mini facelift

What is a “Mini” Plastic Surgery Procedure?

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Plastic surgery is an important commitment. The results are long-lasting, and any type of surgery will require financial and time commitments from the patient. For people who want shorter recovery times and/or more minimalistic results, there is a wide variety of nonsurgical and minimally invasive procedures to choose from. For patients who are ready to commit to surgery but don’t need extensive changes, there are what we call “mini” plastic surgery procedures. Two of the most common mini procedures are the mini facelift and the mini tummy tuck, and understanding how they work will help you understand what plastic surgeons generally mean by “mini.”

The Benefits of “Mini” Plastic Surgery Procedures

A full, traditional facelift aims to provide comprehensive rejuvenation for the whole face. This popular procedure can address sagging jowls, forehead furrows, and an overall old or tired appearance of the face. However, not everyone wants or needs such dramatic and extensive rejuvenation. It’s not uncommon for different areas of a person’s face to appear to age at different rates from one another, and we can target those specific areas to cut down on recovery time and make the changes as inconspicuous as possible. This is where targeted procedures like the mini facelift come in.

Typically, a mini facelift addresses only the middle third of the face, from the jawline to the cheekbones. Through only a few small incisions around the ears or temples, one of our surgeons can lift and tighten structural tissues around the cheeks to achieve a rejuvenated look. This can help correct loose skin and, through seemingly tiny changes, give the face a vastly improved appearance overall. In this sense, a mini facelift can be greater than the sum of its parts.

Patients who have subtle-to-mild levels of sagging skin in their face are sometimes better candidates for mini-facelifts than they are for full facelifts. There are several degrees of and approaches to facial rejuvenation, and a patient’s age, health, personal preferences, and other factors will help determine how extensive their cosmetic procedure should be.

Another popular mini plastic surgery procedure is the mini tummy tuck. Whereas a full tummy tuck removes excess fat and skin from the whole abdomen and tightens underlying abdominal muscles, a mini tummy tuck addresses smaller amounts of skin and fat and does not repair underlying muscles. Thus, a mini tummy tuck is often the best choice for the patient whose “pooch” is relatively small and whose abdominal muscles are still in good shape. There are many ways that many surgical procedures may be adjusted, all depending on the patient’s needs and preferences.

In general, mini plastic surgery procedures tend to entail briefer, less involved recovery processes, less dramatic results, and easier-to-hide scarring. If you’re considering plastic surgery and would like to speak with an experienced surgeon about your options, please contact one of our Atlanta Plastic Surgery offices to schedule a consultation today. In addition to discussing your prospective procedure, we can go over our available financing options for plastic surgery with you. Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

Advanced Techniques for Natural-Looking Facial Rejuvenation

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There are literally hundreds of cosmetic and reconstructive plastic surgery procedures that we regularly perform at Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C., but there are few that are as universally well-known as the classic facelift.  Originally conceived as a way to rejuvenate the face by removing excess, sagging skin and tightening the underlying facial muscles and tissues, the traditional facelift is consistently one of the five most popular plastic surgery procedures performed in the United States.  Still, some patients are hesitant about undergoing a facelift because they associate the procedure with a stretched-out or “windblown” look.  However, the modern facelift is far more sophisticated than the” one-size-fits-all” procedures of years past.  Today’s facelifts instead utilize advanced techniques that target a patient’s specific area(s) of concern so that they can achieve customized, natural-looking results.

Advanced Techniques for Natural-Looking Facial Rejuvenation

Although all faces eventually begin to show some signs of facial aging, it is important to remember that no two faces ever age in exactly the same way.  For example, one patient might be troubled by sagging jowls, while another might want to address their heavy, under-eye bags.  Many men and women in their thirties or early forties find that they can achieve more natural looking results by addressing only those areas in need of rejuvenation through specifically targeted procedures, such as:

  • Brow Lift: Reduces the furrows between the eyes or on the forehead and lifts the upper eyelids by removing excess skin on the brow.
  • Blepharoplasty: Eyelid surgery to remove excess fat and sagging skin from the upper and/or lower eyelids.
  • Mini-Facelift: A limited facelift that is specifically designed to target only the bottom third of the face, from the cheek bones to the jaw line.
  • Neck Lift: Can lift and tighten sagging skin and tissue to alleviate a double chin or “turkey neck.”

