Types of Facelift and Where the Incisions Go
Facelift is a category, not a single operation. Deep plane, mini, traditional and mid-facelift differ in where the incisions sit, which layer is repositioned and how long recovery takes. This page sets out the differences.
Patients arrive having read about a specific named facelift and want to know whether it is the one for them. The more useful question is which layer of tissue needs to move, because that is what determines the incision.
Facelifts are planned around the individual face. They are also frequently combined with other procedures — blepharoplasty, brow lift, neck lift, rhinoplasty or otoplasty — where the concern extends beyond what a facelift alone reaches.
Deep plane / SMAS facelift
Addresses descent in the mid-face, at the jawline and chin. The dissection goes below the superficial musculoaponeurotic system — the SMAS — releasing that layer from its attachments so it can be repositioned rather than the skin simply being tightened over it.
Recovery is three to four weeks. Scarring is minimal because the incisions follow the hairline and the natural creases around the ear.
Mini facelift
A shorter procedure, around an hour, sometimes marketed under names like “weekend” or “lunchtime” facelift. It addresses early signs of ageing in the lower face and neck through small incisions along the hairline and around the earlobes. Fat may be removed or injected at the same time.
Recovery is quick — most patients resume normal activity within days. It is correspondingly limited in what it can address.
Traditional facelift
Incisions run along the hairline from the temples, down in front of the earlobes, and may continue behind the ears. It is the most comprehensive of the surgical options and is used where facial ageing is significant.
Mid-facelift
Focuses on the central face — the cheeks and the area below the eyes — using an endoscope or small incisions rather than a long one. Recovery is one to two weeks. Fat grafting is often included to restore volume where it has been lost rather than simply repositioning what remains.
What a facelift does about wrinkles
Moderate to severe wrinkles are significantly softened and some are removed entirely. But a facelift does not stop the ageing process and does not prevent new lines forming. Non-surgical treatments are commonly used afterwards to maintain the result.
Non-surgical alternatives
Radiofrequency and ultrasound devices heat the deeper layers of the skin to stimulate collagen production. Recovery is shorter. The results are less pronounced and do not last as long as surgery. They suit patients whose changes are early, whose schedule does not accommodate surgical recovery, or who are not ready to commit to an operation.
Which one
That is an assessment, not a choice from a menu. It depends on your skin type, how much loose skin there is and where, and what you actually want changed. A consultation with a plastic surgeon who examines your face is the only way to answer it properly.
The procedure this relates to
Rhytidectomy — surgery that addresses the descent of the face and neck by repositioning the deeper tissues, tightening the underlying muscle and removing the skin that is left over. Results typically last up to ten years.
Before you act on this
Everything here is general. What applies to you depends on your anatomy, your history and what you are trying to achieve, and none of that can be assessed from a page. If a question here is yours, bring it to a consultation.