The SMAS or submuscular aponeurotic system is actually two layers of a fibrous type tissue the sandwich the muscles of facial expression. Elevation this layer, such that occurs during the extended SMAS facelift that I perform moves the jowls back to the midcheek region from which they've come. With... more
Where do jowls go when SMAS muscle is lifted and tightened?
Do they move outward or up next to the sides of the mouth and just hang? Would lifting that muscle cause the lower face to appear heavier?
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6 answers to “Where do jowls go when SMAS muscle...”A: Lifting the jowls
Many patients consider the drooping lower cheek below the jawbone to represent jowls. This tissue often resides in the lower cheek above the level of the jaw bone in use. As we age, 2 things happen. The connective tissue that holds that tissue in place weekends and becomes more lax. Additionally, there is some... more
A: The SMAS gets pulled into the face to where it was originally
Jowling is essentially tissue that has descended from the face to sit beyond the lower border of the jawline. When you do a SMAS facelift, this tissue is pulled up over the jaw and into the area where it used to be. Your face won't necessarily be fatter, it will have more of the youthful volume it use to have... more
A: Depends on technique and the starting volume in the face
A vertical repositioning of the SMAS will elevate the jowls back into the cheeks and restore hollowing that has developed. If the face is already full, the SMAS elevation is still valuable but the extra fat can be removed so as to not make the cheeks appear chubby. This is all part of the... more
A: Depends on technique used
Hello Teresa, Jowls are composed of 3 main components: 1. Muscle / Fascia (SMAS) 2. Fat 3. Skin & it's attachements to the underlying tissues There is also the pre-jowl sulcus (this is the crease that is present at the front of the jowls). Depending on your anatomy, desired goals, desired degree of... more
A: It depends on what you are calling jowls.
Normally, surgeons call jowls the fatty masses on the lower jaw and below it. These are repositioned in the cheek where they used to be. Having said that, your fat is higher than that and may only require liposuction at the time of facelifting. Tightening the muscle will not cause the lower face to look... more
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SMAS facelift before & after photos
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19 posts
25 Mar 2009
Hello again. I probably should have gaven more information. I had a lower facelift almost 6 months ago and the jowls look like this now. The SMAS muscle was to be trimmed and lifted tighter. Liposuction was performed in the jowls after they were lifted up. I did not have fat jowls to begin with.