A facelift in Korea is an operation that lifts the deeper SMAS layer of the cheek and jowl, tightens the neck where needed and removes loose skin through incisions hidden around the ears. It is done under general anesthesia or deep sedation and commonly takes three to five hours. Bruising and swelling ease over about two weeks, stitches come out between days five and fourteen, and most surgeons clear visitors to fly after ten to fourteen days. The shape settles over three to six months. Surgeons quote by the scope of the operation, before VAT, and this page compares clinics and their listed fees.
Clinics in Myeongdong
1 clinics for Facelift in Myeongdong
The 1 Myeongdong clinics this page compares for Facelift are Lienjang Myeongdong Aesthetic Clinic.
1. Lienjang Myeongdong Aesthetic Clinic
★ 4.6667 Google reviewsSkin and aesthetic clinic near Myeongdong-gil, with Ultherapy and Thermage on its menu
Lienjang Myeongdong Aesthetic Clinic is a skin and aesthetic clinic in Myeongdong-gil. Its menu covers Ultherapy, Thermage and Sofwave, and Facelift is also offered.
- Ultherapy
- Thermage
- Sofwave
- People looking at non-surgical lifting
- Thread lifting
- Location
- Myeongdong-gil
Is it for you?
Who Facelift in Myeongdong suits, and who should wait
A facelift suits people whose jowls, folds beside the mouth and loose neck skin have moved past what a device can tighten. The usual candidate is in their late forties or older, in stable health, a non-smoker or willing to stop for several weeks, and able to stay in Korea for close to two weeks. A face that looks tired rather than different is the goal.
It does not fix fine wrinkles, sun damage, pigment or hollow temples, and it does not stop aging. Lines around the mouth and crepey skin need lasers, skin treatments or fillers, often months later. People with early laxity are usually better served by ultrasound or radiofrequency lifting first, and a consultation should say so plainly.
Usually a good fit
- Visible jowls and a blurred jawline
- Loose skin or bands under the chin
- Good general health and a stable weight
- Able to stay about two weeks
May be better to wait
- Pregnancy, or planning one soon
- Active skin infection or wounds on face
- Heavy smoking or blood thinners not stopped
- Early laxity that a device could treat
How it works
How a Facelift session runs
The operation starts with an incision from the temple hairline down the crease in front of the ear, around the lobe and back into the scalp behind it. Through this path the surgeon lifts the skin, then works on the SMAS by folding, overlapping or raising it as a flap, or by releasing the retaining ligaments in a deep plane lift. The deeper layer carries the lift, so the skin can close without tension.
A natural result depends on details that patients rarely ask about. In a 1985 review in Annals of Plastic Surgery, Franco listed the signs that give away an operated face: a temple hairline pulled up and back, flattened eyebrows, wide scars in front of the ear, a distorted tragus, thick scars behind the ear and a stepped hairline at the nape. He noted these can sometimes be reduced by choosing the technique for each patient rather than using one method on everyone.
The neck is handled through a small cut under the chin. Feldman, writing in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 1990, described corset platysmaplasty, which stitches the muscle edges together down the full height of the neck so the bands do not reappear, in 75 patients. Knize, in the same journal in 1998, showed that fat under the chin and the muscle can be treated through that one submental incision when the skin still has some elasticity. In Korea the quote follows this scope: face only, face and neck, or with eyelids added.
Consultation and tests
The surgeon examines the face and neck, marks the incision path, reviews photos and orders blood tests. Blood thinners and some supplements are stopped beforehand on medical advice.
Anesthesia
General anesthesia or deep sedation is given, with local anesthetic along the incisions to reduce bleeding.
Lift and neck work
The SMAS is repositioned on each side and, where planned, the neck muscle is tightened through a cut under the chin. This stage takes most of the three to five hours.
Closure and dressing
Skin is trimmed and closed in layers, a drain may be placed, and a compression dressing goes on before an overnight stay or a monitored rest.
Facelift compared with other options
| Aspect | SMAS or deep plane facelift | Short-scar lift | Ultrasound or radiofrequency lifting |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it moves | SMAS, jowls and neck skin | Lower cheek and jowl | Nothing moved, tissue tightened |
| Incisions | Temple, around ear, behind ear | Shorter path in front of ear | None |
| Anesthesia | General or deep sedation | Sedation or local | Numbing cream |
| Downtime | About two weeks | About one to two weeks | Hours to a few days |
| Suits | Moderate to advanced sagging | Moderate jowls, little neck laxity | Early laxity |
At a glance
Facelift facts
| Procedure type | Surgical lift of skin and the SMAS layer |
|---|---|
| Common techniques | SMAS plication, SMAS flap, deep plane, short-scar |
| Anesthesia | General anesthesia or deep sedation |
| Operating time | Commonly three to five hours |
| Hospital stay | Often one night or a monitored rest |
| Stitches out | Days five to seven in front, ten to fourteen behind ears |
| Visible bruising | Usually about two weeks |
| Earliest flight home | Commonly after ten to fourteen days, with clearance |
| Final shape | Around three to six months |
Recovery
What the days after look like
Compression dressing, possible drain, head raised on pillows; tightness more than sharp pain.
