If You’re Looking Into Midface Lift Surgery

Hello, this is Lee Seong-jun, the chief director of the Seoul branch of Liting Plastic Surgery.

As we age, there are areas where noticeable external changes appear.

That area is the face.

As skin elasticity decreases, wrinkles form and nasolabial folds often become deeper.

The problem is that these changes can give a negative impression and lower confidence, while also becoming a source of stress about aging.

So, to help ease the concerns of those with sagging cheeks, those whose nasolabial folds around the mouth have made them look stern, and those troubled by a double chin, I would like to introduce midface lift surgery.

A Part Where Aging Appears Clearly: The Midface

The midface refers to the area from below the eyes to the tip of the nose.

Improving only the wrinkles and sagging skin in this area can be effective in improving facial impression.

At our clinic, facelift surgery is broadly divided into three types.

The procedure with the largest surgical scope is called a facelift, when only a very small area is treated it is called a skin pull lift, and for the intermediate range, we perform a Smile Lift as a midface lift surgery.

Therefore, midface surgery is mainly performed in cases where the skin has not sagged too much, but where a skin pull lift alone would be difficult to cover.

What Is a Smile Lift?

The Smile Lift, which is a midface lift surgery, is called a Smile Lift because it removes and lifts “part” of the SMAS layer.

Our skin consists of the epidermis and dermis, and beneath them are the subcutaneous fat, fascial layer, and muscle layer.

The fascial layer is called the SMAS.

You can think of this area as being dissected and pulled upward.

However, simply pulling and fixing only the fascial layer does not fill in surface wrinkles or depressions.

The subcutaneous fat layer above the fascial layer must also be pulled together so that the fat layer is lifted and the face can regain overall volume.

For this reason, after a Smile Lift procedure, you can regain overall facial volume, similar to having fat grafting done.

How the Smile Lift Is Performed

It is performed in a way similar to a general facelift.

After making an incision from inside the hairline to in front of the ear, the retaining ligaments that play a key role in facial sagging are dissected, and the fascial layer and fat layer are pulled and fixed.

The dissection of the SMAS layer and retaining ligaments varies slightly depending on the client’s skin condition, but it is performed in a direction that reduces swelling as much as possible and allows for greater removal.

For a midface lift to produce the desired result, a high level of anatomical understanding of the midface is necessary.

This is because, in order to fill the hollow area under the eyes while firmly supporting the cheeks, the fatty tissue beneath the muscles must also be dissected together.

After fixation, the sagging skin and other tissues are removed, and at this point the fascial layer and skin become shorter, allowing for a dramatic lifting effect.

Worried About Scarring After a Smile Lift?

A Smile Lift has the advantage of causing less swelling and congestion than a full facelift that lifts the entire face.

However, because the procedure involves making an incision and dissecting the fascia and retaining ligaments, concerns about scarring are inevitable.

To reduce this burden for our clients, I close the incision site with a double-layer closure.

As mentioned earlier, the skin is made up of the epidermis, dermis, fat, fascia, and muscle, and these different layers must be carefully sutured with attention to their differences.

Suturing must be done with different threads depending on the skin layer, and it should not end with just one closure.

Only by using a double-layer closure can we reduce the risk of the incision opening and leave less scarring.

What Age Range Is Appropriate for a Smile Lift?

In my personal opinion, a Smile Lift is appropriate in the 50s and 60s, while a facelift is appropriate for those 60 and older.

Of course, this kind of categorization is suitable for people who have not undergone overly large surgeries or procedures and have maintained some level of care. If the skin elasticity and wrinkles are deeper than expected for one’s age, it is also reasonable to consider a more advanced procedure.

Even among people in their 20s and 30s, there are cases where those with naturally deep nasolabial folds or deep Indian lines undergo midface lift surgery.

It takes about two weeks after surgery before you can return to daily life, so if you are considering the procedure, it is better to allow enough time.

The lifting effect after surgery varies from person to person, but on average, it can be expected to last about five years.

This can be considered a longer duration than other existing lifting procedures.

It may also be suitable for those who want the lifting effect to last a long time.

Facial Reconstruction Surgery in a New Sense: Lifting

During my training years, among the many fields of plastic surgery, I worked hard to train in facial reconstruction surgery.

Facial reconstruction surgery is a surgical treatment for clients whose facial structure has changed due to disease or trauma.

I thought it was a meaningful treatment in that it restores the face’s original function and reconstructs the client’s natural appearance.

I believe lifting also has a similar meaning to facial reconstruction surgery in that it improves defects caused by aging.

Moreover, lifting is not only about regaining the facial function lost with age, but also a meaningful procedure that improves negative impressions and helps middle-aged and older adults remain active outside.

Would You Like to Lift Your Life?

Our clinic focuses on lifting and makes lifting procedures our main specialty.

After surgery, we provide regular aftercare for six months starting the next day.

We carefully carry out antibiotic injections, dressing changes, suture removal, and more.

After surgery, we use regenerative ointment and scar management injections to calm wounds and scar tissue so that the skin at the incision site can regenerate.

From the decision to undergo surgery, to design, midface lift surgery, and post-operative care, we handle the entire process, so please feel free to visit us with confidence.

If you have any questions about lifting, please feel free to contact us at any time.

Become younger tomorrow than you are today!

✔️Why Liting Plastic Surgery Is Good at SMAS Lifting✔️