SMAS Facelift · Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

SMAS facelift in Busan, Korea — repositioning the layer that actually descended.

An SMAS facelift is a surgical facial rejuvenation procedure designed to reposition deeper facial tissues rather than simply tightening the skin. Treatment is customized to your facial anatomy, skin quality, and degree of tissue laxity to create natural-looking, long-lasting rejuvenation.

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SMAS Facelift

SMAS-based surgical techniques Personalized lifting strategy Customized tissue repositioning Experienced surgical team Structured postoperative care

Proof, not adjectives

Real patients, real results.

Unretouched clinic results, shown with patient consent.

Facial lifting + Ultherapy + MIRA PDO + Skin booster + Fat grafting

Facial lifting + Ultherapy + MIRA PDO

Facial lifting + Fat grafting + Volume enhancement + Neck contouring

Endotine lift + Forehead lift + Midface lift + Neck lift + Fat grafting

Deep mini lifting + Mint thread lifting

Deep mini lifting + Mint thread lifting + Derma V-line threads

Individual results vary. Photos are actual clinic outcomes, not a guarantee of a specific result.

SMAS Facelift at a Glance

Support restored from beneath the skin.

Procedure

SMAS Facelift

Target Layer

SMAS (Deep Support)

Addresses

Jowls · Folds · Jawline

Skin Tension

Reduced

Planning

Individualized

Goal

Natural & Long-Lasting

What Is an SMAS Facelift?

The SMAS descends with age — so the SMAS is what gets lifted.

The superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) is a layer of connective tissue beneath the skin that plays an important role in facial support. As aging progresses, the SMAS descends, contributing to jowls, deep folds, and loss of jawline definition. An SMAS facelift repositions this deeper layer to restore facial contours while reducing tension on the skin.

Results

Restored definition, angle by angle.

SMAS facelift before and after front view — Newline Clinic Busan — Front view · Case 01

Profile · Case 01

Reduced jowls after SMAS facelift — Newline Clinic Busan — Jowls · Case 02

Improved jawline and neck definition after SMAS facelift — Newline Clinic Busan — Jawline · Case 02

Smoother cheeks after SMAS facelift — Newline Clinic Busan — Cheeks · Case 03

Healed concealed facelift incision — Newline Clinic Busan — Healed incision · Case 03

Individual results vary. Photos are standardized examples shown with patient consent and are not a guarantee of outcome.

Skin-Only vs. SMAS Lifting

Two different approaches to sagging.

	Skin tightening alone	SMAS repositioning
What it addresses	Surface skin	The deeper support layer that descended
Underlying cause	Not addressed	Addressed by repositioning the SMAS
Skin tension	Relies on skin tension	Reduced tension on the skin
Support	—	May provide longer-lasting support and improved jawline and neck definition

Whether an SMAS facelift is appropriate depends on your facial anatomy, skin thickness and elasticity, degree of tissue descent, goals, and overall health and suitability for surgery.

Procedure Overview

Typical steps of an SMAS facelift.

Assessment & Design

Preoperative facial assessment and design based on your anatomy and degree of descent.

Step Planning

Concealed Incisions

Carefully concealed incisions are used for access.

Step Access

SMAS Elevation

Elevation and repositioning of the SMAS layer — the core of the procedure.

Step The key step

Skin Refinement

Removal of excess skin when appropriate, without relying on skin tension for the lift.

Step Refinement

Closure & Care

Precise closure and postoperative care.

Step Closure

Personalized Surgical Planning

What the surgeon evaluates.

Facial Anatomy

Your individual structure guides the lifting strategy.

Skin Thickness & Elasticity

Skin quality affects the result and the closure.

Degree of Tissue Descent

How far the SMAS has descended determines the extent of repositioning.

Desired Aesthetic Goals

Your goals are reviewed against what the anatomy allows.

Overall Health

Health and suitability for surgery are assessed before planning.

Potential Benefits

What the procedure aims to improve.

Improved Facial Definition

Contours are restored by repositioning deeper tissue.

Reduced Jowls

Jowling associated with SMAS descent is addressed.

Smoother Cheeks & Jawline

Cheek and jawline contours are refined together.

Natural-Looking Rejuvenation

Reduced skin tension supports a natural rather than pulled look.

Personalized Planning

Treatment is customized to your anatomy and laxity.

Who May Benefit?

Candidates are evaluated individually.

You may consider it if you

Have jowls or deep folds from tissue descent
Have lost jawline definition
Want longer-lasting support than skin tightening
Prefer natural contours over a pulled appearance
Are medically suitable for surgery

A consultation determines your plan

A facelift involves incisions and therefore scars
Skin thickness and elasticity affect what is achievable
A mini or deep mini lift may suit milder laxity better
Ageing continues, so results are not permanent

A consultation and examination are required to determine whether an SMAS facelift is appropriate for your degree of descent.

Recovery and Aftercare

Recovery varies by individual and extent.

Swelling & Bruising

Temporary swelling and bruising are expected during initial healing.

Numbness

Temporary numbness is expected as the tissues heal.

Tightness

Tightness is expected during the initial healing period.

Follow-Up Appointments

Individualized postoperative instructions and follow-up appointments are provided.

Recovery varies by individual and surgical extent. Your surgeon provides a personalized timeline.

About Your Surgeon

Dr. Son Hee-dong,
plastic surgeon.

A face that looks pulled is a face that was lifted by its skin.

