We always think that the more we do the better the results. However this has not been clearly shown in the facelift of the procedures of the lower face. The traditional facelift of today with SMAS plication or resection is almost a total mobilisation of the skin of the face with a large amount of skin resection and may cause major injury to the facial soft tissue. This procedure may create a longer morbidity and a greater risk of complications.

The newly repopularised S-Lift technique requires an S-formed excision of pre marked skin in front of the ears. With a smaller excision of skin and with a special new suspension technique, the same and sometimes even better results may be achieved in the lower face and neck. The missing scar behind the ears and temporal region without any hair loss, short duration of surgery, the more 'natural look' compared to other facelifts, and the reduced danger of facial nerve injury are the advantages of S-Lift. The S-Lift is ideally suited for the younger patient with early laxity of the lower face, it can be applied in older patients with lower face laxity and also in the patient who has undergone a traditional facelift and needs a secondary surgery after several years. In our opinion S-lift is a procedure that combined with simple submental liposuction, may defeat the results of other facelift techniques.

Discussion

The results of S-Lift at the neck are much more satisfying than all other conventional and radical facelift methods. A radical mid-lower facelift operation does not achieve better results than the new S-Lift. The S-Lift procedure takes less than 60 minutes.

The S-Lift is performed with the tumescent technique under anaesthesia. It may also be combined with submental liposuction, buccal fat extraction, chemical peel or laser resurfacing of the face.

Advantages

1. Less bruising and swelling.
2. No danger of facial nerve injury, because the tightening of the SMAS is achieved by a means of plication and minimal undermining, and not through a radical undermining of the aponeurotic tissue.
3. No scar behind the ears and less hair loss. Minimal deformities of the earlobe.
4. Natural look. The direct pull of the face upwards and to the side instead of rotation, ends up with a natural look of the face without any deformities. The wind-tunnel face is not possible after an S-Lift.
5. Short operation and recovery time.
6. Less skin damage, because the skin is excised before starting to dissect the subcutaneous attachments.
7. For patients undergoing a facelift for the second or third time, this procedure achieves superior results.

Conclusion

The S-Lift is a safe, quick, and a simple oriented procedure suited to younger as well as older patients with highly aesthetic results. Complications are minimal and the recovery time is short. The procedure results in less scarring and a more natural look than conventional facelifts.