Mini Facelift vs Deep Plane Facelift: What Is the Difference?
What is a mini facelift?
A mini facelift is a shorter facelift that lifts the lower face and jawline through a limited incision in front of the ear, usually without treating the neck. It is not one standard operation: the name covers short scar facelifts, SMAS plication, the MACS lift and the S-lift, and so-called weekend lifts, which differ in their details.
What they have in common is the layer they work on. A mini face lift tightens the skin and folds or stitches the superficial fibromuscular layer — the SMAS — without releasing the ligaments that hold the deeper tissue in place. Many are performed under local anaesthesia with sedation, and they are offered on the promise of a shorter operation and a quicker return to normal life.
What is a deep plane facelift?
A deep plane facelift works beneath the SMAS. The retaining ligaments that tether the cheek and the jawline are released, and the deep tissue and the skin are repositioned together, as one unit, so the lift is carried by the deep layer rather than by the skin.
Because the skin is redraped rather than pulled, the face looks rested rather than tightened. I perform it under general anaesthesia in hospital, usually together with a deep neck lift; how I plan and perform it is on the deep plane facelift page.
The core difference: which layer is treated
The difference between a mini facelift and a deep plane facelift is the layer that is moved. A mini facelift tightens the surface over tissue that is still tethered; a deep plane facelift frees that tissue and returns it to where it was. The scar, the recovery, how long the result lasts and the cost all follow from that one choice.
The ligaments explain why it matters. When the deep tissue of the cheek descends, it hangs from ligaments that do not let go, and tightening the layer above them pulls the tissue mostly backwards, towards the ear. A jowl held in place by a ligament is flattened and pulled sideways rather than lifted. Releasing the ligament is what allows the cheek and the jowl to travel upward, in the direction they came from.
Mini facelift vs deep plane facelift: side by side
This is how I compare the two operations in consultation, and it answers most of the “mini facelift vs full facelift” question as well.
| Aspect | Mini facelift | Deep plane facelift |
|---|---|---|
| Layer treated | Skin and the superficial SMAS, tightened or folded | Beneath the SMAS; skin and deep tissue move together |
| Retaining ligaments | Left in place | Released |
| Direction of lift | Mostly backwards, towards the ear | Upward, along the line the tissue descended |
| Neck | Usually not treated | Assessed with the face; deep neck lift added when needed |
| Where the tension sits | On the skin and the stitches | On the deep layer; the skin is closed without tension |
| Incision | Shorter, in front of the ear | In front of the ear and into the hairline, and behind the ear when the neck is treated |
| Anaesthesia | Often local with sedation | General anaesthesia in hospital (my practice) |
| Early recovery | Shorter | Longer, with more early swelling |
| How the result ages | Skin and stitches relax; descent tends to show again early | The face keeps ageing from its new position |
| In my practice | Not performed | My primary operation |
Why I do not perform mini facelifts
I do not perform mini facelifts because, in my practice, the operation does less than patients expect and its result fades sooner. The patients who come to me after one usually describe the same thing: the jawline softened again early, the neck was never treated, or the face looks pulled towards the ear.
A meaningful share of the revision facelifts I perform began as a mini facelift. That experience is why I decided not to offer one; it is not a judgement on every surgeon who does, and short scar lifts have their advocates and a defined place in carefully selected faces. My decision is about my own patients. When I operate, I want the result to hold, and I would rather perform a smaller operation in the right layer than a smaller operation in the wrong one.
The smaller operation, in the deep plane
If your change is early or confined to the jawline, the answer in my practice is not a mini facelift but a deep plane release limited to the area that has changed. Some surgeons call this a “mini deep plane facelift”; in my hands it is the lower deep plane facelift — the same technique on a smaller territory, not a lesser operation.
What decides the extent is your anatomy: whether the midface still sits well, how far the jowl has descended and what the neck needs. When the midface has held its position, I leave it alone; lifting a part of the face that did not need lifting is how faces start to look operated on.
