The Goals of a Face-Lift

• The number-one reason to get a face-lift is to look better--- and looking better usually means looking younger. With Rhytidectomy (face-lift surgery), the goals of a face-lift are still the same as they were since the first face-lift was performed: Get rid of facial fat, baggy skin and wrinkles.
  
  There are face-lift techniques that address only firming the lower face, techniques that remove fat deposits from the upper and lower eye area, and face-lift techniques that firm the entire face and neck area.
  
  

The Total Face-Lift

• The face-lift technique with the best overall results is a technique known as the Superficial Musculoaponeurotic Technique (SMAS). The SMAS is the face-lift technique by which all other face-lift techniques are judged.
  
  The SMAS improves on the original or traditional technique by focusing on the connective tissue or the superficial musculoaponeurotic structure. When this connective tissue is tightened, the outer skin is smoother without making the face look surgically tightened. This technique is very effective in getting rid of nasolabial folds around the nose and mouth.
  
  

The Subperiosteal Face-Lift

• This face-lift technique is credited with giving patients the longest-lasting results. The Subperiosteal Lift tightens the deepest facial tissue and is done endoscopically. This technique admittedly creates more skin bruising and facial swelling and therefore requires more downtime.
  
  Plastic surgeons that offer this technique believe that the results compare favorably to the SMAS technique. The general consensus is that there is no measurable difference between the Subperiosteal and the SMAS technique.
  
  

The Deep-Plane Technique

• The deep-plane technique is the most invasive face-lift technique and it recontours the entire face and neck. The deep- plane technique lifts the facial tissue, skin and underlying fat.
  
  The recovery period is longer with the deep-plane technique than with any other face-lift procedure and is frequently performed. The results from the deep-plane technique are not disputed.
  
  

Mid-Face-Lift Technique

• The mid-face-lift is also referred to as the cheek lift because its area of concentration is the cheek area below the eye. This is an excellent selection for patients with nasolabia folds. The cheek lift addresses the loose skin, tissue and fat deposits in the cheek area.
  
  

The Thread Lift

• Also known as the Feather Lift, it is one of the newest face-lift techniques. Barb-type threads are inserted through an incision in front of the ears and attached to connective tissue. The barb-type threads are pulled up toward the ears, and this results in a smoother, overall facial appearance.