Is there scientific proof that Deep Plane Facelift has more advantages than a SMAS Lift? Thank you in advance!

Hi, normabeautiful, thank you for your question.

The type of facelift that has more advantages, would be determined upon each individual's specific case.
Depending on the patient's genetics, lifestyle, etc. One patient may require a facelift in their late 40's while another patient may only start showing moderate to severe sagging and, signs of aging in their mid to late 50's so, each patient has their own set of needs or requirements. With that being said, in my experience and, with other surgeon's case studies, the findings are, that a Deep Plane Facelift has better, longer-lasting results. This releases the ligaments allowing for better repositioning of the superficial, facial musculature and fatty tissue, to a more youthful position. They avoid the unnatural stretched or, pulled look that plagues some facelift results, as with SMAS, by selectively undermining the skin and carrying it along with the deeper tissues.
With a SMAS lift, the outcome will not last as long as a Deep Plane Lift. Also, keep in mind that post-op care and keeping with a healthy lifestyle, avoid smoking, wear SPF and avoid sun exposure will also help for longer-lasting results.
I hope this information has proved helpful and I wish you the best!

Hi and thanks for your question! In short, facelift techniques are difficult to study and the few well designed scientific studies (split face study or identical twin studies) have shown no appreciable difference between different facelift techniques. However, there are many reasons surgeons choose one over the other (on both sides). I recommend taking a look at before and after photos to get the best idea of your surgeon's results rather than choosing them based on specifics of their technique. Best of luck!

That is a great question to ask. The primary difference between a traditional SMAS facelift and a deep plane facelift is that the latter reaches beneath the SMAS of the midface to lift the underlying muscle and skin. Many surgeons believe a traditional facelift works better for saggy jowls and deficiencies in the lower face, while a deep place facelift targets the cheeks and midface. Precision is key when it comes to performing a deep plane facelift, which is more likely to result in complications, such as nerve damage. My advice is to consult with a reputable board-certified facial plastic surgeon who has extensive experience in this procedure before you make a decision.

There is general agreement that a skin only face lift will not hold up long nor give you your best results, simply because the skin is not a support structure but is a covering. The best overall results come from some form of lifting, tightening and reshaping of the deeper structures of your face, the SMAS, as well as some skin smoothing. There is never been any scientific study that has shown an absolute clear winner in the different ways that people treat the SMAS. However, the Deep Plane facelift can result in prolong swelling which is not seen with simple suture plication of the SMAS.

The best way to compare different facelifts is by examining what specifically the facelift surgery will address. In my experience, both Deep Plane and SMAS facelifts are very effective in addressing the neck and the jowl. The advantage of the Deep Plane facelift is that it can correct the marionette frown and reposition the cheek fat pad so that fillers are not needed. Scientific proof is hard to come by but well controlled before and after photos should be able to demonstrate the difference. The risk of facial nerve injury in any surgery is very much related to the specific surgeons experience with that procedure. You should not hesitate to ask a surgeon how often they have had this complication and how many of the surgeries they have done.

It is actually very difficult to measure a difference in long term outcomes between various facelift techniques. Most plastic surgeons will customize techniques a bit in order to create the best plan for each patient. In general, deep plane will have more swelling and longer recovery time.

It has yet to be shown that a deep plane facelift is better even though surgeons may tout that it is. It’s a hard thing to study something scientifically that is so suggestive. Two things we do know about deep plane facelifts however. Longer swelling and greater risk of nerve injury

Hi normabeautiful, Thank you for your question. The deeper the dissection plane is, the less pull on the overlying skin and the more natural the result. - Dr. Yadro Ducic, MD