The key to a natural, seamless look in Facelift surgery

There have been huge strides in facelift surgery techniques over the last few decades as we have come to better understand facial anatomy and why we age. This month I focus on, what I consider to be, the most effective facelift technique in delivering the most natural results, the High SMAS facelift.

Early facelift techniques usually involved small, local incisions near the patient’s hairline and in natural skin creases, and used the patient’s skin to pull up sagging soft tissue in an attempt to ‘lift’ it back to its original position. The problem with this technique is that skin is designed to cover the face and not ‘support it’. The skin only or subcutaneous facelift places an enormous amount of tension on the skin which not only causes unsightly scarring around the ears, but also creates an unnatural or windswept appearance, recognisable in many of the celebrities at the time. Although a relatively safe and easy procedure, it fails to address the effects of ageing on the deeper structures below the surface of the skin. It also tends to lose its effect as time goes on and as the skin loses its elasticity.

The SMAS (or superficial musculo-aponeurotic system) is the underlying supportive structure of the face and acts as a 3-D scaffolding for the overlying skin. The High SMAS technique elevates the SMAS and repositions it to its former, more youthful position allowing us as as surgeons, to then re-drape the skin naturally over the new, more chiseled contours of the face. Importantly, the skin is sutured without tension and because of this, along with the discreet position, scars have a smoother healing process and with time, appear seamless.
To get the best results from any facelift surgery, your skin should be in it’s best health. Book a VISIA skin consultation and get an understanding of what treatments your skin would benefit from. Having great skin will be the cherry on the top for the best results.

To quote one of the pioneers of the High SMAS technique, Dr Fritz Barton, “facial rejuvenative surgery is like the rest of life: you get out of it what you put into it. The length of recovery is proportional to the length of benefit with most procedures… a longer recovery with a longer benefit or a shorter recovery and a shorter benefit.”

I believe that the High SMAS facelift technique is worth the extra investment in time and recovery for results that are beautifully refined and long lasting.

To read more about facelift surgery and the answers to your most FAQs, click here