Abstract
Knowledge of surgical anatomy is of paramount importance during surgical dissection
for facelift surgery, regardless of the type of facelift procedure performed. This
article reviews the relevant surgical anatomy for facelift, including the superficial
musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), and course of the facial nerve relative to the SMAS,
zygomatic arch, and mandible. Also, this article reviews the various retaining ligaments,
and some types of facelift procedures recommend release of these ligaments to achieve
a more effective aesthetic result.
Keywords
facial nerve - facelift surgery - fasciocutaneous ligament - superficial musculoaponeurotic
system
