Facelift: Q&A

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SMAS vs Deep Tissue Suture Lift?

In your opinion, which Facelift is better? The SMAS or the deep tissue suture lift?

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15 Doctor Answers | Asked by Shayla in Ky in KY

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Best facelift

Any subcutaneous facelift will last longer and have better support if SMAS work is done also. I personslly like to plicate the SMAS along the zygoma, in front of the ear and down the neck between the platysma and sternocleidomastoid muscle....this gives excellent support a good pull and above all a natural smooth result. I personally don't care for deep plane facelifting. To me they all have a tell tale look as though there is a slight sneer to the expression which I think is caused relea more

SMAS vs. Deep Tissue Suture Facelift

A SMAS facelift tends to have a longer lasting result than a lift done with tissue sutures. However, any deep multi-layer facelift will last longer than a subcutaneous facelift. The most commonly done facelift is one with at least some manipulation and SMAS involvement.

Rod J. Rohrich, MD

10 reviews

Dallas Plastic Surgeon

SMAS vs deep plane facelift

I prefer the SMAS lift because I can move the deep tissues directly up, right back where they came from and then move the skin along more natural lines. The deep plane lift moves everything more as a unit so I don't think it is as natural.

SMAS Facelift

A sub-SMAS, or sub-muscle-fascia face lift, involves dissection above and below the muscle-fascia layer of the face. The increased amount of dissection allows for movement of the skin and underlying muscle-fascia layer in different directions permitting greater tightening of muscle-fascia layer, less tension of the skin closure, and longer-lasting, natural results. An inconspicuous incision is made along the sideburn, in front of the ear, under the ear lobe, ending in the hairline near the... more

SMAS is a MUST

A facelift involving the SMAS layer can have several variations just as some of the many "deep tissue suture" techniques. The time-tested technique that gets the best results is a Modified Deep Plane SMAS Lift. This is because the layer that supports the face and neck, the SMAS, is stronger than skin alone and when lifted, allows tension-free skin closure that will get the best looking incisions. This layer has strong hold and gives natural contour to the cheeks,... more

Facelift techniques

I agree with the other docs, there are a few ways to do a facelift. You should look at several surgeons' before and after photos and see which results you like in patients who have similar anatomy. Best, Nima Shemirani

Without question, the SMAS facelift is better.

The SMAS facelift is the gold standard for facelifts. The fascia is meticulously lifted and pulled to create a lasting result. I do not recommend suture lift as it has a high complication and failure rate and has been shown to adversely effect the aesthetic outcome of a traditional facelift at a later date. Suture lifts create unforgiving and unpredictable scarring which disrupts the natural soft tissue facial planes necessary in performing a facelift.

Facelift

I much perfer a deep face lift which elevates the smas and secures it in multiple location with different vector of pull. This is a time tested procedure and now is the gold standard. This face lift also last 8 to 10 years. The suture lift refers to smas lift with one suture which la-sow's around the smas and tightens it. Not nearly as good as the other. see video

SMAS vs Deeper plane facelift

I personally feel that the deep plane facelift patients appear to wide in the cheek region. To me this does not looknatural. I prefer a SMAS facelift which I feel gives more control to manuever the soft tissues of the face.

Steven Wallach, MD

12 reviews

Manhattan Plastic Surgeon

Its in the Muscle

In my experience performing SMAS and deep plane lifts, I feel that deep plane lifts are superior to SMAS lifts because they better address the deeper tissues of the face. One of those tissues which may be under appreciated is the platysma muscle. We recently investigated this muscle in the face and facelifting and feel that it play a larger role than previously mentioned. (see link below)

SMAS versus Deep Plane Facelift

I am personally a fan of SMAS facelifts. The deep plane facelift has a slightly higher complication rate and a longer recovery time - with a result whch I believe is often overdone. I believe in a very natural result and have a better experience with the SMAS Lift. Facelifts are an art, and each surgeon( artist) like to use his own favorite brush (procedure). Look at his/her pre and postoperative results to see if his vision is yours.

SMAS vs Deep Tissue Facelifts

Success depends on the needs of a patient and who's doing the surgery. Each surgeon has their own variations of these techniques. See before and after pictures of patients who had similar complaints. The specific surgical procedure should not influence your decision. Ask about post-operative healing, the surgeon's incidence of complications, normal expectations, and duration of improvement.

Richard W. Fleming, MD

9 reviews

Beverly Hills Facial Plastic Surgeon

www.bevhills.com

SMAS vs Suture lift facelift

Without doubt, each surgeon has his preferences based upon training and experience. Suture lifts are appealing due to their simplicity and brief recovery, however performing a Google search, I have found a preponderance of complaints about suture lift, including very short term improvements and complaints of pain. My goal is to offer my patients the technique that I consider gives them the best chance for a natural look and a long-lasting improvement. Fundamental to that technique is... more

SMAS vs Deep Plane

It is not a queation of better or worse but rather surgeon preference and/or training. There are many different techniques when it comes to facelift surgery but all basically do two things; remove excess skin and lift droopy muscle. Patients should not get caught up with the specific facelift techniques but rather focus on long-term consistent good results. Ask your surgeon for pictures as well as phone numbers of past patients. Your research into quality results is far more important than... more

These two are the same.

Forget the name of procedures and concentrate on finding an experienced facelift surgeon who can give you the pros and cons of different types of lifting and why he would choose one over the other for YOU.