Mini Incision Facelift Colorado Springs

Dr. Burroughs mostly performs a mini-incision facelift (short-scar facelift) whereby patients actually recover more rapidly than from cosmetic eyelid, forehead, or mid-face surgeries. This has made Dr. Burroughs a sought after cosmetic surgeon as his techniques provide very quick recovery with minimal downtime. It is important to realize that a “mini-incision lift” doesn’t mean a “mini” result. The surgery can be customized to not only address the lower face jowls but also neck related sagging. More extensive neck sagging can be further improved by extending the front of the ear incision to around the posterior ear and hairline if needed. The mini facelift won’t address a neck with a lot of fatty tissue, but for most patients, an outstanding and natural result is achieved.  Neck liposuction with radiofrequency tightening (external Morpheus, internal RFAL NeckTite) can often rejuvenate the neck along with a mini-incision facelift with rapid, restorative results with minimal downtime.  Some patients rarely return to work or can go out in public within 1-3 days.

There are several reasons that include the effects of gravity and weakening of the facial support tissues over time. The structures that attach the skin to the bony skull elongate, causing skin to sag. The orbital bones also elongate and inferiorly become more depressed further causing weakened support for the overlying fat pads and skin.  Also, the loss of skin elasticity causes sagging, and a final important reason is loss of volume. Our faces lose volume with time, and this facilitates wrinkle formation and facial descent. An analogy is a balloon. If a round balloon is fully inflated, it will be perfectly round and without lines on the surface. If some of the air is let out, it will no longer be round and develop lines (“wrinkles”) on the surface.  Also, similar is a parachute inflated is smooth until it reaches the ground and it becomes folded (wrinkled)

The primary reason is to regain a more youthful and rested look. As we age, our facial tissues sag downward, causing soft tissue to droop below the jaw line (jowls). Younger patients have a well defined and rounded jaw line, whereas older patients with jowls have a more squared configuration with loose tissue hanging below the bony jaw line. A mini facelift elevates these jowl areas and restores the youthful, rounder contour.  For very fatty jowls, Accutite or FaceTite can improve and be done with or without surgical facelifting

Aging causes both loss of volume (“deflation”) and drooping of the cheeks and lower face, so patients benefit from addressing both. Dr. Burroughs often performs mid facelift surgery, mini facelift surgery, and dermal fillers and fat transfer for volume restoration. Restoring facial volume often improves the overall result and recovery by addressing focal areas that are not as well or naturally addressed by surgery and by often lessening the amount or extensiveness of surgery that is needed.

Generally, the surgery is not painful at all, and Dr. Burroughs most commonly performs this procedure in the office using just oral/IV sedation,  local anesthesia, and Pro-Nox nitrous oxide (laughing gas). The office setting often provides a more relaxed environment that reduces anxiety, allows for patients to eat a light meal before surgery, avoids gernarl anesthesia effects, and reduces the cost for the procedure substantially. Mini-incision facelift surgery is often more comfortable and less stressful than eyelid surgery.  Recovery time is very fast with minimal swelling.

The incisions are placed primarily right in front of the ears with slight extension behind the bottom of the ears and sometimes there is some posterior or hairline extension. The skin sutures are removed between 7-14 days after the surgery.

Most patients have very little swelling and bruising as the skin is thicker than eyelid skin and hides these issues better. When bruising does occur, it is usually resolved by 2-3 weeks after the surgery.  IPL treatments offered in the Springs Aesthetics medspa can rapidly improve bruising and can help with incision redness.

The surgery technique used by Dr. Burroughs have little effect on the hairline or sideburns. In fact, the sideburns or longer hair in front of the ears can help camouflage the incisions during healing.

Yes, it has become very possible within the last 4 years to perform non-surgical face lifting with non-invasive and minimally invasive technologies.  Dr. Burroughs was among the first to obtain radiofrequency skin tightening and lifting using the Inmode platform.  The under skin probes for the FaceTite and AcccuTite are placed with well-concealed needle holes and can in some patients provide up to a 50% improvement of the sagging when done in conjunction with external radiofrequency needle tightening.  As this technology has improved and become well accepted, it is critical have a oculofacial plastic surgeon to perform as they can reduce fat volume causing unintended and unwanted contour changes.  This fat reduction is helpful in some areas as the fatty jowls or just outside the nasolabial folds, but non-facial plastic surgeons are typically not trained cosmetic surgeons and do not know the anatomy or appreciate the aesthetic contours that are a sign of beauty.  This can lead to poor results or even injury to the motor nerves in the face.  Radiofrequency facelifting can last up to 3-4 years.

