Face and Neck Plastic Surgery (SMAS-Lift) 

Face and neck plastic surgery is one of the leading areas of aesthetic surgery. It is aimed at correcting age-related changes, restoring clear contours, and creating harmonious facial proportions.

At Iskusstvo Clinic in Moscow, facelift procedures are performed by surgeons trained in the school of Professor A.I. Nerobeev, the founder of reconstructive and plastic surgery of the maxillofacial region in Russia. A deep understanding of facial nerve anatomy, vascular architecture, and musculoaponeurotic structures allows our specialists to perform procedures with high precision and minimal risk of complications.

The philosophy of facial plastic surgery at Iskusstvo Clinic is based on the principle of meaningful beauty: not to change a person’s appearance beyond recognition, but to restore the natural youthfulness of the face while preserving individual features and facial expressiveness. Each case is approached as a multilayered task in which aesthetics, function, and health remain in balance.

Indications

Medical, or Functional, Indications

Pronounced ptosis, or sagging, of the soft tissues of the face and neck

Deep nasolabial folds and jowls in the lower jaw area

Loose and excess skin in the neck area, double chin

Drooping eyebrows and a heavy-looking gaze

Loss of definition in the facial oval

Pronounced forehead and glabellar wrinkles

Platysmal bands, or vertical bands on the neck

Aesthetic Indications

Desire to refresh the appearance and look in line with one’s internal sense of age

Dissatisfaction with facial contours that has appeared with age

Desire for a harmonious, natural result without an “over-tightened” look

Types of Procedures and Methods

At Iskusstvo Clinic, a full range of surgical facial and neck rejuvenation techniques is used. The choice of method depends on individual anatomy, the degree of age-related changes, and the patient’s goals.

Endoscopic Forehead and Temporal Lift

An endoscopic forehead and temporal lift is a minimally invasive lift of the upper third of the face performed through small incisions in the scalp. It allows the surgeon to lift the eyebrows and smooth horizontal and vertical forehead wrinkles without visible scars.

Brow Lift

A Brow Lift is an isolated eyebrow lift that restores a more open and youthful look. It may be performed endoscopically or through a small surgical access.

Cheek Lift, or Mid-Face Lift

A Cheek Lift corrects the middle third of the face. It reduces deepening of the nasolabial folds, restores volume in the cheekbone area, and brings back youthful contours to the midface.

SMAS-Lifting, or ART-Lifting

SMAS-Lifting is a classic deep lifting technique in which the surgeon works not only with the skin, but also with the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, or SMAS layer. This provides a stable and natural result for many years.

Deep Plane Facelift

A Deep Plane Facelift is the deepest type of facelift, in which tissues beneath the SMAS layer are mobilized. This technique allows for pronounced rejuvenation with minimal skin tension, reducing the risk of a “mask-like” effect.

Mini Facelift

A Mini Facelift is a lifting technique with a shorter incision and a smaller volume of tissue mobilization. It is suitable for patients with early or moderate signs of ptosis in the lower third of the face.

Platysmaplasty

Platysmaplasty is surgical correction of the neck. It addresses platysmal bands, excess skin, and fat deposits in the submental and submandibular areas. It is often combined with a facelift to achieve comprehensive rejuvenation of the face and neck.

How the Surgery Is Performed

Face and neck plastic surgery at Iskusstvo Clinic is performed in an inpatient surgical facility equipped to the standards of leading federal medical centers. Preoperative preparation includes a consultation with the surgeon, detailed planning of the surgical scope, standard laboratory tests, and a consultation with an anesthesiologist.

The type of anesthesia depends on the extent of the procedure. Local procedures, such as an endoscopic forehead lift or Brow Lift, may be performed under intravenous sedation. More extensive procedures, such as SMAS-Lifting or Deep Plane Facelift, are usually performed under general anesthesia.

The duration of surgery varies from 1–1.5 hours for isolated procedures to 3–5 hours for a combined facelift with platysmaplasty. The surgeon works through carefully planned access points, placing incisions in natural folds and along the hairline to minimize the visibility of postoperative scars.

Rehabilitation

The early postoperative period involves staying in a comfortable clinic room for one to two days. A compression dressing is applied for 3–7 days, depending on the extent of the procedure. Sutures are removed on days 7–14.

Swelling and ecchymosis, or bruising, usually decrease significantly by the end of the second or third week. Return to social activity is generally possible 2–3 weeks after surgery. Physical activity is restricted for 4–6 weeks.

The final result forms within 3–6 months as the tissues fully mature and residual swelling disappears. The duration of the effect depends on the technique and the patient’s individual characteristics and, according to the literature, ranges from 5 to 15 years. Recovery timelines are individual and may vary.

Risks and Complications

Any surgical procedure involves a certain level of risk. Possible complications include hematoma, seroma, wound infection, temporary or persistent sensory changes, injury to branches of the facial nerve, asymmetry, and unsatisfactory scarring.

All potential risks are discussed in detail with the surgeon during the consultation. The high qualification of Iskusstvo Clinic surgeons and their deep understanding of facial nerve anatomy, gained through the school of Professor Nerobeev, help minimize the likelihood of complications.

Contraindications

Absolute Contraindications

Decompensated cardiovascular, liver, or kidney diseases

Blood clotting disorders

Active oncological disease

Acute infectious diseases

Mental disorders that prevent informed consent to surgery

Relative Contraindications

Diabetes mellitus, which requires compensation

Arterial hypertension, which requires stabilization

Autoimmune diseases

Smoking, with cessation recommended 2–4 weeks before surgery

Pregnancy and breastfeeding

The final decision on whether surgery can be performed is made by the doctor.

Why Choose Iskusstvo Clinic

The school of Professor Nerobeev. The clinic’s surgeons are students of the founder of Russian reconstructive and