The main types of facelifts are the mini or short-scar lift, the SMAS lift and the deep plane lift. Each can be paired with a neck lift. They differ in depth and incision length. Mini lifts suit early jowls, SMAS lifts suit moderate sagging, and deep plane lifts suit heavier cheek and jowl descent.
For the bigger picture on cost, results and the right age, start with our facelift overview. This guide focuses on technique.
Types of facelifts: comparison table
Types of facelifts range from short-scar suture lifts to deep plane surgery under the SMAS; deeper work treats more sagging but takes longer.
The SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) is a fibrous sheet under the fat that holds up the mid and lower face. Almost every modern lift works on it in some way. The table summarizes the techniques described in a 2026 StatPearls review on NCBI Bookshelf (US), with operating times from a 2026 meta-analysis in Medicina.
| Type | What the surgeon does | Best suited to | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini / short-scar (MACS, S-lift) | Short incision ending at the earlobe; purse-string sutures lift the SMAS | Early jowls, limited aging, typically around ages 40 to 50 | Faster recovery, about 165 minutes of surgery on average; limited neck correction |
| SMAS plication or imbrication | SMAS folded or trimmed and stitched upward and back, above the layer | Moderate jowls and lower-face laxity | Can leave ridges under thin skin |
| Extended or high SMAS | SMAS raised as its own flap beneath the skin flap | Jowls with some cheek descent | Longer operation than plication |
| Deep plane | Skin and SMAS lifted as one flap after releasing the retaining ligaments | Deeper nasolabial folds, cheek descent, heavy or thick tissue | Longer surgery (190 to 222 minutes for deep SMAS lifts); described as more durable |
| Composite | Deep plane plus work on the lower eyelid muscle and fat | Hollow lid-cheek junction with midface descent | Most extensive; infection slightly over 1% |
| Face and neck lift | Any of the above plus platysma tightening through an under-chin incision | Jowls with a loose neck or neck bands | Adds operating time and cost |
One caution: these names aren’t regulated. A “mini” lift in one clinic may be an SMAS plication in another. Ask your surgeon which layer they’ll lift and where the incision will end. Our mini facelift guide covers the short-scar option in depth.
Deep plane facelift
A deep plane facelift lifts skin and SMAS together after releasing the ligaments that tether the cheek, so it can move tissue further with less skin tension.
First described in 1990, the technique lifts a combined skin and fascia flap below the SMAS of the midface, according to a 2026 StatPearls chapter. The surgeon releases the zygomatic, masseteric and mandibular retaining ligaments so the cheek fat can be repositioned. It treats a descended cheek fat pad, nasolabial folds and jowls.
The same chapter reports these complication rates: hematoma under 2% (men about twice as likely), seroma around 4%, facial nerve injury under 1% with permanent injury extremely uncommon, and temporary numbness from great auricular nerve injury in up to 7%. It describes the result as more pronounced and durable than SMAS plication, especially in older patients with significant sagging. Long-term head-to-head data are still limited, though.
At consultation, the first thing I look at is how far the cheek has dropped. If the fold beside the mouth is mostly due to cheek descent, a deeper lift tends to make more sense than a skin or plication lift.
SMAS facelift
An SMAS facelift tightens the support layer by folding, trimming or lifting it, then redrapes the skin; it treats moderate jowls with less dissection than deep plane.
The StatPearls review describes several SMAS methods. In plication, the surgeon removes a small strip of fat and folds the SMAS onto itself with stitches. In imbrication, the SMAS is cut about 1 cm in front of the ear, advanced and stitched. An extended SMAS lift raises the layer as a separate flap. All of them put the lifting tension on the SMAS instead of the skin, which is what keeps scars thin.
So, types of facelifts deep plane vs SMAS: the main difference is the dissection plane. The deep plane approach goes under the SMAS and releases ligaments, while plication works on top of it. A 2026 meta-analysis in Medicina found no significant difference in overall complications between MACS short-scar lifts and deep SMAS lifts across four small retrospective studies, and it didn’t measure how long results lasted. Neither approach is proven better for everyone.
Best type of facelift for jowls
For mild jowls a short-scar or SMAS lift is often enough; for heavy jowls with neck laxity, a deep plane or extended SMAS lift with neck work is usually needed.
