Procedures - Deep Plane Facelift

Deep Plane Facelift

IN WETHERSFIELD, CT

The deep plane facelift is a transformative procedure designed to restore the face and neck structures back to their youthful position. This powerful technique maximizes results while delivering natural, long lasting effects.

Why a Deep Plane Facelift?

This technique creates results which simply cannot be achieved through less advanced styles of facelifting.
By performing tension free lifting, the effect created by the deep plane facelift is more natural appearing than less advanced styles of facelift.
Tension free lifting also allows for better scar healing conditions, reducing the risk of widened or hypertrophic scars.
Because the deep plane facelift technique truly repositions the deeper structures rather than just pulling on them, the effects are much longer lasting.

Understanding Facial Aging

Over time, the cheeks, jowls, and neck begin to sink downward and inward (towards the center of the face). This descent begins to square off the face, disrupt the jawline, and blunt the neckline. While most people think it is the skin which is sagging over time, it is really the deeper support structures, namely the SMAS in the face and the platysma muscle in the neck. As these deeper structures descend over time, the skin overlying them descends as well, leading to the bunching and redundancy of skin that we see as aging.

The SMAS, which is the most important structure related to facial aging, is a connective tissue sling that runs from the area in front of the ear all the way to the nasolabial fold and marionette lines around the mouth. Aging of the SMAS is not a uniform process however. If you look at most people, the area directly in front of the ear has not sagged one bit. That is because the SMAS is densely adherent to underlying structures in this area and is not prone to sagging. As you move inward towards the central cheek, that is when we begin to see the effects of aging as the downward and inward descent of the SMAS begins. Good facelifting will aim to address this area of sagging while minimizing the disruption of the area in front of the ear which remains fixed.

Similarly, in the neck the platysma muscle is quite fixed along the side of the neck in the area just below the ear lobe. As you move towards the center of the neck, the platysma begins to loosen, splay, and sag with time. These changes disrupt the normal neck line and can lead to the look of skin redundancy in the central neck. The deep plane facelift procedure includes correction of the neck changes as well.

Understanding Facial Aging

Over time, the cheeks, jowls, and neck begin to sink downward and inward (towards the center of the face). This descent begins to square off the face, disrupt the jawline, and blunt the neckline. While most people think it is the skin which is sagging over time, it is really the deeper support structures, namely the SMAS in the face and the platysma muscle in the neck. As these deeper structures descend over time, the skin overlying them descends as well, leading to the bunching and redundancy of skin that we see as aging.

The SMAS, which is the most important structure related to facial aging, is a connective tissue sling that runs from the area in front of the ear all the way to the nasolabial fold and marionette lines around the mouth. Aging of the SMAS is not a uniform process however. If you look at most people, the area directly in front of the ear has not sagged one bit. That is because the SMAS is densely adherent to underlying structures in this area and is not prone to sagging. As you move inward towards the central cheek, that is when we begin to see the effects of aging as the downward and inward descent of the SMAS begins. Good facelifting will aim to address this area of sagging while minimizing the disruption of the area in front of the ear which remains fixed.

Similarly, in the neck the platysma muscle is quite fixed along the side of the neck in the area just below the ear lobe. As you move towards the center of the neck, the platysma begins to loosen, splay, and sag with time. These changes disrupt the normal neck line and can lead to the look of skin redundancy in the central neck. The deep plane facelift procedure includes correction of the neck changes as well.

The Difference is in the Technique

The power of the deep plane facelift is that it is a technique which maximizes the effects on the parts of the face and neck which have sagged, while limiting trauma to the skin and portions of the face which have not sagged. Almost all other facelift techniques rely solely on tension for their lift. These techniques are based on a concept of trying to exert tension on the fixed part of the SMAS (the part in front of the ear) in order to lift the part which has actually sagged (the part closer to the middle of the face). Tension should be the enemy in facelift surgery. Tension causes distortion of the face which can contribute to the undesirable, windswept look. Tension fails over time as the stitches used under the surface begin to give way, leading to more short term results. Tension creates poor conditions for healing, contributing to conspicuous scarring along the incisions.

The deep plane facelift technique avoids these pitfalls by bypassing the fixed SMAS and exerting its lift directly on the part of the SMAS that has sagged over time. This is achieved by making an incision into the SMAS under the surface, and completely freeing the portion that has sagged with time. The dissection under the SMAS is what constitutes the "deep plane". Once the SMAS is completely mobilized it can passively be brought back into its natural position and stitched into place, without any tension.

Tension-free, deep plane facelift surgery creates long lasting, natural results while maintaining skin quality and allowing for the best healing conditions for scars.

