{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,3,17]],"date-time":"2026-03-17T07:18:46Z","timestamp":1773731926449,"version":"3.50.1"},"reference-count":32,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,4]],"date-time":"2026-01-04T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1767484800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Projekt DEAL"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Medicina"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background and Objectives: According to the PRISMA guidelines, this meta-analysis evaluates the outcomes of deep Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System (SMAS) lift versus Minimal Access Cranial Suspension (MACS) lift techniques in facelift surgery. Materials and Methods: We reviewed literature that included 20 studies involving a total of 7716 patients, of which four studies met our inclusion criteria, focusing on 286 patients (MACS n: 186 and SMAS n: 100). Our analysis assessed surgical duration, complications, pain levels, and aesthetic results. Results: Although both techniques yielded comparable aesthetic outcomes and postoperative complications, the MACS lift demonstrated a significantly shorter surgical duration (SMD = 2.05; 95% CI [1.61\u20132.48]; p &lt; 0.00001, I2 = 0%) which has high impact on patient recovery, risk of complications and cost-effectiveness. Conclusions: The findings underscore the need for further research into varying techniques to solidify their efficacy and safety profiles.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/medicina62010112","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,5]],"date-time":"2026-01-05T08:40:53Z","timestamp":1767602453000},"page":"112","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Comparison of Deep SMAS Lift and MACS in Facelift: A Meta-Analysis"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"62","author":[{"given":"Alireza","family":"Pandkhahi","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Medical Research School Duesseldorf, Heinrich-Heine-University Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Najme","family":"Zare","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Rusk\u00e1 87, 100 00 Prague, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-2523-1608","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ali Mohammad","family":"Karimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Katerinsk\u00e1 32, 121 08 Prague, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Alireza","family":"Ghafouriansamedanimashhad","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Third Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Rusk\u00e1 87, 100 00 Prague, Czech Republic"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9869-188X","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Hamid","family":"Karimi","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran 14166, Iran"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Andrea","family":"Alexander","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery (A), Heinrich-Heine-University, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wolfram Trudo","family":"Knoefel","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery (A), Heinrich-Heine-University, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Sascha","family":"Vaghiri","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Surgery (A), Heinrich-Heine-University, Medical Faculty and University Hospital Duesseldorf, Moorenstr. 5, 40225 Duesseldorf, Germany"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,1,4]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"676e","DOI":"10.1097\/PRS.0000000000001695","article-title":"Face Lift","volume":"136","author":"Wan","year":"2015","journal-title":"Plast. 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