Jowls form when fat and SMAS slide down over the jaw. StatPearls links jowls and neck sagging, with or without bands, to an SMAS lift combined with neck tightening (cervicoplasty). It suggests short-scar lifts when aging is limited and the neck isn’t heavy, and deeper lifts for thick or heavy soft tissue.
- Early jowls, firm neck: mini or short-scar lift.
- Moderate jowls: SMAS plication or extended SMAS lift.
- Heavy jowls with cheek descent: deep plane lift.
- Jowls plus loose neck or bands: any of these with a neck lift. See face and neck lifting.
Deep plane facelift recovery day by day
Expect a dressing and drain for a day, stitches out at about a week, two weeks off strenuous activity and a final result after six to twelve months.
We don’t publish recovery photos made by AI. Instead, here is the sourced timeline for a deep plane lift, based on the StatPearls deep plane chapter unless noted.
- Day 0 to 1: the dressing stays on for the first 24 hours. Pain around the incisions is usually worst in the first 3 to 4 days.
- Day 1: clinic visit to remove the drain and dressing.
- Days 1 to 7: sleep with your head raised. Keep systolic blood pressure below 140 mm Hg to lower the risk of bleeding.
- Days 3 to 4: bruising and swelling usually peak, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS, US).
- Day 7: wound check and stitch removal.
- Days 10 to 14: most people look presentable (ASPS, US).
- Week 2 onward: strenuous activity can restart after two weeks, if your surgeon agrees.
- Months 6 to 12: final photos are taken, as the result has largely settled.
Call your surgeon at once for rapidly increasing swelling, especially on one side, which can signal a hematoma. Weakness on waking may be from local anesthetic, and the chapter suggests waiting 12 to 24 hours before testing further.
Frequently Asked Questions
FAQ
Short answers on deep plane vs SMAS, which lift suits jowls, how types differ in cost and where to see real pictures.
What is the difference between deep plane and SMAS facelifts?
A deep plane lift goes beneath the SMAS and releases the cheek ligaments, so skin and SMAS move as one flap. An SMAS lift folds or lifts that layer from above. It is more extensive and is described as more durable in older patients with heavy sagging.
Which type of facelift suits jowls?
It depends on how heavy the jowls are and whether the neck is loose. Early jowls often respond to a short-scar or SMAS lift. Heavy jowls with cheek descent usually need a deep plane or extended SMAS lift, and neck laxity calls for added neck work.
How do the types of facelifts differ in cost?
Societies don’t publish prices by technique. ASPS reports a 2024 US surgeon-fee range of $12,000 to $19,000 for facelifts overall. Longer operations, such as deep plane lifts with neck work, usually cost more because of extra anesthesia and facility time.
Where can I see types of facelifts with pictures?
The illustrations on this page show the layers each technique works on. For real results, ask your surgeon for consented photos of their own patients with a similar starting point, taken from the front, side and three-quarter view at least six months after surgery.
Is a mini facelift a different operation from an SMAS lift?
Sometimes not. “Mini” describes the incision length, not the layer. A short-scar lift may suspend the SMAS with sutures or plicate it. Always ask which layer will be lifted, how far the incision extends and whether the neck will be treated.
If you’d like to know which technique fits your face, you can book a consultation with Metropole Clinic by ABmedi. You’ll find costs, results and recovery for every option in our main facelift guide.
This article is for general education and does not replace a personal medical consultation.
References
Show sources
- Yang AJ, Hohman MH. Cervicofacial Rhytidectomy. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf (US). Updated 2026. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Hohman MH, Raggio BS, Patel BC. Deep Plane Facelift. StatPearls, NCBI Bookshelf (US). Updated 2026. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Pandkhahi A, et al. Comparison of Deep SMAS Lift and MACS in Facelift: A Meta-Analysis. Medicina (Kaunas). 2026;62(1):112. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Your facelift recovery explained from Day 1 to Day 30. American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS, US). 2018. plasticsurgery.org
- Facelift: Results. American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS, US). Accessed 2026. plasticsurgery.org
- 2024 Cosmetic Procedures: Average Cost. American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS, US). 2025. plasticsurgery.org
