MINI LIFT: The mini lift or tuck facelift has many description terms such as an S-lift, which is a minor variant of the mini lift. A mini lift involves tightening the facial cheek and jowls however, it does not address the neck, which is only addressed through a face/neck lift or just the neck lift. A mini lift is a procedure where the incisions are placed in the anterior temporal hairline along the sideburn and behind the tragal portion of the ear in a small portion behind the ear. The undermining that is performed is only in the high cheekbone area, and the muscles are tightened in the facial area (also known as the superficial muscular aponeurotic system or “SMAS”). The primary goal of a mini lift, tuck facelift or S-lift is to remove the jowls. This operation is usually performed under a general anesthesia but can be performed under twilight intravenous sedation. No drains are required for this operation and patients tend to get back to regular activities sooner with less bruising and swelling than a traditional face/neck lift. If there are preexisting neck conditions such as submental fat, skin laxity, and anterior platysmal muscle bands, this is not the correct operation for the patient. The surgery is performed at The Seattle Facial Plastic Surgery Center, which is a Medicare-certified surgery center, under the direction of Dr. William Portuese. Board-certified physicians/anesthesiologists from Swedish Medical Center perform the anesthesia. Out-of-town patients can stay at one of the area’s three hotels within one block of the office.
A neck lift is usually a surgery that removes extra skin and fat from the neck area to make it look less wrinkled and saggy. It’s possible to use modern techniques that don’t require a lot of surgery. In some cases, Botox can be used instead of surgery.
