SMAS Facelift Surgery
Face Lift, Facial Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgeon, Plastic Surgery, Plastic Surgery Blogs Comments (0)
Earlier facelift technique only cut the skin to pull it back, but after some time, the treated area kept falling because there was nothing to support the new structure. With this, some patients were forced to repeat the procedure as soon as the sagginess became apparent again, despite the risk that they may end up having a “windswept” appearance.
But with the advances in facelift technique, plastic surgeons today can provide a long-lasting result for most patients especially with the use of SMAS (musculoaponeurotic system) procedure which goes into the deeper layers of muscles and collagen under the skin.
This plastic surgery procedure is performed by making an S-shaped incision which starts from the temple (behind the hairline) and then travels down to the front and back of the ears. The surgical cut is carefully placed behind the hairline and along the natural creases of the skin to make sure that the scars will not be visible in any circumstances.
Through the incision, plastic surgeons can elevate the deeper facial muscles and remove the excess tissue that is causing the sagginess. At the same time, they use stitches to support the new contour and prevent the skin from falling.
Because of the extensiveness of the facelift technique, plastic surgeons usually perform this under general anesthesia or local anesthesia combined with IV sedation. In most cases, the operation takes between two and three hours, which is longer compared to less invasive techniques in facial rejuvenation surgery.
As with any plastic surgery, SMAS lift involves recovery which is relatively longer compared to minimally invasive facelift. This is not surprising since it requires longer incision and goes deeper into the facial muscles.
During the first few days of recovery, patients will most likely experience pain and discomfort, although these symptoms can be easily alleviated with pain medications. Meanwhile, they will also have some swelling, bruising, and pinkish scars which will subside in a few weeks until they become a narrow white line.
The SMAS lift is usually ideal for patients aged 45 and older who have a severe mid-face sagging, noticeable jowls, and neck laxity. In general, this plastic surgery approach is too extensive on younger individuals who have a minimal amount of excess skin and less noticeable sagginess.
As with any facelift technique, the results of SMAS lift are not permanent, although they can last about eight to 15 years without any “touch ups.”
Cosmetic Surgery Blogger @ October 26, 2011