Explore Facial Plastic Surgery Procedures

Why a Surgeon Who Operates Exclusively on Faces

The face contains more than forty individual muscles, multiple layers of fat that deflate and descend at different rates, and a network of motor and sensory nerves sitting millimetres from the surgical field. Working safely and effectively within this anatomy demands a surgeon who encounters it daily, not occasionally between body cases. Dr Turner’s practice philosophy is built on one principle: the outcomes you can achieve in facial surgery are directly linked to how well your surgeon understands the tissue layers they’re working within.

At FacePlus Aesthetics, facelift surgery isn’t one item on a long menu of unrelated procedures. It’s the core of the practice. That focus translates to surgical planning that accounts for how your tissues will settle over months and years, not just how they look on the operating table. It also gives Dr Turner extensive experience with revision cases — which means he’s seen firsthand what happens when a facelift is performed without adequate depth or precision, and how to avoid those pitfalls from the outset.

Understanding How the Face Ages

Facial ageing isn’t simply about skin becoming loose. It’s a layered process that involves bone resorption, fat pad deflation and descent, muscular laxity, and changes to the skin itself — all occurring at different rates in different people. The cheek fat pads, for instance, sit in distinct compartments that lose volume and shift downward independently. Some patients notice midface flatness before any jowling appears. Others present with heavy neck banding while the midface remains relatively stable.

This is why a templated approach to facelift surgery falls short. The specific combination of changes you’re experiencing — which structures have descended, where volume has been lost, how your skin responds to gravity. All of that determines which technique and which depth of dissection will address your concerns without overcorrecting or creating an unbalanced appearance. Dr Turner evaluates each of these variables during your consultation at the Bondi Junction clinic. He’ll explain which anatomical changes are driving the appearance you want to change and how his recommended approach addresses those changes at the right tissue plane.

Facelift Techniques at FacePlus Aesthetics

Dr Turner performs several distinct facelift techniques, and the reason for offering this range is straightforward — different ageing patterns require different surgical solutions. Here’s a brief overview of the approaches available at the practice, with links to the full procedure pages.

Vertical Restore Facelift

The Vertical Restore Facelift is Dr Turner’s advanced technique for patients with moderate to significant facial descent. Rather than pulling tissues laterally — which can flatten the cheek and create a taut, windswept appearance — this approach lifts the deep facial structures in a vertical direction that counters the downward drift of ageing. It’s particularly effective for addressing midface volume loss and jowling simultaneously because it repositions the deeper tissue layers where the descent actually originates.

Deep Plane Facelift

The deep plane facelift works beneath the SMAS layer and the facial ligaments, releasing the deeper structures so they can be repositioned as a single, unified unit. This technique tends to produce longer-lasting structural improvement because the support comes from the deeper tissues rather than surface tension on the skin. Dr Turner frequently recommends this approach for patients with more advanced facial descent or those who want to avoid the skin-tension-dependent result that some other techniques produce.

SMAS Facelift

The SMAS facelift addresses the superficial musculoaponeurotic system — the fibrous tissue layer that connects the facial muscles to the skin. By tightening and repositioning this layer, the SMAS approach provides more structural support than a skin-only lift while offering versatility across a range of ageing patterns. It remains one of the most widely performed facelift techniques globally, and Dr Turner uses it when a patient’s anatomy is well-suited to SMAS-level correction.

Short Scar and Ponytail Facelift

Not every patient needs — or wants — an extended facelift procedure. The short scar facelift uses a limited incision, typically confined to the area around the ear, making it appropriate for patients with early to moderate jowling who don’t yet have significant neck laxity. The ponytail facelift takes a different approach entirely, using incisions concealed within the hairline at the temples and behind the ears. Both options involve trade-offs — shorter scars mean more limited access to the deeper structures — and Dr Turner will discuss whether these approaches suit your specific concerns during your consultation.

Revision Facelift

A revision facelift is performed on patients who’ve had previous facelift surgery — whether the result has simply aged, was unsatisfactory from the outset, or involved a technique that produced complications. Revision surgery is more complex than primary work because of altered anatomy, scar tissue, and changes to tissue planes from the original procedure. Dr Turner’s familiarity with multiple facelift techniques and his experience operating within previously dissected tissue allow him to plan revision surgery with a clear understanding of the challenges involved.

Neck Lift and Neck Procedures

The lower face and neck age as a connected unit, and many patients find that their neck is actually the area bothering them most. Dr Turner offers three distinct neck procedures depending on the severity and nature of the concern.

A neck lift or platysmaplasty addresses skin laxity, muscle banding, and submental fat in a single procedure. The platysma muscle — the broad, thin muscle that runs from the collarbone to the jawline — is tightened and repositioned to restore a cleaner angle between the chin and neck. This procedure is commonly combined with facelift surgery because the neck and jowl often need to be addressed together for a balanced result.

For patients with more pronounced central neck concerns — prominent bands that are visible even at rest, digastric muscle fullness, or submandibular gland ptosis — a deep neck lift works at a deeper anatomical level. This technique addresses structures beneath the platysma that a standard neck lift doesn’t reach.

When the primary issue is isolated fat beneath the chin and the skin still has good elasticity, neck liposuction can sharpen the jawline without the need for a more extensive procedure. Dr Turner will assess which approach — or combination — matches what your neck anatomy actually requires.

