By Dr Scott J Turner, Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) | Bondi Junction, Sydney
If you’re considering a facelift in Sydney, you’ve probably already realised that not all facelifts are the same. The deep plane facelift takes a fundamentally different approach — working at a structural level rather than simply tightening skin. It’s the procedure Dr Scott J Turner, Specialist Plastic Surgeon, performs most frequently at his Bondi Junction practice in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs, where facial aesthetic surgery is his sole clinical focus.
This guide walks through the deep plane technique, who it suits, what surgery and recovery actually look like, and how it stacks up against other facelift options. Whether you’re early in your research or close to booking, the goal here is straight answers — not marketing spin.
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What’s Actually Happening When Your Face Ages?
Here’s something most patients don’t realise until they sit down in a consultation. The sagging cheeks, the folds beside your nose getting deeper, the jawline losing its edge — none of that starts with your skin. It starts underneath.
There’s a layer called the SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) sitting below your skin and fat. Think of it as scaffolding. It holds everything in place. Ligaments anchor your skin and fat pads to this layer, keeping them where they belong. But over time — and how fast depends on your genetics, sun exposure, whether you smoked — those ligaments stretch out. The SMAS drops. Fat pads that used to sit up on your cheekbones slide south.
That’s what creates jowls. That’s what deepens nasolabial folds. That’s what makes the neck look heavy.
And that’s exactly why procedures that only pull skin tighter don’t hold up well long-term. They’re treating what you can see without fixing what actually moved. A deep plane facelift goes after the source of the problem.
So What Does a Deep Plane Facelift Actually Do?
Rather than working on top of the SMAS — which is what many traditional facelifts do — Dr Turner goes beneath it. He enters well-defined spaces below the SMAS and releases the retaining ligaments (the zygomatic and masseteric ligaments, specifically) that are holding everything in its dropped position. Then he lifts the SMAS, skin, and fat together as one unit and moves it upward — vertically, against gravity.
Why does that matter to you? Because when the deeper structures are repositioned as a single layer, your skin doesn’t need to be pulled tight to look good. It just drapes naturally over a corrected foundation. No tension on the skin means no “windswept” look. No pulled appearance around the ears. The result looks like you, not like you’ve had work done.
Every operation is different. Dr Turner plans the dissection depth, which ligaments to release, and what direction to lift based on your specific anatomy. That assessment happens during your consultation at the Bondi Junction clinic. You can also read more on the Deep Plane Facelift procedure page.
Who’s It Right For — And Who Should Consider Something Else?
Deep plane surgery works best when there’s moderate to significant ageing to correct. If you’ve got noticeable midface descent, proper jowls forming along the jawline, nasolabial folds that fillers can’t keep up with anymore, or a neck that’s gone soft with visible banding — you’re likely in the right territory. Patients with heavier or thicker facial tissues do particularly well with this technique, which is one reason it’s often the go-to for male facelifts.
Age-wise, most patients are somewhere between 45 and 70. But the number matters less than what’s actually going on with your face. Dr Turner has operated on patients in their late forties with significant hereditary changes and on patients past seventy who were in great shape.
On the flip side — if your concerns are mild, deep plane surgery could be overkill. A short scar facelift or ponytail facelift might get you where you want to be with less downtime and smaller incisions. Dr Turner won’t recommend a bigger operation than you need. If something else suits you better, he’ll say so at the Bondi Junction practice.
You do need to be a non-smoker (no nicotine at all for six weeks either side of surgery), in good general health, and prepared for a mandatory psychological evaluation — that’s been an Australian regulatory requirement since July 2023.
What Your Consultation Covers
Your deep plane facelift starts with a face-to-face consultation with Dr Turner at FacePlus Aesthetics in Bondi Junction. He does every consultation himself — no patient coordinators, no sales reps. He examines your face, goes through your medical history, listens to what’s bothering you, and explains which facelift technique he thinks fits your situation. You’ll get photographs taken for planning, and you’ll leave knowing what the procedure involves, what recovery looks like, what the risks are, and what it costs.
Before surgery, you’ll need medical clearance and blood work, to stop any blood-thinning medications, and to organise roughly three to four weeks off work. Having someone at home for the first couple of days after discharge is non-negotiable. Small things help too — stock up on soups and soft food, get your prescriptions filled beforehand, set up somewhere to sleep with your head elevated.
The Facelift Consultation page goes into more detail.
What Happens on the Day of Surgery
The operation takes place under general anaesthesia at an accredited private hospital in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs. A qualified anaesthetist monitors you throughout. Depending on what’s being done, surgery runs between 4 and 6 hours. Dr Turner recommends staying in hospital overnight.
It all starts while you’re still awake. Dr Turner marks incision locations, the entry point for the deep plane dissection, where volume needs restoring, nerve landmarks, and the direction of the lift. Once you’re under, incisions go from the temporal hairline, around the ear contours, and behind into the posterior hairline — tucked into creases and hair-bearing skin so they’re hard to spot once healed.
