Temporal Midface Fascia Lift

What is Temporal Mid-face Fascia Lift?

Temporal Mid-face Fascia Lift is one type of procedures that boasts minimal invasive and scar concealment. It is refined from the traditional facelift but only leaves one short scar on the scalp or at the border of the hairline as there is no necessity for wide or deep skin dissection. Therefore, the recovery time is also relatively shorter than that of traditional facelift.

Who are suitable candidates for the procedure?

• Individuals with mild or moderate mid-face skin sagging.
• Individuals with gradual laxity of nasolabial folds, jawlines, or lower facial skin (fat bags around the mouth).
• Individuals with premature skin sagging due to prior facial bone surgeries.
• Individuals requiring more effective surgeries than non-surgical facial tightening therapy (such as Ulthera or Thermage) or thread lift.
• Individuals who received a thread lift but had unsatisfactory results.
• Individuals undergoing this procedure to complement the shortcomings of other facelift surgery.

How is temporal mid-face fascia lift performed?

The surgery is performed by marking an incision of approximately 2cm on the scalp above the temple. Via the incision and separation of the blood vessels and nerves underneath, proper dissection of deep tissue (superficial temporal fascia) is carried on. The range of dissection is limited to the area adjacent to the hairline. Therefore, the skin will not suffer too much from surgical trauma and swelling. After the flap is well dissected, the whole unit of distal skin and superficial facia (SMAS) can be upward lifted with suture thread and secured to the deep facia at the incision. Thus, the overall midface skin and facia layer is effectively stretched and lifted to the posterior portion of the scalp. Lastly, excess scalp tissue is removed to enhance surgical tightening and ensure the duration of the results, which lasts for approximately 3-5 years on average.

The procedure can be performed under local anaesthetic + sedation, or general anaesthesia in a day surgery centre.

The operative time is approximately one or one and half hours.

Recovery time is about 2-3 days and removal of sutures in 7-10 days.

What are advantages and drawbacks of the surgery?

The advantages of this surgical procedure include:

1. The lateral cheeks can be fully elevated, and the nasolabial folds and fat pads around the corners of the mouth can be concurrently addressed.
2. Surgical wounds are hidden in the scalp, leave no scars on the face.
3. The results are obvious and instant.
4. Surgical trauma is small, and heals quickly.
5. It may be repeatedly performed to maintain a rejuvenated and refreshed face.
6. It would not affect facial expression and has a natural looking.
7. No risk of facial motor nerve injury.
8. The surgery may also lift the eyelids or brow-tails, depending on individual conditions.

The surgical drawbacks are:

1. This procedure makes less improvement in patients with midface hollowing or tear trophy deformity.
2. There is a risk of hair loss near the scalp incisions.
3. Poor wound healing may occur due to tight closure of the scalp incisions.
4. The result may not last as long as a traditional facelift.
5. There is a risk of some changes in the hairline in the temples.
6. There is a risk of temporary or permanent numbness in the scalp adjacent to the incisions.

What are possible risks and complications?

1. Scalp scars
2. Local hair loss
3. Temporary scalp numbness or itching
4. Poor wound healing
5. Temporary scalp pinhole-shaped depressions