Why Choose a Deep Plane Facelift Over a Traditional Facelift in London

Choosing the right facelift technique is one of the most important aesthetic decisions you can make. While the traditional facelift remains widely performed, the Deep Plane Facelift represents the most advanced, natural-looking approach to facial rejuvenation available today.

For discerning patients seeking facelift surgery in London or across the UK, the Deep Plane Facelift offers unparalleled results – a youthful, harmonious look that restores your own features rather than changing them.

What Is a Deep Plane Facelift?

A Deep Plane Facelift repositions the deeper structural layers of the face – specifically the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) and the platysma – rather than simply tightening the skin. By working beneath these layers, the technique releases points of tension that contribute to sagging and allows the surgeon to lift the midface, jawline, and neck as a single, natural unit.

Key benefits of the Deep Plane Facelift:

• Corrects sagging in the midface, jowls, and neck simultaneously
• Preserves natural facial movement and expression
• Offers results that typically last 10–15 years
• Produces a smooth, youthful contour without a “pulled” look

This deeper, anatomical approach creates harmony rather than tension – a refined rejuvenation that respects facial identity.

Traditional Facelift vs. Deep Plane Facelift – What’s the Difference?

While both techniques aim to reverse facial ageing, the Deep Plane Facelift and traditional facelift differ in depth, results, and longevity.

By lifting from the foundation rather than the surface, the Deep Plane Facelift London patients receive is both more natural and more durable.

Deep Plane Facelift vs. Extended SMAS Lift – The True Technical Difference

While many surgeons compare the Deep Plane Facelift to a basic SMAS plication, the more relevant comparison is with the extended SMAS facelift. Both techniques address the deeper layers of the face, but the Deep Plane approach remains superior in safety, effectiveness, and natural results.

In an extended SMAS facelift, the skin is first completely detached from the underlying SMAS layer. Only after this wide skin dissection is the SMAS lifted and tightened. This creates two challenges:

• The SMAS layer is fragile once isolated and can tear, reducing the strength and precision of the lift – especially along the jowls and lower face, where sagging is most pronounced.
• The wide skin undermining compromises the blood supply between the SMAS and the skin, increasing the risk of skin necrosis, particularly in smokers or patients with fragile skin.

By contrast, in a Deep Plane Facelift, the skin and SMAS remain connected and are lifted together as one composite unit. This approach:

• Protects the SMAS layer, allowing a stronger, more controlled lift without rupture
• Preserves the vascular integrity of the skin, reducing the risk of complications
• Creates a smoother, more stable result with minimal surface tension

This is why the Deep Plane Facelift achieves a more powerful, longer-lasting rejuvenation while maintaining a natural softness and a healthy, well-perfused skin envelope.

Why Patients in London Choose the Deep Plane Technique

Patients seeking a Deep Plane Facelift in London often express the same wish: “I just want to look fresher – not different.”

This technique is ideal for individuals in their 40s to 60s who notice:

• Drooping cheeks and loss of midface volume
• Jowls along the jawline
• Sagging or banding in the neck

At our Harley Street surgical centre, each Deep Plane Facelift UK procedure is carefully tailored to the patient’s unique anatomy, skin quality, and aesthetic goals. The outcome is elegant, authentic rejuvenation that restores recognition rather than erasing identity.

Deep Plane Facelift and Necklift – A Harmonious Combination

For comprehensive rejuvenation, combining a Deep Plane Facelift with a deep neck lift ensures seamless transitions from the face to the neck.

Benefits of the combined approach:

• Defines the jawline and cervicomental angle
• Smooths neck bands and skin laxity
• Ensures proportional lifting from midface to collarbone

This combination is ideal for patients seeking refined, global rejuvenation – not just a tighter face, but a balanced and graceful profile.

Recovery and Result

After a Deep Plane Facelift, patients typically stay overnight for comfort and observation, ensuring optimal postoperative care.

Recovery timeline:

• Overnight stay for monitoring
• Sutures removed: 10–14 days
• Social recovery: approximately 3–4 weeks
• Final results: visible refinement from 3–6 months

As swelling resolves, patients notice smoother contours and softer transitions. Most describe the result as a refreshed version of themselves – natural, elegant, and entirely their own.

Why Choose Dr. Dirk Kremer

Dr. Dirk J. Kremer is an internationally recognised plastic surgeon known for his expertise in Deep Plane Facelift and necklift surgery. Practising in London’s prestigious Harley Street district, Dr. Kremer combines surgical precision with an artistic understanding of facial balance and timeless beauty.

Each Deep Plane Facelift is performed under general anaesthesia in a CQC-accredited surgical centre, ensuring the highest standards of safety, comfort, and discretion.

“My goal is never to change a face – only to bring it back into harmony with itself.”

If you’re considering a Deep Plane Facelift in London or elsewhere in the UK, schedule a confidential consultation to explore how this advanced technique can restore your natural vitality.

Read More: Deep Plane Facelift: What to Expect in 2026 and Beyond