Can I Get a Second Deep Plane Facelift?

“The goal of a deep plane facelift is to give you a younger version of your face, which is the most durable and can last about 10-15 years or even longer, but you can still have a second or third deep plane if the first procedure is done correctly at a younger age to maintain the effect, and it is easier to do so!”

• Did you know a deep plane facelift or its revision can only undergo with someone who is an experienced, board-certified facial plastic surgeon (who has a good track record of giving natural-looking results)?

• Did you know Dr. Jay Calvert has extensive experience performing the cutting-edge facelift technique in his practice literally hundreds of times, and that revision requests can even be made twice or thrice, with results that are always completely natural and even in tension?

• Did you know that for a secondary deep plane facelift, a plastic surgeon should evaluate the placement of incisions made before and how it affects your face to settle and stay, and design the new incisions to give you the most undetectable results while avoiding tension on the skin?

• Did you know performing a second deep plane facelift, or even a third, is pretty easy because it’s the face only, and a surgeon does not need to redo the deep neck, as once the deep neck sculpture is done, it’s pretty much done, and redoing the brow is also not generally required?

Why Someone Needs Another Facelift?

Aging is a natural phenomenon, and everyone ages differently; however, facelift results may differ from patient to patient, depending on anatomy, genetics, lifestyle, and skin elasticity.

Dr. Jay Calvert performs various facelift techniques at his practice in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach and has expertise in the deep plane facelift technique; he notes that there is no technical limit to how many facelift procedures you can have. Still, one can expect the natural-looking, longer-lasting results of a deep plane facelift to last about 10-15 years or even longer. Moreover, natural aging will continue to affect your skin regardless of the chosen technique or the patient’s anatomy, and skin elasticity remains a key factor in delivering natural-looking results.

Note that the quality of your skin plays a significant role when considering a second deep plane, or even a third, because poor skin elasticity can cause the initial surgical lift to look droopy and saggy prematurely. However, a revision deep plane facelift is performed to maintain the results, eliminating the newly stretched skin and giving the most aesthetic effect.

Note: A deep plane facelift works at the structural level, addressing aging in the underlying layers of tissue along with the more superficial layers of skin on your face, smoothing & tightening for a more natural, rejuvenated look.

Can a Deep Plane Facelift Be Done Twice?

Yes, a deep plane facelift can be done twice, or even thrice, as you still age after the first facelift. In fact, over time, gravity and volume loss cause deep tissues to fall again. Revision surgery is often required 10-15 years after the first to reset the deep SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System) layers, allowing a facial plastic surgeon to lift and reposition the facial structure to give a more vibrant look. The results are just as effective and even faster to perform, and there is no additional difficulty if the first facelift was done correctly.

Some Noteworthy Points of having a second deep plane facelift:

• A second deep plane facelift, or even a third, can be performed if the first procedure is done correctly.

• The second deep plane facelift is easier to do compared to the primary one because there is no disruption of tissue layers, and it is opened up just like the first time.

• There is less bleeding because an expert facelift surgeon only reopens the tissue pathways and releases the facial ligaments created during the first facelift procedure.

• The big plus is no need to redo the deep neck, and redoing the brow is also not generally required.

• Gives you the most natural-looking results because it lifts and repositions the deeper facial muscles, including the SMAS and platysma muscle layer, instead of just pulling the skin.

Second Deep Plane Facelift: Timing, Risks, Recovery & Results

How Long Should You Wait Before Having Another Deep Plane Facelift?

An Ideal Timing

The best part of a deep plane facelift is its efficacy: results may last 10-15 years or longer if the first procedure is done correctly, and the procedure can be repeated as many as 4 times; in younger patients, the results often last 15 years.

There's no set time for revision; it depends on a patient's skin quality, natural aging, collagen loss, lifestyle, and skincare. However, the ideal wait time is 12-18 months if a person is unhappy with their original results from an inexperienced surgeon. The request for a revision deep plane facelift is most often made to correct asymmetry, insufficient tightening, or unexpected tissue "stretchback".

• Most patients want revision 10-15 years after the first deep plane facelift

• Some others wait about 7 to 8 years before getting a second surgery

• Others can enjoy the results up to 20 years.

Who Is a Good Candidate?

• The right fit for the revision deep plane facelift technique typically has:

• Recurrent jowls, a lost jawline definition, and early sagging near the chin.