The Difference is in the Technique

The power of the deep plane facelift is that it is a technique which maximizes the effects on the parts of the face and neck which have sagged, while limiting trauma to the skin and portions of the face which have not sagged. Almost all other facelift techniques rely solely on tension for their lift. These techniques are based on a concept of trying to exert tension on the fixed part of the SMAS (the part in front of the ear) in order to lift the part which has actually sagged (the part closer to the middle of the face). Tension should be the enemy in facelift surgery. Tension causes distortion of the face which can contribute to the undesirable, windswept look. Tension fails over time as the stitches used under the surface begin to give way, leading to more short term results. Tension creates poor conditions for healing, contributing to conspicuous scarring along the incisions.

The deep plane facelift technique avoids these pitfalls by bypassing the fixed SMAS and exerting its lift directly on the part of the SMAS that has sagged over time. This is achieved by making an incision into the SMAS under the surface, and completely freeing the portion that has sagged with time. The dissection under the SMAS is what constitutes the "deep plane". Once the SMAS is completely mobilized it can passively be brought back into its natural position and stitched into place, without any tension.

Tension-free, deep plane facelift surgery creates long lasting, natural results while maintaining skin quality and allowing for the best healing conditions for scars.

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Know before you go

Making the decision to further explore plastic surgery can be daunting. This is why we work hard to create a patient experience that focuses heavily on patient education & support. After inquiring you can expect:

A phone consultation with Erin, our patient care coordinator specialist. During this consultation she will learn more about you and your areas of concern. She will review your options in detail, including technique, downtime, and costs. Together you will decide if we feel like a good fit, and schedule an in person consultation.
Your in person consultation will be a deep dive into the facial aging process, facial anatomy, discussion of surgical techniques, and reviewing the post-operative course in detail. Together we will craft the perfect solutions for you.
We try to make surgical scheduling a breeze. We handle all of the communications and payments with the surgery center and anesthesiology team. We encourage you to bring your calendar and potential dates that work well for you. A 20% fully refundable deposit is all that is needed to secure your ideal date.
During your pre-operative visit, we make sure you are 100% prepared for your surgical journey. We go over the post-operative care kit containing everything you will need for your post-surgical care. We also take pre-operative photographs and go through all the surgical consents.

Post recovery tips

We find that for the vast majority of our patients the post-surgical course is well tolerated and well prepared for. Some expectations for the immediate postoperative course are:

The downtime is typically 2-3 weeks for most patients. After this time the average person should have no idea that you had anything done. Any obvious signs of surgery have resolved by this point.
For most patients this tends not to be a terribly uncomfortable procedure. The vast majority of our patients use non-narcotic pain control alone with Tylenol and Ibuprofen. Occasionally patients may require something stronger if the over the counter medicines are not enough, in these cases we may prescribe a mild narcotic pain medicine.
We closely follow all of our patients through their post-surgical course. Typically we see deep plane facelift patients at 1 day, 5 days, 14 days, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year after surgery. During each of these visits we are carefully inspecting all aspects of the surgery and ensure the best possible results.
We perform laser resurfacing of your incisions at 6 weeks and 3 months as well as review skin care at 3 weeks to maximize your surgical results.

What is the average downtime after a deep plane facelift?

While downtime can vary patient to patient, most are socially presentable in 2-3 weeks. At that time the average person would not be able to tell that you've had anything done. The finer details usually take about 2-3 months to really show.

Is a deep plane facelift painful?

For most patients the pain after a deep plane facelift is very manageable with non-narcotic pain medication. We recommend alternating Tylenol and Ibuprofen every three hours. Pain is experienced on a spectrum however, and some patients do require additional pain control. In these cases we may prescribe a light narcotic pain medication for 2-3 days.

Can a facelift be done without scars?

While there are differences in how long a facelift incision must be depending on the patient, there is always a scar anytime you make an incision on the body. One of the many benefits to a deep plane facelift is that it is a tension free procedure. Lifting without tension creates the best conditions possible for healing. We also treat our scars at 6 weeks and three months with our lasers. Most patients end up with a fine white line that is nearly imperceptible.

What procedures are typically performed with a deep plane facelift?

Facial aging is a process that happens in unison throughout the face, therefore most patients find that they are good candidates for complementary procedures. These include browlifting, eyelid lifts (blepharoplasty), lip lifts, and fat grafting. Each patient's plan will be uniquely tailored to meet their needs.

Complimentary Procedures

Upper Blepharoplasty

Lip Lift

Autologous fat grafting

Brow lift

Karter Advanced Facial Plastic Surgery

249 Main St
Wethersfield, CT 06109

Hours of Operation
Monday - Thursday 8:00am to 4:00pm
Friday 8:00am to 3:00pm

Contact Us
karterplasticsurgery@gmail.com
(860) 775-5595

Start your surgical journey

A free consultation with Erin, our Patient Care Coordinator, is the first step along your surgical journey. Appointments are available either online or in person; please note your preference when requesting an appointment. Appointment days and times will be confirmed via a phone call. If you cannot find a day or time that works for you, please reach out to our office directly at 860-775-5595. Consultations with Dr. Karter will be scheduled during this initial meeting.