"Lifestyle Lifts": Do 1-Hour Facelifts Really Work?

January 29, 2008

"Lifestyle Lifts": Do 1-Hour Facelifts Really Work?

Well, yes and no.

"Mini" facelifts started to become popular 10-15 years ago, and each surgeon seems to have created a unique name for his own particular technique. Hence, you see marketing for...

Lifestyle Lifts
MACS lifts
C-lifts
S-lifts

Don't be confused; they are all pretty similar.

The commonality among all mini facelifts is limited skin incisions (compared to traditional facelifts). With fewer incisions, skin scarring is reduced. Also, because the surgeries are less extensive, the procedures are quick, and deep anesthesia is not always necessary.

Sounds great, huh? I bet that you can't wait to lift your sagging cheeks, smooth your drooping jowls, and firm your "turkey gobbler" neck....

The problem is that you get what you pay for. The rejuvenating effects of mini facelifts frequently last just 1-3 years. On the other hand, most of my traditional facelift patients have seen stable results for 10 years.

Also, a financial analysis does seem to favor a traditional facelift. Even though most traditional lifts do cost about twice as much as mini facelifts, the math suggests that you would need 3-4 mini-facelifts to get the same durability as a single traditional facelift. So, a traditional facelift is more expensive up front, but cheaper in the long run.

As a consequence, I am not a big fan of "Lifestyle Lifts." However, every patient does deserve a customized plan.

If you are looking for a quick fix, which doesn't require an anesthetic or a long recovery, then a mini facelift may be right for you. On the other hand, if you are expecting a more dramatic correction, that will last longer, then a slightly bigger procedure—with anesthesia—may be a better option.

By the way, if you are thinking about saving time and money by having surgery in a doctor's office, don't! Procedures done in the office lack the sterility, lighting, instrumentation, etc., that are important to obtain high-quality results. I have had no major infections, nerve injuries, blood clots, etc., in the past year, and I am convinced that is because I only use fully accredited surgical facilities. Mini facelifts are real surgery, and should be treated as such; they should be performed in a real operating room.

Nevertheless, most patients do not need to stay overnight in a hospital after a traditional facelift. For the majority of patients, it would be safe to head home, and then see me the next day in the office.

Although it may seem a little off-topic, I should mention that injectables (like Botox, Restylane, Juvderm, Radiesse, and Sculptra) are a good option for the "mini facelift" crowd. Early aging firsts manifests itself...

in wrinkles around the eyebrows and eyes, which are amenable to Botox
in dark circles below the lower eyelids, which are amenable to skin bleaching creams and to fillers like Restylane, Juvederm, Radiesse, and Sculptra
in deep folds between the nose and the corners of the mouth, which are amenable to fillers like Restylane, Juvederm, and Radiesse

Radiesse and Sculptra, in particular, last longer than 1 year; perhaps, they will last longer than your "Lifestyle Lift." Moreover, they are safe to perform in the office, and they are usually significantly cheaper than surgery.