Step 8: Removing Extra Skin

Once the underlying SMAS and platysma tissues are tightened, the skin is placed back down over the face. Because the skin has been shifted up, it overlaps the initial skin incision location and the ear. The excess, overlapping skin is trimmed away at the location where it overlies the original incision. This allows for the skin edges to be brought together without tension using fine sutures.

Mini-facelift compared to traditional facelift:

Excess, overlapping skin is removed in similar fashion during both the traditional and mini-facelift techniques. However, one important difference exists. Because the initial incision in a traditional facelift is made within the temporal hairline (above the sideburn) rather than at the temporal hairline (the edge of the sideburn and non-hair bearing skin), the overlapping skin in this region includes the sideburn. This causes removal of hair in this region and elevation of the sideburn leaving a bald area where the sideburn belongs. During a mini-facelift, because the incision is placed at the sideburn hairline, no displacement of the hairline occurs and no bald spot is created.

To learn more about Denver facelift surgery, be sure to check out all the resources on our site and when you're ready, request your free appointment with Dr. Vath or Dr. Wolfe at The Center for Cosmetic Surgery in Cherry Creek or in Golden.