What is it?
“MACS” stands for “Minimal Access Cranial Suspension” and it is a new facelift technique that is less invasive than the traditional facelift surgery, leaving a smaller scar.
How is it done?
The MACS lift is done with an incision to the outer hairline going down the front crease of the ear. It allows access to the muscle and fatty tissues in the cheekbone, jawline, and neck. Several sutures are strategically placed in the underlying facial tissue, namely over the cheek, over the cheekbone, and one running down into the neck. Since they are absorbable, they dissolve over time. Having repositioned facial tissues, they also keep them elevated due to internal fibrosis. With MACS, the skin is pulled vertically and the excess skin is thus removed.
What areas does it address?
The MACS lift addresses areas of the mid to lower face, specifically creases around the corners of the mouth, sagging skin around the jawline, and in the neck. This procedure results in general smoothing of the entire facial skin and neck and produces a more youthful look.
The MACS lift is usually recommended for patients between their 40s and early 50s, but it can also show good results in older patients. It is a great option to remove early signs of aging, but for older patients, if used in combination with some other procedures like eyelid rejuvenation, brow lifting, laser resurfacing around the eyes, nose, and mouth, it can produce dramatic rejuvenating results. In any case, before you decide to do the surgery, you should consult with your surgeon and decide what the best procedure for you would be based on your health, goals, and expectations.
What is better, MACS lift or the traditional facelift?
- The traditional facelift is pretty much outdated nowadays and it makes sense to do it only to deal with the so-called “turkey neck”. MACS lift is a newer, more efficient and less invasive technique in the field of plastic surgery. It does not involve neck dissection, only liposuction for neck procedures.
- MACS lift is completed in a shorter period of time than the traditional facelift, usually in a few hours, and there is no overnight stay at the clinic.
- The recovery period after a MACS lift is often shorter as well with less swelling and bruising, and there are fewer complications and risks.
- The MACS is less intrusive and leaves a reduced amount of visible signs of plastic surgery since the incision is considerably smaller, leaving a minor scar.
- The MACS can be done under local anesthesia but also under general anesthesia.
- The traditional facelift often results in a so-called windswept look which is one of the main complaints of the patients who have done it. It leaves an artificial look which is very telling of a facelift. However, the MACS lift produces a more natural, youthful look.
How should I prepare?
After all the consultations with your surgeon are done, you will have to do general lab tests: basic biochemistry, blood count, and blood type. You will also do cardiologic and internal medicine examinations like ECG and then your anesthesiologist will do some tests as well. You will start taking Arnica, the herbal medication that reduces pain and swelling, a few days prior to your surgery. You should arrange other practical things for your recovery time and have someone help you around the house for the first couple of days after the surgery.
Just like any other surgery, healing and full recovery might take some time, even up to a few months, but most people who undergo the MACS lift are very satisfied with the results.
