Korean Face Lift

• Layer 01

  Skin & Collagen

  Collagen and elastin production slows, so the skin loses the recoil that once let it snap back into place. Fine lines set into permanent creases and the surface begins to look thin and crepey. This is the layer most visible in the mirror, but it is rarely the layer causing the sagging.

• Layer 02

  Facial Fat Compartments

  The face holds fat in discrete compartments rather than as one even pad. With age the upper compartments shrink while the lower ones slide downward. The result is a hollow temple and flattened front cheek above, and new fullness gathering along the jawline below. Volume has not simply been lost; it has relocated.

• Layer 03

  Muscle & the SMAS

  Beneath the fat lies the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, a continuous sheet of fibrous tissue linking the facial muscles to the skin. As the SMAS lengthens and loses tension, everything it supports descends with it. This is the structural root of jowls and marionette lines, and it is why surface treatments give only limited results once it is involved.

• Layer 04

  Bone & Ligaments

  The facial skeleton slowly resorbs, most noticeably around the eye sockets and the jaw, while the retaining ligaments that anchor soft tissue to bone stretch. The scaffold the face is draped over becomes smaller, so even unchanged soft tissue has further to fall and less to sit on.

Sagging happens at different levels of the face, and the upper, mid and lower face are treated differently. Non-surgical lifting lasers are listed here too.

How It Works

Absorbable Threads, Not Incisions

A thread lift places fine absorbable threads under the skin through a needle or cannula rather than through an incision. Small barbs along each thread grip the soft tissue and hold it in a lifted position, and as the thread is gradually absorbed it provokes a mild collagen response along its path. There is no cutting, no hospitalisation and no general anaesthetic, which is why downtime is measured in days rather than weeks.

Crucially, the threads sit in the skin and the fat just beneath it. They do not reach the SMAS, the layer a surgical lift releases and re-secures, and that is what sets the ceiling on what threads can correct.

At Banobagi this is offered as the V-Line Thread Lift, with the threads and their placement matched to your own skin elasticity and degree of sagging rather than applied to a fixed pattern.

• Where a Thread Lift Works Well

  • Mild to moderate sagging, where the tissue has descended but the skin still has elasticity
  • Softening early jowls and giving the jawline a cleaner line
  • Patients in their 30s and 40s who want to slow visible descent rather than reverse it
  • Anyone who cannot take the recovery time a surgical lift requires
  • Refining the result of a previous lift, or bridging the years before surgery makes sense

• Where a Thread Lift Falls Short

  • It works above the SMAS, so it cannot release and re-secure that layer
  • It repositions skin and fat but removes nothing, so genuine excess skin remains
  • The effect is temporary, and how long it holds depends on the threads, the degree of sagging and your own tissue
  • Advanced sagging pulled with threads alone can look tightened rather than lifted
  • Volume that has been lost is not replaced by lifting it upward

• Brow & Forehead Lift

  • You have deep forehead wrinkles and frown lines
  • You have pronounced lines around the eyes and nasal bridge
  • Your eyelids droop because the forehead skin above them has descended
  • The distance between your eyes and brows has narrowed, making a fold hard to form
  • You are in your 20s or 30s without sagging, but have marked ptosis and puffy-looking lids

• Mid-Face Lift

  • You want to improve an aging mid face specifically
  • A full face lift feels like more than you need
  • Sagging under the eyes and nasolabial folds make you look gloomy
  • You were not satisfied with previous laser or thread lift results
  • You want a lifting option with a minimal incision and quick recovery

• Lower Face Lift

  • Your skin is sagging as its elasticity has reduced
  • You have deep wrinkles and lines across the face
  • Sagging skin and a double chin make the lower face look heavier
  • You want a structural correction rather than a temporary treatment
  • Your skin has sagged following facial contouring surgery

• Elastic Band Lift

  • Your lower face has descended but a lower face lift feels excessive
  • You want the fascia layer supported rather than only the skin
  • A smaller incision range and faster recovery matter to you
  • You would like a result that moves naturally with your expressions

