What Is The Difference Between A Mid-Facelift and Full Facelift?

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by Dr. Steven Wallach

As we age, our face changes a lot due to different factors that can damage the skin and have long-term effects. As the years continue to move on, more and more individuals seek surgical procedures to help them retain their youthful look. Certified plastic surgeons offer them the options of full facelift and mid-facelift.

Full Facelift

It is a surgical procedure useful for lifting and tightening the lower part of your face’s facial tissues and muscles. This process can remove excess skin, tighten loose tissue, and smooth out existing folds and wrinkles. It is one of the most common strategies used to disguise aging. However, those who fall into the following categories do not qualify for a facelift:

• Individuals with a medical condition such as recovery from surgery or wound healing
• Those who smoke or abuse drugs and substances

PROCEDURE FOR A FULL FACELIFT

Facelifts vary depending on the patient’s desired results. The traditional procedure requires an incision to be made in the hairline near the temples. It continues behind, then around the earlobe back to the hairline. According to Dr. Robert V. Vitolo, an Endoscopic Scarless Face Lift removes the need for these incisions, which can leave scars.

The endoscopic facelift requires a few half-inch incisions along your hairline. They become barely visible as you continue to heal. These incisions provide room for a small camera known as an endoscope. It helps discover the location and quantity of skin that is to be eliminated.

Mid-Facelift

It is also referred to as a vertical facelift or cheek lift. It focuses on the cheeks and in between the eyelids and forehead. This procedure gives patients a more rejuvenating appearance by manipulating the underlying muscles to create a long-term solution for sagging skin and other facial features.

PROCEDURE FOR A MID-FACELIFT

The patient is anesthetized thoroughly before the surgeon makes incisions around the hairline and forehead. This process can also use an endoscope to improve visualization and make the process smooth. The skin from the muscles in the cheek area and forehead is then dissected and reposition the undermined muscles to a new position.

The surgeon fixates the muscles in a higher position closer to the temples and the eye bone rim. A mid-facelift address concerns such as facial volume, fine lines, and bags under the eye. It is not recommended for people with more prominent signs of aging or loose neck skin. Ideal candidates are middle-aged with sagging cheeks or hollowness beneath their eyes.

The main advantage of this procedure over the traditional facelift is the recovery time. There is less scarring, numbness, and bleeding experienced by the patient. However, the longevity of the results relies on their lifestyle choices and skin type.

Schedule a Consultation 

To find out whether you are suited to a mid-facelift or a traditional facelift, schedule a consultation with Dr. Wallach. Call our office at (212) 861-6400 or contact us online to schedule your appointment.