One of the types of surgery that is often a bit gory is the facelift. In a traditional facelift the surgeon actually has to pull skin off of the patient's face, in order to get to the tissues that are underneath the skin. These tissues must then be manipulated, all through a large incision along the patient's hairline.



There are other ways to perform a facelift - and other facelift surgeries that are performed. Some surgeons work on a patient in steps, with small cuts that allow the surgeon access in little parts. Other facelifts are "mini" facelifts, working on just one part of the face, such as the lower area of the face.

All of these facelifts, however, do require extensive cutting and removal of tissues, as well as large scale manipulation of tissue and possibly loss of blood. While this in itself is not necessarily dangerous or bad, there are other ways to perform facelifts that are being developed.

One way to avoid the blood loss and large incisions is to perform an endoscopic facelift, which is being developed right now by several prominent surgeons. This technique will allow doctors to do mini facelifts and full facelifts through small cuts, without the larger incisions used now.

These smaller cuts allow doctors to place instruments and a camera through them so the doctor can see, and then manipulation can take place underneath the skin. All the work can be done without cutting the skin and peeling it back, so less blood loss takes place and there will be less scarring.

The endoscopic facelift is far from being perfect. It does not work in every instance - and not all plastic surgeons are trained in endoscopic technique. You will need to interview your surgeon, and call surgical offices before finding a surgeon who knows how to perform endoscopic facelifts.

You will also have to be prepared for the fact that your surgeon may need to cut you open and switch to a regular facelift in the middle of the procedure - endoscopic facelifts are far from perfect, and sometimes the tools do not work and you will need to have a regular facelift to assure success.

While not yet a perfect or fully utilized way to get a facelift, the endoscopic facelift is still a promising new technique. If you were told that you couldn't get a facelift due to scarring issues, or a bleeding issue, this technique may make it so that you will be able to get that facelift after all.