Mini lifts are ideal for individuals at an earlier stage in the aging process or for people who have had prior facelifts and are beginning to show signs of age.

The aging process varies from individual to individual and people seek cosmetic surgery at different stages of their lives.  When the signs of aging initially show up, a full facelift might not be required. A mini lift involves  lesser degrees of lifting and restoring the face.  This procedure is often known by many other names, including "short scar facelift, S lift, baby boomer facelift, limited-incision facelift and the weekend facelift".

What these techniques have in common is that they are meant to address a particular zone of the face, for example, just the cheeks, jowls, or central neck. A mini lift can have a significant impact on the overall appearance.