Faculty in MAFAC ASAPS Miami 2023
Faculty in MAFAC ASAPS Miami 2023
This is an original article written by Dr. Minhee Ryu from RNWOOD Plastic Surgery in Seoul, South Korea, translated in English for convenience:
Dr. Minhee Ryu served as a Faculty Member at the MAFAC (Mendelson Advanced Facial Anatomy Course) during the ASAPS Annual Meeting in Miami, USA, held from April 19–23, 2023.
Assigned as a dissection tutor, Dr. Ryu guided U.S. board-certified plastic surgeons through facelift anatomy and shared insights on sub-SMAS techniques and Asian facial structures. The event featured leading experts, including Dr. Jerry O’Daniel, whose deep neck dissection demonstration was especially notable. The conference’s Deep Plane Facelift sessions reflected evolving global perspectives on facial rejuvenation, prompting valuable academic dialogue. Dr. Ryu continues to serve as MAFAC Faculty for upcoming 2023 courses in Rochester and Amsterdam, contributing to the advancement of facial anatomy and aesthetic surgery worldwide.
Please enjoy the full article below:
The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS) Annual Meeting was held in Miami, USA, from April 19 to 23, 2023. On the 20th, the Cadaver Dissection Workshop, MAFAC (Mendelson Advanced Facial Anatomy Course), took place, and I participated as a faculty member. Since 2016, I have been participating every year, except during the COVID-19 period.
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I was assigned to Group 5 as a dissection tutor:
At each table, there were two specimens and four participants, all of whom were board-certified plastic surgeons from the United States. The MAFAC Course is generally divided into a one-day format and a three-day format. When held in conjunction with ASAPS, it is conducted as a one-day course, with the program condensed to focus on facelift-related content and hands-on practice. In contrast, the three-day course covers comprehensive facial anatomy and theoretical aspects. In my group, three participants were attending MAFAC for the first time, while one was attending for the second time. Since cadaver dissection is extremely valuable for gaining a deeper understanding of facial anatomy and becoming more proficient with facelift techniques, many participants attend MAFAC repeatedly.
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While faithfully following the prepared program, I also shared my own tips, such as the sub-SMAS approach, preservation of the facial nerve, and the use of surgical instruments, which added further value to the session. The participants also showed interest in my paper, so I shared it with them and we had additional discussions. They found it very interesting that the facial structure and tissue characteristics of Asian patients differ from those of Western patients, as do surgical techniques and aesthetic concepts. This is actually one of my main academic focuses, so there was quite a bit to talk about. I believe the American surgeons were also particularly interested because of the growing demand from Asian patients. We successfully completed the course, and I told them to feel free to reach out anytime if they visit Seoul or Beijing.
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Having served as MAFAC Faculty for eight years, I have had many opportunities to closely observe Dr. Mendelson. His generosity, openness, and inclusive spirit have always left a strong impression on me. The organizational culture of MAFAC is also something I take pride in—it is open, flexible, and respectful of different masters’ theories and techniques, while maintaining an open mind to absorb the latest knowledge and continuously evolve. With Dr. Mendelson providing a solid foundation, the growth of younger faculty members and the contributions of invited faculty have driven ongoing innovation.
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In the past, the MAFAC Invited Guest Faculty have included Dr. Sam Hamra, Dr. Andrew Jacono, Dr. Giovanni Botti, and Dr. Daniel Labbe. This time, Dr. Jerry O’Daniel was invited, and he gave an outstanding demonstration on Deep Neck Anatomy and Surgery. He made a very difficult procedure look remarkably simple, and his lecture revealed his profound expertise. Afterward, I sought him out personally to express my gratitude for the invaluable learning experience, and we shared a warm exchange.
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At the MAFAC Faculty dinner, we were joined by representatives from QMP Publishing as well as Prof. Al Aly, Prof. James Grotting, and Dr. CC Kao. The occasion also served as a book meeting for Dr. Mendelson’s upcoming masterpiece on facial anatomy and facelift surgery, which is scheduled to be published at the end of this year. I was given a small role in the project as well and am currently preparing for it.
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This year’s Facelift Session focused primarily on discussions around the Deep Plane. Across various social media platforms, the enthusiasm surrounding hashtags such as #deepplane and #deepplanefacelift has been remarkable. The Deep Plane Facelift itself is not a new technique, but rather a redefined concept. It was first mentioned by Dr. Tord Skoog in 1974, later formally adopted by Dr. Hamra in 1992, and has now gained wide popularity—led by Dr. Andrew Jacono—in the United States, Europe, Australia, and South America. It truly represents a paradigm shift. Initially, the terminology referred merely to the name of the procedure, but now it encompasses the broader sub-SMAS dissection, with its concept and definition significantly expanded. Of course, interpretations vary, and the terminology can certainly be confusing.
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During the Keynote Lecture and the panel discussion titled “Deep Dive into Deep Plane Facelift,” I found that some speakers shared views similar to mine, while others had different interpretations. Two presentations in particular left a lasting impression on me. The first was by Dr. Timothy Marten, whose work had greatly influenced me in the past. However, in this session, he adhered strictly to Dr. Hamra’s original concept of the Deep Plane, presenting his arguments without adaptation over time. His resistance to acknowledging or addressing newer perspectives was somewhat disappointing, and the talk felt underwhelming compared to his reputation, even sparking minor controversy.
The second was by Dr. James Stuzin, whose presentation did not offer much novelty and mainly reiterated his previous theories and techniques. Back in 2018, I published a paper pointing out the anatomical inconsistencies in his work, specifically regarding the relationship between the SMAS, orbicularis oculi muscle (OOM), and zygomaticus major muscle (ZMM), and how this should be applied in surgery. Anatomically, since the OOM completely overlays the ZMM, one cannot expose the ZMM without dissecting the OOM. However, he claimed the ZMM could be visualized without OOM dissection, which is contradictory. This caused much confusion, leading me to conduct my own study to objectively clarify their anatomical relationship. I presented the findings at the 2017 American meeting and later published them as an original article the following year. Trends evolve and new issues continually emerge, and this session gave me an opportunity to reflect on my own perspective and how I should respond within this ongoing process of evolution.
In 2023, MAFAC will be held a total of four times: April in Miami, August at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, October in Brisbane, and December in Amsterdam. I am honored to be joining as Faculty again in both the August Mayo Clinic MAFAC—where I will also be giving a presentation—and the December Amsterdam MAFAC. It is a great privilege to contribute as part of the Mendelson Group Faculty to the historical development of facial anatomy and rejuvenation surgery.
Dr. Minhee Ryu, M.D.
RNWOOD Plastic Surgery
Seoul, South Korea
(Source: https://blog.naver.com/rejuvemaster/223095741971 )
Dr. Minhee Ryu is a World-Class FACELIFT Specialist and Global Educator, who is deeply committed to sharing his facial rejuvenation surgery and anatomy expertise. As a lecturer, tutor, and demonstrator, he is invited to deliver DEEP PLANE FACELIFT presentations and perform live surgery and cadaver dissection Demonstrations in more than 15 countries, including Korea, the US, Europe, Singapore, Australia, Japan, and beyond.
Recognized worldwide for his expertise in DEEP PLANE FACELIFT, Dr. Ryu is a Faculty Member at MAFAC since 2016, a guest Faculty Member at Mayo Clinic since 2023, and an Editorial Board Member for the Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Journal (SCI) since 2019. He is an active member of KSPRS, ASPS, ASAPS, and ISAPS. As a global top-tier leader in Facelifts, Dr. Minhee Ryu makes dedicated contributions to academic advancement and surgical education.
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