Mini Facelift in Los Angeles, Orange County, and San Francisco
A mini facelift at Wave Plastic Surgery is a refined, lower-face rejuvenation procedure designed for patients who want to address early jowling, mild skin laxity, and a softening jawline — without committing to the recovery of a full facelift. Performed by our board-certified plastic surgeons across five Southern California locations, the mini facelift delivers natural, long-lasting results through shorter incisions, less tissue manipulation, and a recovery measured in days rather than weeks.
For the right candidate, it’s one of the most effective ways to look refreshed and rested without anyone being able to point to exactly what changed.
Rhytidectomy surgery results on a real WAVE Patient. See more on our Before & After gallery!
Give us a call today to schedule a consultation with one of the plastic surgery experts at Wave Plastic Surgery to learn more about mini facelift procedure right for you.
Mini facelift patients consistently tell us the same thing: they didn’t want to look done, they wanted to look like themselves on their best day. That’s exactly what this procedure is built for.
Why patients choose Wave for a mini facelift:
✔ Faster recovery than a traditional facelift — most return to work in 7–10 days
✔ Natural-looking results without an overdone, pulled appearance
✔ Less invasive approach with short, discreetly placed incisions around the ears
✔ Performed by board-certified plastic surgeons with 20+ years of facelift experience ✔ Customizable with Wave’s proprietary lifting techniques
Wave Plastic Surgery is led by Dr. Peter Lee, M.D., F.A.C.S. — Founder, CEO, and Chief Surgeon — a board-certified Diplomate of the American Board of Plastic Surgery and Fellow of the American College of Surgeons with over 20 years of experience and 30,000+ successful cases. Dr. Lee is also one of the few Advanced ENDOTINE Bioskills Surgeon Educators and Trainers in the world, traveling internationally to teach other surgeons advanced endoscopic and anti-aging techniques.
His brother and partner, Dr. Ben Lee, M.D., F.A.C.S., is dual board-certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and the American Board of Otolaryngology — a credential combination that’s particularly relevant for facial procedures, where understanding head and neck anatomy directly informs surgical technique.
🏆 Why this matters for your mini facelift
Mini facelifts look deceptively simple, but the result hinges on judgment: how much to lift, where to place the incision, how to tension the SMAS layer without creating a pulled look. Surgeon experience is the single biggest variable in your outcome — which is exactly why the surgeons you choose matter as much as the procedure itself.
A mini facelift — sometimes called a short-scar facelift or lower facelift — is a less invasive version of a traditional facelift that targets the lower third of the face: the jowls, the jawline, and the area along the lower cheek. Rather than addressing the entire face and neck, it focuses on the zones where most patients first notice age.
The procedure tightens the underlying SMAS layer (the superficial musculoaponeurotic system — the network of muscle and connective tissue beneath the skin that gives the face its structure), repositions sagging tissue, and trims excess skin through short incisions hidden along the hairline and behind the ears.
Key technical points:
Beginning in our late 30s and 40s, collagen and elastin production slows, the SMAS layer loses tone, and fat pads in the midface shift downward. Gravity does the rest — what was once a defined jawline begins to soften into jowls, and a once-crisp angle between the jaw and neck becomes blurred. A mini facelift directly addresses this by resuspending the deeper structural layer, not just pulling on skin.
📞 Curious if a mini facelift is right for you? Schedule a Consultation →
One of the most common questions we hear is: “Which lift do I actually need?” The honest answer is that it depends on your anatomy, your goals, and how much aging you’re working to correct. Here’s how the most common options compare:
| Feature | Mini Facelift | Mid-Facelift | Traditional / Full Facelift | Thread Lift |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Target area | Lower face, jawline, jowls | Cheeks, midface, under-eye area | Full face & neck | Lower face (non-surgical) |
| Incisions | Short, hidden around ears | Small, often inside the mouth or temple | Longer, extends into hairline | No incisions — sutures only |
| Anesthesia | Local + IV sedation | Local + IV sedation | General anesthesia | Local only |
| Downtime | 7–10 days | 7–14 days | 2–4 weeks | 2–5 days |
| Best for | Mild to moderate lower-face sagging | Midface volume loss & flattening | Significant sagging, deep folds, neck laxity | Very early sagging or maintenance |
| Results last | 5–10 years | 7–10 years | 10–15 years | 1–2 years |
| Typical age range | Late 30s to mid-50s | 40s to 50s | 50s to 70s | 30s to early 50s |
Not sure which lift is right for you? Talk to a Wave Specialist →
If you want a deeper comparison between mini and mid-facelift specifically, see our guide on mini facelift vs. mid facelift. Patients weighing surgical versus non-surgical options should also read our facelift vs. thread lift comparison.
A mini facelift produces the best results when the patient’s anatomy matches what the procedure is actually built to do — refine the lower face. Pushing it beyond that scope is where patients get disappointed.
✔ Are between 35 and 55 years old with mild to moderate skin laxity
✔ Notice early jowling and a softening jawline but still have good skin elasticity
✔ Want a refreshed, natural look rather than a dramatic transformation
✔ Are looking for shorter recovery than a full facelift requires
✔ Are in good overall health, a non-smoker, and have realistic expectations
The right answer comes from a one-on-one consultation. We won’t recommend a mini facelift if your anatomy calls for something more comprehensive — and we won’t push you toward a bigger surgery than you need.
Wave Plastic Surgery offers several mini facelift approaches, each tailored to a specific anatomical concern and aesthetic goal. During your consultation, your surgeon will recommend the technique that best matches your face — not a one-size-fits-all approach.