• Non-Surgical Options

  • Your sagging is early and you would rather not have an incision
  • You want to refine your face shape and slow further descent
  • You cannot take time off for surgical recovery right now
  • Your main concern is lost volume rather than descended tissue

• General Requirements

  • You are in good general health with no uncontrolled medical conditions
  • You can stop blood thinners and bleeding-risk supplements before surgery
  • You can stay in Seoul long enough for stitch removal and follow-up
  • You have realistic expectations and have discussed the risks with your surgeon

• What a Deep Plane Facelift Does

  • Releases the retaining ligaments that tether the SMAS to bone
  • Lifts the skin and the SMAS together as one composite flap, rather than tightening them as separate layers
  • Typically treats the mid face and lower face as a single unit
  • Can produce a strong, lasting result when that degree of release is genuinely needed
  • It is one technique, not a synonym for facial surgery in Korea

• What Banobagi Does Instead

  • The lift is chosen by zone: brow and forehead, mid face, or lower face, not always a single full-face flap
  • Forehead and mid-face tissue is released endoscopically and fixed with Endotine on the skull or deep fascia
  • When the lower face has descended, the SMAS is pulled and secured before excess skin is removed
  • Mid-face tissue is lifted vertically so the face is not widened
  • Fixation is spread across multiple points rather than concentrated on a single pull

1. 01

   2–4 Weeks Before Arrival

   • Stop aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E and herbal supplements, as these increase bleeding risk
   • Stop weight-loss medications such as Wegovy or Mounjaro at least 2 weeks before surgery
   • Stop blood thinners at least 1 week before surgery, after consulting your prescribing doctor
   • Tell the clinic about every regular medication, as some need review by the anesthesiologist
   • Avoid alcohol for at least 2 weeks before surgery
   • If you smoke, stop as early as you can, because smoking meaningfully impairs healing after lifting surgery
   • Arrange travel and accommodation near the clinic in Gangnam, Seoul
   • Send pre-consultation photos (front, both sides, and 45-degree angles) to your coordinator
2. 02

   1 Week Before Surgery

   • Complete all pre-operative blood tests and health screening as directed
   • Remove acrylic nails or nail polish, as oxygen saturation is monitored via the fingernails
   • Prepare button-down or zip-up clothing so nothing has to be pulled over your head afterwards
   • Confirm your surgery date and pre-operative consultation time with your coordinator
3. 03

   The Day Before Surgery

   • Fast for 6 to 8 hours before surgery unless your surgeon instructs otherwise
   • Wash your face and hair thoroughly, and apply no creams, makeup or skincare products
   • Get a full night of rest to support your body's healing response
   • Prepare a travel or neck pillow so you can sleep with your head elevated afterwards
   • Charge your phone and download offline entertainment for the rest period after surgery
4. 04

   What to Bring to the Clinic

   • Passport or government-issued photo ID
   • A list of every medication you currently take, prescription or over-the-counter
   • Records of any previous facial surgery, laser or thread lifting you have had
   • A scarf, hat or face mask for covering dressings when you go outside during recovery
   • A companion, or your coordinator's contact details for the journey back

• Board-Certified Specialists

  Lifting is performed by board-certified plastic surgery specialists with extensive clinical experience and accumulated expertise in facial anatomy.

• Real-Name Surgeon System

  The named surgeon you consulted performs your operation from start to finish. Surgical transparency is a stated policy, not an assumption.

• Full-Time Anesthesiologist Team

  A team of stationed anesthesiologists monitors every procedure. Lifting surgery is performed under sedation, so this matters.

• Built for International Patients

  1:1 coordinators, plus help with accommodation and transport, from a team whose expertise with overseas patients has been built over years.

• Full HD Endoscopic Dissection

  Tissue is released under endoscopic view so nerves and blood vessels stay visible throughout, keeping dissection precise and limited to what is needed.

• A Dedicated Lifting Lounge

  A separate, private space for lifting patients, with aesthetic aftercare available through recovery.