Sagging jowls can be corrected with either a mini lift or a full facelift, and the right choice depends on the extent of skin laxity and tissue descent you have. That Face Chicago is led by Dr. Omotara Sulyman-Scott, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon and former ear, nose, and throat surgeon whose fellowship training focused exclusively on facial rejuvenation. Her practice treats the face as its own specialty rather than as one part of a broader cosmetic surgery menu, which is why every jowl consultation starts with an honest look at anatomy rather than a default recommendation.
A mini lift addresses mild jowling with a shorter recovery, while a full facelift, including a deep-plane facelift in Chicago, is designed for more advanced sagging along the jawline and neck. In this blog, Dr. Sulyman-Scott draws on her fellowship training under renowned facial plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Dayan to break down how each procedure works, who qualifies for each, and how she determines which one will actually solve your jowl concerns rather than offer a temporary fix.
What Causes Sagging Jowls?
Jowls form when the skin loses collagen and elastin, the deeper fat pads of the face shift downward, and the ligaments that once held everything in place begin to stretch. According to Mayo Clinic, a facelift is designed specifically to reduce this kind of sagging skin and smooth the folds that develop along the cheeks and jawline.
Several factors speed up this process:
- Natural aging and repeated loss of skin elasticity over time
- Sun exposure and years of unprotected UV damage
- Genetics, since some people inherit weaker facial ligaments
- Significant weight fluctuations, which can leave excess lax skin
Once the underlying support structures loosen enough, no amount of skincare or non-surgical treatment can fully restore definition to the jawline. That is the point at which a mini lift or a full facelift becomes worth considering.
What Is a Mini Lift?
A mini lift is a surgical procedure that uses shorter incisions, typically limited to the area around the ear, to tighten mild jowling and early lower face sagging. It focuses on a smaller treatment area than a full facelift and generally involves a quicker procedure with a faster return to normal activities.
Because a mini lift does not reposition the deeper facial ligaments the way a full facelift does, its results tend to be more subtle and shorter lasting. Patients considering a mini facelift typically have early jowl formation without significant neck laxity.
What Is a Full Facelift?
A full facelift lifts and repositions the deeper tissues of the face, not just the surface skin, to correct jowls, nasolabial folds, and neck laxity in one comprehensive procedure. At That Face Chicago, Dr. Sulyman-Scott offers primary, deep-plane, and revision facelift options, depending on a patient's anatomy and goals.
Her deep-plane facelift technique resuspends the underlying ligaments and tissues rather than simply pulling the skin tighter, producing a more natural lift that holds up over time. A full facelift addresses the lower two-thirds of the face and is generally the more durable solution for moderate to advanced jowling.
Mini Lift vs. Full Facelift: Key Differences
- Incision extent: A mini lift uses shorter incisions around the ear; a full facelift uses longer incisions that may extend behind the ear and into the hairline.
- Treatment area: A mini lift targets only the lower cheeks and jawline; a full facelift can also address the neck and midface.
- Anesthesia: Mini lifts are often performed under local anesthesia with sedation; full facelifts typically use general anesthesia or deeper sedation.
- Longevity: Mini lift results generally last a few years; a full facelift, especially a deep plane facelift, can last a decade or longer.
- Ideal candidate: A mini lift suits patients with mild jowling and good skin elasticity; a full facelift suits patients with moderate to advanced sagging in the jawline and neck.
- Candidacy factors: Dr. Sulyman-Scott evaluates skin elasticity, fat pad descent, and whether the platysma muscle in the neck has loosened. Minimal neck concerns point toward a mini lift, while loose neck skin or a desire for longer-lasting correction points toward a full facelift, sometimes combined with a neck lift.
- Recovery: A mini lift allows a return to light activity within a week to ten days, with swelling resolved in two to three weeks; a full facelift requires two to three weeks before returning to work, with final results emerging over several months as swelling fully resolves.
Ready to Address Sagging Jowls? Dr. Sulyman-Scott Can Help
Sagging jowls do not have a single fix that works for everyone, which is why an accurate evaluation matters more than the procedure name. Dr. Sulyman-Scott is a board-certified facial plastic surgeon, certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, who completed a fellowship in facial plastic and reconstructive surgery at the University of Illinois in Chicago under Dr. Steven Dayan. Her background as a former ear, nose, and throat surgeon adds depth to her understanding of the facial structures involved in jowl correction.
Facelift demand continues to grow nationally, and the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery reports that facelift patients are trending younger, with the share of patients between 35 and 55 rising in recent years. That shift reflects more patients seeking early, natural-looking correction before jowling becomes severe, which is exactly the kind of nuanced evaluation Dr. Sulyman-Scott provides at every mini lift and full facelift consultation in Chicago.
Dr. Sulyman-Scott is renowned for prioritizing balanced results over an overly tight or "done" appearance. Schedule a consultation to find out which option will give you the most natural, lasting result.