Which operation is right for you?
The right operation is decided by which structures have descended, not by how much surgery you would prefer to have. Three questions answer it: is the fullness along your jawline fat or descended tissue, has your midface dropped, and is your neck part of the problem?
I answer those questions from your photographs first and confirm them when I examine you. What I look for is set out plainly, and if the honest answer is that you do not need surgery yet, I will tell you that too.
Does a mini facelift treat the neck?
Usually not. A mini facelift is a lower-face operation, and loose neck skin, platysmal bands and fullness under the chin are outside its reach.
The jawline and the neck age together, so I assess them together, and in most of my patients the plan includes a deep neck lift. A “mini neck lift” raises the same question as a mini facelift: which layer is being treated, and whether the result can hold.
How long does a mini facelift last compared with a deep plane facelift?
A mini facelift's result depends on the skin and on the stitches holding the superficial layer, and those are what relax first; patients often notice the jawline softening again sooner than they expected. A deep plane facelift corrects the descent structurally: the tissue is repositioned and held, and the skin carries no tension.
No facelift stops ageing. After a deep plane facelift your face continues to age from a younger starting point rather than returning to where it was; the aim is a face that sits among the best of your own age group, not a different face.
Recovery: mini facelift vs deep plane facelift
Recovery after a mini facelift is shorter, and that is its main appeal. A deep plane facelift involves more early swelling and a longer wait before you feel ready to be seen, but the rhythm of healing is the same: swelling that peaks early and settles over the following weeks.
The patients most often disappointed are not the ones whose recovery took longer, but the ones who chose a lighter operation for its recovery and kept the problem it could not reach. The stages are described on facelift recovery.
Mini facelift scars and incisions
A mini facelift uses a shorter incision in front of the ear, and that is one reason it is chosen. The trade-off is that a short incision limits how much skin can be redraped, especially towards the neck, and skin that is closed under tension is more likely to leave a widened scar or pull on the earlobe.
In a deep plane facelift the incision is longer, but the skin is closed without tension because the deep layer is carrying the lift. That is what allows the scar to heal as a fine line in the natural creases.
What a mini facelift costs compared with a deep plane facelift
A mini facelift is usually quoted lower because it is a shorter operation, often performed under local anaesthesia without a hospital stay. A deep plane facelift takes longer, is performed under general anaesthesia in hospital with a dedicated anaesthesia team, and usually includes the neck.
The comparison that matters is what the fee buys. An operation that cannot reach the descended tissue is not a saving if it has to be repeated or revised. What decides the cost of a deep plane facelift in my practice, and what the fee includes, is on the cost page.
Considering a mini facelift in Turkey: what to ask
If you are comparing mini facelift offers in Turkey, ask the questions that matter anywhere: which layer will be treated, will the ligaments be released, will the neck be addressed, who gives the anaesthetic and where, and what happens if a revision is needed.
A clear answer to each is a good sign, whatever the operation is called. How to check a surgeon's registration and the hospital they operate in is set out in is Turkey safe for plastic surgery.
If you have already had a mini facelift
If your jowls or neck have returned after a mini facelift, a deep plane facelift can usually still be performed. Previous surgery changes the planning — scar tissue, the position of earlier incisions, how much skin was removed — but not the principle of releasing and repositioning the deep layer.
I plan these operations from your photographs and, where available, the notes from your previous operation; the approach is described on revision facelift.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mini facelift?
A mini facelift is a shorter facelift that lifts the lower face and jawline through a limited incision in front of the ear. It tightens the skin and the superficial SMAS layer without releasing the ligaments that hold the deeper tissue, and it usually does not treat the neck. Short scar facelifts, SMAS plication, the MACS lift and the S-lift are all forms of it.
Is a deep plane facelift better than a mini facelift?