Not sure which procedure suits your concerns? Dr Turner will assess your facial anatomy in detail during your consultation at the Bondi Junction clinic and recommend the approach that matches what your tissues actually need. Request a Consultation →

Complementary Facial Procedures

Facial ageing doesn’t confine itself to the lower face and neck, and addressing one area while leaving adjacent areas unchanged can sometimes highlight rather than reduce signs of ageing. Dr Turner regularly performs these procedures alongside facelift surgery — or as standalone treatments when the concern is specific.

A chin implant can improve jawline definition when a weaker chin projection is contributing to the appearance of jowling or neck fullness. In some patients, chin augmentation produces a dramatic improvement in facial balance without requiring more extensive surgery. Facial fat grafting uses your own fat, harvested from another area of the body, to restore volume in the midface, temples, or perioral region where age-related deflation has occurred. A lip lift shortens the distance between the nose and upper lip — a measurement that naturally increases with age. The procedure restores proportion to the lower third of the face.

Each of these procedures can be performed during the same surgical session as a facelift, reducing total recovery time and allowing Dr Turner to plan the aesthetic outcome across the face as a whole.

Eye and Brow Procedures

Heavy upper lids, under-eye hollowing, and brow descent are often the earliest facial changes patients notice — and among the most frequently combined with facelift surgery at the Bondi Junction clinic. Upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin from the upper lids that can create a hooded, fatigued appearance. Lower blepharoplasty addresses fat prolapse and skin laxity beneath the eyes. A brow lift corrects the descent of the eyebrows that contributes to a tired or stern expression — a change that is sometimes mistaken for excess upper lid skin when the brow position is actually the underlying issue. These eye area procedures can be performed independently or combined with facelift surgery, depending on your concerns and what Dr Turner identifies during your clinical assessment.

Nose Surgery at FacePlus Aesthetics

Because Dr Turner’s practice is devoted to the face, rhinoplasty sits naturally alongside his facelift work. Some patients address nasal concerns at the same time as a facelift — particularly when the nose has always been a concern, or when age-related changes to the nasal tip and dorsum have become more prominent. Dr Turner performs a full range of nose procedures, including functional rhinoplasty for breathing obstruction, septoplasty for deviated septum, ultrasonic rhinoplasty using piezoelectric instruments for precise bone work, and specialised approaches such as ethnic rhinoplasty and tip rhinoplasty.

Male Facial Surgery

Male patients present unique anatomical considerations that require deliberate modification of standard facelift techniques. Thicker skin, beard-bearing tissue, broader jawlines, and different hairline patterns all affect incision placement, dissection depth, and the surgical vectors used to reposition tissue. Dr Turner offers procedures specifically adapted for men, including male facelift, male neck lift, male blepharoplasty, and male rhinoplasty. The goal for men is typically structural improvement that preserves masculine definition, not softness or added volume.

Recovery and What to Expect After Facial Surgery

Recovery varies by procedure, but there are some general patterns. The first two weeks after facelift surgery involve the most noticeable swelling and bruising, with most patients returning to desk-based work and low-key social settings within two to three weeks. Strenuous exercise is usually restricted for six to eight weeks. Dr Turner provides a specific recovery protocol based on your procedure and the extent of work performed. For patients travelling from outside Sydney, the out-of-town patients page outlines accommodation and follow-up arrangements near the Bondi Junction clinic.

Comprehensive recovery information, including what to expect at each stage, is available on the facelift recovery resource page. Scar healing, incision care, and long-term scar management are covered in detail on the facelift scars page.

Your Facelift Consultation in Bondi Junction

Any facelift journey at FacePlus Aesthetics begins with a personal consultation at Dr Turner’s Bondi Junction practice, located at 39 Grosvenor St, Bondi Junction NSW 2022. The clinic is easily accessible from across Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs — including Double Bay, Woollahra, Rose Bay, Paddington, Bellevue Hill, Vaucluse, Randwick, and Coogee — and sits just moments from Bondi Junction station and Westfield Bondi Junction.

Dr Turner conducts a minimum of two personal consultations before any surgical procedure. This isn’t a formality — it reflects his commitment to thorough preparation and genuine informed decision-making. You’ll meet directly with Dr Turner, not a patient coordinator or representative, so every question is answered by the Specialist Plastic Surgeon who will actually perform your surgery.

During your initial consultation, Dr Turner will listen to your concerns, examine your facial anatomy in detail, and assess the specific structures contributing to the changes you want to address. He’ll explain which surgical approach suits your individual situation — whether that’s a deep plane facelift, Vertical Restore Facelift, SMAS facelift, or a more focused procedure like a short scar facelift or standalone neck lift. If complementary procedures such as blepharoplasty, brow lift, chin implant, or facial fat grafting would improve the overall result, these are discussed during the same assessment so the surgical plan can be designed as a cohesive whole.

Pre-operative photographs and measurements are taken during consultation to assist with surgical planning. Dr Turner will also discuss potential risks and complications candidly, establish realistic expectations about outcomes and recovery, and ensure you feel confident asking questions at every stage.

As required under Australian regulations effective July 2023, all patients considering cosmetic surgery must undergo a psychological evaluation before proceeding. A GP referral is also required prior to your surgical consultation.

Patients travelling from outside Sydney can find detailed information about accommodation, transport, and planning their visit on the out-of-town patients resource page.

To arrange a consultation, please contact us or call 1300 437 758.

Frequently Asked Questions About Facelift Surgery in Sydney

This content is suitable for an 18+/adult audience only.

Individual results will vary from patient to patient and depend on factors such as genetics, age, diet, and exercise. All invasive surgery carries risk and requires a recovery period and care regimen. Be sure you do your research and seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon before proceeding. Any details are general in nature and are not intended to be medical advice or constitute a doctor-patient relationship.