Do You Lose Cheekbone Definition on the Side of the Face After a SMAS Facelift?

It's an excellent question. As we age tissue descend and lose volume. What you may have noticed is that the tissue over your cheekbone descended and filled in the hollow portion of your cheek. This would cause your cheekbones to appear less full, and the area below your cheekbones to appear more full. Overall the lower portion of the face can appear more full. This can give the face a boxy appearance.The SMAS is a connective tissue layer that covers the face and is continuous with the platysma muscle in the neck. A SMAS facelift re-elevates the SMAS and pulls the sagging tissue up into a more youthful position. A SMAS facelift should add volume to the cheekbones and help restore the aesthetic hollow of the cheeks below the cheekbones. The facelift should soften the nasolabial fold, soften marionette lines, and improve jowling. Jowling is the result of this sagging tissue moving below the jawline.Facial deflation is common during aging and can contribute significantly to an aged appearance. Fat grafting performed at the time of a facelift operation can restore volume to the face. Fat transfer takes fat from another place in the body using liposuction techniques. The fat is then injected under the skin into specific areas of the face. The majority of the transferred fat will obtain a new blood supply within the face. The fat that does live will provide long-lasting volume. Common areas for fat transfer include the cheekbones (malar area), nasolabial fold, tear trough, supraorbital rim (brow), and temporal area.Rejuvenation of the neck is commonly performed at the same time as a facelift. It involves removing excess fat from above and below the platysma. The platysma is commonly sewn together in the midline to help redefine the angle between the area below the chin and the neck (cervicomental angle). Excess skin from the neck is removed with incisions placed behind the ear.A facelift should leave patients looking more youthful, refreshed, and should restore volume to the cheekbone area.

Hard to say without photos.  The SMAS facelift has really become the "gold standard." The soft tissue is re-positioned, most patients notice increased definition over the cheekbone area.  Again, everyone is different  Please discuss the operation in detail with your experienced surgeon. Ask questions, and tell him your concerns. 

The short answer is: No you should not lose any cheekbone definition following a SMAS facelift. In fact you will probably gain some.

A SMAS lift in general refers to any facelift technique that tightens the SMAS layer along with the overlying skin, and underling cheek pad in a more youthful position making you look younger. Specifically the SMAS face lift does its magic by lifting and tightening the jowls, neck, and cheek fat to a more rejuvenated position. These techniques generally produce more natural and long-lasting results than the "skin only" face lifts, and now considered by most board certified plastic surgeons as the most preferred method.