The face is how we present ourselves to the world - it communicates age, health, emotion, and identity. As the years pass, the natural ageing process causes the skin to lose elasticity, facial fat to descend, and the underlying tissues to sag. The result is jowling along the jawline, deep nasolabial folds, neck laxity, and an overall loss of the youthful facial architecture. A facelift - performed by a skilled, experienced plastic surgeon - can authentically restore these features and turn back the clock without sacrificing your natural appearance.
At Avané Plastic Surgery Nairobi, Dr. Shaban Saidi performs facelifts using advanced SMAS-based and deep-plane techniques that address the true anatomical causes of facial ageing - not merely the skin surface. The result is a naturally refreshed, youthful appearance that reflects who you are, not someone who has had surgery.
What Does a Facelift Address?
A facelift (rhytidectomy) primarily addresses the lower two-thirds of the face and the neck. Specific improvements include:
- Jowls - the descent of facial tissue along and below the jawline
- Deep nasolabial folds (lines from nose to mouth corners)
- Marionette lines (lines from mouth corners downward)
- Neck laxity and vertical neck bands (platysmal bands)
- Loss of definition along the jawline
- Hollowing and descent of the midface (cheeks)
For concerns of the upper face - drooping brows, forehead lines, or eyelid changes - a facelift is typically combined with a brow lift and/or blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) to address the full facial picture comprehensively.
Why Technique Matters: SMAS vs. Deep-Plane Facelift
The most important differentiator in modern facelift surgery is the depth and extent of the dissection - in other words, which anatomical layers are addressed.
Skin-Only (Subcutaneous) Facelift - Outdated
Older facelift techniques simply pulled the skin. While initially effective, skin-only results are short-lived and produce an unnatural, "wind-swept" appearance as the skin is under tension. This technique is no longer advocated by experienced plastic surgeons.
SMAS Facelift
The SMAS (Superficial Musculo-Aponeurotic System) is a fibromuscular layer beneath the skin that connects to the facial muscles. SMAS-based facelifts manipulate this deeper layer - either through plication (folding), imbrication (overlapping), or SMASectomy (partial removal) - allowing the face to be repositioned structurally rather than superficially. The skin is then redraped without tension. Results are more natural, longer-lasting, and more powerful than skin-only approaches.
Deep-Plane Facelift
The deep-plane technique elevates the SMAS and the overlying skin as a single composite flap, releasing the retaining ligaments that tether facial tissue. This allows the entire midface and jowl complex to be repositioned - providing the most powerful and longest-lasting rejuvenation available. It is particularly beneficial for patients with significant midface descent, deep nasolabial folds, and advanced jowling. Dr. Saidi employs this technique selectively for patients whose anatomy and degree of ageing will benefit most from this approach.
The Avané Approach: Dr. Saidi tailors his facelift technique to each patient's anatomy and goals. Not every patient requires a deep-plane procedure - for some, a SMAS-based facelift combined with appropriate complementary procedures delivers the ideal outcome. During your consultation, he will recommend the most appropriate plan for your specific facial anatomy and desired outcome.
The Facelift Procedure at Avané Plastic Surgery Nairobi
Facelift surgery at Avané is performed under general anaesthesia or deep sedation in a fully equipped surgical facility. Incisions are carefully placed within natural skin creases and hairlines - typically beginning in the temporal hairline, curving around the ear, and continuing into the posterior hairline - to ensure they are as inconspicuous as possible.
The deeper facial structures are then addressed according to the chosen technique, the face and neck are repositioned, excess skin is conservatively removed, and incisions are closed meticulously in layers. A light dressing is applied, and a surgical drain may be placed overnight to reduce fluid accumulation.
The procedure typically takes 3–6 hours depending on complexity and any concurrent procedures such as blepharoplasty or brow lift.
Complementary Procedures for Comprehensive Facial Rejuvenation
A facelift is often just one component of a comprehensive facial rejuvenation plan. Commonly combined procedures at Avané include:
- Blepharoplasty - upper eyelid lifting and/or lower eyelid bag removal to address periocular ageing
- Brow lift - to elevate a descended brow and smooth horizontal forehead lines
- Fat grafting - to restore lost facial volume in the cheeks, temples, and periorbital areas
- Laser resurfacing or skin tightening - to address skin texture, fine lines, and sun damage
- Neck liposuction - to reduce submental fat beneath the chin alongside the facelift
To learn whether a facelift in Nairobi is right for you, and to discover which technique and complementary procedures will best achieve your goals, book a consultation with Dr. Shaban Saidi at Avané Plastic Surgery Nairobi.
