Mid-face lift · Cheek lift
Mid-face lift: Compare practices from our network
A mid-face lift lifts the cheeks and the area under the eyes back toward where they used to sit. It is a targeted lift, not a full facelift.
Our network
Mid-face lift providers from Adoreal's partner network.
Malmö · Sweden
Reformkliniken
Cheek lift (kindlyft) on its own or combined with eyelid surgery, across a six-surgeon team.
Malmö · Sweden
Reformkliniken
Cheek lift (kindlyft) on its own or combined with eyelid surgery, across a six-surgeon team.
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How to choose a mid-face lift surgeon
Board certification is the starting point. The details below are worth weighing carefully when you're choosing the surgeon who's right for your goals.
Here's what to look for before you decide:
A good surgeon will tell you if you need more than the mid-face.
It is uncommon for only the cheeks to have aged, with no change along the jaw or in the neck. A surgeon who examines your whole face, and says plainly when a facelift would serve you better, is putting your result ahead of the smaller operation.
They should explain how they lift, and to which layer.
Mid-face techniques differ in where the incisions sit and how deep the lift goes. Ask how the tissue is repositioned and secured, and why that approach suits your anatomy.
The lower eyelid is part of the plan.
Some approaches work through the lower eyelid, and the mid-face lift is often combined with eyelid surgery. A surgeon who assesses your lower lids and explains how they protect their support is planning for the whole area around the eyes.
They should prepare you for how it looks early on.
The cheeks are often lifted slightly beyond their final position and look full for a couple of weeks. A surgeon who tells you this in advance is setting honest expectations.
Transparency about your plan and expectations is non-negotiable.
Your surgeon should be comfortable documenting the technique planned, where the incisions will sit, whether other treatments are included, and what recovery looks like week by week, and sharing that with you in writing.
Before your consultation, prepare this question
“Is a mid-face lift enough for my face, or are my jawline and neck changing too?”
A surgeon who looks at your whole face before recommending the smaller operation is choosing the right lift for you, not the easiest one to sell.
Find a Mid-face lift ProviderAbout the treatment
About mid-face lift
What is a mid-face lift?
A mid-face lift, also called a cheek lift, focuses on the middle third of the face: the cheeks and the area under the eyes. The soft tissue and fat pads of the cheek are lifted and secured in a higher position, which can soften the folds between the nose and the corners of the mouth and make the face look less tired.
As the cheeks descend with age or for hereditary reasons, hollows can appear under the eyes and the nasolabial folds deepen. A mid-face lift addresses that descent through smaller incisions than a full facelift, placed in natural creases, inside the lower eyelid, in the hairline or inside the mouth.
A mid-face lift does not treat the jawline, jowls or neck, and it does not stop the aging process. The aim is a fresher version of your own face, not a different one.
Mid-face lift or full facelift?
A mid-face lift targets the cheeks and the area under the eyes through smaller incisions, with a mainly vertical lift. A full facelift works on the lower face and neck as well, and some facelift techniques also lift the mid-face. Both typically involve around two weeks of recovery. If you also have jowls or loose skin in the neck, a mid-face lift on its own is unlikely to give you a balanced result.
Combining a mid-face lift
A mid-face lift is often combined with upper or lower eyelid surgery for a more complete result around the eyes, and sometimes with fillers or a mini facelift. Combining treatments affects anesthesia and recovery, so it is worth discussing at consultation.
Are you a candidate?
A mid-face lift is generally suited to people in good health who have early sagging or volume loss in the cheeks, deeper folds between the nose and mouth, or hollows under the eyes, and who have little loosening along the jawline or in the neck.
- Cheeks that have flattened or moved down
- Deeper folds between the nose and the corners of the mouth
- Hollowing under the eyes, or a tired look that does not match how you feel
- Little or no jowling or loose skin in the neck
- Fillers that have not given the result or longevity you hoped for
- Realistic expectations: a natural lift that still looks like you
Your surgeon may advise caution if you:
- Have noticeable jowling or neck laxity, which a facelift or neck lift addresses
- Smoke and are unwilling to stop
- Have a bleeding disorder or take blood thinners that cannot be safely paused
- Have a poorly controlled medical condition
- Are mainly troubled by fine lines or skin texture rather than cheek position
The treatment, step by step
Consultation. Your surgeon assesses your cheeks, under-eye area, jawline and neck, and discusses your goals. That is how they decide whether a mid-face lift, a full facelift, eyelid surgery or a combination fits your face.
