Facelift (including Aeris™ Facelift)

A facelift (rhytidectomy) is a surgical procedure that refreshes and rejuvenates the face by tightening sagging skin, lifting underlying tissues, and softening deep lines and folds.

With age, sun exposure, and lifestyle factors, the skin loses elasticity, facial volume decreases, and creases form — especially around the cheeks, jawline, and neck.

A facelift addresses these changes by lifting and repositioning the deeper facial structures, removing excess skin, and restoring a smoother, more defined contour to the face and neck. Modern techniques focus on the deeper layers rather than just tightening the surface, ensuring natural, long-lasting results without an over-pulled look.

The Aeris™ Facelift; Pulchritudo sine vestigiis, Beauty without a trace. Developed by Dr Rishi Mandavia. The Aeris Facelift is an advanced facial rejuvenation procedure created exclusively at our Centre of Excellence, uniting the precision of surgery with the most sophisticated non-surgical therapies.

Its aim is simple yet exacting: to restore a lifted, refined, and radiant appearance without overstretching, visible tell-tale signs, or an artificial finish. The result is a face that appears healthier, fresher, and more youthful — so natural that even close friends, family, and fellow surgeons may only notice how well you look, without knowing why.

The name Aeris comes from the Latin stem for “air” — chosen to reflect the lightness, freshness, and elegance of the results this procedure is designed to achieve.

Performed as an awake procedure under sedation and local anaesthesia, the Aeris Facelift offers enhanced comfort, safety, and a significantly reduced recovery time. It is based on a modified deep plane technique, using minimal-access incisions hidden discreetly to preserve the natural hairline. This allows the deeper facial structures to be repositioned in a natural vector, restoring harmony to the midface, jawline, and neck.

What sets the Aeris approach apart is its integration of advanced regenerative medicine. Alongside the surgical lift, patients benefit from:

• Resurfacing lasers to refine skin texture and soften lines.
• Nanofat and/or autologous exosome therapy to stimulate collagen and revitalise the skin from within.
• Post-surgical treatments including targeted lasers, LED light therapy, biostimulation and biorevitalisation techniques to accelerate healing and enhance results.
• Precision neuromodulators to incision areas to relax the surrounding skin and minimise tension, helping scars to heal in the most discreet way possible.

By addressing the structural foundation of the face, and the health and quality of the skin, the Aeris Facelift achieves a complete yet understated rejuvenation. Recovery is rapid, patient satisfaction is consistently high, and the results are enduring — an elegant refinement that invites compliments rather than questions.

In cosmetic surgery, there’s no universal definition for what a “mini facelift” means. Generally, it refers to a smaller version of a traditional facelift, designed to offer a subtle lift with less downtime and a quicker recovery.

A mini facelift focuses on improving mild to moderate signs of ageing in the lower face, such as early jowls or mild skin laxity. Sometimes called a “weekend facelift,” it uses shorter incisions and involves less surgical dissection than a full facelift. While recovery is faster, the results are typically less dramatic and may not last as long as those from a full facelift.

A plication facelift is a surgical technique that tightens the SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System) — the supportive fibromuscular layer beneath the skin that shapes the face.

Instead of removing any of the SMAS, the surgeon folds it over on itself and secures it with stitches. These folds can be placed vertically, horizontally, or at an angle, depending on the areas that need lifting and the desired direction of tension.

This folding action repositions and supports the deeper facial structures, creating a smoother, more youthful contour without overstretching the skin. The “pleated fabric” analogy is often used, as the folds add structure and lift much like pleats in material.

Because the SMAS is not cut or dissected deeply, plication is generally less invasive than other facelift methods, offering a shorter recovery period.

The deep plane facelift approach lifts the skin and SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System) together as a single layer, entering the “deep plane” beneath the SMAS.

The procedure involves the surgeon releasing the deep retaining ligaments of the face, including the zygomatic and masseteric ligaments. Once these ligaments are freed, the midface, jowls, and neck can be repositioned together in an upward and slightly oblique vector that mirrors the natural direction of youthful facial support.

Your facelift journey will begin with a detailed consultation to understand your goals, concerns, past medical history, and lifestyle. During this meeting, we will carry out a thorough assessment of your face, identifying areas of structural change and skin ageing, and discussing the improvements you would like to see.

Each surgical plan is entirely bespoke. We will explain the approach in detail and you’ll have the opportunity to ask any questions, review anticipated recovery times, and understand how we will support you at every stage. You will be introduced to your named patient coordinator, who will act as your dedicated point of contact throughout the process. With our concierge service, you can reach them directly via WhatsApp for prompt, discreet assistance whenever you need it.

Once we have agreed on your personalised plan, you’ll receive clear instructions on how to prepare for your procedure, along with a schedule for your surgery day and recovery pathway. This includes information on how to optimise healing with our integrated aftercare programme, designed to accelerate recovery while enhancing results.

We believe that the process should feel as considered and welcoming as the results themselves. Our team will guide you through every detail — from scheduling and travel arrangements to post operative care — so you feel informed, confident, and cared for from the very first conversation.