For a face whose deep tissue has descended, in my practice yes, because it treats the layer that has actually moved, while a mini facelift tightens the surface above it. For very early change, the honest answer may be a smaller deep plane operation or no surgery yet. The choice should follow your anatomy, not the size of the operation.
Do you perform mini facelifts?
No. In my practice a mini facelift does less than patients expect and its result fades sooner, and a meaningful share of the revision cases I see began as one. When less surgery is genuinely right, I confine the deep plane release to the area that has changed.
How long does a mini facelift last?
Not as long as most patients expect, because the result depends on skin and stitches in the superficial layer, which relax first. A deep plane facelift repositions the deep tissue itself, so the face continues to age from its new position rather than returning to where it was. No facelift stops ageing.
Is there such a thing as a mini deep plane facelift?
Some surgeons use the name for a deep plane release confined to the lower face. In my practice this is the lower deep plane facelift: the same technique on a smaller territory, used when the jowls and the jawline have descended but the midface still sits well. It is a smaller operation in the right layer, not a mini facelift.
Is recovery from a deep plane facelift longer than from a mini facelift?
Yes, somewhat. A deep plane facelift is the more comprehensive operation and causes more early swelling, but the pattern of healing is the same. What matters is matching the operation to your anatomy rather than choosing the shortest recovery.
Does a mini facelift fix jowls?
Not in the way patients hope. A jowl is descended deep tissue held by a ligament; tightening the superficial layer pulls it sideways rather than lifting it, and it returns early. Lifting a jowl requires releasing that ligament, which is what a deep plane facelift does.
Does a mini facelift include the neck?
Usually not. A mini facelift is a lower-face operation, and loose neck skin, bands and fullness under the chin are outside its reach. Because the jawline and the neck age together, I assess them together and add a deep neck lift when the neck needs it.
Why does a mini facelift cost less than a deep plane facelift?
It is a shorter operation, often performed under local anaesthesia without a hospital stay. A deep plane facelift takes longer, is performed under general anaesthesia in hospital and usually includes the neck. A fee is only good value if the operation can reach the problem.
Can I have a deep plane facelift after a mini facelift?
Yes, usually. Previous surgery changes the planning — scar tissue, earlier incisions and how much skin was removed — but not the principle. A deep plane facelift releases and repositions the deep tissue that the first operation left in place.
Not sure which operation your face needs?
Send photographs for an initial assessment; I will tell you which structures have descended and what I would recommend — including when the answer is less surgery, or none yet.
Request a personal review See before & after results
Every enquiry is reviewed personally by Dr. Yilmaz; scheduling is handled by the patient coordination team.
About Dr. Muhsin Yilmaz
Written and medically reviewed by Muhsin Yilmaz, MD, FEBOPRAS — Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgeon. Last reviewed: October 2026.
Dr. Muhsin Yilmaz is a double board-certified plastic surgeon, holding the FEBOPRAS diploma of the European Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and the certification of the Turkish Board of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery, and practises in Istanbul, Türkiye. His practice is focused on facial and neck rejuvenation, centred on the deep plane facelift — around 150 facelift operations per year, performed at Acıbadem Kartal Hospital. He is a member of TSPRAS and ISAPS, and is registered with the Turkish Ministry of Health for international health tourism. Read his full profile.
References
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- Tonnard P, Verpaele A, Monstrey S, et al. Minimal access cranial suspension lift: a modified S-lift. Plast Reconstr Surg. 2002;109(6):2074–2086. doi:10.1097/00006534-200205000-00046
- Baker DC. Lateral SMASectomy, plication and short scar facelifts: indications and techniques. Clin Plast Surg. 2008;35(4):533–550. doi:10.1016/j.cps.2008.06.003
- Jacono AA, Bryant LM. Extended deep plane facelift: incorporating facial retaining ligament release and composite flap shifts to maximize midface, jawline and neck rejuvenation. Clin Plast Surg. 2018;45(4):527–554. PMID 30268241