Preparations. You may need to adjust medications, stop smoking, and arrange for someone to drive you home and help for the first days.
Anesthesia. Performed under local anesthesia or general anesthesia, depending on the technique and what suits you.
Incisions. Small incisions are placed discreetly, in natural creases, inside the lower eyelid, in the hairline or inside the mouth, depending on the technique.
Lifting. The cheek tissue and fat pads are released and lifted to a higher position, then secured there. Some surgeons combine this with lower or upper eyelid surgery in the same operation.
Closing. The incisions are closed carefully, and you receive clear instructions for how to care for them while they heal.
Recovery and aftercare
Swelling and bruising around the cheeks and eyes are normal. Surgeons often lift the cheeks slightly higher than their final position on purpose, so the face can look full or rounded for the first couple of weeks while the swelling settles.
- Keep your head elevated while resting and sleeping
- Avoid strenuous activity until your surgeon clears you
- Follow your surgeon's instructions for incision and mouth care
- Protect healing incisions from direct sun
- Attend all follow-up appointments, typically including one at 7 to 14 days
Most people return to daily activities within one to two weeks. Swelling can last somewhat longer and keeps improving over the following months.
Risks and side effects
A mid-face lift is generally safe, but like any surgery it carries risks:
- Swelling and bruising, common and temporary, around the cheeks and eyes.
- Changes in sensation, temporary numbness of the cheeks, which usually improves over weeks to months.
- Asymmetry, differences between the two sides as the tissue settles.
- Changes in lower eyelid position, A consideration when the lift is done through the lower eyelid, where lid support has to be respected.
- Scarring, minimized by placing incisions in natural creases or inside the eyelid or mouth.
- Facial nerve injury, A rare complication that could cause temporary or permanent muscle weakness.
Seek care promptly if you notice:
- Rapidly increasing swelling, or bleeding that does not stop
- Severe or increasing pain
- Fever, or increasing redness and discharge from an incision
- Any change in your vision, or difficulty closing your eye
Contact your surgeon's practice directly, or seek emergency care, if you experience any of the above.
Common questions
Mid-face lift questions, answered.
If your question isn't here, ask us directly. A real person answers, and we won't push you toward anything.
Talk to us →What is the difference between a mid-face lift and a facelift?
A mid-face lift focuses on the cheeks and under-eye area through smaller incisions. A facelift addresses the lower face and neck as well. If your jawline and neck have changed too, a facelift is usually the better fit.
Am I a candidate?
Usually if you are in good health and your main concern is sagging or flattened cheeks, deeper folds between nose and mouth or hollows under the eyes, without much jowling or neck laxity. Surgeons describe typical patients as being in their late thirties to early fifties, but suitability depends on your face, not your age.
Where are the incisions?
Depending on the technique, in natural creases, inside the lower eyelid, in the hairline or inside the mouth. They are placed to be discreet and usually become hard to see as they heal.
How long is the recovery?
Most people return to daily activities within one to two weeks. Swelling can last a little longer, and the cheeks may look full for the first couple of weeks while they settle.
Why do my cheeks look too high after surgery?
Surgeons often lift the cheeks slightly beyond their final position on purpose, because the tissue settles over the following weeks. Together with swelling, this can make the face look rounded at first.
How long do the results last?
Results are long-lasting. Reformkliniken says most patients see the effect for seven to ten years, though this varies. The face continues to age, so the cheeks change slowly over time.
Can fillers do the same job?
Fillers can restore some volume to the cheeks without surgery, but they do not reposition tissue that has moved down. Some people who choose a mid-face lift have tried fillers first without the result or longevity they wanted.
Can it be combined with eyelid surgery?
Yes, and it often is. Combining a mid-face lift with upper or lower eyelid surgery treats the whole area around the eyes. Your surgeon will explain how this affects the operation and recovery.
Is it painful?
Discomfort is usually modest and managed with prescribed pain relief. Swelling, bruising and tightness are more common complaints than sharp pain.
