SMAS-lifting: lifefuel for oldcels

[Deleted member 16380]

Recently visited a dermatologist specializing in aesthetic treatments.

I have a problem with my nasolabial folds gradually connecting to the marionette lines. Surprisingly, my face looks very young otherwise for a 33 year old. Still have buccal fat compartment. If not for these stupid nasolabials and marionettes.

So, I thought that the only way to solve my issue is to

a) do a facelift
b) do direct filling of the smile and marionette lines with the filler.

BUT the dermatologist examined my skin, and offered me to do SMAS lifting. In the West, it would be ultherapy. I did it on a local knock-off device (called Liftera-A) offered in the clinic.

If you do not know what HIFU SMAS lifting is: the skin consists of multiple layers. The HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) device uses ultrasonic waves to heat up the MUSCLE which goes under your skin. This muscle gets inflamed, and as a response to the injury, the body starts producing new collagen FROM INSIDE OUT. The collagen literally straightens and binds the loose skin.

This is how the skin looks like IRL, and which layers are targeted. For Liftera I did, the doc mostly targeted 2.5mm depth for some reason.

As a pleasant side effect, HIFU also MELTS FAT. Not clear if it is forever, but it might be beneficial somewhat if you are not lean enough.

The original device was called Ultherapy. However, the process is quite understood, and there are not many knockoff devices as good, e.g. Ultraformer, Liftera, etc. Again, I always thought that this is just angle frauding, and HIFU is a money waste:

As you see, the lights are different, etc. So, not trustworthy. BUT when I have tried it now myself, I can say for certain, it DOES WORK. Yes, the effects are not like a real facelift, for sure. But they are subtle AND VISIBLE.

I always thought that my skin, which is VERY elastic is caused by the lack of elastin... But i was wrong. The dermatologist told me that the MAIN reason for skin laxity is LACK OF COLLAGEN, unlike what cels on this forum say. Thus, my smile lines are primarily caused by fat sagging down AND loose skin (lack of collagen).

So, I did this SMAS lifting. The procedure is not very painful, sometimes it just shoots you into the nerves of your face as if you were hit on the teeth. But it is not bad at all. The full effect is gradual and achieved in 2 months.

HOWEVER, I already see the results, 2 days later! And I am shocked! My skin is literally SO tight. It also removed a good deal (maybe 30%) of my smile lines! Looking forward to the 2-month mark.

Not a promotion, so not telling you where I did it, and gave you the list of equivalent devices.

 

[Deleted member 5786]

@Deusmaximus

 

[Deleted member 3679]

Looks legit... I'm an oldcel as well and have seen people get good results with lasers and microneedling. I have good skin tone but mainly need something that tightens the skin.

 

[Ahrimancel]

How many sessions should you do and how much do they cost?

 

[Deleted member 16380]

How many sessions should you do and how much do they cost?

Ideally, you would have a session once a year.

It also depends on the particular type of the technology used.

For example, Liftera I used is not particularly deep: it barely reaches the SMAS layer, at 2.5 mm. So, this can be done quite often, maybe twice a year.

While deeper technologies, which mostly influence the SMAS-layer, at 4 mm, which would be Ultherapy, and Ultraformer, would need 1 session per year or two.

 

[Cristiano88]

Ideally, you would have a session once a year.

It also depends on the particular type of the technology used.

For example, Liftera I used is not particularly deep: it barely reaches the SMAS layer, at 2.5 mm. So, this can be done quite often, maybe twice a year.

While deeper technologies, which mostly influence the SMAS-layer, at 4 mm, which would be Ultherapy, and Ultraformer, would need 1 session per year or two.

What areas did you have sagging skin in? I have in my jawline. In the jowl area.

 

[Deleted member 16380]

What areas did you have sagging skin in? I have in my jawline. In the jowl area.

I have smile lines crossing into the marionette lines, which is visible in some lights.

It is also jowling, but not in the "lower jowl", which is usually called "jowling", but in the "superior jowl" department.

This is due to leanmaxxing: after losing the malar fatpad, the rest of the skin + fat slided down creating kind droopy look around the mouth. Here s my cheek:

The area of sliding fat/skin is surrounded in red. So, part of it can be removed with HIFU SMAS lifting.

