What is Deep plane face/necklift?
Deep plane face/necklift is an advanced cosmetic surgery that provides significant facial rejuvenation. We will lift and reposition the underlying muscles and connective tissue and remove sagging or excess skin, to give you a natural looking rejuvenation. This procedure can help you achieve a much younger appearance, restoring volume to the cheeks, addressing jowls and pulling deep lines around the mouth, and tightening and sculpting the neck.
Dr. Barnett will meet with you to discuss your goals and biggest concerns. He will go over all options to achieve those goals for you. Including, but not always necessary, skin care, lasers, microneedling, if needed for skin laxity, texture and pigmentation. Deep lines and sun damage may require the CO2 laser or Erbium Yag skin resurfacing laser to achieve best results.
Facelift surgery is performed in the office with Pronox (nitrous oxide, oxygen mixture) sedation for your comfort. We may use the Destin Surgical Center if you prefer to be asleep, under anesthesia. Our office will send medications for in-office procedures to your pharmacy, which will calm you and make you sleepy. Dr. Barnett will numb the face using local anesthesia, a mixture of numbing meds injected into the face. The incisions will be in front of and behind the ears and in the hairline. The procedure takes between 3 and 4 hours. We do not use staples.
Recovery
Please be patient, the face takes one full year to heal.
You will go home the same day. Dr. Barnett will wrap your face with gauze and bandages for compression to minimize swelling and to protect the incisions. We do not use any drains, so it is important to leave the wrap on for 24-48 hours, after which you will have a compression garment to wear around the clock until your one week post op.
Once you have removed your initial wrap, you will be able to shower and wash your hair. When you get out, you should clean your incisions with peroxide and use your bacitracin. You should clean and use bacitracin twice a day until instructed not to. You should plan for at least a week or two off from work for recovery. Also, please sleep with your head elevated during this time; this will help to minimize swelling and bruising. Sutures will be removed at your one week post op, with some remaining until your 2nd week post op.
Please be prepared mentally and physically for the changes you are about to face. The face takes one full year to completely heal. We suggest doing red/blue light therapy after surgery and include 3 of these treatments in your cost. You may see swelling for 4-6 months, and while most do not, it is possible to still have some swelling past the 6-month mark.
We will go over risks and questions you may have during your consultation. We are always available by phone, email, telehealth, or an in-person office visit before and after surgery.
Some Supplies You May Want to Have on Hand
- Gauze
- Peroxide
- Bacitracin
- Lots of fluids after surgery
- Soft foods for the first 48 hours
- Ice/Cold Packs
- Arnica, Bromelain (we provide a pre-post op recovery kit)