Does the Smartlift Facelift Work?

 To give you an idea of my level of confidence in the Smartlift,  consider that I own the rather expensive laser used in the procedure, yet I have never had any desire  to perform a Smartlift.  This is because the best way to get a natural facial rejuvenation result is to perform any one of the variants of the SMAS facelift. These procedures aim to put tissues back where they once belonged,  and offer a natural appearing, long-lasting result. 

You should always be skeptical of procedures with catchy names that promise you the world.  You should concentrate more on finding the right plastic surgeon for you based on experience, reputation, and results.  There is no magic out there, but plenty of slick marketing waiting to capitalize on a naive public as well as the fascination people have with lasers.

Yes and no. The smart lift is usually a more minimal procedure than a standard face/neck lift. Too many surgeons try to name their facelift so that it sounds exclusive. Many of us do similar procedures when performing a facelift. Don't fall for the advertising hype.

One of the problems solved by a facelift is excess skin in the cheek, jowls, and neck. There is no way to shrink skin –period. Lasers can change the surface of the skin but cannot delete surplus. Furthermore they do nothing to the deeper structures that are repositioned as part of the facelift.

Laser lifts are not very dependable and have minimal and short-term results as they don’t address the most important aging layer of the face - the muscle and fascia

You are absolutely right to be weary of a laser actually being able to correct sagging jowls, and loose skin. The underlying structures of the face must be addressed  in order to obtain a result that is satisfactory.  There are no lasers on the market that can substantially resuspend what gravity has caused over time. The facelift is an operation of release of skin, tissue and the deeper structures of the facial musculature. These then must be resuspended in a natural vector to rejuvenate the face.  Newer technologies like Ultherapy tighten the skin but do not deliver nearly the same result as a well-executed facelift. I would recommend a consultation with a board-certified surgeon.

Best of luck,

Sachin Parikh, MD 

Dear Nicollette,

  The aging process can be defined by the 3 D's. Deterioration, Deflation and Descent. Laser, like skin care products helps with the 1st D only. It improves the epidermal - dermal layers only. In my opinion,  any attempt to improve the other D's with laser is meaningless and you better spend your money elsewhere. If you have tear trough deformity, sunken cheeks, deep naso labial folds and  jowels , consult with experienced board certified plastic surgeon for the different options that you may have.

            Best of luck,

                                  Dr Widder . 

   The laser, in addition to skin tightening, has a potential to cause burns, which can really permanenty alter a face.  The skin tightening effect is minimal.  However, in a facelift, the skin tightening and deeper tissue resuspension yield better results with greater longevity.  Find the board certified plastic sugeon with the Best Credentials who has performed hundreds of facelifts. 

If it sounds too good to be true then it probably is. A surgical facelift is a 3-dimensional procedure that lifts skin where it needs lifting, and adds volume where it has been lost. Skin tightening devices may tone and rejuvenate skin but they are not a facelift. Similarly for injectable fillers; while they can be very useful, they also are not a facelift. With good technique a facelift can have a reasonable recovery time and last years.

When relaxation of the face is extreme, the ligaments that span from the skin down to the bone [ basically these hold your skin on your face] can become loose. In addition the skin appears loose because there is fat loss from the fat compartments of the face and there is a "deflation" effect, just like a ballon  that all of the air has been let out. The laser used in Smart lifting produces a significant and ongoing tightening of the facial and neck skin for 7 to 9 months after the treatment. It has been shown to tighten up to 30% (when tested in abdominal skin) which is quite impressive. Sometimes this amount of tightening alone is enough to significantly improve the overall facial appearance. However, the tightening from the laser may not be enough for your situation and surgically opening and tightening the skin and underlying structures may also be needed to get the result you are expecting. A surgeon that performs both the standard facelift and Smartlifting can tell which would be better for your situation.