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Mini facelift in Edinburgh

A shorter-scar lift for early jowling and a softening jawline, when a full facelift is more than you need. The scars sit in the hairline and in front of the ear, and recovery is lighter.

Your consultants
Consultant assessing the jawline during a mini facelift consultation
Anaesthetic
General
Surgery time
2 hours
Hospital stay
Day case
Recovery
1 week off work, 4 weeks before strenuous exercise

Contents

Ideal candidates

A mini facelift is most appropriate for patients who:

  • Are typically in their 40s or early 50s and noticing early jowling or softening of the jawline
  • Have mild rather than advanced facial laxity
  • Have a defined neck that does not yet need addressing
  • Are in good general health and non-smokers, or willing to stop smoking before and after surgery
  • Want a procedure with shorter scars and a lighter recovery, and understand the trade-off with how much lift is achievable

A consultation is a conversation, not a commitment to surgery. If we feel a mini facelift is not the right answer for your case — either because a non-surgical option would suit you better at this stage, or because you actually need a full facelift to achieve the change you want — we will say so honestly.

What the procedure involves

The mini facelift (also called a short scar facelift) uses incisions placed within the hairline and in front of the ears, without extending behind the ears as a full facelift does. The shorter incision reduces overall scar length and recovery time, but it also limits how much lift the procedure can achieve — which is why the mini facelift is best suited to early or moderate signs of facial ageing rather than advanced laxity.

The procedure is usually performed under general anaesthesia. In some circumstances it can be done under local anaesthetic with sedation, and your consultant will tell you whether that suits your case. Underlying tissue is repositioned to refine the jawline and the lower face. Where appropriate, the mini facelift may be combined with fat transfer to the cheek in the same operation to restore volume that lifting alone cannot achieve.

Mini facelift animation

A short 3D animation of the procedure. It loads only when you press play.

What a mini facelift can and can’t do

A mini facelift trades a shorter scar and a lighter recovery for a smaller lift. It suits early changes well, and it is the wrong operation when the neck or deeper folds are the main concern.

It can

  • Lift early jowling along the lower border of the face.
  • Firm up a jawline that has started to soften.
  • Tighten mild looseness in the lower face, with shorter scars than a full facelift.

It can’t

  • Tighten the neck. The shorter incision does not reach the neck, so loose neck skin or bands need a lower face and neck lift.
  • Match a full facelift. The lift is more modest, and it generally lasts less long for the same reason.
  • Put back lost volume. Lifting does not add volume to hollow cheeks, though fat transfer can be done in the same operation.
  • Change your skin. Texture, fine lines and pigmentation are untouched by surgery.
  • Be done without scars. The scars are shorter and sit in the hairline and in front of the ear, but they are permanent.

Your consultant will tell you at your consultation which of these apply to you.

What is the cost of a mini facelift?

Where appropriate, a mini facelift may be combined with fat transfer to the face or upper eyelid surgery in the same operation. Combined procedures are quoted individually after consultation.

For comparison, a full lower face and neck lift starts from £14,000 and is the appropriate procedure for more advanced laxity, particularly where the neck needs addressing as well as the lower face.

The full price for your individual case can only be confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery.

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Patients often ask

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Quick answers

How much does a mini facelift cost?
The guide price is listed in the Cost section above. The full price for your individual case is confirmed after a face-to-face consultation with the consultant who will perform your surgery.

Can I spread the cost?
Yes. You can pay in full two weeks before your procedure, or spread the cost with interest-free finance through Omni Capital Retail Finance over 6 or 10 months, with a deposit of between 10% and 50%. There is no interest and no hidden fee, and most applicants get a decision straight away. We do not accept private medical insurance for cosmetic treatment.
Will the same surgeon plan, perform and review my mini facelift?
Yes. The consultant who assesses you at your first appointment is the consultant who plans your operation, performs it, and follows you through every post-operative review. There is no handover between assessment and surgery, no patient coordinator, and no surgeon rotation.
What is a mini facelift (short scar facelift)?
A mini facelift (also called a short scar facelift) is a procedure to lift the lower face and refine the jawline using incisions placed within the hairline and in front of the ears, without extending behind the ears. The shorter incision means a shorter scar and a lighter recovery than a full facelift, in exchange for a more modest lift.
A mini facelift and a short scar facelift are two names for the same operation.
How is a mini facelift different from a full facelift (lower face and neck lift)?
A mini facelift focuses on the mid to lower face and addresses mild jowling and softening of the jawline with shorter incisions and a quicker recovery, suitable for earlier signs of ageing. A full lower face and neck lift addresses more pronounced changes including jowling, deep folds and loose neck skin, with more extensive tightening. Your consultant will help you decide which is right for you based on what your face actually needs — and will be honest if a mini facelift would under-deliver in your case.
Who is an ideal candidate for a mini facelift?
The best candidates are patients in their 40s or early 50s with mild rather than advanced facial laxity, where the lower face is the main concern and the neck is still relatively defined. Patients with significant neck laxity or more advanced changes are usually better served by a full facelift.
Are there risks associated with a mini facelift?
Risks include scarring, asymmetry, nerve disturbance, infection, bleeding, anaesthesia risks, skin irregularities and delayed healing. There is also a procedure-specific risk of under-lift if the underlying laxity was more advanced than the procedure could fully address. Risks specific to your case will be discussed in detail at consultation.
What is the recovery time for a mini facelift?
Most patients take one week off work. Bruising and swelling are at their most noticeable in the first ten days and continue to settle over the following two to three weeks. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for around four weeks. Final results take three to six months to settle.

Recovery from a mini facelift is lighter than a full facelift because the incisions are shorter and less deep tissue is repositioned. Most patients take one week off work, with bruising at its most noticeable in the first ten days and continuing to settle over the following two to three weeks. Strenuous exercise should be avoided for around four weeks.

