SMAS vs Deep Plane Facelift: long-term results

‍Facial rejuvenation has undergone a deep transformation in recent years. Current surgical techniques allow tissue to be repositioned in a more precise, safe and anatomically correct manner, achieving results that maintain the patient's identity while restoring facial harmony lost with aging.

Among these techniques, two stand out for their relevance and proven results: the SMAS Facelift and the Deep Plane Facelift.

Throughout this analysis, we explore in detail the Deep Plane Facelift Outcomes, evaluating its naturalness, durability, safety and real effectiveness in deep facial rejuvenation.

This approach reflects the philosophy of Dr. Richer, a specialist in cervicofacial rhytidectomy, known for his surgical precision and comprehensive vision. For him, a lift is not about tightening the skin; it's about understanding the facial anatomy in its entirety and restoring every plane: skin, muscle, fat and ligaments, for stable results in harmony with the patient's natural expression.

The importance of comparing SMAS and Deep Plane

Although both procedures seek to rejuvenate the face, the level of transformation they offer is different because each technique acts on different anatomical planes. Over time, the skin loses elasticity, muscles weaken, ligaments lose tension, and fatty compartments descend. In this context, a modern facelift must be able to reposition these elements in a three-dimensional way, not just stretch the skin.

Compare the SMAS Facelift With the Deep Plane Facelift allows us to understand which technique best meets the needs of a patient who seeks a natural and lasting result. The essential difference lies in whether the procedure works superficially or whether it is capable of elevating the deep tissues that truly support the facial structure.

SMAS Facelift: Traditional technique with controlled results

The SMAS Facelift has been one of the most used techniques in facial surgery for decades. The SMAS, the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, is a fibromuscular layer located between the skin and the deep muscles of the mimic. Manipulating this layer improves the sagging of the lower third of the face without relying solely on skin tightening.

How does the technique work?

The surgeon lifts the skin and then manipulates the SMAS using traction, plication, or rearrangement. This intervention provides visible improvements in the jawline, jowls and certain areas around the mouth. Its action, however, is mostly superficial. The middle third of the face and the nasolabial grooves, depending on deeper ligaments, do not always respond optimally with this technique.

Advantages of SMAS

The SMAS Facelift is widely known and standardized, making it a safe option in the hands of an experienced surgeon. Its recovery is usually faster compared to deep techniques, and it provides good results in patients with moderate aging.

Limitations

Its main limitation is the lack of access to the deep ligaments of the face. This means that real support is not always restored, so results tend to last between five and seven years. In some cases, excess surface traction can create a slightly taut appearance, especially in patients with marked sagging or loss of volume in the cheeks.

Deep Plane Facelift: deep and anatomically correct rejuvenation

The Deep Plane Facelift is considered by many specialists to be the most advanced and anatomically faithful technique for facial rejuvenation. Unlike SMAS, this technique does not act superficially, but works on a deeper plane, just below SMAS. This allows skin, fat and muscle to be mobilized as a coherent unit and not as separate layers.

How does the deep technique work?

During the procedure, the surgeon carefully releases the fundamental ligaments of the face, such as the zygomatic, masseteric and mandibular ligaments. By releasing these structures, it is possible to reposition the tissues in their original position without creating tension in the skin. This results in an authentic elevation of the middle third and a more defined mandibular contour, with visible but extremely natural changes.

Areas where the Deep Plane is superior

The Deep Plane stands out especially in areas where SMAS results are often limited. The cheeks recover volume and projection when the malar fat is repositioned; the nasolabial grooves are genuinely softened because the structure that supports them is repositioned and not camouflaged; and the neck benefits when combined with a subplatysmal approach that directly tightens the platysma muscle.

Key benefits of the Deep Plane

The main advantage of the Deep Plane is its naturalness. By not relying on skin tightening, it avoids the classic effect of “tight skin” or frozen expression. The facial movements are organically preserved, the smile is kept intact and the patient's identity is not distorted. In addition, the duration of the result is usually significantly longer, reaching ten to fifteen years.

