Oak Park, Ill. plastic surgeon and author Allan Parungao, MD, notes that although American Society of Plastic Surgeons statistics show the number of traditional facelifts dropped 22% between 2000 and 2006, there was a 66% increase in minimally invasive procedures. More and more Baby Boomers are opting for less-invasive, skin care-friendly mini-facelifts.
According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 11 million cosmetic
procedures were performed in 2006 -- of which 9.1 million were minimally invasive.
Traditional facelifts decreased 22% from 2000 to 2006, compared with a 66% increase
in minimally invasive procedures. But a new mini-facelift procedure is proving
to become more popular in terms of cost, recovery and ease with post skin care
regimens.
You can expect to resume your normal activities after only two to five days
of recovery, versus two to three weeks for a traditional facelift "Baby Boomers
come to me every day wanting a younger-looking face with minimum downtime, less
cost than a traditional facelift and no hospitalization," says Oak Park, Ill.
board-certified plastic surgeon Allan Parungao, MD.
"A mini-facelift offers same-day results, very little downtime and can be done
in about an hour under local anesthesia," says Dr. Parungao, author of A Woman's
Guide to Cosmetic Breast Surgery and Body Contouring (Addicus Books, 2006).
"And it costs up to 75% less than a traditional facelift."
"I'd been thinking about a facelift for years, but I never thought I could
afford to do it," says Jo, 54. "Then I found out about mini-facelifts."
What is a mini-facelift?
A mini-facelift is an outpatient surgical procedure that rejuvenates the bottom
third of the face as well as the jowls and neck. The procedure has a number
of names and variations, including S-lifts or short-scar facelifts, referring
to the incisions' shape and length. Some plastic surgeons call them weekend
facelifts or quicklifts.
"There is also a non-surgical variation known as a thread lift or suspension
lift, which uses barbed facial suspension sutures to lift sagging facial skin,"
Dr. Parungao explains. "But because no skin is removed, the results are less
durable and less predictable than those of a mini-facelift."
One of the earliest telltale signs of facial aging is loose skin around the
jowls or jawline. "A mini-facelift is highly effective in reversing the effects
of jowling, as it brings the facial skin up and trims away loose, excess skin,"
Dr. Parungao explains.
Because a mini-facelift disturbs less tissue than a traditional facelift, it
results in much less bruising and swelling. "You can expect to resume your normal
activities after only two to five days of recovery, versus two to three weeks
for a traditional facelift," says Dr. Parungao.