Wave’s proprietary endoscopic lifting technique combines minimally invasive incisions with deep-tissue repositioning, ideal for patients who want a refined lift with minimal scarring. Learn more about the Wave Lift™ →
A signature Wave approach for patients seeking targeted lower-face refinement with shorter incisions and faster recovery. Read more about Cure Lift S™ →
A focused technique designed to redefine the jawline and lower face with surgical precision — best for patients who want subtle, anatomically precise correction. Explore the Precision Lift →
Many patients combine a mini facelift with fat transfer for volume restoration, lower eyelid surgery for under-eye rejuvenation, or non-surgical treatments like FaceTite for additional skin tightening. Combining procedures during one operative session means one recovery — not several.
Knowing what’s happening at each stage of the procedure tends to make the experience feel much more manageable. Here’s the typical flow:
The procedure typically takes about 2 hours. Most patients are back to normal social activities within 7–10 days.
Recovery from a mini facelift is significantly shorter than from a full facelift, but it still requires real rest and patience. Here’s what to expect, phase by phase.
📅 Days 1–3: Mild to moderate swelling and bruising; compression dressing worn. Discomfort is typically manageable with prescribed medication. Rest with head elevated.
📅 Days 4–7: Sutures removed at follow-up; bruising begins to fade. Most swelling subsides. Light daily activities resume.
📅 Days 10–14: Patients return to work and most social activities. Residual swelling continues to resolve.
📅 Weeks 3–6: Final contours emerge as deeper tissues settle and remaining swelling resolves. Most patients feel “themselves again” by week 4.
📅 Months 3–6: Final results visible. Scars continue to fade and become virtually invisible.
📸 View Real Before & After Photos – See how our patients achieve natural, long-lasting results.
Typical price range: $5,000 – $18,000 or more
Mini facelift cost varies significantly depending on the complexity of your case, the technique used, the surgeon’s experience and skill level, geographic region, and whether you’re combining procedures. Facelifts are among the most sophisticated cosmetic surgeries performed, and results vary meaningfully from surgeon to surgeon — the more experienced and skilled the surgeon, the higher the price point typically reflects that expertise.
Pricing disclaimer: The pricing ranges above represent surgeon’s fees only. Operating room and anesthesia fees are typically billed separately and are not included in this range. Your consultation will include a complete, itemized quote.
💳 Financing available through PatientFi — no impact on credit score, instant approval, and customizable monthly payments.
💰 Found a better price? Wave’s Price Match Guarantee honors qualifying competitor quotes from board-certified plastic surgeons with ASPS membership.
🎁 Save on every visit with the Wave Insider Program — exclusive pricing on surgical and non-surgical treatments.
Get a personalized quote. Book a Consultation Today →
Real results from real Wave patients. View our complete gallery to see what’s achievable with a customized mini facelift plan.
View the Full Face Before & After Gallery →
For most patients, mini facelift results last 5 to 10 years, depending on skin quality, lifestyle, sun protection, and overall aging trajectory. While the procedure can’t stop aging entirely, it resets the clock significantly and creates a younger baseline going forward.
Not when the procedure is done correctly. The mini facelift’s defining feature is subtle rejuvenation — most patients are told they look refreshed or well-rested, not that they’ve had surgery. Avoiding an overdone appearance comes down to surgical judgment, conservative tension, and properly addressing the SMAS layer rather than just pulling on skin.
Most patients describe the discomfort as a sense of tightness or pressure rather than sharp pain, especially in the first 48–72 hours. Prescribed medication manages this well, and most patients transition to over-the-counter pain relief within a few days.
Yes — and many patients do. Common combinations include fat transfer, eyelid surgery, neck lift, and non-surgical skin tightening. Combining procedures in one session means a single recovery period.
Most surgeons recommend sleeping on your back, head elevated, for the first 2–3 weeks. Side-sleeping typically resumes around the 4-week mark once swelling has fully resolved. For more detail, see our guide on when you can sleep on your side after a facelift.
The Wave Lift™ is Wave Plastic Surgery’s proprietary endoscopic technique that can be performed as a more minimally invasive alternative or complement to a traditional mini facelift, using even smaller incisions and an endoscopic approach for deeper structural repositioning. Your surgeon will help you decide which approach fits your anatomy.
Wave Plastic Surgery is one of the largest plastic surgery practices in the United States specializing in anti-aging surgeries. Our reputation is built on a few non-negotiables:
✔ Board-certified plastic surgeons with 20+ years of facelift experience ✔ AAAHC-accredited surgical facilities across five Southern California locations ✔ Proprietary techniques including Wave Lift™, Cure Lift S™, and Precision Lift ✔ Globally recognized expertise — Dr. Peter Lee is one of the few Advanced ENDOTINE Bioskills Surgeon Trainers in the world ✔ Transparent pricing with financing, Price Match Guarantee, and Insider Program savings ✔ Thousands of satisfied patients across the U.S. and internationally
📍 Visit Our Locations: Los Angeles | Costa Mesa (Orange County) | Arcadia | Rowland Heights | San Francisco
Ready to see what a mini facelift could do for your jawline and lower face? Schedule a consultation with one of Wave Plastic Surgery’s board-certified plastic surgeons to discuss your goals, evaluate your anatomy, and build a customized treatment plan. We’ll walk you through every option, give you an honest assessment of what will and won’t work for your face, and provide a complete pricing breakdown.
Give us a call today to schedule a consultation with one of the plastic surgery experts at Wave Plastic Surgery to learn more about a Mini Facelift.
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