Where Do Jowls Go when SMAS Muscle is Lifted and Tightened?

Good question. JOWLS form due to the combination of:Loose skin (lose of collagen and elastin) Loose SMAS muscle, Lose of fat above the jowl causing deflation,Fat accumulation in the jowl area.  A lower facelift can addresses these issues.  You can see in the video below how addressing the SMAS lifts the jowl.  Be sure to consult with an experienced facial plastic surgeon

The easiest way to understand the answer to your question is to take a mirror and examine your face first lying down fully flat and then sitting up. If you change position and examine the movements of the facial tissues, you get a decent representation of the effect of a facelift.As you change position to lying down flat the jowls disappear, some of the skin bunches in front of the ear and some of the facial volume returns to the front of the cheek. The superificial and deep planes of the face move differently under the influence of gravity. The superficial layer moves backwards, in line with the gravity pull. This is is somewhat similar to the tension applied to the SMAS layer, although not exactly the same vector.The deeper layer (buccal fat) is constrained in a tight walled space and moves mostly up. To a degree, the tension os the SMAS produces the same effect.For this reason, when the jowls are heavier, in order to improve the jawline contours buccal fat reduction or re-suspension can be a good adjunct to the SMAS tightening.

Thank you for your question. The SMAS Facelift is performed to address sagging skin, excess fat and jowls, loss of volume in cheeks. The fat is lifted which in turn corrects the jowls, excess skin removed to create a lovely contoured jawline, and rejuvenate the face. All the best 

When a SMAS Facelift is performed the loose skin over the jawline is moved higher and backwards on the jawline, providing a smooth contour over the jaw and achieving a more youthful appearance. Occasionally additional liposuction needs to be performed in the jowl area to reduce the fat in this area, but most people this is not required.

Thank you for your question.  When you lift the SMAS  normally the fat is lifted with the SMAS itself and  that is part of the beauty in correcting the jowls  .  Also you removed the extra skin at the end of the procedure that correct another important component of the jowl formation

When the SMAS muscle is carefully mobilised then lifted, redundant muscle and skin in the neck and jawline becomes smooth. As the tissue is lifted up as a continuous layer, it can be re-attached right up near the sideburn and in front of the ear. In more heavy-set individuals, sometimes there is definitely too much tissue in this area. The tissue can be carefully contoured at the time of surgery. The jowls are certainly not just lifted a cm or two up onto the jawline which would indeed create some bulkiness there. The most important technical point is to insure that the SMAS layer is adequately mobilised so that it can be lifted well up away from the jawline. 

The jowls are made up of a combination of skin, connective tissue, and muscle that combine to create laxity and fullness in the jowl area as we age. The primary issue tends to be laxity of the SMAS layer of soft tissue that is tightened during a lifting procedure. When the jowls are very heavy, some liposuction of the fatty tissue in this area may also be helpful. The skin is also tightened in order to create the final result.
In general, the jowls don't really "move" anywhere but instead get tightened and re-shaped in order to create the smooth and youthful post-operative jawline.
Best,

The SMAS, or superficial muscular aponeurotic system, is a deep underlying sheath of connective tissue that lends the face its shape. As we age, the SMAS descends due to gravity and the weakening of this tissue. A well performed SMAS facelift will reposition the tissue up and back, causing a more sculpted and youthful jawline. The jowls will essentially disappear, although if you have very fatty jowls then liposuction may be recommended as well. In any case, the lower face will not appear heavier after an SMAS facelift, nor will the jowls “hang.” There are many facelift techniques that can be customized to individual patients, so I recommend having a consultation to find out what kind of facelift is best for you. I hope this helps.

Jowls are mostly fat, though it has other components as well.  It is tethered to the general area along the jaw line.  The SMAS layer connects all of the tether points and the different fat pockets as well as all of the facial muscles.  When the SMAS layer is tightened, it tightens the jowl area as well so the jowl tissue flattens along the jaw line and in the lower cheek depending on the direction in which the SMAS is pulled. Hope that helps. 

Lifting the SMAS results in the jowls elevating and returning to a more youthfull position. The jowls form when the SMAS starts to get loose. a facelift tightens and repositions the SMAS so you dont get puffiness or a heavy face. James P. Bonaparte, MD, MSc, FRCSCHead and Neck Surgerypracticing in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive SurgeryAssistant Professor, University of OttawaOttawa, Ontario, Canada