Locate providers:   

Natural Looking Facelift Results With An Awake Facelift?

 

A shorter surgical procedure than the traditional facelift, an Awake Facelift is performed without anesthesia and may offer skin tightening, less wrinkles and better contouring - resulting in a more youthful profile.

Non-surgical procedures can work wonders on the right patient but in some cases, to deal with signs of aging, you will need surgery. Luckily, there are options other than the traditional facelift which is a longer procedure that requires general anesthesia. An Awake Facelift, also known as a Mini Facelift may just be the answer to your wrinkles and loose skin.

Whisper Lift Palm Beach Anita Mandal
Actual Before & After Whisper Lift Photos by Dr. Anita Mandal
Individual results vary. No promise or guarantee implied.


As seen on The Doctors, Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Dr. Paymen Simoni explained that the Awake Facelift is performed awake, meaning the patient is cogent and can communicate with the surgeon. According to Dr. Simoni, this is ideal because he can see the patients natural movements and lift the underlying fallen tissues accordingly for a more natural look. An Awake Facelift takes approximately 60 minutes and patients are typically back to work within a week.

One of the benefits of a mini facelift is not using anesthesia not only cuts down on the inherent risks that "going under" carries, it also cuts the cost of the surgical procedure. According to Palm Gardens facial plastic surgeon Dr. Anita Mandal, developer of the Whisper Lift, "Much less invasive than a traditional or full facelift, the Whisper Lift is typically performed using local anesthesia which carries significantly lower risk than general anesthesia. There are no IV's, less bruising and swelling, smaller incisions and minimal downtime."
Whisper Lift Palm Beach Anita Mandal
Actual Whisper Lift Results Dr. Anita Mandal
Individual results vary. No promise or guarantee implied.


The Whisper Lift, similar to the Awake Lift, is a less invasive option for patients who are seeking a way to address wrinkles and sagging skin in the neck and jowls but aren't quite ready for a full traditional facelift. Dr. Mandal states, "Over the years, I've had a number of male and female patients express concerns about aging in the cheek, jowls and neck line. While the majority of them recognized they needed some sort of surgical procedure to improve those areas, many were apprehensive about undergoing a full facelift - especially when combined with the increased risks and side effects of aggressive anesthesia."

The mini facelift, unlike it's nonsurgical counterparts, actually involves incisions and tightening of underlying muscles and if there is excess skin, this is also removed. "I place small incisions in front and behind the ear," describes Ann Arbor cosmetic surgeon Dr. Robert Burke, "The incision in front of the ear is hidden in a natural skin fold." In Dr. Burke's Small Scar Facelift, the muscles of the face are tightened and skin is lifted back to reduce laxity or sagging while smoothing out the appearance of wrinkles.
small scar facelift
Dr. Robert Burke's Small Scar Facelift along with Blepharoplasty and CO2 Resurfacing


While a traditional facelift may take up to 6 hours to perform under general anesthesia, many of the mini facelifts such as The Awake Facelift, The Whisper Lift, and The Small Scar Facelift may be performed in 90 minutes or less under local anesthesia. Downtime is also decreased significantly, "The downtime associated with The Whisper Lift averages about 4-7 days, enabling most patients to return to their jobs and/or routine activities after one week. This downtime is distinctively less from the recovery period associated with a facelift, which could be 4-8 weeks," states Dr. Mandal.

Dr. Thomas Barnes discusses Awake Facelift in Newport Beach: