SMAS Lift: Trend or Trash?
There’s a trending treatment on social media called the “SMAS Lift” where Botulinum Toxin is injected in a linear pattern mimicking facelift incision lines. It claims to lift the face without surgery.
While the name is catchy and great for marketing, there’s no clinical, scientific, or anatomical evidence to support its effectiveness.
The Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System (SMAS) is a thin layer of fibromuscular tissue in the mid and lower face that connects facial muscles to the overlying skin. Notably, the SMAS is not even present in the areas marked by the SMAS lift technique behind the ear, in the temple, or forehead!
Why the SMAS Lift won’t work: Botulinum toxin is a muscle relaxant and acts on muscles not on connective tissue. To tighten the SMAS, a surgical facelift is required.
Even if the SMAS can’t respond to neurotoxin let’s look at the muscles involved in the “SMAS lift” points. They include the frontalis, temporalis, auricular and sternocleidomastoid muscles. Except for a section of frontalis (above the line of convergence) , none of these muscles can lift the face. Relaxing these muscles may actually cause sagging, not lifting!
No clinical studies: The “SMAS Lift” is marketing hype with zero scientific basis. No clinical studies support its efficacy. The individual who came up with this trend doesn’t even have a medical qualification!
Non-surgical evidence-based treatments to tighten the SMAS include HIFU or radiofrequency (with or without microneedling) , biostimulating injectables like PLLA and PDO threads.
However, a surgical SMAS facelift remains the most definitive and long lasting treatment to tighten the SMAS.
The only thing this treatment will elevate is your credit card bill!
Don’t fall for pseudoscience. Stay informed and safe!
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