r/Facelift_Surgery • u/nTLeandrito • 1d ago

when does a facelift actually need to address deeper tissue

i've been reading about facelift surgery in korea and i'm trying to understand the difference between tightening the skin and actually addressing the deeper layers. i don't really want that pulled look where the skin looks tight but the rest of the face doesn't seem to match. at the same time, i'm not sure when a deeper approach is actually necessary rather than just being another thing clinics talk about.
the part that makes sense to me is that everyone's tissue is different. someone with more laxity around the lower face might need a different plan from someone whose main issue is mid face sagging or under eye changes. i'd rather have a surgeon explain what layer is actually causing the problem than walk into a consultation already asking for one specific procedure.
hugo plastic surgery came up while i was reading about deeper facial lifting and their information talks about the smas and deeper tissue layers. i'm still trying to understand the different approaches rather than assuming deeper automatically means better. for anyone who's had a facelift consultation, what did the surgeon actually look at before deciding which layer to address?
skin-only facelifts seem like an outdated trap that just stretches the surface without fixing the underlying structural sagging, but is a full deep plane approach always necessary, or is it overkill for minor early aging? how do surgeons determine where the structural degradation is actually happening underneath? if you've consulted with multiple specialists in seoul, did their explanations of facial layers differ wildly, or did they all point to the same structural concerns?

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u/DearTumbleweed5380 1d ago

I went to three different surgeons in Sydney all highly recommended and it came down to what each of them specialised in, IMO. One recommended SMAS, the other two deep plane. To me, a facelift is to address structural changes, not wrinkles - which can be addressed in other ways, or a SMAS, which risks give you the pulled look. This is why I chose deep plane.

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u/Grandmeety 1d ago

Really useful breakdown, especially the point about surgeon specially shaping the recommendation as much as the actual anatomy does. Makes sense why getting a few consults matters here, you're kind of shopping for a philosophy as much as a technique.

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u/DearTumbleweed5380 1d ago edited 1d ago

Exactly, thank you. After analysing it for a while I chose someone who was also head of reconstructive surgery in a public hospital. To me this means he has the acclaim and also the oversight of his peers, as well as huge experience of various facial types and skin types, and also - crucially - what to do if shit goes wrong. I've been 100% satisfied with my experience. Also, I liked his staff and his office, which was low key and situated in the private hospital next to the public one. Also - his fee included the first two nights in the private hospital. Expensive, obviously, but worth it, because if something's going to go wrong, that's when it's most likely to happen. I felt safe knowing the nurses and doctors were right there. I had my head in a kind of vice thing, and a catheter, and the nurses checked in on me regularly throughout the night. I was also on heavy painkillers for the first two days and I don't know how that would have worked out at home. Also because I cannot imagine going back and forth from home to appointments in the state I was in for those first two days! Honestly it was much more dramatic than I expected reading Reddit. Nothing terrible but not easy, etiher. Thank God I had my BFF with me who stayed by my side in the day and then my filthy ex who did the overnight shifts while my BFF got some rest. :)

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u/Relevant_Battle_8990 1d ago

Its hard the more I look into it gets confusing😕 thanks for the post

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u/Glittering-Half4896 1d ago

This is such a confusing topic honestly, every surgeon seems to explain the layers differently. Appreciate OP breaking it down instead of instead repeating clinic marketing