Facelift Types Explained: Which One Is Right for You?

If you have started researching facelift options, you will quickly find that the term covers a wide range of procedures. Understanding the different types of facelift available, and what distinguishes each one, is the only way to have a useful conversation with a surgeon. This guide covers every major technique, explains who each suits, and helps you identify which direction is worth exploring further.

What Are the Different Types of Facelift Surgery?

The main difference between facelift types is depth. Some techniques work at the skin surface, others at the SMAS layer beneath, and others deeper still, at the level of the facial ligaments and fat compartments. As a rule, the deeper the technique, the more thorough the result and the longer it lasts, though recovery is also more involved.

Mini Facelift

A mini facelift uses shorter incisions and targets the lower face and jawline with limited dissection of the deeper tissues. Recovery is typically faster than a full procedure, around 1 to 2 weeks for most patients.

It suits patients in their late 30s to mid-40s with early-stage laxity: a softening jawline, the beginning of jowling, or mild neck looseness. Because it does not address the deeper structures, results last around 3 to 5 years and are less effective for patients with more significant sagging.

MACS Lift

The MACS (minimal access cranial suspension) lift is a short-scar facelift designed specifically for the lower and middle third of the face. It works by placing purse-string sutures through small incisions near the ear, which gather and lift the soft tissues using a purely upward vector, meaning the lift is directed straight up with no sideways tension on the skin. This is what gives results a more natural appearance compared to older techniques that pull laterally.

One practical advantage is that it can often be performed under local anaesthesia in around 2 to 2.5 hours, making it accessible for patients who prefer to avoid general anaesthesia. Recovery is typically 2 to 3 weeks for social activity. Results generally last 5 to 8 years.

It suits patients with moderate laxity in the lower and middle face who want meaningful improvement with a shorter scar. It does not address the neck, which is an important distinction for patients whose neck is also a concern. (Source: Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 2007)

MACS lift: purse-string sutures create a pure vertical lift in the lower and middle face. Illustration by William M. Winn.

Mid-Face Facelift

A mid-face facelift targets the area between the lower eyelids and the corners of the mouth: the cheeks, the nasolabial folds, and the under-eye area.

In South Korea, this procedure is typically performed together with lower blepharoplasty to lift the mid-cheeks and reposition the fat back to its original youthful position. Rather than removing fat from the lower eyelid area (which can create a hollowed look), our surgeons reposition it into the hollow areas beneath the eyes to smooth wrinkles and reduce the need for fillers later. The incision is placed in the lower lash line, making it effectively invisible. Results are permanent, which is a meaningful advantage over fillers, which migrate over time and can create a puffy, unnatural appearance.

This technique suits patients whose primary concern is cheek descent, deepening smile lines, and under-eye bags. For patients also concerned about forehead lines or drooping upper eyelids, an endoscopic forehead lift or upper blepharoplasty can be added to the same procedure.

Before and after: "scarless" under-eye fat repositioning with mid-face lift (Dr Kang, Glamjet partner)

SMAS Facelift

A SMAS facelift lifts and tightens the SMAS layer, the fibromuscular sheet beneath the skin, producing more thorough results than a mini facelift or MACS lift. It addresses the lower face, jawline, and neck, and is one of the most commonly performed full facelift techniques globally.

Recovery runs 2 to 3 weeks. Results typically last 7 to 10 years. It suits patients in their 40s to 60s with moderate to significant laxity across the lower face and neck who want lasting improvement.

Deep Plane Facelift

A deep plane facelift goes a level deeper than the SMAS, releasing the retaining ligaments that anchor the descended tissues to the bone and lifting the skin, SMAS, and fat pads as a single composite unit. This produces the most natural and longest-lasting results of any surgical facelift technique currently in wide use.

Facial anatomy layers. Source: JW Plastic Surgery

The SMAS layer and deep plane dissection

A 2025 systematic review in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery found deep plane facelifts achieved 94.4% patient satisfaction compared with 87.8% for traditional SMAS techniques (Khoury et al., 2025). Results typically last 12 to 15 years. Recovery takes 3 to 4 weeks.

The deep plane facelift addresses the face and neck comprehensively: the lower face, jowls, cheeks, midface, and lower third. It is often combined with lower blepharoplasty and a mid-face lift for patients who also have under-eye bags, eye bags, and deepening smile lines. For patients wanting a smoother forehead and brighter upper eyelids, an endoscopic forehead lift and upper blepharoplasty or brow lift can also be added to the same surgical session.

For a full guide to the deep plane technique specifically, see our article on what a deep plane facelift is and how it works.

Dr Kang (JW Plastic Surgery): extended SMAS facelift, neck lift, lower blepharoplasty, upper blepharoplasty

Dr Lee (Elite Plastic Surgery): forehead lift, neck lift, upper blepharoplasty, SMILE lower blepharoplasty & upper cheek lift (13 days post-op)

Dr Lee (Elite Plastic Surgery): revision deep plane facelift, neck lift, endotine forehead lift, brow lift, SMILE lower blepharoplasty & upper cheek lift (13 days post-op)

Dr Lee (Elite Plastic Surgery): deep plane facelift, neck lift, endotine forehead lift, brow lift, SMILE lower blepharoplasty & upper cheek lift (14 days post-op)

Scarless Ponytail Lift

The scarless ponytail lift is not a single procedure but a combination: typically an endotine forehead lift, upper and lower blepharoplasty, and a midcheek lift, designed to create a lifted appearance with minimal visible scarring. Incisions are hidden within the hairline.

