Facelift in Korea is a surgical operation that tightens the SMAS, the fibrous layer under the skin, and trims loose skin through incisions in front of and behind the ear to correct jowls and a lax neck. A full facelift takes a few hours under general anesthesia or deep sedation, while a short-scar mini facelift is quicker. Bruising and swelling are heaviest in the first week, stitches come out in stages, and most surgeons want you to stay around two weeks before flying. The contour keeps settling for three to six months. Clinics quote one fee per operation scope before VAT, and the table on this page compares 1 clinics and their listed prices.
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 reviewsMyeongdong-gil skin and aesthetic clinic listing Ultherapy and Thermage
At Lienjang Myeongdong Aesthetic Clinic in Myeongdong-gil, the menu centres on Ultherapy, Thermage and Sofwave, with Facelift also available.
- 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
Surgery suits people whose main concern is tissue that has moved downward: jowls breaking the jawline, a deepening fold beside the mouth, or neck skin that no longer springs back when the chin is lifted. These changes sit in the SMAS and the skin envelope, which is why energy devices and injections usually give only a partial answer at this stage. People in good general health who do not smoke and can stay through the early healing period are the usual candidates.
A facelift will not change skin texture, pigment, fine crease lines or brow position, and on its own it does not restore lost volume. Those need resurfacing, injectables or a separate brow or eyelid operation. Someone with mild laxity may be told that a smaller procedure, or no surgery yet, is the sensible first step.
Usually a good fit
- Jowls that blur the jawline
- Loose neck skin or visible neck bands
- Deep folds from cheek descent
- Non-smoker able to stay about two weeks
May be better to wait
- Pregnant or breastfeeding
- Infection or open lesions on the face
- Uncontrolled blood pressure or a bleeding disorder
- Concern limited to fine lines or pigment
How it works
How a Facelift session runs
Most current facelifts work on two layers. The surgeon frees the skin through an incision that runs along the front of the ear and into the hairline behind it, then tightens the SMAS underneath, either by folding and stitching it (plication) or by raising it as a flap and moving it. Excess skin is trimmed and closed without tension, so the deeper layer, not the skin, carries the lift.
Plication is the less invasive route. Berry and Davies, writing in the Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery in 2010, followed 117 consecutive patients after platysma-SMAS plication: complications occurred in 15.4%, including hematoma in 3.4% and temporary facial nerve weakness in 3.4%, with no lasting palsy. A shorter-scar variant, the mini rhytidectomy reported by Duminy and Hudson in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in 1997, folds the SMAS through a preauricular incision; in their 35 patients there was no facial nerve paresis.
Korean surgical clinics usually set the fee by the scope of the operation rather than by a unit: lower face only, lower face with neck, or a combined procedure, plus the anesthesia method and whether an overnight stay is included. Ask which layer is tightened and how, because two quotes labeled facelift can describe different operations.
Assessment and marking
The surgeon examines jowls, neck bands, fat and skin quality, reviews medicines and blood pressure, and marks the incision lines. Blood tests and a heart tracing are commonly done the day before or that morning.
Anesthesia
General anesthesia or IV sedation with local anesthetic is given, agreed at consultation. Fasting for several hours beforehand is standard.
Lifting the layers
Skin is raised, the SMAS is plicated or repositioned, and the neck may be treated through a small cut under the chin. Operating time is commonly two to four hours depending on scope.
Closure and dressing
Incisions are closed in layers, a thin drain may be placed, and a compression dressing goes on. Many clinics keep patients overnight or ask them to stay nearby for a check the next morning.
Facelift compared with other options
| SMAS facelift | Mini facelift | Thread lift | Focused ultrasound (HIFU) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Approach | Surgery with incisions around the ear | Surgery with a shorter incision | Barbed threads through needle points | Energy delivered through the skin |
| Layer worked on | Skin, SMAS and often platysma | Skin and SMAS of the lower cheek | Fat and soft tissue | Dermis and SMAS by heating |
| Anesthesia | General or IV sedation | Local with sedation | Local | Topical or none |
| Usual downtime | About two weeks of visible healing | About one to two weeks | A few days | Little to none |
| Main effect | Repositions sagging tissue | Moderate jowl correction | Temporary lift | Gradual mild tightening |
At a glance
Facelift facts
| Procedure | Surgical facelift (rhytidectomy), SMAS plication or SMAS flap |
|---|---|
| Layers treated | Skin, SMAS and, if needed, the neck platysma |
| Incision | Front of the ear into the hairline behind it; shorter for a mini facelift |
| Anesthesia | General anesthesia or IV sedation with local anesthetic |
| Operating time | Commonly two to four hours, depending on scope |
| Stitch removal | In stages, roughly days 5 to 10 |
| Visible bruising and swelling | Mostly settles over two to three weeks |
| Final contour | Three to six months |
| Earliest flight home | Often around two weeks, after the last wound check |
Recovery
What the days after look like
The face is wrapped in a compression dressing; tightness is controlled with prescribed pain relief, and you sleep with the head raised.
