The Standard Face Lift
The most common standard lift is a SMAS facelift. SMAS refers to submusculoaponeurotic system, a layer or sheet of fibrous tissue that underlies our facial fat layer. The soft tissues constituting the face are in layers with the skin on the surface then a layer consisting of fat, mixed with a layer of connective tissue, and the SMAS layer. The SMAS layer of the face separates the deeper facial structures such as facial movement muscles, nerves and other structures that are not as affected by aging as the soft tissue.
Although the SMAS facelift produces a longer lasting and more natural look than a lift in which only loose skin is pulled tight, skin-only facelifts, first introduced decades ago, are rarely used today.
The SMAS facelift is sometimes referred to as a ‘muscle pulling lift’, because surgeons often describe it as tightening the muscle (SMAS) layer. Although it is clearly an improvement over skin only facelifts, a SMAS facelift only has a minor effect on the deeper tissues and still can require skin pulling to achieve the result.
The SMAS lift is the procedure that showed the public the importance of approaching aging changes by repositioning the deeper drooping tissue, not the skin. It was this procedure that led the plastic surgery community to the benefits of pure deep tissue repositioning and the development of more sophisticated facelifting techniques such as deep-plane facelifting.
The Midface Lift
As the name states, a midface lift affects the midface region (from under the eyes to the jawbone). Replacing the out-dated minilift, this cosmetic surgery procedure uses a more limited version of the deep-plane technique and is aimed at people with earlier, more isolated facial aging changes. Patients are typically in their late 30’s to 40’s.
Since a smaller region is being treated shorter incisions lines are needed. But similar to the standard deep-plane technique, only the deeper layer is repositioned and tightened, avoiding any pulling on the skin layer. Natural results are ensured.
This technique is effective in restoring the fat pads on the cheekbone, producing a more “mounded,” youthful cheek. This lift also diminishes the nasolabial fold and facial hollows more than the SMAS facelift does. The midface lift does not affect the jowls or neck; nor does it involve the removal of loose skin in the neck, which is done with a full deep-plane facelift.
Since a smaller region of the face is affected, recovery can be quicker, often less than two weeks.
Why Choose Dr. Neil A. Gordon
Dr. Neil A. Gordon is recognized as one of the global thought and technical leaders in the small, elite group of international facial plastic surgeons. As a facial plastic surgeon, he only performs surgery of the face and neck.
Dr. Gordon’s specialty is facial rejuvenation and rhinoplasty. As an international expert in his specialty, his skill is noted in both primary procedures and revision, or secondary procedures. Acclaimed for being one of the early pioneers of the deep-plane rhytidectomy, recently, he has been recognized for advancing the technique and creating the most advanced facial rejuvenation procedures, the “Vertical Platysma Advancement” and the “Vertical Galea Advancement”.