Technical complexity

The Deep Plane requires greater anatomical knowledge, precision and experience, since it works close to important branches of the facial nerve. This level of requirement explains why not all surgeons perform it and why professionals with advanced training, such as Dr. Richer, are especially recognized in this field. His mastery of deep surgery allows for consistent, balanced and safe results.

Deep Plane Facelift Outcomes vs. SMAS results

The direct comparison between the two techniques allows us to clearly understand why the Deep Plane has become the reference for deep rejuvenation of the face.

Actual duration of results

One of the elements most evaluated by patients is how long the result lasts. The SMAS usually offers stable improvements for five to seven years. The Deep Plane, in contrast, can be maintained for ten to fifteen years, and in many cases longer, because it repositions the real support structures.

Natural look

Patients seek to look rejuvenated without losing their identity. The Deep Plane achieves this goal by working on the deep layers, without stretching the skin excessively. SMAS can also provide natural results, but in cases of more advanced aging, its surface action may limit naturalness in certain expressions or generate a less three-dimensional result.

Transformation of the middle third

The middle third is probably the most revealing element of age. Saggy cheeks, deep furrows, and loss of projection are difficult signs to correct superficially. The Deep Plane mobilizes the malar fat together with the SMAS, restoring the original volume and position of the cheek, achieving a more rejuvenating and stable transformation than the SMAS.

Cervical profile and mandibular line

Both techniques improve the mandibular contour, but the Deep Plane offers a more harmonious definition when combined with adequate release of the mandibular ligaments and, if necessary, deep work on the platysma. The result is usually more structured and less dependent on the skin.

Security, Recovery and Risks

Although the Deep Plane is deeper, it's not necessarily less secure. In skilled hands, it has similar incidences of complications as SMAS. Recovery may involve a little more initial inflammation, but the overall process is comparable. The risk of nerve injury exists in both procedures, although it is rare when the surgeon masters the anatomical planes.

What technique does Dr. Richer choose?

Dr. Richer considers that the choice depends on the face, not on fashion or commercial demand. His ethical and meticulous philosophy leads him to evaluate each facial structure comprehensively. In cases where aging is advanced or there is marked loss in the middle third, the Deep Plane is usually the most effective option. For young patients with mild sagging or subtle changes, a well-executed SMAS may be sufficient. Their goal is never to “do more”, but to achieve the right harmony with the right technique.

FAQs

How long do the results of a Deep Plane Facelift last?

They are usually maintained for ten to fifteen years thanks to the deep repositioning of ligaments and fatty compartments.

Can SMAS Facelift offer natural results?

Yes, but its action is more limited in the middle third. This may make the results not as three-dimensional as those of the Deep Plane.

Is the Deep Plane recovery longer?

There may be more swelling in the first few days, but full recovery is similar to SMAS. The difference is in the quality of the result.

Is the Deep Plane safe?

Yes, in expert hands. The technique requires advanced knowledge, so the surgeon's experience is essential.

Choosing the technique that truly transforms

Compare the SMAS Facelift With the Deep Plane Facelift shows that both techniques take place within facial rejuvenation, but they do not offer equivalent results. The Deep Plane stands out for its naturalness, stability and ability to restore deep anatomy, resulting in a real transformation that respects the patient's identity.

Los Deep Plane Facelift Outcomes demonstrate that this technique, performed by a specialized surgeon, can provide results that last for more than a decade.

This approach reflects the philosophy of Dr. Richer, who understands the face as an integral system and not as a set of isolated areas. Their honesty, respect for anatomy and artistic vision guarantee that each patient receives a tailor-made treatment, focused on facial harmony, safety and naturalness.

In a field where many are looking for quick or commercial solutions, Dr. Richer remains faithful to his mission: ethical, balanced results that truly transform the lives of those who trust it.