SMAS Augmentation – SMAS Lip Augmentation

SMAS Lip Augmentation by Dr. Andrew Jacono in New York City.

Lip Augmentation using the Superficial Musculo Aponeurotic System (SMAS)

Lip lifts and lip augmentations are extremely popular procedures that Dr. Andrew Jacono performs in both of his New York locations. Surgical lip lifts are a great way to add volume to lips where there was none to begin with and to restore fullness to lips that have thinned with age.

Dr. Andrew Jacono is a Fellowship Trained Dual Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation procedures. He lectures around the globe on the techniques he has pioneered and is considered to be one of the top facial surgeons in the world by his patients and peers alike.

What is a SMAS Lip Augmentation?

There are many ways that Dr. Jacono can produce fuller lips for his patients using both surgical and non-surgical techniques. One of the types he performs is called SMAS Lip Augmentation and is usually done on patients who are also having a facelift procedure. The term SMAS is an acronym that stands for the superficial musculo-aponeurotic system which is an area of the musculature of the face. This facial muscle structure extends from the platysma, which is muscle fibers from the collarbone to the jaw, to the galea aponeurotica, which is a dense fibrous tissue that covers the upper portion of the skull.

The SMAS lip lift is usually done in conjunction with a SMAS facelift procedure. The reason for this is that the muscle tissue needs to be harvested and the best time to do this is during a rhytidectomy (facelift) procedure. Dr. Jacono will carefully extract the long fibrous tissue in one piece so that he can tailor it for use during the lip augmentation portion of the procedure.

Once the tissue has been harvested, Dr. Jacono will make a small incision on each corner of the mouth which will create a virtually invisible scar that is camouflaged into the natural creases of the mouth. Then he will create an intramuscular tunnel within the top and lower lips to allow for the SMAS tissue to be inserted. The tissue is trimmed to fit the lips perfectly and then carefully placed into each lip. Once Dr. Jacono has shaped each lip to the desired shape and volume, sutures are used to close the incisions.

The procedures will be done under local or twilight sedation anesthesia and should take around 3 to 3.5 hours to complete since the lip lift is combined with a facelift.

SMAS Lip Augmentation Recovery

The recovery period following a SAMS lip Augmentation will be treated as the recovery period from a facelift since both procedures will be done at the same time. Following the procedures, patients will have a full-face bandage, and most are able to return home the same day. The bandage will need to be worn for a full day and removed the following day during the post-surgical follow-up exam with Dr. Jacono. Some bruising and swelling are to be expected and the use of a cold compress can help reduce the swelling. The bruising should naturally go away over the first two weeks. Dr. Jacono will remove all of the sutures by the end of the first week and by week three, most patients are able to return back to normal activities including work, however, extraneous activities including working out should still be avoided a few more weeks.

SMAS Lip Augmentation Candidates

Candidates for SMAS lip Augmentation include men and women who are above the age of forty, in good general health, and looking for full facial rejuvenation including a face and lip lift. The best way to determine if you are a good candidate for this lip lifting procedure is to schedule a consultation with Dr. Jacono. During your consult with him, he will be able to determine what surgical or non-surgical procedures are best suited to meet your cosmetic goals.

SMAS Lip Lift Consultation

To learn more about the SMAS lip lift, or to schedule your in-person consultation with New York’s top facial surgeon Dr. Jacono, please fill out our complimentary online consultation form. If you would prefer to speak to a patient care specialist directly, feel free to call our Long Island office at 516-773-4646 or call our New York City location at 212-570-2500 to schedule your appointment today.

SMAS Lip Augmentation Before and After 1:

This wonderful patient was unhappy with how her lips appeared. Her upper lip was very thin and there was no natural cupids bow. Dr. Jacono performed a SMAS lip augmentation to give her fuller lips that look natural. She is very happy with her results.

SMAS Lip Augmentation Before and After 2:

Due to aging, this middle aged woman felt her lips were becoming too thin. She wanted her lips to be fuller without having to add filler to them. Dr. Jacono used his SMAS lip augmentation procedure to address her concerns. You can see that her upper lip is much more visible and her bottom lip is much fuller.

SMAS Lip Augmentation Before and After 3:

This beautiful patient wanted to plump up her bottom lip and to look natural. Dr. Jacono performed a smas lip augmentation to make both her upper and lower lips to look great. They are much fuller and look very natural.