What this means
Doctors looked back at 100 patients who had a limited facelift with local numbing only. Results suggest it was safe and quick to recover from, but this study has no comparison group.
Plain-English summary written by an AI model from the abstract. The original is below.
- Who it was tested in
- 100 adults with early facial aging
- Kind of research
- A study
The science
- Original title
- Limited-Dissection Ligament-Preserving Facelift for Early Facial Aging: Surgical Technique and Clinical Experience.
- Authors
- Bosch A, Fakih-Gomez N
- Journal
- Aesthetic surgery journal. Open forum
- Published
- Oct 13, 2026
- Study type
- Study
- PMID
- 42865854 ↗
Abstract
Background
Early facial aging is characterized by midfacial descent, loss of mandibular definition, and attenuation of retaining ligaments. Although superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS)-based and deep-plane facelifts remain the gold standard, many patients seek less invasive procedures with shorter recovery. The aim of this study was to describe a limited-dissection ligament-preserving facelift technique and evaluate its safety and clinical outcomes in patients with early facial aging.
What they did
A retrospective case series of 100 patients treated between June 2021 and January 2025 was performed. All procedures were carried out under local anesthesia using limited dissection and superoposterior suspension of the SMAS-ligament complex and platysma. Outcomes included complications, revision rates, recovery time, and patient satisfaction at 1 year.
What they found
Mean patient age was 43.4 years (range, 34-52 years). All procedures were performed under local anesthesia without sedation. Recovery was rapid, with 96% of patients resuming normal activities within 7 days. Transient hypoesthesia occurred in 22% of patients and resolved within 8 weeks. No hematoma, infection, permanent nerve injury, or wound dehiscence was observed. Temporal alopecia occurred in 14% of patients and resolved spontaneously in most cases. Minor under-correction was observed in 6%, with an overall revision rate of 9%. At 1 year, 82% of patients reported being satisfied or very satisfied. Limited-dissection ligament-preserving facelift appears to be a safe and effective minimally invasive option for selected patients with early facial aging. It provides natural results and rapid recovery and may represent an intermediate approach between nonsurgical treatments and traditional facelift procedures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 4
Other details
For image description, please refer to the figure legend and surrounding text.
The authors' abstract, grouped under plain headings from its own section labels.
Bosch A, Fakih-Gomez N Limited-Dissection Ligament-Preserving Facelift for Early Facial Aging: Surgical Technique and Clinical Experience. Aesthetic surgery journal. Open forum. 2026. doi:10.1093/asjof/ojag155. PMID: 42865854. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/42865854/