What does a facelift do?
A facelift lifts and tightens sagging facial tissue, naturally rejuvenating the entire appearance. This surgery is the most effective facial procedure to “turn back the clock” and help you look younger and fresher. Isn’t it wonderful that under the guidance of a qualified plastic surgeon you can regain a truly more youthful appearance? When you put yourself in expert hands, you can combat the effects of aging and gravity and bring to the surface the vitality you feel from within. Learn more about the different facelift techniques that can help you and which one suits you best.
Mini-Lift
A mini lift promises to improve the areas from the jawline to the cheeks by making shorter cuts along the hairline above the ear or within the natural folds around the ear. The procedure is called “mini” because it requires less extensive dissection (usually only some skin is removed) and does not achieve the same level of improvement as a traditional facelift. This technique is primarily aimed at younger patients aged around 40 to 60, or those who are not as focused on improving the appearance of their neck. I don’t do mini lifts. It remains an invasive procedure with minimal effect. Simply removing the skin without consideration of the deeper tissue results in minimal lift, risk of wide scarring and short-lived improvements. For longer lasting and more noticeable results, the focus should be on tightening and firming the deep facial tissue, which is not the goal of a mini lift.
Ponytail-Lift
A ponytail lift is a procedure to tighten the eyebrows, forehead and cheeks for a more youthful appearance. The minimally invasive procedure gets its name for two main reasons: It produces results reminiscent of a high, tight ponytail to tighten facial skin, and patients can hide the incisions because they are along the hairline rather than in front and behind the ears. Although this technique has been popularized with aggressive advertising, it is not really officially recognized among facelift experts or in the leading textbooks. Many surgeons warn that the procedure carries the risk of hair loss due to the incisions and tension in the hair-bearing scalp, which can lead to visible scarring in the hairline as a common side effect.
MACS-Lift
MACS stands for Minimal Access Cranial Suspension and represents a supposedly lower-risk alternative to a full facelift. The technique aims to avoid the deep dissection and facial nerves. The MACS lift targets sagging tissue in areas such as the neck, cheeks and jawline. It can be performed under local anesthesia with sedation or under general anesthesia, whichever you prefer. The short scar technique involves making an incision along the temporal hairline that extends to the earlobe without going behind the ear. The skin is tightened in the side cheek and temple area and the underlying tissue is tightened with thread to achieve a permanent result. The MACS lift is an effective technique for selected individuals and provides a high level of satisfaction due to the rapid recovery associated with it. In addition, the shorter operation time allows for more combined procedures compared to the traditional facelift, which can take up to four to five hours. However, effectiveness may be limited in people with significant skin laxity or significant fatty deposits on the neck.
High SMAS-Lift
High SMAS lift surgery is a powerful deep plane facelift technique that aims to tighten and rejuvenate the lower face, lateral lower eyelid and midface by strengthening the soft tissues in these areas be repositioned. The SMAS (Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System) is a fibromuscular network that extends beneath the superficial layers of fat and skin across the face and neck. A traditional facelift lifts the deep layer of the face below the cheekbone to reposition the side cheeks and correct the lower third of the nasolabial fold and jowls. In comparison, the High SMAS lift goes even further by elevating the deep layer (SMAS) to a higher position above the cheekbone. With limited lateral skin dissection, the skin and SMAS composite flap elevates the face while reducing the need for a mid-facelift. I often perform fat grafting (lipofilling), eyelid surgery and radiofrequency skin tightening such as AccuTite™ and Morpheus8™ along with a High SMAS lift to improve results. The High SMAS lift is performed under general anesthesia in an accredited clinic and requires an overnight stay to monitor blood pressure and ensure comfort. Care is taken to hide the scars in the natural folds of the skin and along the hairline so that they are almost invisible once they have healed. Sometimes the scars can only be placed in front of the ear. I perform the “deep-plane” high SMAS lift technique on most of my patients.