What’s the Difference Between a Standard Face Lift and a Macs Procedure?

Various options for face-lifting and skin texture improvements are available according to the skin laxity and areas of lift or tightening you wish or need. If you “pinch an inch” or more of skin in front of the earlobe,  lasers, Botox, fillers, Selphyl, Sculptra and other non-surgical options may help the texture of the skin but will certainly not shrink or lift this amount of skin laxity. With smaller amounts of skin excess you can consider a mini- or a limited (small) scar technique. With more amounts of skin redundancy, you will need to consider longer scars which creep along the sideburn or behind the ear.

The original “standard” facelift performed 30+ years ago made incisions and therefore scars onto the temples and hairline along the neck. It lifted the skin up and back rejuvenating the lateral brow and upper cheek skin but for many gave a “wind-blown” appearance due to the backward pull. Remember though that this is at a time when patients waited until they were older or had more sun damage and skin laxity than patients do today. It also did not necessarily address the deeper tissues such as the cheeks, jowls and neck.

The recent resurgence of the S-Lift (created in the early 1900's), also called by other names today as the  Quick-Lift, Lifestyle-Lift, Swift-Lift, Soft-Lift, MACS-Lift (Minimal Access Cranial Suspension lift) and others; are a single modification of the S-lift targeted to elevate the sagging lower cheeks, jowls and lateral upper neck with a upward lift. The shorter scar, limited undermining and minimized second layer lift achieve the "quicker" procedure but not necessarily the quicker recovery or the improvement you may desire.

Each patient must choose among the different techniques their facial surgeon has skills for. Among the range of procedures I have listed above, I also perform a "short scar" facelift in appropriate patients. This option is unique to the patient's needs as it will address the forehead, upper cheek and neck and by virtue of the wider undermining, will smoothen the nasolabial and marionette folds and up-turn the corner of the mouth which these "quicker" procedures do not. It may also suspend the neck and contour the jowl, lower cheek and neck fat.

There is a lot to consider with facial enhancements from non-invasive to minimally invasive to short and longer scar surgery. You will need to think about your budget and time off to recover as well. I hope this has helped. Thank you for asking. All the best to you! Sincerely, Dean P. Kane, MD, FACS