Your Harley Street Deep Plane Facelift

Comparing deep plane facelift surgery with other types helps determine the best procedure for you.

The best facelift type varies from one person to another. Hence, it helps to know the differences between my signature deep plane facelift and other types of facelift.

Deep Plane Facelift vs. Skin-Only Facelift

Surgeons used to do facelift procedures by operating on the skin only, making the skin-only facelift one of the most traditional types of facelift.

As its name implies, the skin-only facelift involves operating on the skin. It does not lift the tissue beneath it. On the other hand, the deep plane facelift involves operating under the supportive layer of the face.

The skin-only facelift produces instant results. Recovery time (1 to 2 weeks) is shorter than that of a deep plane facelift. However, the results of my signature deep plane facelift last longer than those of a skin-only facelift.

Deep Plane Facelift vs. SMAS Facelift

SMAS stands for the superficial muscular aponeurotic system. Hence, the SMAS facelift targets the said area.

Just like the deep plane facelift, the SMAS facelift also targets the lower two-thirds of the face.

However, the primary difference is the SMAS facelift raises the skin and SMAS layer separately. The deep plane facelift raises them together.

Recovering from an SMAS facelift UK takes longer than recovering from a deep plane facelift. In particular, it takes 3 to 8 weeks. The results of my signature deep plane facelift also last longer than those of an SMAS facelift.

Deep Plane Facelift vs. MACS Facelift

MACS stands for minimal access cranial suspension. A MACS facelift targets the underlying muscles of the face.

The deep plane facelift targets a larger area compared to a MACS facelift. Recovery time (3 to 4 weeks) is slightly longer compared to my signature deep plane facelift. The results of my signature deep plane facelift last longer as well.

Deep Plane Facelift vs. Mini Facelift

A mini facelift is done by making tiny incisions on the face. Since the incisions are small, a mini facelift produces less dramatic results compared to my signature deep plane facelift.

In addition, a mini facelift only involves the skin. On the contrary, the deep plane facelift involves the skin and supportive layer of the face.

You can recover from a mini facelift (1 to 3 weeks) faster than a deep plane facelift. However, the results of my signature deep plane facelift last longer.

Deep Plane Facelift vs. S-Lift

The S-lift involves S-shaped incisions and removing excess skin and fat.

Recovering from an S-lift (3 to 5 days) is shorter than recovering from a deep plane facelift. However, the results of my signature deep plane facelift last longer.

The results of a deep plane facelift typically last ten years or more. This longevity is a direct consequence of the technique, because the procedure works at the structural level of the face, releasing and repositioning the deep tissue rather than simply tightening the skin surface, the result holds significantly longer than a skin-only or SMAS lift. Gravity and ageing continue after surgery, but the improvement achieved is durable and meaningful. Dr De Silva sees all his facelift patients annually and supports the longevity of results with a three-way maintenance approach where appropriate: volume replacement using fillers, skin rejuvenation through anti-wrinkle treatment, laser and regenerative medicine, and skin tightening with radiofrequency. The aim is a result that looks natural at the time of surgery and continues to do so as the years pass.

A deep plane facelift is most appropriate for patients with more significant facial changes; pronounced jowling, loss of the jawline definition, neck laxity, and descent of the mid-face that a mini facelift or non-surgical treatment cannot meaningfully address. For patients with earlier signs of ageing, smaller procedures or non-surgical options may be entirely appropriate, and Dr De Silva will say so honestly when that is the case. The determining factors are not age alone but the specific degree of change, the anatomy of the individual face, and what the patient is genuinely trying to achieve. Dr De Silva asks every patient to bring an old photograph to consultation - this acts as a blueprint for planning, allowing him to assess precisely what has changed and what a natural restoration would look like for that individual face.

Dr De Silva's Vertical Face Restore 7 differs from a standard deep plane facelift in several specific ways. The lift direction is vertical rather than lateral - repositioning tissue to where it sat in youth rather than pulling it sideways, which is what creates the swept or operated appearance. The ligament-like structures of the face are released precisely, allowing the face to be lifted naturally as a unit. Scars are hidden meticulously within the natural hairline and the curves of the ear- closing just one side takes forty-five minutes of careful technique. Recovery is accelerated through twilight sedation rather than general anaesthesia, which maintains stable blood pressure and significantly reduces bruising and swelling from the outset. Bio-technology including PRP, amniotic membrane product, micro-drains, light therapy, oxygen therapy and manual lymphatic drainage further reduce recovery time. Fewer than one percent of patients experience nausea after surgery. More than half use no pain relief beyond the first twenty-four hours.