PS. To reduce of appearance of this, the dermatologist also told me that I need to do cheek fillers in both prominence and medial cheek (as I suspected).

 

[Cristiano88]

I have smile lines crossing into the marionette lines, which is visible in some lights.

It is also jowling, but not in the "lower jowl", which is usually called "jowling", but in the "superior jowl" department.

This is due to leanmaxxing: after losing the malar fatpad, the rest of the skin + fat slided down creating kind droopy look around the mouth. Here s my cheek:

View attachment 1564827

The area of sliding fat/skin is surrounded in red. So, part of it can be removed with HIFU SMAS lifting.

PS. To reduce of appearance of this, the dermatologist also told me that I need to do cheek fillers in both prominence and medial cheek (as I suspected).

Thank you for the very detailed response. You have a better jawline than mine.
What i notice is that you have what Eppley calls perioral fat mounds. He takes pride in this kind of surgery, he claims not many other surgeons do it.

Here is the only relevant link i found on his websites(he has 2 or 3 i think)

Plastic Surgery Case Study - Evaluating the Effects of Combined Buccal Lipectomy and Perioral Liposuction - Explore Plastic Surgery

The combined effects of a buccal lipectomy and perioral liposuction has variable facial sculpting results.

exploreplasticsurgery.com

Anyway, i am not saying you need this. If you manage to fix this with a non-invasive procedure it's great.

What about cheek fillers? Do you plan on doing them?

 

[Deleted member 16380]

Thank you for the very detailed response. You have a better jawline than mine.

Yeah, I have a very strong jawline... Unfortunately it is slightly narrow so no Chad look from the front for me

What i notice is that you have what Eppley calls perioral fat mounds. He takes pride in this kind of surgery, he claims not many other surgeons do it.

Yes, this is exactly what I have. And these are created by sagging skin + fat. So I have a few options:

1) Get back fat
2) Liposuction like Eppley suggests
3) HIFU SMAS + Fillers to hide them

However, lipo in that region is VERY dangerous whatever Eppley says. There is a big reason why no one does it, even though it is quite a simple procedure... The problem is that the outcomes are contrary to what people are looking for: it creates very gaunt look in people, like buccal fat pad removal in some people... And you can never know...

So I thought that I first try fillers + HIFU to see how that works...

What about cheek fillers? Do you plan on doing them?

I do all my procedures in Russia because all my specialists are there and cheap (er)...

Was planning to do them in May... But now with this war idk... maybe will have to look for them locally in Finland...

 

[Cristiano88]

If you have good ramus length, that is if your gonions are at mouth level or ideally below then you can widen your jaw by chewing.
Anyway your plan looks very good. I also plan on doing filler but here in my country good plastic surgeons have a waiting list of 2-3 months.

Post an after pick after HIFU and fillers, whenever that is. Really curious to see the results.

 

[Deleted member 16380]

If you have good ramus length, that is if your gonions are at mouth level or ideally below then you can widen your jaw by chewing.

Unfortunately, for me it did visa-versa

My masseters are ugly as fuck. This is NOT what you would really want:

These bulges on the right and left (in the right pic, at the back of the jaw) are masseters. Actually, in a different light, they literally look like "fat cheek" (left photo, no cheek sucking in, so the contour of masseter is not visible - looks like fat cheek).

I am doing botox for this shit atm. Next one in a few months.

 

[Cristiano88]

Unfortunately, for me it did visa-versa

My masseters are ugly as fuck. This is NOT what you would really want:

View attachment 1564939

These bulges on the right and left (in the right pic, at the back of the jaw) are masseters. Actually, in a different light, they literally look like "fat cheek" (left photo, no cheek sucking in, so the contour of masseter is not visible - looks like fat cheek).

I am doing botox for this shit atm. Next one in a few months.

For all it's worth you still have a manly look. A lot of bitches like that.
And in the right pic there is some cheek hollowing(although some perioral fat as well).

I understand your concern. Hope botox will fix it.

 

[AlexBrown84]

Bump

 

[agoostis]

i have the same at 22 did u fixed it op?