The dressing and any drain are checked or removed; swelling and bruising build to a peak and the cheeks and ears feel numb.
Stitches in front of the ear come out first, those behind the ear later; short walks and light meals are fine, while bending and lifting are avoided.
Most bruising has faded and makeup can cover the rest; a final check clears you to fly and return to desk work.
Residual swelling along the jaw resolves, numbness fades, scars soften from pink to pale, and the result is judged at this point.
Safety
Facelift risks and limits
- Swelling, bruising, tightness and numbness around the ears and cheeks are expected for weeks.
- Hematoma, a blood collection under the skin, is the most common early complication and may need drainage; high blood pressure raises the risk.
- Temporary weakness of a facial nerve branch can occur; in the 2010 Berry series it affected 3.4% of patients and resolved.
- Smoking increases the chance of poor wound healing and skin loss behind the ear.
- Wide or visible scars, hair loss at the temple incision and earlobe distortion are less common.
- A facelift does not stop aging; tissue keeps descending, and some people later choose a smaller revision.
Evidence
Research behind this page
- Platysma-SMAS plication faceliftJournal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery · 2010 · Berry M, Davies D · doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2009.02.067
In 117 consecutive patients followed prospectively, platysma-SMAS plication had a 15.4% complication rate, including 3.4% hematoma and 3.4% transient facial nerve weakness, with no lasting motor palsy.
- The Mini RhytidectomyAesthetic Plastic Surgery · 1997 · Duminy F, Hudson D · doi:10.1007/s002669900126
A short-scar SMAS plication facelift performed on 35 mostly younger patients over 3.5 years produced no facial nerve paresis or skin necrosis, with two small hematomas and one stretched scar.
- One-year sustainability of brow-lifting proceduresJournal of Plastic, Reconstructive & Aesthetic Surgery · 2023 · Beck H, Egger K, Koller R · doi:10.1016/j.bjps.2022.12.008
Among 36 patients who had upper eyelid surgery with one of three brow-lifting techniques, brow position had descended slightly by 12 months despite overall patient satisfaction.
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 is the difference between a mini facelift and a full facelift?
A mini facelift uses a shorter incision in front of the ear and treats mainly the jowls, while a full facelift extends behind the ear to address the neck as well. The mini version is often done under local anesthesia with sedation and heals a little faster. Duminy and Hudson described it in Aesthetic Plastic Surgery in 1997 as suited to younger patients with early laxity. If your neck is loose, a mini facelift may leave it unchanged.
How uncomfortable is recovery after a facelift?
Most people describe tightness, pressure and numbness rather than sharp pain, and prescribed pain relief usually controls it during the first few days. The feeling of a tight band under the jaw and around the ears is common for one to two weeks. Sleeping with the head raised and avoiding bending reduces swelling and throbbing. Tell the clinic at once if pain suddenly increases on one side, since that can signal a hematoma.
When is it safe to fly home after a facelift?
Many surgeons prefer you to stay around two weeks, until stitches are out and the last wound check is done. Flying earlier is not forbidden in every case, but a hematoma or wound problem is far easier to treat before you leave. Long flights also add swelling and a small clot risk, so walk the aisle and keep drinking water. Book a flexible return ticket in case the surgeon asks you to stay a few more days.
Does a facelift also tighten the neck?
A full facelift usually includes the neck, because the platysma muscle is continuous with the SMAS and can be tightened at the same time. Bands in the middle of the neck may need a small incision under the chin as well. A mini facelift mostly treats the jawline and changes the neck less. Ask the surgeon to show which area each incision reaches so you know what is and is not covered.
Will a facelift lift my brows as well?
No. A standard facelift works on the lower face and neck, so drooping brows need a separate brow procedure, often paired with upper eyelid surgery. Brow lifts also settle with time: Beck and colleagues, in a 2023 Journal of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery study of 36 patients, found the brows had dropped slightly a year after surgery while satisfaction stayed high. Ask whether a brow change is realistic for your face before adding it.
How long does a facelift result last?
Results vary from person to person, but a well-done facelift usually keeps the jawline and neck sharper than they would otherwise be for many years. Aging continues afterward, so the face slowly descends from its new starting point. In the 2010 Berry series, 82.2% of outcome scores had improved or stayed the same at final follow-up. Sun protection, stable weight and not smoking help the result hold.
Am I too young for a facelift at 40?
Age alone does not decide it; the amount of sagging does. People in their forties with defined jowls can be reasonable candidates, often for a shorter-scar procedure with a quicker recovery. Those with mainly volume loss or skin quality concerns usually gain more from other treatments first. Ask the surgeon to explain what would change visibly and what would stay the same, so you can judge whether surgery is worth it now.
What should I check about the surgeon before booking?
Confirm that the person operating is a plastic surgeon who performs facelifts regularly, not only nonsurgical lifting, and that the same surgeon sees you at follow-up visits. Ask where the operation takes place and who handles anesthesia, and request written aftercare in a language you read. Each clinic card on this page shows the details the clinic lists, to confirm in person.