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Deep Plane Facelift | My Beauty Protocol

Deep Plane Facelift

Deep Plane Rhytidectomy

Plain-English name: Deep Facelift

Also known asFull FaceliftSMAS FaceliftLower Face Lift

Educational info only, not medical advice. Ask a qualified provider. Disclaimer · Terms

It lifts the skin and underlying muscle (SMAS) as a single composite unit, correcting deep sagging from its origin for a natural, unpulled result.

Downtime: 4 weeks
Sessions: One
Pain: High
Cost per procedure: Price level 5 of 5
Results last: 10–15 years

Surgery that lifts the deeper layers of the face and neck; long recovery.

Check first: Use of blood-thinning medications or supplements.

Will it work for me?

What people use it for

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Skin types to ask about first

Breakout-proneAsk first

Active breakouts near the cut can raise the risk of infection. Tell your surgeon about acne and any acne medicine.

Before and after your visit

Plan it around your lifeMakeup, sun, workouts — see what fits around your treatment.

The visit

Duration: 3–6 hours
Total course: One surgical procedure

What to expect, and what to avoid

Recovery

2–4 weeks of social downtime

Keep your head raised day and night

14 days

Avoid sun

6 weeks

No makeup

2 weeks

No sweat or heat

6 weeks

Other aftercare

No hard exercise or heavy lifting

Your provider may give you different timing.

Day by day

Before your visit: ask when to start
- Get medical clearance and lab tests first
- Arrange a ride home and someone to help you for 24–48 hours
4–6 weeks before
Stop smoking for 4–6 weeks before
2 weeks before
Stop aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil and vitamin E for 2 weeks before, if your doctor agrees
The day before
Don't eat or drink after midnight the night before, or as your surgeon says
After your visit
- No hard exercise or heavy lifting for 4–6 weeks
- Go to all follow-up visits
- Wear your compression garment
- Follow your surgeon's wound care
- No direct sun for 1 year
- Keep your head raised day and night for 1–2 weeks
- No fish oil or vitamin E for 2 weeks
- The first 72 hours are critical, with peak swelling and bruising. Sutures are typically removed within 5-10 days. Most patients return to work and social activities within 2-3 weeks. Residual swelling can persist for several months. Final results refine over a year as tissues settle.

Side effects, and who should wait

Who may want to think twice

Use of blood-thinning medications or supplements
Smoking (significantly increases risk of complications like skin necrosis)
Uncontrolled medical conditions (e.g., high blood pressure, diabetes)
A history of poor wound healing or keloid scarring
Unrealistic expectations
Pregnancy (planned cosmetic surgery waits until after the baby is born)

Possible side effects

Common

Swelling and bruising (most noticeable in the first 7-14 days)
Numbness or tingling in the face (usually temporary)
Facial tightness or stiffness
Mild to moderate pain or discomfort
Fluid drainage from incisions

Less common

Bleeding under the skin (hematoma), the most common problem
Nerve injury (leading to temporary or, very rarely, permanent facial muscle weakness)
Infection
Significant scarring or keloids
Hair loss around the incision sites
Skin loss or necrosis (tissue death), though the risk is lower than with other facelift techniques

Your own risks may differ. Ask a qualified provider.

How it works, and common myths

The surgeon meticulously releases and repositions the deep facial tissues and skin as one composite unit, restoring youthful contours without tension.

A little more technical

This surgical technique lifts and repositions the facial skin and the underlying muscle layer (SMAS) as a single, composite unit to correct deep sagging and volume loss.

The procedure involves dissection in a plane below the Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System (SMAS), releasing key facial retaining ligaments (zygomatic, masseteric), and repositioning the composite skin-SMAS flap in a superior vector to restore mid-face volume and correct jowling and neck laxity.

Target: Sub-SMAS Dissection; Bypasses the surface skin entirely to lift the deeper structural layer of the face (the SMAS) and the fat pads connected to it.
Mechanism category: Retaining Ligament Release; The key anatomical ligaments anchoring the facial tissue are surgically released, allowing the entire structure to be lifted tension-free.
Clinical descriptor: Deep Plane Rhytidectomy
Permanence / longevity: 10–15 years

Common myths

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Compare with similar treatments

Side by side. The choice is yours.

Often explored alongside this treatment

Combines well with

Brow Lift

Surgery that lifts a low brow or deep forehead lines when other options can't

Downtime: 3 weeks
Pain: Medium
Cost: Price level 5 of 5

Buccal Fat Removal

Surgery that removes some cheek fat for a slimmer lower face

Downtime: 2 weeks
Pain: Medium
Cost: Price level 3 of 5

Eyelid Surgery

Surgery that removes extra eyelid skin or fat

Downtime: 2 weeks
Pain: Medium
Cost: Price level 5 of 5

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