A deep plane facelift restores the natural contours of the jaw and neck, lifts descended mid-face tissue, softens the nasolabial folds, and recreates the V-shaped jawline associated with a younger face. The result should look like you- rested, refreshed and natural, rather than operated upon or pulled. Because the tissue is repositioned vertically to where it sat in youth rather than pulled sideways, the face moves in a way that reads as genuinely younger rather than surgically altered. Dr De Silva uses Golden Ratio facial analysis to plan every procedure, mapping each patient's individual proportions before making a single surgical decision. This ensures the outcome is specific to your face, not a generic aesthetic standard. Most patients find that people around them notice they look well, rested or younge, without being able to identify surgery as the reason.

Recovery after a traditional facelift under general anaesthesia could last up to two months. Dr De Silva's approach has reduced this significantly- at two to three weeks, eighty to ninety percent of bruising and swelling will have resolved, and most patients are comfortable returning to social activities and the workplace. Hair dyeing should be avoided for five weeks. Strenuous exercise can typically resume at four weeks. Sun exposure must be avoided for six weeks, with SPF sunscreen, a wide-brimmed hat and UV-protective sunglasses worn whenever outdoors. Some numbness and tightness in the first weeks is normal. Internal stitches dissolve over up to three months, and the left and right sides may heal at slightly different rates during this period. While significant improvement is visible at six weeks, the face continues to settle for twelve to eighteen months - this is when the full, final result is established.

A deep plane facelift addresses the structural changes of facial ageing in the lower two-thirds of the face- jowling, loss of jaw definition, descent of the mid-face, and laxity of the neck. It restores the natural V-shaped jaw contour of youth and, when combined with a neck lift, addresses neck bands and the angle beneath the chin. What it does not address on its own is volume loss, skin quality, or changes around the eyes and brow;  these require complementary techniques. Dr De Silva frequently combines his deep plane facelift with fat transfer to restore lost volume, CO₂ laser resurfacing to improve skin texture and tone, and blepharoplasty or brow lift where the eye area also requires attention. A comprehensive assessment at consultation determines which combination is appropriate for each individual, ensuring one area does not look refreshed while another tells a different story.

The Vertical Face Restore 7 deep plane facelift is performed under Dr De Silva's patented Rapid Recovery Twilight Sedation (GB2602123B) rather than general anaesthesia. Patients are comfortable and relaxed throughout, breathe independently, and are typically able to walk out of the operating theatre within thirty minutes of surgery completing. The procedure itself lasts several hours, depending on the number of techniques required and whether complementary procedures are being performed at the same time. It is an outpatient procedure - patients go home the same day. In clinical audit, patients have rated their sedation experience an average of 9.4 out of 10, and fewer than one percent experience nausea or sickness afterwards.

Deep plane facelift surgery is a bespoke procedure and the cost reflects the complexity of the technique, the experience of the surgeon, the facility, and whether complementary procedures are performed at the same time. As a specialist facial plastic surgeon operating exclusively on the face from his Harley Street practice, Dr De Silva's fees reflect the level of expertise, the personalised care provided before and after surgery, and the standard of the facility. An accurate cost can only be given following a consultation, at which point Dr De Silva will have assessed your face, discussed your goals and outlined a specific surgical plan. To discuss your individual requirements, please contact the practice to arrange a consultation.

Both a deep plane facelift and a SMAS facelift work beneath the skin, but they do so in fundamentally different ways. A SMAS facelift lifts the skin and the SMAS layer separately, the SMAS is tightened independently and the skin is then redraped over it. A deep plane facelift releases the ligaments that tether the SMAS to the deeper structures of the face, allowing the skin and SMAS to be lifted together as a single unit. This composite lift produces a more natural result because the tissue moves as one, rather than in separate layers that can look or feel incongruent. It also addresses the mid-face more effectively- the nasolabial folds and descended cheek tissue that a SMAS-only lift can leave relatively untreated. The deep plane technique is more technically demanding, but the difference in outcome for patients with significant facial ageing is meaningful.

A deep plane facelift and neck lift are most commonly performed together, and for the majority of patients this is the right approach; the lower face and neck are a continuous anatomical unit, and treating them separately rarely produces the most balanced result. The neck lift component addresses platysmal banding, excess neck skin, and the definition of the neck angle beneath the chin. In some cases, where significant neck laxity or deep neck fat requires additional work, Dr De Silva will incorporate further neck contouring techniques, including the use of a high-definition telescope from beneath the chin to guide precise fat removal and platysma tightening. Whether a neck lift is included, and to what extent, is determined by the anatomy of each individual patient and discussed in detail at consultation.

A mini facelift and a deep plane facelift are appropriate for fundamentally different degrees of facial change. A mini facelift addresses early signs of ageing- mild jowling and some skin laxity, through a smaller incision and with a shorter recovery. It does not address the neck, does not work at the deep structural level, and its results, while appropriate for the right patient, are less comprehensive and less durable than a deep plane procedure. A deep plane facelift is the right choice when changes are more significant; when jowling is pronounced, when neck laxity is present, when the mid-face has descended, or when a patient wants a result that will last. The choice between the two is determined entirely by anatomy and goals, not by preference. Dr De Silva will recommend the approach that is genuinely right for each individual patient, including recommending a smaller procedure when that is the honest answer.