Final results take three to six months to settle as the deeper tissues continue to refine, and scars mature over six to twelve months.

A nurse reviews you at one week, and more often if needed in the early healing period. Your consultant sees you again at around six months once the result has settled. Between then, your consultant is always available — if anything concerns you, they will respond directly and arrange to see you as soon as needed.

Will there be visible scars after a mini facelift?
Scars are placed within the hairline and in front of the ear, so they are typically inconspicuous and largely hidden under everyday hair styles. The scar is permanent and fades over six to twelve months.
Can a mini facelift be performed under local anaesthesia?
Sometimes. We usually perform a mini facelift under general anaesthesia. In some circumstances it can be done under local anaesthetic with sedation, depending on the extent of surgery and your consultant’s recommendation.
How long do the results of a mini facelift last?
Results last several years, though generally less long than a full facelift because the lift achieved is more modest. The natural ageing process continues, and patients who maintain good skincare and sun protection tend to preserve the result for longer.
Can a mini facelift be combined with other procedures?
Yes. The most common combinations are with fat transfer to the cheek (to restore volume that lifting alone cannot achieve), upper eyelid surgery, or a brow lift. Combining procedures in a single operation can shorten overall recovery time.
What if a mini facelift won’t give me the result I want?
If your face needs more than a mini facelift can deliver, we will say so at consultation rather than perform a procedure that will leave you disappointed. The honest answer is sometimes that a full lower face and neck lift is the right operation for your case, or that surgery is not yet the right step at all.
What happens if I have concerns after my surgery?
All patients are seen by a nurse at one week, and more often if needed in the early healing period. Your consultant reviews you again at around six months once the result has settled. Between those reviews, your consultant is always available — if anything concerns you, they will respond directly and arrange to see you as soon as needed.

Our short scar facelift specialists

You meet your consultant at your first appointment. The same consultant plans your treatment, carries it out and sees you afterwards.

Mr John Biddlestone

Consultant plastic surgeon

GMC Specialist Register (Plastic Surgery)

Mr Awf Quaba

Consultant plastic surgeon

GMC Specialist Register (Plastic Surgery)BAAPS · BAPRAS

Mr Omar Quaba

Consultant plastic surgeon

GMC Specialist Register (Plastic Surgery)BAAPS · ISAPS · Board Certified in cosmetic surgery (ICSB)

Mr Ken Stewart

Consultant plastic surgeon

GMC Specialist Register (Plastic Surgery)BAAPS · BAPRAS · Board Certified in cosmetic surgery (ICSB)

Risks, and how often they happen

Every operation carries risk. Here they are in three groups. The figures come from UK national guidance and published studies, averaged across many patients, so your own risk may be higher or lower. Your consultant will go through what applies to you, and every risk is in your written consent.

Expected Almost everyone, and they settle

  • Swelling and bruising, most noticeable in the first ten days and settling over the following two to three weeks.
  • Numbness in front of the ears and over the cheeks, which usually returns over weeks to a few months.
  • Tightness along the jawline for the first few weeks.
  • Scars in the hairline and in front of the ear, pink at first and fading over six to twelve months.

Uncommon Some patients, and some need further treatment

  • Bleeding under the skin (haematoma). Most small collections are drained in clinic, and a few need a return to theatre. The risk is higher in men and with raised blood pressure.
    About 1 in 50fewer than 1 in 200 need a return to theatre

Rare but serious

  • Weakness of part of the face from bruising of a nerve branch. It usually recovers within a few months, and permanent weakness is very rare.
    About 1 in 500
  • Poor healing of the skin near the ear, much more likely if you smoke.
    About 1 in 500
  • A blood clot in the leg or lung (DVT or PE) if you have a general anaesthetic. We assess your risk and take steps to prevent it.
    Under 1 in 1,000
  • A serious reaction to the anaesthetic.
    Very rare

For the long term

  • The lift may feel less complete than you hoped, especially if the looseness was more advanced than a mini facelift can address. This is why we will recommend a full facelift when we think you need one.
  • Your face keeps ageing. Results last several years, generally less long than a full facelift, and some people go on to have one later.
  • Scars take six to twelve months to mature, and occasionally one widens or thickens and needs treatment.

More from BAAPS on facelift and neck lift.

Where these figures come from

Aftercare and Recovery

Your recovery is led by the consultant who performed your surgery. A nurse reviews you at one week, and your consultant sees you again once everything has settled. Between appointments, our team are available whenever you have a concern — you do not need to wait for a scheduled review. Practical guidance on dressings, activity and returning to work is in our aftercare guide.

  1. Day of surgeryHome the same day with your written aftercare guide. Waterfront is a day hospital.
  2. Week 1Nurse review: wound checked, dressings changed, questions answered.
  3. Week 1About a week off work.
  4. Weeks 2–3No strenuous exercise yet.
  5. Week 4Light exercise and scar care.
  6. 3–6 monthsFinal refinement of the result.
  7. 6 monthsYour consultant reviews the settled result. Sooner if you need it.
  8. 12 monthsNurse reviews, dressing clinics and the treatment of any complications are included.

Typical timings. Your consultant and nurse will tailor them to you.

Patient with a cup of tea in the Waterfront lounge, a nurse beside her

Written by

Mr Awf Quaba, consultant plastic surgeon

Mr Awf Quaba, MB ChB, FRCS, GMC 3034912, is a Consultant Plastic Surgeon with over 35 years of experience and a co-founder of Waterfront Private Hospital in Edinburgh. He specialises in cosmetic facial and breast surgery, has published over 60 papers in peer-reviewed journals, and is a full member of  BAAPS.