What is a short scar face lift?

The term “short scar face lift” is a general term that can refer to any face lift incision pattern that is shorter than a “traditional” face lift, which involves incisions in the temple, in front of the ear, around the earlobe, behind the ear and sometimes along the hair-line behind the ear. 

In my practice, when I perform a “short scar” face lift, it typically means that I am going to make incisions right at the hairline in the temples, in front of the ear and down to the base of the earlobe.  My typical “short scar” face lift technique avoids all incisions behind the ear.  I usually make a single five millimeter incision below the chin as well.  Through these abbreviated incisions, I perform the same elevation of the cheeks and jowls and the same contouring of the jawline as I would perform if I used “traditional” or longer face lift incisions. 

While a patient often (and rightfully so) scrutinizes the scars in the skin with which they are left after surgery, what the surgeon does to the tissues underneath the skin is what is important.  The scars are simply the cuts in the skin that give the surgeon access to modify the tissues beneath the skin, which is largely how the result is achieved.  I use the short scar face lift when I think I can achieve a result using them with which both I and my patient will be happy.