The most common types of face-lifting procedures are the full facelift, the lower facelift, the mini lift, also known as the mini facelift and the neck lift.

The full facelift is a term that is not often used these days. It includes a brow lift, upper eyelid lift and lower eyelid lift, lower face and neck lift. The lower facelift improves the jawline through a slightly longer incision than the mini lift when there is more extra skin to remove. The mini lift lifts the jowls through a shorter incision than the lower facelift. The neck lift improves the neck by improving the vertical bands, removing extra fat and tightening the skin.

The recovery time is approximately two weeks of social downtime.

The most commonly discussed risks associated with a facelift are bleeding, infection and nerve damage. Bleeding is also known as a hematoma and if small can be corrected fairly easily. If it is large, it needs to be corrected surgically. Both are rare. Infection is also rare because a number of anti-infection steps are taken: cleaning the skin with hibiclens (a powerful disinfectant) at home, oral antibiotics, IV antibiotics at the time of surgery and sterile surgical technique. Sensory nerves are always affected but recover within a year. The nerve that moves the face is called the facial nerve. By identifying it and protecting it during surgery, the surgeon can avoid facial nerve injury.

You will look presentable in public with a little makeup in 2-3 weeks. Your best results will be seen from then all the way up to a year after surgery.

If the incisions are designed to hide within creases and behind the tragus (the cartilage in front of the ear opening) and the skin is put together with no tension, then the scars will be very difficult, if not impossible, to see.