Minimal incision facelift.

Many procedures have been developed in an attempt to improve facial ptosis. These have ranged from subcutaneous dissections with skin excision to deeper dissections focused on supporting the superficial musculoaponeurotic system and even the periosteal layer. These deeper dissections, although theoretically giving better and longer lasting results, also carry an increased risk of complications. This article describes a new facelift technique that minimizes complications while maximizing cosmetic results (especially in the neck and jowl areas) and patients' comfort and satisfaction. Aesthetic results (as determined by pre- and postoperative photographs) and complications of 35 consecutive patients undergoing both traditional rhytidectomy and minimal incision facelift are compared. The minimal incision facelift technique has shown improved cosmetic results and a decreased complication rate compared with traditional rhytidectomy and is a safe and very effective technique for the treatment of facial ptosis.