Short Scar Face Lift

It is a modification of the conventional face lift for people who are younger and has limited sagging of mid face and jaw line. Face lift is indicated when fillers and other minimal invasive procedure do not improve the face sagging without filling it unnaturally with fillers or fat grafting. I will first understand your expectations by asking series of questions.

Then I will assess the face in following sequence

• Upper Face:  If the problem is dynamic or static wrinkles than I may recommend Antiaging or filler injections. However, if there is sagging of the brow than I may recommend some form of no surgical or surgical brow lift. If there is excess upper eyelid skin than upper eyelid blepharoplasty will help.

• Mid Face: This is the “Golden Triangle” of the face where most of the changes occur with age and is directly visible to the person and onlookers. Tear Trough deformity is a part of ” under eye circle” and it may be accompanied with battiness and skin wrinkling. In younger age people I recommend fillers or fat grafting to fill up the tear trough. Antiaging, fractionated CO2 laser, phenol peel or ultherapy ( micro focused ultrasonic treatment). may be recommended depending upon requirement. Mid face sagging with deep nasolabial fold and marionette lines occurs due to skin sagging and volume loss / displacement. To some extent it can be corrected with fillers or fat grafting and skin tightening procedures such as ultherapy or silhouette thread lift. When the sagging is more with changes such as waviness of skin on cheek bones, skin fold in nasolabial areas, sagging jowls of skin in jaw line than a short scar face lift is indicated.

• Lower face: Lower face changes include jowls, fat deposits in jaw line areas, double chin and neck skin folds. Some of the minimal invasive or noninvasive that can work in younger patient are Antiaging, fillers, fat grafting, lipo structuring of face, silhouette thread lift, ultherapy etc. But if the skin excess is more and patient demands dramatic improvement than Lower face lift and or neck lift is indicated.

How is short scar face lift performed?

• It is performed under local anaesthesia and IV sedation. Infiltration of cocktail of Lidocaine, adrenaline and sodium bicarbonate Is injected under the skin.

• A incision is made in front of the ear going behind the travail cartilage and around the ear lobe to the back of the ear lobe. If more neck lift is required the incision can extend in the ear sulcus.

• Most of the procedure is performed by “closed technique” where the skin is elevated using special instruments along with some liposculpturing. The incision is than completed and skin is easily pulled up.

• The underlying muscle layer called as SMAS is than tightened by various techniques depending upon the need. Most commonly purse string sutures using barbed suture such a ” V Lock sutures” are used to lift the muscle layer and anchor to fixed structures.

• Than adequate amount of skin is removed and it is sutured neatly using subcuticular sutures.

What is the recovery of this procedure?

Patients go home the same day wearing a bandaged that they wear a chin support for few days. Most of the patients after three to four days can go out using concealers and make up. There is minimal bruising and discomfort.

What are the risks of short scar face lift?

• The risks are minimal including hematoma, facial nerve weakness, mild asymmetry, scarring, pulling of ear lobes.
• The key to prevent risks include following a strict protocol provided by the surgeon, avoiding smoking and regular follow up.