Deep plane facelift and necklift

Are you a good candidate?

  • Facelifts are usually not a good option for patients with uncontrolled arterial hypertension, bleeding disorders or blood thinners or any other chronic untreated longstanding condition.

  • Active smokers (up until a month before and after the surgery) have significantly more short-term side effects.

With that out of the way, patients usually fall within one of the three types candidates. Note that the earlier a facelift is performed, the more it lasts.

In all type I and most type II, the scar stops behind the ear depending on neck skin laxity. These patients could also benefit from adjunct procedures such as blepharoplasty, temporal brow lift, lip lift and fat grafting, depending on the case.

The minority of type II and all type III candidates will have an additional horizontal incision below the chin (to treat the central neck), and an extension of the facelift incision in the posterior hairline and hair.

The association of fat grafting, lip lift, blepharoplasty and temporal brow lift will give a comprehensive global approach to reverse the aging process.

    • Early-late 40’s

    • Early jowls

    • Nasolabial fold prominence

    • Slight skin laxity

    • Excess submental fat

A deep plane facelift repositions and tightens what has descended, which is not just skin. In fact, the deeper plane, that contains fat and mimetic muscles in a condensed resistant layer called SMAS, also needs to be repositioned. The ligaments that hold the skin and SMAS are also released so there are no obstacles to the superior-lateral movement of the skin and SMAS.

Deep plane facelift markings

Red line = incisions; Green line = SMAS elevation

  • Under local anesthesia with sedation, or under general anesthesia (depending on patient characteristics)

  • Lasts 3.5 to 5h (depending on adjunct procedures)

  • 10 day recovery period (7 days with swelling/bruises), swelling resolves slowly over 6-8 weeks. Final result at 6 months.

  • No trace of surgery at 4 weeks

  • Pain usually mild and controlled with minimal pain medication

  • Sensitivity of cheek can be diminished for 6 months up to 1 year

  • 1st Follow-up: 24h (showers possible after that)

  • 2nd Follow-up: 6 days (for suture removal)

  • 3rd Follow-up: 3 months

Frequently asked questions in my practice

  • A deep plane facelift repositions the deeper structural layers of the face, particularly the SMAS and its retaining ligaments, rather than relying on skin tightening.

    By releasing and elevating these deeper structures, the lift follows the natural direction of facial descent. This allows for more effective midface elevation, improved jawline definition, and less tension on the skin.

    The goal is not tightness but anatomical repositioning.

  • A facelift does not stop aging, but it definitely helps rewind the clock.

    Because the deeper tissues are repositioned rather than simply tightened, the result tends to age more naturally over time. Most patients enjoy meaningful improvement for many years, depending on skin quality, lifestyle, baseline anatomy, as well as skincare follow-up.

    Longevity is influenced more by structural correction than by skin tension.

  • When properly performed, yes.

    By lifting the cheek and jawline as a unit, rather than pulling skin alone, the transitions between the lower eyelid, midface, and jaw remain smooth.

    A well-executed deep plane facelift should not look “done.”

  • Candidates typically show descent of the midface, jowling, and loss of jawline definition. Skin laxity alone is not the only consideration,

    During consultation, I assess facial proportions, skin quality, and vector of aging to determine whether a deep plane approach is appropriate. This is not an appropriate preventive treatment for facial aging.

    Technique follows anatomy, not trends.

Book your consultation appointment