Kris Jenner got a facelift. She confirmed it herself. And then the internet decided it was already falling apart.
The “slipping” headlines spread fast. Before-and-after comparisons circulated. Opinions came from everywhere, mostly from people who didn’t know what procedure she actually had.
What Jenner had wasn’t a standard facelift. It was a specific technique, chosen for specific reasons, on a face that had already been operated on once before. That context changes everything.
This article breaks down the Kris Jenner facelift, what was done, how it works, and what those photos actually show.
What Did Kris Jenner Do to Her Face?
Kris Jenner had a lateral SMASectomy and deep neck lift performed by New York plastic surgeon Dr. Steven Levine.
She later confirmed the procedure during her Vogue Arabia cover interview, describing it as a “refresh” rather than a dramatic transformation.
The procedure was not her first facelift, but a second one that built on the work she had done around 15 years earlier, which is why the discussion around the Kris Jenner face lift is different from a first-time facelift case.
Her goal was to be “the best version” of herself. She was not looking to completely change her appearance or create a new face. Instead, the focus was on making targeted corrections while working with a face that had already undergone previous surgery.
The techniques used also explain why this type of facelift can create a more refined result.
- Lateral SMASectomy works on the deeper structural layer beneath the skin to tighten and support the lower face and jawline.
- A deep neck lift addresses the muscles along the front of the neck.
Together, they treat the lower face and neck as one connected area rather than two separate concerns.
What is a Lateral SMASectomy, and How Is It Different from a Deep Plane Facelift?
Much of the confusion around Kris Jenner’s facelift comes from people assuming she had a deep-plane facelift. She didn’t, and that difference explains why her results look the way they do.
What the SMAS Layer Is and Why It Matters
The SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) is a layer of fibromuscular tissue that lies beneath your skin and fat. It connects the deeper facial muscles to the overlying skin.
It’s the reason faces sag the way they do with age. Skin alone doesn’t fall; the SMAS loses tone, and everything attached to it follows.
That’s why surgeons work at this layer rather than just pulling skin. Tightening skin without addressing the SMAS produces results that look stretched and don’t last.
Lateral SMASectomy vs. Deep Plane Facelift: What Each One Does
A lateral SMASectomy and a deep plane facelift may sound similar, but they work in different ways. The table below shows how their techniques, treatment areas, and goals compare.
| Feature | Lateral SMASectomy | Deep Plane Facelift |
|---|---|---|
| Main approach | Removes a strip of SMAS tissue along the side of the face | Releases and repositions the SMAS layer with its supporting ligaments |
| Primary goal | Tightens the lower face and improves jowling | Restores deeper facial descent, including midface changes |
| Tissue movement | Creates tension by removing and tightening targeted SMAS tissue | Moves the SMAS and deeper structures as one unit |
| Treatment area | Focuses mainly on the lower face and jawline | Extends into the midface and affects the nasolabial folds |
| Depth of surgery | More targeted and does not disturb deeper tissue planes | A deeper approach involving the release of facial ligaments |
| Best suited for | People with lower face laxity and early jowling concerns | People with midface descent and deeper folds needing correction |
| Main difference | Tightens a specific area through SMAS removal | Repositions deeper facial structures for broader correction |
Understanding the difference matters because judging one procedure by the goals of another can create unrealistic expectations. A targeted lift is not a failed deep plane lift.
What Does the Deep Neck Lift Add, and Why Was It Paired with the SMASectomy?
The neck lift is the part of Jenner’s procedure that gets the least attention, but it plays a major role in how the overall result comes together.
How a Deep Neck Lift Improves Jawline Definition
A deep neck lift focuses on the platysma, a thin muscle that runs along the front of the neck. With age, this muscle can loosen and separate in the middle, creating vertical neck bands and reducing the sharp angle between the jaw and neck.
Lifting the lower face without treating the neck can create an uneven result. The jawline may look tighter, while the area beneath it still shows looseness. That contrast can make the procedure look less natural.
By combining a SMASectomy with a deep neck lift, both areas are treated together. This helps create a smoother transition from the jawline to the neck, rather than correcting one area while leaving the other behind.
Why Anatomy Affects the Final Neck Lift Result
The final neck lift result also depends on your anatomy. A stronger chin and a naturally defined jaw-to-neck angle give the surgeon more structure to work with.