Scarring after a deep plane facelift depends significantly on surgical technique and the precision of incision placement. Dr De Silva is meticulous about hiding incisions within the natural curves of the ear and hairline - closing just one side of the face takes forty-five minutes of careful technique, and the same care is applied to the other side. Because the deep plane technique lifts without placing tension on the skin, the skin is redraped gently and heals without the pulling or distortion that creates visible scars. Scars are positioned to preserve the sideburn area and the natural hairline behind the ear, allowing hair to be worn up after surgery. In a small number of patients, genetics can affect how the skin heals; this is discussed openly at consultation, and Dr De Silva may use medications that soften scar appearance where indicated.

One of the significant advantages of a deep plane facelift over shallower techniques is its ability to address the mid-face; the area of the cheeks and nasolabial folds that descends with age and creates the hollowed, heavier appearance of an older face. By releasing the retaining ligaments at the deep plane level, the descended mid-face tissue can be lifted and repositioned as part of the same procedure, rather than leaving it untreated. This is why deep plane facelift patients frequently notice improvement in their nasolabial folds - the deepening of the lines from the nose to the mouth- that SMAS or skin-only techniques do not achieve. The result is a more complete facial rejuvenation that addresses the face as a whole rather than the lower third in isolation.

Male patients require specific adaptations to the deep plane facelift technique that go beyond simply performing the same procedure on a different face. The male aesthetic reference points are different; a stronger jaw, a lower brow, a more defined neck angle, and over-lifting or over-tightening in a man's face creates feminisation rather than rejuvenation. Dr De Silva's approach for male patients focuses the lift more heavily on the neck and jawline, which produces the most naturally masculine result. Incisions are planned specifically around male hair patterns- a smaller incision hidden behind the ear is particularly important for men with short hair, thinning hair or receding hairlines. Men comprise one quarter of Dr De Silva's facelift practice, and his published research on male facial proportions informs every male surgical plan.

Fat transfer is one of the most commonly combined procedures with a deep plane facelift, and for many patients it produces a significantly more complete result. A facelift addresses the descent of tissue - it lifts and repositions what has fallen. But ageing also involves volume loss- the deflation of fat compartments in the cheeks, temples and around the eyes that creates a hollowed, gaunt appearance that lifting alone does not correct. Micro-cannula fat transfer harvests fat from elsewhere on the body, processes it, and reintroduces it precisely into the areas of volume loss, restoring the fullness and three-dimensional contour of a younger face. Combining fat transfer with facelift at the same procedure allows Dr De Silva to address both descent and deflation together, producing a result that is both lifted and naturally volumised rather than simply tighter.

A deep plane facelift is a more technically demanding procedure than shallower techniques, but in experienced hands its risk profile is well understood and manageable. The most common risks are bruising and swelling- significantly reduced by Dr De Silva's use of twilight sedation, which maintains stable blood pressure throughout, and by his fast-healing bio-technology protocol. The risk of haematoma - a collection of blood beneath the skin, is reported at two to three percent with conventional techniques; Dr De Silva's approach reduces this to below one percent. Temporary numbness and tightness are expected and resolve over weeks to months. Facial nerve injury is a risk with any facelift- rare, and typically transient when it occurs, resolving as the nerve regains function. Dr De Silva sees every patient personally within twenty-four hours of surgery, as early assessment of any concern is fundamental to a good outcome. All risks are discussed in full at consultation.

Golden Ratio facial analysis is central to how Dr De Silva plans every facelift procedure. The Golden Ratio- the mathematical proportion that has defined facial beauty across cultures for thousands of years, provides an objective framework for assessing each patient's facial proportions before making a single surgical decision. Rather than working from a generic aesthetic standard or a subjective sense of what looks right, Dr De Silva maps the specific proportions of each patient's face and uses this analysis to determine precisely what needs to be repositioned, by how much, and in what direction. This means the outcome is specific to your face - a restoration of your own natural proportions rather than an approximation of someone else's. Dr De Silva has developed proprietary software for this facial evaluation, which he uses as a planning tool for every procedure.

Dr De Silva is one of a small number of surgeons in the UK whose practice is dedicated exclusively to the face; every procedure he performs, every technique he refines, and every piece of research he conducts relates to facial surgery alone. His Vertical Face Restore 7 deep plane technique has been developed over more than fifteen years and refined through completing revision procedures on other surgeons' results- over 20% of his patients come to him specifically to correct surgery performed elsewhere. He is the Director of the International Facelift Course at the ASOPRS and AAO in the United States, teaching deep plane facelift techniques to surgeons from around the world. His patented twilight sedation protocol, his published research, and his annual clinical audit - which consistently shows a revision rate of three to six percent,  all reflect a practice built on precision, safety and consistently natural results. Patients travel to him from over seventy countries.