From there, he elevates skin and fat down to the deep plane entry point, then dissects beneath the SMAS. The zygomatic and masseteric ligaments get released, and the whole composite — SMAS, fat, skin — comes up as one flap. It’s repositioned vertically and fixed with permanent sutures.
The neck usually gets addressed at the same time. This might include liposuction for excess fat, a platysmaplasty to tighten the platysma muscle, or a full deep neck lift depending on what you need. Fat grafting is also common — harvested fat goes into the temples, cheeks, tear troughs, and nasolabial folds to replace lost volume.
Skin gets redraped without tension, excess is trimmed conservatively, and everything is closed in layers.
Recovery — What It’s Really Like
Days 1–3: Peak swelling hits around 48–72 hours. You’ll be in a compression garment with your head up at all times. Most people describe the feeling as tight and sore — not sharp pain. Medication handles it well. Drains come out in the first day or two.
Week 1: You’ll be back at the Bondi Junction clinic for a check within two to three days. Bruising tracks down the neck and chest — looks dramatic, but it’s normal. Stick to soft food. Expect numbness around your cheeks, ears, and jaw. Some patients feel a bit emotional during this phase. That passes.
Weeks 2–3: Things start looking better noticeably. Bruising fades, swelling drops, sutures come out. Plenty of patients head back to desk work around now. Makeup and light skincare can usually resume.
Week 4: A turning point. Contours sharpen, tightness lets up, your face starts moving more naturally. Light exercise might get the green light. SPF 30+ and a hat every time you go outside.
Months 2–6: By six months, swelling is essentially gone and what you see is what you get. Scars settle into fine pale lines hidden in natural folds. Results hold for 10 to 15 years typically — sometimes longer — depending on genetics, skincare habits, and lifestyle.
More recovery detail on the Facelift Recovery page. Scar-specific info on the Facelift Scars page.
How Does It Compare to Other Facelifts?
An SMAS facelift stays on or above the SMAS layer. It tightens things up — and for moderate lower-face laxity it works well — but it can’t release the deeper ligaments. So midface correction is limited, and results tend to be shorter-lived.
Deep plane goes underneath, releases those ligaments, and lifts everything as one piece. More midface correction, less skin tension, longer-lasting outcome.
Then there’s the Vertical Restore Facelift — Dr Turner’s pick for patients wanting the most thorough correction available. It uses deep plane technique as a foundation but goes further, addressing brows, eyelids, midface, jawline, lips, and neck in one sitting. It’s the difference between treating the middle and lower face versus treating the whole face top to bottom.
For milder concerns, the short scar facelift and ponytail facelift are worth discussing — shorter incisions, faster recovery, but a narrower scope and results that won’t last as long.
Which technique fits you depends on your anatomy and goals. Dr Turner works through the options with you at his Eastern Suburbs clinic.
Can You Combine It with Other Procedures?
Yes, and it happens regularly. Deep plane facelift pairs well with upper and lower blepharoplasty, brow lift, lip lift, and chin implant. One anaesthetic, one recovery, and results that work together across the face.
Risks You Should Know About
Every surgery has risks — no exceptions. After a deep plane facelift, you should expect swelling, bruising, numbness, and some discomfort. Those settle down during healing. Less common but possible: haematoma, infection, scarring issues, prolonged numbness, asymmetry, or nerve injury. Dr Turner goes through all of this at your Bondi Junction consultation. The Risks and Complications page has a detailed breakdown.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does surgery take? Between 4 and 6 hours depending on what’s involved. If you’re adding a neck lift, fat grafting, or eyelid work, it runs longer. Overnight hospital stay recommended.
How painful is recovery? Less than most people expect. The main sensation is tightness and soreness, not sharp pain. Prescribed medication keeps it manageable, and it eases up considerably within the first week.
How long do results last? Generally 10 to 15 years, sometimes more. Because the surgery repositions deeper structures rather than just tightening skin, the correction holds up much better over time. Individual results depend on genetics, sun habits, skincare, and lifestyle.
What’s the difference between deep plane and SMAS facelift? Depth. An SMAS facelift works on or above the SMAS. Deep plane goes beneath it, releasing the retaining ligaments so everything can be repositioned as one unit. That means better midface correction and less pull on your skin.
Is deep plane surgery right for everyone? No. It’s suited to moderate or significant facial ageing. Mild concerns might respond better to a less extensive technique. Dr Turner assesses your suitability during consultation at his Bondi Junction practice.
Ready to Find Out More?
Contact FacePlus Aesthetics to book a consultation at the Bondi Junction clinic. Patients come from across the Eastern Suburbs, greater Sydney, interstate, and overseas. Travelling from further afield? Check the Out of Town Patients page.
General information only. All surgery carries risks and individual results vary. A consultation with a qualified Specialist Plastic Surgeon is required to assess suitability. Before proceeding, you should seek a second opinion from an appropriately qualified health practitioner.
About Dr Scott J Turner Specialist Plastic Surgeon (FRACS) practising exclusively in facial aesthetic surgery at FacePlus Aesthetics, Bondi Junction, Sydney. Member of ASAPS and ISAPS.