A primary problem with aging is facial volume loss with little to no sagging of the facial tissues. Cosmetic surgeons know this issue best with their understanding of facial anatomy and the changes with age. These patients do well by having volume restored to the needed areas, especially in the mid face and, to a lesser degree, in the lower face. Radiesse is a dermal filler that is an outstanding facial volume restorer and deep fold reducer that lasts between 1-2 years. Sculptra injections can last 2 years or more, and restore volume to large areas of the face providing a more youthful appearance.  Some subtle elevation of the mid-face tissues can be achieved by restoring volume in the high cheek areas but, in many circumstances, is best addressed by radiofrequency or surgical approaches. Subtle eyebrow descent can likewise be improved with botulinum toxin injections, suture lifting, radiofrequency lifting but is more powerfully addressed by a brow or forehead lift (an “upper facelift.”)

If jowl formation is the primary concern, then the mini-incision facelift is the ideal procedure. Some patients, however, also have excess skin in the neck. As long as the neck skin is thin and the amount is mild to moderate, then the mini facelift is still a great choice. Thick, heavy, and considerable excess neck skin is better improved by a neck lift. Furthermore, patients with considerable fullness of the neck from excess sagging fat also require a neck lift and liposuction. A neck lift is sometimes called a full facelift, but a neck lift differs from a mini-incision facelift as the incisions extend much further behind the ear and the surgical dissection required is extensive. Therefore, most neck lift patients require surgery under general anesthesia. The neck lift recovery is also longer than a mini-incision facelift.  Many patients opt for quicker recovery with the radiofrequency technologies such as NeckTite that reduce fat volume with or without liposuction and provide good skin tightening in suitable candidates obviating the need for more extensive surgery.

Yes, in many patients with thin but sagging neck tissue will see substantial improvement. Patients, who will tolerate a slightly larger incision, can get a more substantial neck lift.  The radiofrequency tightening and suture lifting can also help with minimal invasiveness.

Oftentimes, poor results are caused by too much skin removal, over-pulling, and by not addressing facial volume loss. This causes an unnatural, pulled back, “wind swept” appearance. When needed areas of facial volume loss are addressed simultaneously as a facelift, the amount of skin removal is lessened and allows for a quicker recovery and more naturally appearing result.  Prominent fatty jowls should also be addressed and simply lifting the jowls does not as fully rejuvenate the jawline.

Yes. All medical procedures have risks associated with them, but mini-incision facelift surgery is generally much safer than a deep plane facelift and neck lift. You should discuss the risk of facelift surgery with Dr. Burroughs so that you can make the best informed decision. Dr. Burroughs can show realistic estimates of the desired result and will refer you to another surgeon if he determines this to be in your best interest and goals.

A mid-facelift surgery addresses the cheeks primarily and helps patients look younger with a happier facial expression. With facial aging, descent or drooping of the cheeks in the mid-face occurs. This causes a facial expression of a greater sad appearance. Cheek descent also contributes to under eye dark circles and to deepening of the folds between the cheek and lips (“nasolabial folds”). Mid-face lifting of the cheeks can improve the dark circles, the nasolabial folds, and provide a more cheerful facial expression.

Mid-facelift surgery is most commonly and best performed at the same time as eyelid surgery. Some mid-face elevation (lift) can also be achieved from a temporal pre-hairline or endo (under the skin) approaches approach. Bruising and swelling usually resolves in about 3 weeks after the surgery.

Many patients see results last as long as 7-10 years, but this can vary from patient to patient and how aggressive the surgery is planned preoperatively in conjunction with the patient’s wishes and then performed.  Dr. Burroughs always strives for a natural and safe result.  Very aggressive surgery (think celebrities) may last longer, but for years the results can look overdone and unusual.    A best result is typically obtained by unawareness to others that surgery has been performed, yet they notice a refreshed more youthful look.  Most patients want to look on the outside how they feel on the inside.  Using medical grade skin care not only helps with healing, but helps protect the investment of facial surgery.  Non-invasive volume replacement also helps complement and prolong the results.

Avoiding blood thinners and even alcoholic beverages will help, and be discussed preoperatively.   Alastin is a medical-grade cosmeceutical that prepares and aides skin healing and reduces bruising by producing arnica levels in the skin by up to 50%.  This is more than any other off the shelf topical arnica.  Compliant wear of the provided face/neck wrap helps for the first 48 hours and nightly for about 2 months.  Avoiding strenuous exercise for a week is beneficial, and avoiding nicotine and smoking for about a month prior to surgery.  If the incision become red or raised they can be improved dramatically with intense pulse light treatments that are complimentary with your surgical fee.  This is a benefit of having surgery with Dr. Burroughs at Springs Aesthetics as he and his team uniquely care before surgery about preparing the skin, education for what to avoid, having cutting edge intraoperative treatments to reduce bleeding (tranexamic acid), medical spa treatments that work postoperatively to hasten healing, and post surgical skin care to maintain results and improve overall skin health and vitality.