Any modern facelift or facial rejuvenation procedure also recognizes that one of the most common signs of facial aging is the loss of facial fat deposits, which can give the face a gaunt appearance.  Replacing that lost fat with small amounts of purified fat taken from other areas of the patient’s body, a procedure called fat transfer, can restore lost tissue volume, significantly reducing wrinkles and sagging skin while giving the entire face a more rounded, lifted, and youthful appearance.

Many people have outdated ideas about plastic surgery and would be surprised to discover just how versatile and effective it can actually be.  If you are interested in learning more about the various facial rejuvenation and body contouring plastic surgery procedures that we perform, please contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. to schedule an appointment.  During a full plastic surgery consultation with one of our board-certified plastic surgeons you will be able to discuss your specific areas of concern and find out all the things that we can do for you.  Also, don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

Targeting the Signs of Facial Aging

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Most people tend to think of the face as a single unit, but when your goal is to reduce or eliminate the signs of facial aging it can actually be much more beneficial to focus on its individual parts.  There are forty-three distinct muscles in the face, each capable of moving independently and causing wrinkles, and the various factors that cause facial aging, such as the loss of skin elasticity, loss of tissue volume, or even damage to the skin’s surface, can all affect each area of the face differently.  This means that some parts of the face may remain young and vital-looking even as others become areas of concern.  By targeting only the specific facial features that need to be addressed, the board-certified plastic surgeons at Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. can achieve exceptionally natural looking plastic surgery results with less post-surgical downtime.

Targeting the Signs of Facial AgingForehead and Brows: Deep, horizontal creases across the forehead and heavy, hanging brows can be smoothed or subtly lifted with an endoscopic forehead or brow lift.

Eyes and Eyelids: Drooping eyelids and puffy, under eye bags can be alleviated with eyelid surgery, while wrinkles around or between the eyes can be softened with Botox®.

Cheeks and Mid-Face: Sagging skin and loss of tissue volume that cause facial wrinkles and folds can be addressed with a mini-facelift and fat transfer techniques.

Neck and Jowls: Skin that droops past the jaw line can often be lifted with a traditional face lift, while a proverbial “turkey neck” is best treated with a neck lift procedure.

Every face is unique and ages differently, but these targeted procedures allow us to customize facial rejuvenation treatments to each patient’s individual needs, giving them subtle, natural looking results.  During an initial evaluation and consultation, many of our surgeons even use advanced plastic surgery technology to give patients an opportunity to examine digitally simulated, three-dimensional computer pictures that can effectively illustrate their potential results.  If you are interested in learning more about the other plastic surgery procedures that we perform and what they might be able to do for you, please contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. at to schedule an appointment.  Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news.

Botox or a Facelift: Which is Right for Me?

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There are many different facial plastic surgery procedures, both surgical and non-surgical, that can help men and women look younger, but perhaps the most well-known are Botox® injections and facelifts.  However, even though these two techniques are designed with similar goals in mind, they work in very different ways and are geared towards different underlying concerns.  Many of the patients who come in to our Atlanta Plastic Surgery offices are trying to decide whether they should undergo a Botox® treatment or a full facelift procedure, and understanding exactly how the two approaches differ can help them to decide which one is the right one for them.

Botox or a Facelift Which is Right for Me

Botox® Cosmetic Injections

Many of the most common signs of facial aging can be attributed to repeated facial movements.  While younger skin will naturally spring back to its original position no matter how much it may be stretched or moved, older skin gradually loses much of this elasticity.  As a result, even the small, subtle movements that faces make every day can leave the skin creased and wrinkled.  Many begin to notice these lines as early as their late 20’s or early 30’s, but they can be significantly reduced or softened through the use of injectable cosmetic treatments, such as Botox® and Dysport®.  These medications will temporarily relax the facial muscles, making the wrinkles fade and preventing their return for an average of three to six months.  Botox® is generally most effective when used on patients who are just beginning to experience the earliest signs of facial aging.  On patients whose aging is more extensive, the effects of Botox® are often less noticeable and so it is better used as a supplemental treatment to maintain plastic surgery results.