Drain and dressing check, swelling peaks, soft food and short walks.
Stitches removed in stages, bruising fades, light makeup once wounds close.
Most swelling gone, numbness around the ears eases, exercise resumes gradually.
Scars soften and lighten, the jawline and neck settle into their final shape.
Safety
Facelift risks and limits
- Swelling, bruising and tightness are expected for one to two weeks
- Numbness around the ears and cheeks, usually easing over months
- Hematoma, which may need a return to the operating room
- Temporary facial nerve weakness, rarely lasting
- Thick scars, hair loss at incisions, skin loss in smokers
- Aging continues, and skin texture and fine lines are not changed
Evidence
Research behind this page
- Face-Lift StigmasAnnals of Plastic Surgery · 1985 · Franco T · doi:10.1097/00000637-198511000-00003
This review described the features that reveal an operated face after facelift and argued they can often be reduced by tailoring the technique to each patient.
- Corset PlatysmaplastyPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery · 1990 · Feldman J · doi:10.1097/00006534-199003000-00001
Based on 75 patients, this paper described a full-height midline platysma suture designed to prevent recurrent neck bands and refine the jawline.
- Limited Incision Submental Lipectomy and PlatysmaplastyPlastic and Reconstructive Surgery · 1998 · Knize D · doi:10.1097/00006534-199802000-00036
The author described treating submental fat and platysma bands through a single small incision under the chin without skin excision, for patients with remaining skin elasticity.
FAQ
Questions about Facelift in Myeongdong
Which clinics offer Facelift in Myeongdong?
Clinics offering Facelift in Myeongdong include Lienjang Myeongdong Aesthetic Clinic (Myeongdong-gil). Each lists Facelift on its own menu; message the clinic directly to confirm the doctor, product and current price.
What makes a facelift look obvious, and can it be avoided?
Obvious results usually come from a hairline pulled too high, a distorted ear or skin closed under tension. Franco's 1985 review in Annals of Plastic Surgery listed these signs and linked many of them to using one technique on every face. Lifting the deeper layer and planning the incision around your hairline reduces the risk. Ask the surgeon how the temple hairline and earlobe will be protected.
Is a deep plane facelift riskier than a SMAS plication?
Neither is simply safer; each technique carries its own pattern of risks. Deeper dissection releases more tissue and can give a longer-lasting lift, but it works closer to branches of the facial nerve and needs more operating time. Plication stays more superficial and suits milder sagging. Ask how often the surgeon performs the proposed technique and how they handle a complication.
Can I go sightseeing in the first week after a facelift?
Gentle walks are fine from the first days, but busy sightseeing should wait until after the first week. Bending, lifting, alcohol and hot baths raise blood pressure and the risk of bleeding while wounds are fresh. Swelling and bruising also make crowds and sun uncomfortable. Short outings near the hotel, with a hat and sunscreen, are usually more comfortable than full-day trips.
Can fat under the chin be removed through one small cut?
Yes, when the neck skin still has some elasticity, fat under the chin and loose muscle can be treated through a short incision below the chin. Knize described this single submental approach in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in 1998, followed by an elastic garment to help the skin redrape. Very loose neck skin usually also needs incisions behind the ears. The surgeon checks skin recoil before choosing.
Can neck bands come back after surgery?
They can, especially when only the upper muscle edges are stitched or the skin alone is tightened. Feldman's 1990 paper on corset platysmaplasty joined the muscle edges down the full height of the neck to leave no free edge that could reappear as a band. Weight change and aging still affect the neck later. Ask how the platysma will be handled in your plan.
Is high blood pressure a problem for a facelift?
Uncontrolled blood pressure raises the risk of bleeding under the skin after a facelift, so it needs to be treated and stable first. Surgeons usually check blood pressure at the consultation and monitor it closely after surgery. Diabetes, smoking and blood thinners are reviewed in the same way. Bring a list of every medicine and supplement so the team can plan safely.
Why does numbness around the ears last so long?
Small sensory nerves in the skin are stretched or cut when the skin is lifted, so numbness around the ears and cheeks is expected. Feeling usually returns gradually over several weeks to months as the nerves recover. Tingling or itching is a common sign of this. Avoid heat packs or curling irons on numb skin, because burns are easy to miss.
Can a facelift be repeated years later?
Yes, a secondary facelift is possible, usually many years after the first and often with less skin to remove. Earlier scars, the hairline and how the SMAS was handled the first time shape the plan. A secondary operation can be more demanding, so the surgeon should review records from the first one. Bring old photos or operative notes if you have them.
Should skin texture be treated before or after a facelift?
Skin texture is usually treated a few months after a facelift, once swelling has gone and scars have settled. A lift changes position, not surface quality, so fine lines, pigment and crepey skin stay as they were. Lasers, skin boosters or peels can follow later. Plan this as a separate step on a later visit rather than adding it to the surgical trip.