Deep Plane Facelift Before and After 54 year old woman

The Patient's Goals

This patient, a 54-year-old professional from the United States, contacted AKM Clinic feeling that her outward appearance no longer matched her inner vitality. She felt she looked "perpetually tired."

Her primary concerns were:

• Significant Jowling: A heavy, sagging appearance in the lower face that completely obscured her jawline.
• Neck Laxity: She was particularly distressed by what she referred to as her "turkey neck" — the combination of drooping, excess skin and prominent vertical platysmal bands in her neck.
• Volume Loss: A general loss of youthful contour in the mid-face, which contributed to deep marionette lines (the folds from the corners of the mouth down to the chin).

Her goal was not to look like a different person, but to achieve a natural, defined, and refreshed result. She repeatedly emphasized her fear of looking "wind-swept" or "pulled," a common concern with traditional facelifts. She wanted to "turn back the clock, not change the face."

Surgeon's Expert Approach

Upon a thorough virtual consultation and in-person examination in Istanbul, the surgeon identified that the patient's concerns stemmed from significant laxity not just in the skin, but in the deeper underlying SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System) layer and platysma muscle.

The doctor determined that a standard SMAS lift would be insufficient to provide a natural and long-lasting correction. Her strategic approach involved two key components:

1. Deep Plane Facelift: Instead of merely pulling the skin, the surgeon performed an advanced Deep Plane Facelift. This technique allowed her to go beneath the SMAS muscle layer, release the key facial ligaments, and lift the entire deep structure of the face (including descended fat pads and muscles) as a single unit. This is the gold standard for correcting heavy jowls and achieves a truly natural lift by repositioning the tissue back to its original, youthful position, avoiding all tension on the skin.
2. Platysmaplasty (Neck Lift): To address the neck, a crucial component of this patient's transformation, the doctor performed a structural neck lift. This involved surgically repairing and tightening the separated platysmal muscle bands (the vertical "cords") in the center and removing the excess, sagging skin.

As the 'after' photos demonstrate, this dual-component approach did not just tighten the surface; it completely redefined the patient's facial architecture. The jawline is sharp and defined, the heavy jowls are eliminated, and the angle of the neck is sculpted and youthful. The result is a harmonious, balanced rejuvenation that fully achieves the patient's goal of a natural, "unoperated-on" appearance.