Deep Plane Facelift vs. SMAS Facelift
When looking into facelifts, also known as rhytidectomy, you may be surprised to find different facial rejuvenation techniques. It’s even more difficult to know the differences and decide which one is best for you. The facelift procedure is highly personalized, and what works for others may not work for you. This blog explores the differences between the deep plane lift and the SMAS facelift to help you consider what facelift might work best for you.
Table of Contents
- Skin-Only Facelift
- The SMAS (Traditional) Facelift
- The Deep Plane Facelift
- The Difference Between the Deep Plane Facelift Procedure and the SMAS Facelift
- Which Facelift Is Right for Me?
Skin-Only Facelift
Beyond a deep plane and SMAS procedure, a skin-only facelift is the most superficial option. It mainly lifts and tightens surface-level skin. While it’s effective at improving looseness, it does not target the deeper facial support structures. As a result, your contour may look tighter rather than lifted, as the tension is placed more on the skin.
The SMAS (Traditional) Facelift
The Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System (SMAS) facelift is the traditional facelift technique. This procedure can help reduce sagging, deep wrinkles, jowls, and loose, excess skin.
The surgeon lifts the sagging skin and the deeper SMAS layer, creating a more youthful outward appearance. This kind of facelift is more advanced than a skin-only facelift because it targets and tightens the deeper layers and underlying muscles.
The SMAS facelift procedure can achieve a natural look when done correctly, but because it’s limited to just a few layers of the face, it can give off a “stretched” look that many people want to avoid.
Different SMAS Techniques
SMAS plication is a specific technique where the SMAS layer is folded and tightened with sutures instead of deeper dissection. It can help provide natural-looking lift without the need for removing SMAS sections. However, it’s commonly used to address the lower face and may be more limited in its improvement.
Additionally, SMAS resection is another technique that removes a certain section of the SMAS layer, tightening and securing the remaining tissue. This allows for the skin and SMAS layer to be addressed separately. While it can provide great results, it requires precise technique and a detailed understanding of facial anatomy. As with other deeper facelift techniques, there is a potential risk of facial nerve injury, disruption of the facial fat compartments, and asymmetry. However, serious injury is uncommon when the procedure is performed by an experienced facial surgeon.
During your consultation, Dr. Pincus will evaluate your anatomy and medical history to determine the safest method for your treatment.
The Deep Plane Facelift
The deep plane facelift is a modern advancement on the traditional facelift. While it helps reduce the same things that the SMAS facelift does, this technique goes deeper than the SMAS layer. A deep plane facelift lifts and releases the deeper facial structures and fat pads, helping with more severe aging symptoms.
By moving and repositioning the deeper tissues and muscles, the result of this surgical procedure is much more natural, despite the procedure being more invasive. It avoids the “pulled” look that can come with other facelift techniques, enhancing one’s natural beauty from their youth.
The Difference Between the Deep Plane Facelift Procedure and the SMAS Facelift
The SMAS facelift targets the superficial tissue and is therefore much less invasive than the deep plane technique, making recovery downtime and overall comfort easier to manage. However, the deep plane approach has a more natural look and can last years longer than a traditional facelift.
The deep plane facelift surgery may be best for older patients with more significant signs of aging. If the goal is to achieve a more youthful appearance, then this could be the right facelift for you.
However, if the goal is to get ahead of aging (for younger patients), a SMAS facelift might be the better option. Skin that still has good elasticity and early to moderate signs of aging may be able to avoid the “pulled” look and still produce natural-looking results.
Which Facelift Is Right for Me?
The best way to determine which facelift technique is right for you is through your surgeon’s guidance and expertise. What may work best for someone else may not be what works best for you.
Facelifts are highly customized procedures, and careful analysis of your facial anatomy, skin, and goals by an experienced surgeon is important for determining which would produce the best facial contour for you.
Schedule Your Facelift Consultation Today – Smithtown, NY, and Boca Raton, FL
If you’re considering what facelift you should get, look no further than the expertise of Dr. David Pincus at Pincus Plastic Surgery™. As a board-certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Pincus is an expert in cosmetic surgeries and giving his patients the confidence they’re looking for.
To schedule your facelift consultation, call (632) 352-3556 or fill out our online contact form.