties chose to have a mini facelift because:

• They aren’t yet ready for a full facelift.
• They are happy with their neck, browline and forehead.
• They need to have a quicker recovery period.
• They would like a lower risk surgery – mini facelifts are quicker and less invasive.
• They have mild to moderate skin sagging and excess skin on the lower half of their face.

The goal of the procedure is to lift the jowls upwards, thereby restoring volume to the cheeks while improving the jawline. You can generally also expect a modest improvement in the neck. If you want more significant improvements in the neck, a neck lift would be added to the procedure and become a face and neck lift.

Patients have a choice between oral sedation or general anesthesia. The benefit of general anesthesia is obviously the ability to be put to sleep for the entire procedure; you wake up and the procedure is done. The downside of general anesthesia, however, is the additional costs and some people don’t like the thought of being put under.

60-70% of patients chose to have their surgery done in the office under oral sedation. These patients will have a oral cocktail of valium and pain medicine to start the procedure. Once the patient feels calm, the area that will be worked on will be injected with long-acting pain medications similar to going to the dentist. They choose this option because of some cost savings and the ability to avoid being put under. The recovery is easier and there is generally less swelling. The downside, obviously, is that you are awake for the procedure. Most patients find it very tolerable because of the calming effects of the valium. Watch a live mini facelift procedure in office here.

The goal of the mini facelift is to redrape the skin and SMAS. The mini facelift might restore some volume into the cheeks, but more significant volume will require the addition of a fat transfer or cosmetic fillers. Volume is usually needed for the temples, under-eye area, cheek mound, and the area in and around the lips.

Many people wish to reduce wrinkles; therefore, Botox is commonly performed alongside the mini facelift. Botox can address the forehead lines, the angry lines between the brows, and the crows feet lines. Not only does the botox treatment improve the appearance of aging, but it will preserve the longevity of the results by not allowing the skin to shift as fast over time.

Skincare lasers, including the Forever Young BBL, Micropeel, and Profractional Laser can help with improving the glow and radiance of the skin by reducing brown and age spots, fine lines, and wrinkles. They also help maintain your results by increasing and rejuvenating cellular DNA and collagen.

After surgery you should rest at home and let yourself heal. Dr. Chang will send you home with a detailed recovery plan. There are a number of different ways to do this:

• You may have compression bandages for a few days after.
• There will be some bruising and swelling which should fade within a couple of weeks.
• Sutures are removed 10 to 14 days after your surgery. Some may be absorbable.
• Strenuous exercise should be avoided for 3 – 4 weeks.
• Apply aquaphor ointment twice a day until the sutures are removed.
• Most patients will take 5 – 7 days of work.
• Pain is negligible, pain medication can be prescribed for the first few days if needed.

There are certain things a patient should do to prepare for this kind of surgery.

• Stop blood thinning medication two weeks before.
• Avoid smoking four weeks before.
• Don’t drink alcohol five days prior to the surgery.
• Have a healthy diet, this will help with healing.
• Wear a loose fitting top that buttons up rather than something that is pulled over the head. This will help once you are home.
• Don’t wear jewelry and make-up to the surgery.

The risks of a facelift surgery are similar to the risks of any surgery. They will also depend on if you are having any additional procedures at the same time. The general risks include 

• blood collections or hematomas
• delayed healing
• infections
• facial nerve injury (very rare)
• swelling that won’t go down after the allotted time

Complete symmetry cannot be expected.  Some relapse particularly in the neck is common.  Scar visibility depends on many factors outside our control and may occur.

Your cost for a mini facelift surgery will depend on whether or not additional procedures are performed such as a neck lift, Botox, Fillers or fat transfer and laser skin care. The cost will be more if you chose to have general anesthesia in a hospital setting. See the price card below.

A mini facelift is temporary but you can take steps to prolong the effects:

• Stay out of the sun or wear protective clothing and a hat and very high SPF suncream
• Avoid smoking
• Eat a well-balanced diet with plenty of vitamins, anti-oxidants. Limit sugary and processed foods
• Hydrate! Drink at least 8 glasses of water a day.
• Use good anti-aging skincare. Look for products that include retinoids and vitamin C products
• Consider your facial movements – preserve your collagen and limit stretching of skin
• Consider injectables like Botox, and facial fillers. They can help reduce muscle movement and plump up skin to provide less movement
• Consider facial lasers such as Forever Young BBL, Micro Laser Peel, and the Profractional Laser. These can help smooth out skin tone, reduce fine lines and wrinkles and encourage collagen growth.

Dr. Chang is highly skilled at placing any scarring in a non-visible place – behind the earIt will take nearly a year and more for your scar to completely whiten, fade, and flatten. For this reason, scar revision procedures will not be performed for a full year. Because the nature and quality of your scars depends on many factors outside of the surgeon’s control, scar revision procedures will require a small surgical fee.