The First Advanced MACS-Lift Workshop

A week ago I attended this workshop in Ghent Belgium. It was given by two plastic surgeons, Patrick L. Tonnard and Alexis M. Verpale who developed the MACS-Lift and have published two books about it. The workshop was divided into two parts. The first was a didactic session discussing the fine points of the procedure. The second was a live surgical demonstration showing details of the extended MACS-Lift procedure, as well as ancillary procedures (blepharoplasty, temporal brow lift and fat injections) that can be performed to give additional improvement.

The MACS-Lift, or short scar face-lift, is the latest in a series of procedures that have been developed to overcome some of the shortcomings of the traditional face-lift, as well as creating a procedure that involves less surgery, less risk of problems and less recovery time.
Because the tightening pull of the MACS-Lift is almost 100% vertical, it produces a very natural appearance, as contrasted with the angled pull of the traditional face-lift, which frequently produces a "wind tunnel" appearance. Since the MACS-Lift uses the same method for tightening the deeper tissue as does the traditional face-lift, its durability is as great. Finally, because the MACS-Lift involves less tissue undermining and a shorter incision line than the standard face-lift, recovery time is less, as is the risk of complications.
The multiple advantages of the MACS-Lift make it, in my opinion, the procedure of choice for the vast majority of people desiring improvement of the loose skin on the lower one third of the face and neck. The one exception to this rule are the people who have thick skin and a very full neck, who may be better off with a traditional face-lift.

Gerald N. Bock MD
California Skin & Laser Center
Stockton & Lodi, CA

Comments

[san diego plastic surgeon]

Nice article. It is always interesting to see how we evolve not only as people, but as surgeons. New techniques are always on the horizon.