SMAS Face Lift
Ageing in the neck can cause a whole host of aesthetic problems for older people. While traditional neck lift surgery can correct some of this, a SMAS facelift may be required when more extensive ageing in the neck has been established.
What is a SMAS Facelift?
A Superficial Musculo Aponeurotic System facelift (SMAS facelift) is a process similar to the PSP lift, only it is with a deeper dissection to the middle of the face and an incision under the chin in a skin crease.
The SMAS facelift operation is performed with patients under general anaesthetic, so an overnight stay at the hospital is required. It can also be performed in combination with other procedures. These include:
- Eyelid surgery
- Browlift
- Fat transfer
- Skin resurfacing
Consulting over an SMAS Facelift with Cosmetic Surgery Partners
If you’d like to know more about having an SMAS Facelift procedure performed, we’d suggest you get in touch with one of our consultants at Cosmetic Surgery Partners. With vast experience in the area, we know all the ins and outs of the process from beginning to end. Rest assured, should you decide to have SMAS Facelift surgery performed, you’ll be in the hands of some of the most expert surgeons in the UK.
SMAS Facelift surgery with Cosmetic Surgery Partners
With three clinics in the UK, and a team of highly-qualified consultants and surgeons, Cosmetic Surgery Partners brings patients the very best in SMAS Facelift techniques. Once you book yourself in for a consultation, we’ll discuss any complications and always take care to consider the medical implications of any routine undertaken. So, if you feel like you’d like to have those ageing necks signs removed with an SMAS Facelift, get in touch with Cosmetic Surgery Partners today.
Consultation
Performed under general anesthetic with an overnight stay in hospital.
Often combined with;
- Eyelid surgery
- Browlift
- Fat transfer
- Skin resurfacing
- Smoking and Cardiovascular problems (Increase complications but do not rule out surgery)
You will be advised that more surgery under the chin can lead to in a few cases to delayed recovery, in that the scar remains stiff and sometimes the skin does not drape correctly.
As a generalisation experienced surgeons are now less keen to do extensive surgery under the chin.
Procedure
Pre-Operative
General Anesthetic therefore appropriate medical investigations
If indicated e.g. blood test and ECG test
Stop smoking
Do not take Aspirin
Most routine drugs can be taken up to the day of surgery
Take Arnica for 7 days before and after surgery
Intraoperative
Incisions in front of and behind the ear
Lift is on the deep structures of the fascia and muscles in the face and neck, which are dissected out as a seperate layer and pulled upwards.
Surgery under the chin involves:
An incision in the crease
Removal of fat
Joining the front bands of Platysma muscle - Plication
Dividing the bands below plication to weaken the muscle
Recovery
First stitches removed 4-5 days
Scalp stitches 10 days
After 3 weeks you can confidently show your face to your 'worst enemy'
If you don’t want anybody to ‘know’ change your hairstyle or it's colour
The scar under the chin can remain stiff for several months with minor swelling.
Complications
Poor scars
Wound breakdown (too much pull on the skin or medical complications e.g. smoking)
Bleeding (haemotoma)
Unevenness or asymmetry (often present preoperatively)
Nerve damage