It also addresses the lower third of the face and is often combined with lower blepharoplasty and a mid-face lift for patients concerned about wrinkles under the eyes, eye bags, and smile lines. For patients wanting a smoother forehead and brighter upper eyelids, upper blepharoplasty or a brow lift is usually added. It suits patients in their 30s to early 50s who want noticeable lifting of the upper and mid-face without the recovery or visible incisions of a full surgical facelift. Results last approximately 7 to 10 years. For a full breakdown, see our complete guide to the scarless ponytail lift.

Non-Surgical Options: Liquid Facelifts and Thread Lifts

Not every patient is ready for or suited to surgery. Two non-surgical options are worth understanding, both for what they can achieve and where their limits are.

Liquid Facelift

A liquid facelift combines dermal fillers with muscle-relaxing injections, thermage, HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound), and skin boosters to restore volume and soften lines without surgery. Results are immediate and require no downtime.

Results typically last 9 to 12 months before repeat treatment is needed. It is important to understand the limitations: a liquid facelift cannot improve significant skin sagging or remove deep wrinkles. Fillers also migrate over time and, if overused, can create a puffy, unnatural appearance sometimes called pillow face.

This option suits patients with mild volume loss and early lines who are not yet at the stage where tissue has descended significantly. Once meaningful sagging has occurred, fillers can restore volume but cannot reposition what has physically moved.

Thread Lift

A thread lift uses dissolvable sutures inserted beneath the skin to physically lift soft tissues. It bridges the gap between injectables and surgery, with results typically lasting 1 to 3 years.

It suits patients in their 30s to mid-40s who want a temporary lift with minimal downtime. It is not a substitute for surgical techniques where significant laxity is present.

How to Choose the Right Type of Facelift

Choosing between the types of facelift available comes down to three practical factors.

Your Degree of Laxity

The most important factor when choosing between types of facelift. Mild early-stage laxity responds well to a mini facelift or thread lift. Moderate laxity across the lower face and neck is suited to a SMAS or MACS procedure. Significant sagging involving the ligaments and fat compartments calls for a deep plane approach. A surgeon can assess this accurately at consultation.

Your Recovery Time

Recovery varies significantly across types of facelift. Mini facelifts and MACS lifts generally allow a return to social activity in 1 to 2 weeks. SMAS and deep plane procedures require 2 to 4 weeks before most patients feel comfortable in public. If your schedule allows limited downtime, that narrows the realistic options.

How Long You Want the Results to Last

A thread lift or mini facelift is a shorter investment in terms of cost and recovery, but you will likely revisit the decision in 3 to 5 years. A deep plane facelift requires a more significant commitment upfront, but results lasting 12 to 15 years change the long-term cost equation considerably.

Which Types of Facelift Are Available in South Korea Through Glamjet?

Glamjet's partner surgeons in Seoul perform the full range of types of facelift surgery: mini facelifts, MACS lifts, deep plane facelifts, extended deep plane facelifts, and scarless ponytail lifts. They also perform combination procedures, most commonly pairing a deep plane facelift with a neck lift, blepharoplasty, or fat grafting. Note that Glamjet's surgeons do not use traditional SMAS techniques; they use exclusively the deep plane or extended deep plane approach for more natural results.

For patients travelling from Australia, a longer procedure done properly in a single trip generally delivers more value than a shorter one repeated every few years. Most Glamjet clients considering facelift surgery in South Korea stay 2 to 3 weeks, which allows adequate recovery before flying.

Frequently Asked Questions About Types of Facelift

What is the most natural-looking type of facelift?

The deep plane facelift consistently produces the most natural results because it repositions the skin, SMAS, and fat pads as a single unit rather than tightening them in different directions. A 2025 meta-analysis found it achieved 94.4% patient satisfaction compared with 87.8% for traditional techniques (Khoury et al., 2025).

What is the difference between a mini facelift and a full facelift?

A mini facelift targets the lower face with smaller incisions and limited dissection of deeper structures, suiting early-stage laxity with a recovery of 1 to 2 weeks. A full facelift, such as a SMAS or deep plane procedure, addresses more significant laxity across the face and neck and produces results that last considerably longer.

How long do different types of facelifts last?

Thread lifts last 1 to 3 years. Mini facelifts and MACS lifts typically last 3 to 5 and 5 to 8 years respectively. A SMAS facelift lasts 7 to 10 years. A deep plane facelift produces results lasting 12 to 15 years, the longest of any surgical technique currently in wide use.

Which type of facelift is right for someone in their 40s?

It depends on the degree of laxity. Patients in their early to mid-40s with mild changes are often suited to a mini facelift or MACS lift. Those with more significant jowling or cheek descent in their mid to late 40s may get better and longer-lasting results from a deep plane procedure.

Is a liquid facelift worth it?

A liquid facelift can produce meaningful improvement for patients with mild volume loss and early lines. It works well as a maintenance option or for patients not yet ready for surgery. For patients with significant tissue descent, non-surgical options restore volume but cannot reposition what has physically moved, and repeated filler use over time can create an unnatural appearance.

Can I have a deep plane facelift without a neck lift?

At Glamjet's partner clinics in South Korea, the answer is no. The deep plane facelift is always performed with a neck lift because the face and neck are treated as a single anatomical unit. The SMAS layer of the face continues directly into the platysma muscle of the neck, and addressing one without the other typically produces a visible imbalance. You can, however, have a neck lift as a standalone procedure without a facelift.

Not Sure Which Type of Facelift Is Right for You?