It promises great results and less downtime, for a lot less money than a traditional procedure.

"I finally decided I need to go ahead and do it," patient Leslie Henry said. "I've just glanced in the mirror a couple of times, and I don't feel that my skin and my face matches how I feel on the inside."

Henry has come to Dr. Peter Malouf, a cosmetic surgeon, in Fort Worth to have a procedure he calls an "energy lift."

"The difference involves using energy from a fractional laser to further precisely shrink the connective tissue beneath the skin," Malouf said.

The surgery itself is a standard "mini-lift."

Malouf made an incision near each of Henry's ears so he could tighten her skin.  It's all done under local anesthesia, so Henry was conscious the entire time. The addition of the laser would enhance the final result.

"We're creating some tightening and some lifting just from the interaction between the connective tissue and the laser," Malouf said.

The laser also helped control bleeding and bruising. After several hours, Henry was able to walk out of the office and head home to recover.

Two weeks later, Henry said she feels so much better.

Malouf said the "energy lift" is ideal for patients who want a subtle change.

"It's just a way to turn back a few ticks of time there and look very natural when we're done," Malouf said.

The "energy lift" costs about $6,000.

Traditional facelift procedures that require general anesthesia can cost thousands more.