SMAS and muscle
The deep architectural layer that supports everything above it.
The deepest soft-tissue layer above the bone
The SMAS, or superficial musculoaponeurotic system, is a continuous fibromuscular layer that wraps the face and connects the facial muscles to the overlying skin. It is the anatomical layer that surgeons address in a deep-plane facelift, and it is the layer that focused ultrasound technologies are designed to reach non-surgically.
A fibrous sheet interwoven with the muscles of facial expression. It is continuous with the platysma in the neck and with the temporoparietal fascia in the temples.
The structural framework that transmits muscle movement to the skin and supports the soft tissues of the midface, jawline and neck.
Provides deep structural support to the face.
Anchors and connects the muscles of facial expression to the overlying skin.
Plays a central role in how the face holds its shape over time.
- The SMAS and its attachments may loosen with age, which is associated with descent of the cheeks, deepening of the nasolabial folds and softening of the jawline.
- Repeated muscle movement, in combination with changes in deeper layers, can contribute to the appearance of established lines.
- Focused ultrasound approaches designed to deliver energy at this depth to stimulate the body's natural tightening response.
- Neuromodulator categories, which act on the muscle layer to soften dynamic expression lines, considered only after consultation.
Discuss your skin in person.
Request a ConsultationGeneral information only. Not medical advice. All cosmetic procedures carry risks. A consultation with a registered medical practitioner is required prior to any treatment.