What are some of the advantages and disadvantages of a short scar face lift?

The most obvious advantage of a short scar face lift is the shorter scars.  Less skin scarring means less possibility of noting that an individual has had surgery.

 Another advantage is a somewhat shorter operative time, which can impact the cost of the procedure, and a somewhat quicker recovery period.  If however, an individual does not obtain a result with which he or she is happy, then the benefit of the shorter scars is all for naught.  In other words, these “advantages” can only be considered advantages if the short scar face lift can achieve a result with which an individual is happy. 

In my hands, a short scar face lift cannot fully correct the neck in individuals who have extreme laxity in the skin or muscles of the neck.  These individuals require some length of incisions in behind the ears in order to achieve an optimal correction of the neck.    Some correction of the neck is possible through short scar face lift scars, however, especially if I make a 3 to 4 centimeter incision below the chin instead of the 5 millimeter long incision that I typically make.

As such, in my practice, I reserve recommending longer face lift incisions for people who have extreme laxity of the skin and muscles of the neck.  This is a minority of patients in my practice.  Most of the patients that I see in my practice opt for the short scar face lift and achieve a result with which both they are I are very happy.