Mini Facelift
A mini facelift lifts the SMAS layer through a roughly 2cm incision near the sideburn or ear, treating only the specific area that's sagging — the cheek, jowl, or jawline — rather than the whole face. It fits people for whom a thread lift isn't enough but a full facelift feels like more than they need.
Between a Thread Lift and a Full Facelift
A mini facelift sits in between the two more familiar options. Through a small incision at the sideburn or along the ear, the surgeon reaches the SMAS layer — the supportive layer under the skin — and lifts it, rather than just pulling the surface skin. Because the dissection is limited to the sagging area itself instead of the whole face, bruising and swelling tend to be lighter and the return to normal activity tends to be quicker than with a full facelift, though recovery speed still varies by person.
Is This Right for You?
- Noticeable cheek sagging or deep nasolabial folds
- Limited or disappointing results from thread lifts or laser treatments
- Wanting more than a thread lift without going as far as a full facelift
- Sagging that showed up after facial contouring surgery
- Sagging that's concentrated in one or two specific areas rather than the whole face
Your Treatment Process
- 01
Area analysis
The surgeon examines where sagging is concentrated — cheek, nasolabial fold, jawline — along with skin thickness, to plan the incision and dissection area.
- 02
Minimal incision
A roughly 2cm incision is placed inside the sideburn or along the ear line.
- 03
SMAS dissection, fixation, and trimming
The SMAS layer is dissected and lifted at the area that's sagging, then fixed in place, and the resulting excess skin is trimmed.
- 04
Fine closure
The incision is closed with fine, layered sutures to keep the scar as inconspicuous as possible.
Recovery
Surgery is done under sedation anesthesia and takes about an hour. Hospitalization isn't needed, and stitches are typically removed around day 7 to 10. Recovery generally runs one to two weeks, though swelling takes different amounts of time to settle from person to person.
Safety & Risks
A shorter incision doesn't make this any less of a surgical procedure. As with any facelift-type surgery, bleeding, hematoma, infection, temporary sensory changes, asymmetry, and nerve irritation are described in the literature as possible, even though they're not common. The incision is placed inside the hairline or behind the ear cartilage line to keep scarring as unnoticeable as possible, but a scar does remain, and how quickly it settles varies by individual. Contact the clinic promptly if one side of the face swells suddenly or pain increases sharply after surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a mini facelift the same thing as a lower facelift?+
They overlap in what they treat — both address sagging around the jawline and lower face — but the term used varies by clinic and the exact tissue layer and extent handled can differ even under the same name. At DOY JUN, a mini facelift treats whichever specific areas are sagging rather than the whole lower face by default, so the actual plan is set after an exam of where and how much you're sagging.
Does a mini facelift also improve neck sagging?+
A mini facelift is focused on the cheek, nasolabial fold, and jawline — it isn't designed to treat the neck. If deep neck wrinkles or sagging under the chin are a separate concern, that's assessed and discussed alongside a neck lift.
What if my sagging isn't that severe — do I still need a mini facelift?+
Whether surgery is actually necessary is decided after examining where and how much you're sagging and your skin condition; if it isn't needed, we'll say so directly. In milder cases, a thread lift without any incision is sometimes the better fit, and that's weighed during the same consultation.
How visible is the scar afterward?+
The incision is placed inside the sideburn or along the ear line specifically to keep it out of sight once healed, and it's small — about 2cm. A scar does remain at the incision site, and the time it takes to fade and settle differs from person to person.
Not Sure If You Need a Mini Facelift?
Tell us which area bothers you most — cheek, jawline, nasolabial fold — and send a photo if you can. We'll give you an honest read on whether a mini facelift fits or something lighter or stronger would serve you better.
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