Deep Plane Facelift

What Is a Deep Plane Facelift?

Older, more conventional facelift techniques have left patients looking “windswept” or like a “deer in the headlights” by overemphasizing skin tightening rather than gently elevating the facial contours as a single unit.

A deep plane facelift avoids these pitfalls and can dramatically rewind the clock on aging while minimizing the risk of complications and injury. During your deep plane facelift in San Diego, Dr. Kolstad will release the underlying ligaments anchoring the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system). This allows him to adjust and reposition the deeper muscle, fat, and tissue layers to create a nuanced, elegant outcome.

A deep plane facelift provides patients with profound anti-aging results while causing minimal trauma to the superficial skin layer. For those struggling with jowls, midface sagging, loss of jawline definition, and nasolabial folds, a deep plane facelift is among the most powerful and transformative procedures available. A deep plane facelift is designed to restore a more youthful appearance by lifting and tightening the underlying SMAS layers of the face and neck. By repositioning the deeper facial structures rather than simply tightening the skin, this technique can create natural looking rejuvenation with smoother contours along the jawline, cheeks, and neck.

How To Find The Best Deep Plane Facelift Surgeon

Obviously there is not one best facelift surgery for every face. Dr. Kolstad is a Facial Plastic Surgeon in San Diego specializing in facial rejuvenation surgery. We have many patients specifically requesting a deep plane facelift in San Diego.  A deep plane face lift is the only surgery they want. What many patients forget to ask is ‘am I a good candidate for a deep plane facelift’? 

Understanding the different names and types of facial rejuvenation procedures is a great place to start. Dr. Kolstad’s advice: research, look at results, do your homework before your initial consultation. When evaluating different cosmetic surgeons in San Diego the best place you can spend your time is in the surgeon’s before and after galleries. Plastic surgery is the most artistic type of surgery. Every artist has their own creative vision.  Plastic surgeon artistry is based on training, lived experiences and aesthetic philosophies.

Critically evaluating facelift before and after results is the most important thing you can do to find the best deep plane facelift surgeon in San Diego. If you are asking yourself ‘how can you tell if it’s a good face lift result or an average result?  All of the facelift results look the same, how can you tell the difference’? 

Check out Dr. Kolstad’s guide on how to identify misleading plastic surgery results. In today’s digital world, trick photography is everywhere. Filters are no longer limited to social media, and many plastic surgery photos are enhanced with artificial intelligence, selective editing, and inconsistent lighting that can make results appear more dramatic than they truly are.

One of the most common forms of deceptive editing is the strategic use of lighting. Shadows, highlights, camera angles, and image exposure can dramatically change the appearance of facial contours, skin quality, and surgical outcomes. Learning how to recognize these techniques can help you evaluate before-and-after photos more accurately and make better-informed decisions when choosing a plastic surgeon.

What questions should you be asking during your consultation?   What are the basic types of facelifts?  What is the difference between a mini facelift and a face lift? What is a deep plane facelift?  What is a SMAS lift?  What’s a full facelift?  Can I have just a necklift? Are there nonsurgical facelifts without downtime?  

The more questions you ask Dr. Kolstad the better.  The more information you have the more precise decisions you will make.  Facial plastic surgery is complicated and life changing.  The more data you have about the types of facelifts in San Diego the more accurately you can decide between the best surgery options for you. 

Where Does Dr. Kolstad Perform Deep Plane Facelift Surgery?

In 2024, Dr. Kolstad opened a state-of-the-art surgery center at his San Diego office. Our surgery center is on the fourth floor, offering expansive views and natural lighting throughout. It was important to Dr. Kolstad to design an OR that felt warm and inviting, rather than the traditional, cold, enclosed spaces found in most operating rooms.

On their way into surgery, our patients are greeted by white marble floors, blue skies shining through large windows, and the privacy of a single OR in a surgery center. We love showcasing our surgery center and would happily give you a tour during your consultation.

The OR features the most innovative and modern functionalities, including the amazing privacy glass! With the flip of a switch, the OR goes from transparent floor to ceiling windows to opaque, private. If you want to see more of our office and stunning surgical center, click here.

Dr. Kolstad performs piezo rhinoplasty under general anesthesia using board-certified anesthesiologists.

What to Expect on the Day of Deep Plane Facelift Surgery

On the day of your procedure our team will welcome you into our state-of-the-art surgery center. You will have the opportunity to briefly go over your surgical plan one last time with Dr. Kolstad. You will meet your Board Certified Anesthesiologist that will be administering your general anesthesia. Dr. Kolstad’s recovery nurse will start your IV and review instructions.

Once you are deeply asleep, Dr. Kolstad will make small incisions in the hairline and along the fine creases around the ears. Careful attention is paid to ensure that scarring will later be well concealed. The doctor will then release the underlying facial ligaments, lift the platysma muscle, and adjust the connective tissue, restoring a youthful, sculpted appearance. This tension free surgical approach allows for optimal healing with a minimum of trauma or side effects.

Once Dr. Kolstad has completed all changes, he will close your incisions and place you in the recovery area to be monitored until it is safe for you to return home. A friend, family member, or other adult will need to drive you home and assist you for the first 24-48 hours of your recovery.