Lift the layer that actually descended, and the skin can simply be laid back down where it belongs.

Board-certified plastic surgeon · MD, PhD
Doctorate in Medicine, Dong-A University Graduate School
Clinical Professor, Dept. of Plastic Surgery, Dong-A University Hospital
Full member — Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, Korean Rhinoplasty Society
Experience in SMAS facelift and facial rejuvenation
Consultation in Korean, English, Japanese and Chinese

View Full Profile→

Registrations & Memberships

Licensed, registered, and accountable.

Clinic registration

Newline Plastic Surgery

Opened 16 September 2005 · Chief Director Son Hee-dong

Medical institution licence No. 715

Business registration 201-19-76600

Reception at Newline Plastic Surgery, Busan

Foreign patient care

Registered foreign patient attraction institution, Ministry of Health and Welfare.

Registration No. M-2024-02-08-0032

International patient consultation at Newline Plastic Surgery, Busan

Society memberships

Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons
Korean Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery
Korean Cleft Palate-Craniofacial Association
Korean Association of Plastic Surgeons in Private Practice
Korean Society of Facial Bone Contouring Surgery
Korean Society for Breast Surgery (board member)

Director's office at Newline Plastic Surgery, Busan

Volume of work

Approximately 1,200–1,500 surgeries a year.

Approximately 5,000 non-surgical procedures a year.

Operating theatre at Newline Plastic Surgery, Busan

Recognised beyond the clinic

Media and pageant trust.

Public figures are judged on their appearance for a living. Where they choose to have surgery is a signal worth knowing about.

Media personalities who chose Newline Plastic Surgery in Seomyeon, Busan — **Why stars choose Newline**Entertainers, broadcasters and influencers treated at our Seomyeon clinic.

2022 Miss Korea Gyeongnam winner and Busan first runner-up, supported by Newline Plastic Surgery — **2022 Miss Korea, Gyeongnam & Busan**Official partner of Honggang Academy — supporting regional titleholders.

Featured individuals appear with consent. Their results reflect their own anatomy and surgical plan, and are not a guarantee of any specific outcome.

Frequently Asked

SMAS Facelift in Busan
— your questions, answered.

What is the SMAS layer?

The superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) is a layer of connective tissue beneath the skin that plays an important role in facial support. As aging progresses it descends, contributing to jowls, deep folds, and loss of jawline definition.

How is an SMAS facelift different from a skin-only facelift?

Tightening the skin alone does not address the underlying cause of facial sagging. An SMAS facelift repositions the deeper layer to restore facial contours while reducing tension on the skin.

Who is a good candidate?

Suitability is individualized based on facial anatomy, skin thickness and elasticity, degree of tissue descent, desired aesthetic goals, and overall health and suitability for surgery.

How long is recovery?

Temporary swelling, bruising, numbness, and tightness are expected during the initial healing period. Recovery varies by individual and surgical extent, with individualized postoperative instructions and follow-up appointments.

Can a facelift be combined with eyelid surgery or fat grafting?

Combined procedures are considered depending on your anatomy, goals, and suitability for surgery. Whether a combination is appropriate is determined during personalized planning.

What does SMAS repositioning provide?

It may provide longer-lasting support, more natural facial contours, reduced skin tension, and improved jawline and neck definition compared with tightening skin alone.

Will there be visible scars?

The procedure uses carefully concealed incisions, but any facelift results in scars. Their placement and expected healing should be explained by your surgeon before surgery.

How long do results last?

Repositioning the SMAS may provide longer-lasting support than skin tightening alone, but ageing continues and individual results vary. No facelift stops the ageing process.

Would a mini facelift be enough for me?

That depends on your degree of tissue descent and skin laxity. Mini and deep mini approaches suit mild to moderate laxity, while more advanced descent may require a full SMAS facelift — determined during assessment.

Verified on Google

Reviews from our patients.

Unedited feedback left on our Google Business Profile by Korean and international patients treated at our Seomyeon clinic.

Considering a Facelift in Busan?

Start with a
facial assessment.

Treatment is individualized based on facial anatomy, skin thickness and elasticity, degree of tissue descent, your goals, and your overall suitability for surgery — assessed before any design is made.

Book a Consultation→ Contact Newline Clinic

Visiting Newline

Everything you need before you come.

Opening hours

Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00
Saturday 10:00–17:00
Lunch break 13:00–14:00
Closed Sundays & public holidays

By appointment. Same-day visits are possible, but waiting times vary.

Contact

Replies Mon–Fri 10:00–19:00, Sat 10:00–17:00 (KST).

Visit the clinic

Find Newline in Busan.

Newline Clinic
40 Bujeon-ro 66beon-gil, Floors 2–5
Busanjin-gu, Busan 47287
Republic of Korea

+82 51 806 0100 · WhatsApp

Get Directions→

Individual results and recovery experiences vary. This page is provided for general educational purposes and does not constitute a diagnosis, treatment recommendation, or guarantee of surgical results. A facelift does not stop the ageing process, and results are not permanent. All surgical procedures involve potential risks, including bleeding, infection, haematoma, asymmetry, scarring, altered or lost sensation, nerve injury, skin healing problems, hair loss around incisions, dissatisfaction with the outcome, and the possible need for additional surgery. The appropriate procedure and expected outcome can only be determined following an in-person examination and consultation with a qualified medical professional. Newline Clinic is licensed under the Korean Medical Service Act.

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