Facelifts and Mini-Facelifts

Although non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments can be extremely effective in addressing a variety of facial aging concerns, their effectiveness tends to gradually wane as the patient grows older.  In some cases, the loss of skin elasticity and facial volume eventually reaches a point where more long-lasting solutions are required.  A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is a plastic surgery procedure where excess, sagging skin is removed, fat deposits repositions, and the underlying facial muscles lifted to give the entire face and neck area a more youthful look.  For those who are concerned about long post-surgical recovery times, mini-facelift procedures that focus exclusively on the mid-face (from the check bones to the jawline) are also available.  Unlike more extensive procedures like surgery of the chin, a facelift or mini-facelift can provide superior rejuvenation without fundamentally changing the shape of the face, so that people will see a definite improvement but will not be able to pinpoint exactly what you might have had done.  These kind of subtle, natural looking plastic surgery and facial rejuvenation results have proven to be extremely popular with Atlanta Plastic Surgery patients of all ages.

If you have questions about what cosmetic treatments and procedures might be able to do for you, please contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. so that we can schedule an appointment for a consultation with one of our board certified plastic surgeons.  Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ for the latest plastic surgery news.

Similarities Between Sagging in the Face and Sagging of the Breasts

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Men and women seek out plastic surgery for all sorts of reasons.  Some may be interested in correcting structural abnormalities caused by traumatic injury or birth defect through the use of reconstructive plastic surgery, while others may simply seek subtle facial rejuvenation or body contouring procedures.  However, despite the fact that every patient has their own individual goals and requirements, one specific issue seems to come up again and again: ptosis.  Although it originally referred to a drooping of the upper eyelid due to paralysis, disease, or congenital condition, use of the term ptosis has grown over the years to include the natural sagging of any part of the body, and is frequently used to refer to the breasts as well as the eyelids.  Regardless of what part of the body it affects, ptosis has the same basic underlying cause and similar methods for treatment.

Similarities Between Sagging in the Face and Sagging of the Breasts

The skin and tissues of the body are naturally elastic.  In other words, they are able to stretch and then rebound back to their original position.  However, just like any form of elastic fabric, the more skin and tissues are stretched, the less elastic and more “stretched-out” they become.  This natural aging process occurs not only because the stretching puts a great deal of stress on the skin, but also because the production of collagen and elastin, two connective proteins that help give the skin its elasticity, slows down as the body gets older.  The ultimate result is that the skin, muscles, and connective tissues throughout the body gradually loose the resilience and flexibility, causing them to sag and wrinkle.  In the face, this causes many of the classic signs of facial aging, such as forehead lines, crows’ feet, sagging jowls, or heavy eyelids.  Elsewhere in the body, the same phenomenon can result in hanging skin underneath the arms (“bat wings”) and, most notably, sagging breasts.

Since ptosis is a long-term, gradual process, one the best ways to treat it is to catch it early and slow its progression.  In the face, this is often done with injectable Botox® treatments.  By temporarily relaxing selected facial muscles, Botox® prevents some of the constant facial movements that cause aging skin to wrinkle and crease.  In the delicate, paper-thin skin of the eyelids, which is particularly prone to ptosis, a blepharoplasty, or eyelid surgery, can help by removing tiny amounts of excess skin, restoring firmness and giving the eyes a more youthful appearance.  Finally, fat transfer techniques, used in combination with traditional or mini-facelift procedures, or cosmetic injectable treatments can help restore volume to the facial features and counteract some of the sagging that can occur.

When ptosis affects the larger areas of the body it is usually addressed with a specifically targeted body contouring procedure that removes small amounts of excess, sagging skin.  Sagging of the breasts, for example, usually requires a breast lift, or mastopexy.  Sagging skin under the arms is treated with a brachioplasty, and loose skin around the lower abdomen, might be treated with an abdominoplasty or tummy tuck.  It is important, however, to stress that there is no such thing as a “one-size-fits-all” plastic surgery procedure, and a comprehensive consultation with one of our board certified plastic surgeons will be needed to determine the best approach for you.  If you would like to learn more about any of the various plastic surgery and facial rejuvenation procedures that we perform, please contact Atlanta Plastic Surgery, P.C. at one of our Atlanta, Alpharetta, Canton or Cumming offices to schedule a consultation.  Don’t forget to follow us on social media to get all the latest plastic surgery news and updates.

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