SMAS-rhytidectomy and fractional laser therapy in patients with age-related facial changes

Annotation. Aim – to evaluate the outcomes of the combination of SMAS facelift and fractional laser resurfacing in patients with involutional facial changes. The study included 58 female patients aged 30 to 55 who underwent SMAS facelift combined with fractional CO2 laser resurfacing. SMAS rhytidectomy was performed using the standard technique for lifting soft tissues of the face and neck. The power settings and the number of CO2 laser passes were adjusted individually based on the patient's skin type. Ninety days after surgery, 95% of patients reported high satisfaction with the procedure, 3.5% rated the result as satisfactory, and one patient (1.5%) was dissatisfied. Early postoperative complications were observed in 5 patients (8.6%): hematomas occurred in 5.1%, partial skin flap necrosis in 1.7%, infection in 1.7%, and hyperpigmentation in the laser-treated areas in 1.7%. So, the combination of SMAS facelift and fractional CO2 laser resurfacing is an effective method for correcting facial aging in women aged 30–55 years, providing high patient satisfaction with a low complication rate. The combination of rhytidectomy and laser skin treatment achieves more stable rejuvenation results, making it a reliable choice for patients with mixed signs of skin involution and tissue ptosis. Further research should focus on evaluating the long-term outcomes of this method in a larger cohort, considering different skin types and individual characteristics.