Which Is Better: A Mid-Facelift or a Standard Facelift?

Q:  ”I have heard about the new mid-facelifts. How do these differ from a standard facelift, and which procedure is better?”

— Janet d M., Coto de Caza, CA

A: Mid-facelifts are relatively new, but we have been doing them for 10–15 years. Both types of facelift procedures are designed to turn back the hands of time, but each addresses different aspects of the aging process. A standard facelift is still the ideal procedure to tighten a loose neck and to help with jowls.

You are correct in saying that the mid-facelifts are relatively new procedures, but they address an age-old problem: drooping and hollowing of the cheek areas below the lower eyelids, which creates a so-called “tear trough” deformity. These mid-facelifts can be done as an isolated procedure to freshen a face in the late 30s or 40s that is showing the earliest signs of aging, or combined with a traditional facelift in an older person, or as an isolated procedure in an older patient who has had a traditional facelift but the mid-face was not addressed.

One of the beauties of a mid-facelift is that it can be done through short incisions that are hidden behind the hair line and through a tiny stab wound in the fold between the cheek and the upper lip, just large enough to let us insert a few very long needles, which heals without a visible scar. The mid-facelift will not alter your jowls or neck laxity, so if these are an issue, a traditional face and neck lift will also have to be performed to achieve optimal rejuvenation.

Facial rejuvenation is at the top of the list of the most common aesthetic surgical procedures performed here at Orange County Plastic Surgery. Most people feel physically and mentally vigorous and energetic long after their appearance has begun to deteriorate due to aging. A face, neck, brow or mid-facelift procedure is designed to provide you with a rejuvenated appearance. The degree of improvement achieved depends on the severity of the initial deformity, the age of the patient, tissue elasticity and the recommended procedure.

Here are a few patients that show the benefits of the mid-face and traditional facelifts:

(Actual patient of Dr. Bunkis) 47-year-old female before and after mid-face thread-lift with lower-lid blepharoplasty, without the need for a traditional face or neck lift.

(Actual patient of Dr. Bunkis) Similarly aged, 47-year-old female with neck laxity and jowls, but not much in the way of mid-face laxity, before and after an endoscopic brow lift and facelift. No need for a mid-face here. Conversely, a mid-facelift would not have addressed the things that bothered her most: jowls and neck laxity.

(Actual patient of Dr. Bunkis) 54-year-old female a year after a traditional facelift done elsewhere, neck still quite tight, but complaining of mid-face and lower eyelid laxity. To address her concerns, a mid-face thread lift was performed by Dr. Bunkis to lift the drooping cheek tissues next to the nasolabial fold, thus removing the oblique trough that forms across the cheek as people age, and giving her a nice and youthful cheek. This procedure also elevates the junction between the eyelid and cheek, allowing us to shorten the eyelid, adding to a more youthful look. The “after” photos, six years later at age 62, show that the improvement has been well maintained.

It is important to seek a surgeon who is well-versed in all of the options, so that a customized plan can be developed for your concerns.

Please feel free to call Dr. Bunkis at Orange County Plastic Surgery (949-888-9700) for a complimentary consultation so that we can lay out all your options for you.