Someone with a softer profile may still improve, but the change will naturally be more limited. But that doesn’t mean the surgery failed. It means facial structure plays a role in how much correction is possible.
Jenner’s anatomy is well suited for this type of procedure, which helps explain why the result appears balanced.
Kris Jenner Before and After Plastic Surgery: What the Photos Actually Show
Tissue settling after 12 months is a normal part of healing. It does not automatically mean a facelift has failed. That distinction explains why many discussions around Jenner’s results missed the bigger picture.
After an SMAS-based procedure, the face goes through several stages of healing. During the first three to six months, swelling can make the results look tighter and more lifted than they actually the.
As the swelling fades, the tissues settle into their new position. The face naturally becomes softer and less dramatic.
When people compare an early post-op photo with a one-year result, the change can look like the lift has “dropped,” but that is often just part of normal healing.
Why Early and Later Photos Can Be Misleading
The key difference is between normal settling and a real surgical issue.
- Settling refers to the tissues adapting after surgery.
- A failed procedure involves problems with technique or support.
Photos alone can make those two situations look similar, but they are not the same.
Plastic surgeons who reviewed Jenner’s results generally described the changes as consistent with normal healing for this type of procedure.
Jenner also pushed back against the reports, calling them false and publicly supporting Dr. Levine. The photos show a change over time, but they do not tell the same story the headlines claimed.
What Kris Jenner’s Case Tells You If You’re Considering a Similar Procedure
Jenner’s facelift gets talked about as a celebrity story. It’s actually a useful case study if you know what to take from it.
- Targets lower-face aging: The lateral SMASectomy is a targeted procedure that works well for lower-face laxity, jowling, and loss of jawline definition.
- Not for every concern: It does not address midface volume loss or deep nasolabial folds. Those concerns may require a different technique or a combination approach.
- A secondary facelift is more complex: The “refresh” framing matters because the procedure works on tissue that has already been repositioned. Scar tissue and changed anatomy affect what is possible, healing, and long-term results.
- The 15-year gap matters: Jenner’s first facelift was roughly 15 years earlier. Previously repositioned tissue ages differently, with changes in laxity patterns and skin quality.
- Age affects surgical decisions: A surgeon evaluating a secondary facelift at 70 approaches it differently than a first-time facelift at 55.
None of this means the procedure is riskier or less effective. It simply means the variables are different, and your surgeon’s assessment of your anatomy matters more than any celebrity comparison.
Kris Jenner face lift results show what this technique can achieve in the right candidate, but they are a reference point, not a guarantee.
Conclusion
Kris Jenner’s facelift became a news story. Beneath the noise, it’s a clear example of how a well-matched surgical technique performs in the right candidate.
The lateral SMASectomy addressed the lower face and jawline, while the deep neck lift refined the area below it. Together, they achieved the intended result, and the 12-month photos show a healed outcome rather than a failed procedure.
The “slipping” narrative made sense to people who didn’t know what the procedure was built to achieve. Now you do.
If you’re considering a similar correction, use this as a starting point, then have that conversation with a qualified surgeon who can assess your specific anatomy. A celebrity result is a reference, not a roadmap.
Frequently Asked Questions
What Did Kris Jenner Get Done on Her Face?
Kris Jenner had a lateral SMASectomy and deep neck lift performed by Dr. Steven Levine in New York. She described it as a “refresh” of a facelift she’d had 15 years earlier, a targeted correction of lower face and neck laxity, not a full facial repositioning.
Is a Lateral SMASectomy the Same as A Deep Plane Facelift?
No. A lateral SMASectomy removes a strip of SMAS tissue along the side of the face to tighten the lower face and jawline. A deep plane facelift releases and repositions the entire SMAS layer, including the midface. They target different concerns and are chosen for different anatomies.
Why Do Kris Jenner’s Before-and-After Photos Look so Different Now?
Early post-op swelling makes results look tighter and more elevated than they will at full healing. As swelling resolves over 6–12 months, tissues settle into their permanent position, and the result softens. That’s normal healing, not a sign that anything went wrong.
Is Kris Jenner’s Facelift Really Slipping?
Plastic surgeons who reviewed her photos say no. What the images show is consistent with normal tissue settling at 12 months, an expected part of SMAS-based facelift healing. Jenner herself called the reports a “flat-out lie” and publicly defended her surgeon’s work.
