A limited incision facelift is a procedure that is performed through smaller incisions, and is usually reserved for patients who require less aggressive surgery. Many patients are looking to have a flattering improvement in their appearance without any radical change and are considering surgery at an earlier age. With a limited incision, one is able to more easily hide the incision and the recovery is usually somewhat faster than a traditional incision.
Traditional facelift incisions end in the temporal hairline and proceeds down to in front of the ear, beneath the ear lobe, on the back side of the ear and then into the hair in the area behind the ear. When less extensive surgery is required, often one is able to use an incision that starts in front of the ear by the sideburn and comes down beneath the ear lobe and up behind the ear but does not traverse into the hairline in the back. Like all facelift incisions, this is usually associated with an incision behind the small bump in front of the ear canal called the tragus.
The key concept is that a limited incision facelift is usually reserved for procedures that require less extensive intervention.
