Facial Rejuvenation
Facial Rejuvenation Procedures
Dr. Kerner approaches facial rejuvenation in a comprehensive manner. Not every procedure is for every potential patient. We approach facial aging as a multi-factorial event that involves some bone loss, soft tissue loss, and then excess skin only as a result of the deflation that occurs with the underlying tissues. To address these issues, we evaluate each patient on an individual basis. Some patients benefit from a traditional face and neck lift, others just some fat injection procedures. Others require implants to achieve desirable results.
Mini-facelift
The mini-facelift, which has many names, is also known as the S-lift and the Weekend Lift, among others. It is a procedure designed to rejuvenate the lower face and neck. This procedure is ideal for those who do not have significantly advanced signs of aging and who do not desire the more extensive traditional facelift.
This procedure is ideal for healthy men and women who want to get rid of sagging jowls as well as loose skin along the lower face and upper neck. If you do not have extensive signs of aging and would like to minimize recovery time, this may be the ideal procedure for you. The best way for us to determine if you are a candidate is for us to examine you.
The mini-facelift is less extensive than the traditional facelift, and therefore may not do as much to correct significant aging in the lower face or neck, such as extensive platysmal banding in the anterior neck. In addition, it is designed to improve the lower face and upper neck. Therefore, it does not change the appearance of the eyes, brow, or midface, which can be rejuvenated with eyelid lifts, brow lifts, and the endoscopic midface lift, respectively. This can be performed with other procedures, and typically we utilize this procedure with fat grafting and transfer to the mid-face region.
The mini-facelift can be performed with local or twilight anesthesia. Most patients do request some sedation medication prior to surgery in order to increase their comfort level, though this is not required.
We perform all of our facial rejuvenation procedures in a Medicare-certified outpatient surgical facility. This is the highest level of accreditation for a surgery center.
The procedure takes 1 to 3 hours depending on whether other procedures are performed in the same setting. Most patients find that the mini-facelift and other aesthetic procedures are uncomfortable but not really painful. You will be provided with prescription pain medication, though many use this sparingly, and some do not use it at all.
The incisions for the mini-facelift closely resemble those for a traditional facelift. Beginning beneath the temporal tuft of hair (or sideburns for men), the incision wraps around the natural curves of the ear before extending into the hairline behind the ear. Because they fall naturally between two separate components of the face, they are generally very well concealed.
Most patients are presentable about a week after surgery. Any swelling and/or bruising that may occur can be covered with makeup by this time. Most sutures are removed in the first week after surgery, and surgical taping may be used after stitch removal in order to minimize your chances of scarring. Since your own hair will cover most of the incisions, this area is often well hidden from view as it heals. Incisions will be pink initially, then fade as they continue to heal.
For more information or to schedule a consult for Dr. Kerner, please call (818) 349-0600.
