When it comes to facelifts, the deep plane facelift has become a household name. But how did it achieve such widespread acclaim and become a primary technique? Palo Alto, CA facial plastic surgeons David Lieberman, MD and Sachin S. Parikh, MD of L&P Aesthetics shed light on why this technique is favored and their innovative approaches to enhancing patient outcomes.
What is special about the deep plane facelift?
“A deep plane facelift really allows us to address the core issues that cause facial aging,” explains Dr. Parikh. “First, we think about gravitational changes or descent of tissue south, which leads to cheek deflation, increased prominence of jowls, loss of definition along the jawline and platysmal laxity etc. Secondly, as we age, there is loss of volume in different fat pads, muscle loss due to atrophy, and loss of volume in the bony structures of the face. You can’t restore bony volume, and it’s hard to restore muscle volume, but you can take soft tissue volume and put it back to its original position.”
In a deep plane facelift, Dr. Parikh explains the surgeon is taking tissue that has descended and moving it back to where it used to be. “In a sense, we’re just restoring a person’s former look.”
Dr. Lieberman adds, “The directionality of tissue repositioning is crucial. Each patient’s facial anatomy and aging processes are unique, requiring meticulous planning to achieve a natural outcome.” By precisely restoring tissues in reverse to their aging pattern, the deep plane facelift avoids the unnatural tightness often seen in less sophisticated techniques.
Achieving Natural, Effortless-Looking Results
The hallmark of a successful facelift lies in achieving results that are both natural and enduring. Dr. Lieberman underscores, “There should be zero signs of external tension on the face in a good facelift. The way you keep tension off the skin is by focusing your efforts on the deeper soft tissues with release and repositioning. Lifts that rely on the skin for rejuvenation are going to look tight, have bad scarring and are not going to last very long. While there are many good surgeons performing other techniques, we believe a true deep plane face and neck lift is the best way to accomplish both key components of a natural and top-level outcome.”
Dr. Parikh stresses that natural results don’t happen by accident. “When we are moving tissues that have descended and putting them back in the right places, there is a ton of thought put into the directionality of lifting. We think about what vector, or direction of force, we are going to reposition tissue in. During a deep plane facelift, the vector of force is a critical component of analysis to get an outcome that is natural, befitting, beautiful and long-lasting.”
Supporting Faster Recovery
Facilitating swift recoveries post-surgery is integral to patient satisfaction. “We prepare patients mentally and physically, optimizing healing through nutrition, exercise and sleep,” says Dr. Parikh.
At The IO Clinic, affiliated with L&P Aesthetics, innovation extends beyond surgical techniques to optimize facelift results and recovery times. Dr. Parikh elaborates, “pre-operative therapies can include reducing toxin exposure, enhancing nutrition with IV therapies and employing hyperbaric oxygen therapy to oxygenate tissues pre-surgery.”
Improving skin quality pre-operatively is another focus. “By preparing the skin with tailored regimens,” Dr. Parikh continues, “we enhance cell turnover, promoting healthier tissue for surgery and facilitating smoother recoveries.”
Dr. Lieberman stresses the importance of managing patient expectations. “A facelift is a significant decision, emotionally and physically,” he says. “We guide patients through every step, ensuring they understand realistic outcomes and are comfortable with their transformation.”
