Facelift surgery has been a common method of restoring a more youthful appearance to the face for many years. Fortunately, techniques that prevent a windblown, overly-tightened appearance have been developed over time and those who undergo facelift surgery today have multiple options for how they refresh their appearance. Here, we want to discuss the differences between a mid-face lift and a full facelift.

Facelift Terms to Know

If you’re doing research on facelift procedures, you may come across three specific terms, “upper facelift,” “midface lift,” and “full facelift.” The term full facelift can be deceiving. It portrays a procedure as one that treats the entire face. This is not accurate. A full facelift actually focuses on the lower two-thirds of the face, from the cheeks down. An upper facelift corrects the signs of aging above the eyes, and a midface lift focuses on the cheek area. None of the facelift techniques correct aging on the neck or around the eyes. These areas can be addressed with additional procedures like a neck lift or eyelid rejuvenation surgery, conducted at the same time as the facelift.

The Midface Lift

A midface lift, or cheek lift, is a minimally invasive procedure that may be ideal for the middle-aged adult who has begun to notice hollowing beneath the eyes and flattening of the cheek area. The usual midface lift patient does not have significant sagging at the jaw line and beneath the chin. Because a very localized area is treated in a midface lift, the surgery can be conducted through tiny incisions. These are often made right in front of the ears. Using small instruments, Dr. Fante manipulates the muscle and fatty tissue in the midface to sit across bony structure as it did years before.

The Full Facelift

Full facelift procedures are excellent for those who want a natural result but one that is more pronounced than a midface lift can achieve. Full facelift surgery addresses problems in the underlying structure of the face, the area known as the SMAS. This layer of tissue, the Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System, is a deeper plane of the face and one that weakens with age. As a result of sagging, overlying tissue droops along the jawline and around the nose and mouth, causing deep creases. By tightening the SMAS, a full facelift also lifts the layer of muscle and fat that sits above this deep plane of tissue, resulting in younger looking but not overly tightened contours.

Discover your best approach to beat the signs of aging. Schedule a facelift consultation in our Denver office to discuss your goals.