Face
Facelift (SMAS)
A face that looks unmistakeably you — only well-rested. SMAS technique for results that age naturally.
Duration
4 – 5 hours
Anaesthesia
General anaesthesia
Stay
1 night
Indicative cost
EGP 130k – 200k
Modern facelift is a procedure of the deep tissues — not the skin. Dr. Saeed performs an extended SMAS facelift, repositioning the underlying superficial musculo-aponeurotic system upwards and laterally along its natural vector. The skin is re-draped — never pulled. The result is the look of a patient who has slept well for a year, not the look of a patient who has had surgery.
How this is approached at the practice
- Extended SMAS dissection for jawline and mid-face.
- Deep-plane release in selected cases.
- Tragal incision hidden along the cartilage, post-auricular incision in the natural sulcus.
- Fat grafting to areas of volume loss (temple, malar, peri-oral) in the same operation.
Who is suited to a facelift
Patients in their late 40s to mid-60s with mid-facial laxity, jowling, and neck banding for whom non-surgical options no longer give meaningful results. Smokers must stop for twelve weeks. Skin quality is more important than chronological age.
- Aged 45 – 70 typically (younger if congenital laxity)
- Non-smoker for 12 weeks before and after
- Good general health
- No untreated hypertension
- Realistic expectations: refreshed, not changed
Extended SMAS facelift
The procedure, step by step.
Pre-auricular and post-auricular incisions hidden in natural creases. The skin flap is elevated to a point lateral to the nasolabial fold. The SMAS is dissected as a separate layer and repositioned along a vertical-oblique vector. The skin is re-draped without tension.
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1. Markings
Standing markings the morning of surgery; planned vector of SMAS lift drawn together.
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2. Skin elevation
Skin flap elevated subcutaneously to the planned medial extent.
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3. SMAS dissection and repositioning
SMAS is incised, mobilised, and fixed superiorly and laterally with non-absorbable sutures.
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4. Neck component
Sub-mental incision; platysmaplasty corrects neck banding; lipectomy refines the cervico-mental angle.
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5. Skin re-draping
Skin is re-draped without tension; excess excised; closure in two layers.
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6. Fat grafting (when indicated)
Micro-fat injected to temple, malar fat pad, and peri-oral creases for volume restoration.
Recovery
Week by week — what to expect.
Final aesthetic settling at 9 – 12 months · Social downtime: Social downtime 14 – 21 days, public-facing 4 weeks
Day 0 – 1
Bandaged head
Compressive head dressing overnight. One night in the clinic with overnight nursing.
Day 7
Sutures out
Sutures removed. Bruising visible but settling. Light makeup may be used.
Week 2 – 3
Returning to private life
Most patients comfortable in private settings by week two. Public-facing return at four weeks.
Month 3
Definition emerges
Swelling has resolved. The jawline and neck angle are crisp. The face looks rested.
Month 12
Final result
Scars have faded. The face has settled into its restored architecture. Photographs taken at twelve months.
Risk disclosure
We tell you everything that can happen.
Surgery carries risk. The most important conversation in any consultation is the one about what could go wrong, what we will do if it does, and what we cannot guarantee. The list below is a partial summary; the full discussion happens in person.
Haematoma
The principal early risk; rate around 2 – 3% with strict blood-pressure control. Re-exploration in theatre is required if it occurs.
Nerve injury
Temporary weakness of the marginal mandibular branch in approximately 1%; permanent weakness under 0.3% with the SMAS technique.
Scar quality
Scars are placed along natural creases and tend to fade well. Some skin types are at higher risk of hypertrophy.
Hair loss along incisions
Temporary loss along the temporal incision is common; permanent thinning is rare with careful incision design.
Skin necrosis
Strongly associated with smoking. We do not operate on active smokers.
Frequent questions
Before you book.
How long does a facelift last?+
A well-performed SMAS facelift gives a result that looks 8 – 12 years younger and the patient continues to age from that new baseline. Most patients find the result enduring for ten years or more.
Will I look 'pulled'?+
Not with the SMAS technique. The lift is in the deep tissues; the skin is re-draped without tension. The result reads as rested, not stretched.
Can a facelift be combined with eyelid surgery?+
Yes — and often is. Upper and lower blepharoplasty are commonly performed in the same operation.
Begin with a written surgical plan.
A consultation lasts 60 – 90 minutes and ends with a printed plan and quotation. There is no pressure to decide in the room.
Request consultation