• Flattened midface and deepened nasolabial folds.

• Sufficient tissue laxity, enough loose tissue or sagging muscles to warrant a surgical lift.

• Fully healed primary lift, and your tissue must be completely soft and free of active inflammation.

• You must be medically fit with a healthy BMI, a non-smoker, or willing to stop smoking for a minimum of 6-8 weeks pre-op and post-op surgery.

• Realistic expectations.

Who May Not Be a Candidate?

• Individuals with chronic illness, uncontrolled diabetes

• Active smokers

• Unrealistic expectations of looking like someone else, i.e., celebrities or actors

• Poor skin quality.

The Risks Involved:

When Is a Second Deep Plane Facelift More Challenging?

As a matter of fact, performing a second deep plane facelift is easier than the first if done properly by a skilled, highly proficient facelift surgeon. But complications can occur if the first procedure fails to heal correctly due to scar tissue formation or a poorly placed incision by an inexperienced surgeon. The removal of too much fat or tissue, or the displacement of critical nerves during the first surgery, is why a surgeon struggles to perform the revision surgery. However, choosing the best facelift surgeon is always a prerequisite for achieving the most natural-looking, long-lasting results.

The following challenges can occur if the previous surgery fails to heal correctly:

Scar tissue:

The fibrous, white, and denser environment formed after a poorly healed primary deep plane facelift can create challenges for revision, because re-entering the deep plane and performing sub-SMAS dissection alters the biological plane used in the first surgery, resulting in changes in tissue behavior around it. However, the previously operated sub-SMAS plane changes from a clear, easily separable space into scar tissue formation.

High Risk of Facial Nerve Injury:

The branches of the facial nerves that control your expression, i.e., smile, blink, and move, run directly underneath the deep plane spaces. But if the first deep plane was not done correctly, meaning a poorly placed incision or the previous incision does not heal properly, the visible scar in front of the ear is noticeable due to scar tissue formation. However, a surgeon needs to create a modified incision to relocate or camouflage the old scars. During this process, a surgeon needs to cut through scar tissue. Breaking through scar tissue during a secondary deep plane facelift increases the risk of facial nerve injury, which can cause the facial nerves to shift into unexpected places.

Stretched Skin:

During the first deep plane procedure, if a surgeon fails to identify and release the superficial muscular aponeurotic system, or the SMAS-platysma complex (the muscle and fascia of your face) and the deeper layer of muscles, resulting in a compromised entire structural foundation of the surgery and leads to unnaturally pulled skin and overall poor aesthetic outcomes.

Uneven contour:

While a deep plane facelift is designed to lift the skin, fat, and SMAS as a single unit to give your face a more youthful contour, the way different layers of fluid, fat, and scar tissue settle determines aesthetic facial symmetry. However, poor healing due to asymmetric lymphatic drainage, uneven deep-tissue redraping, or unmasked pre-existing skeletal imbalances contributes to facial asymmetry, creating challenges for the second deep-plane facelift.

Recovery After a Second Deep Plane Facelift

Recovery from a second deep plane facelift is similar to the first, and the timeline requires 2-3 weeks of social downtime when most swelling and bruising resolves. The big plus is that there is less bleeding from the second surgery because the first deep plane causes the deeper tissue layer to heal together through scarring. This scarring naturally closes off many tiny blood vessels permanently, resulting in fewer open blood vessels to bleed. So, it results in basically no bleeding, the healing process becomes easier, and there is no additional difficulty if the first time was done well.

Recovery timeline at a Glance:

• Social downtime 2-4 Weeks: It takes about 2 weeks for most of the swelling and bruising to significantly decrease. Most patients resume normal daily routines, like a desk job or light social activities, within a 4-week timeline.

• Month 1st: The majority of the puffiness is gone, and new facial contours become visible.

• Resuming strenuous activities: After 6-7 weeks post-op.

• Month 3-12: Incision scars soften, fade, and mature. The remaining subtle swelling goes away, and the patient achieves full healing. The final results take about 6-12 months to produce a new, rejuvenated facial contour.

Expected Results:

How Long Does a Second Deep Plane Facelift Last?

Just like the first deep plane procedure, the results of the second deep plane procedure also typically last anywhere between 10 and 15 years or even longer because it targets sagging skin at its origin, works on underlying facial muscles and fat pads, repositions the SMAS layer, and lifts midface tissues in a vertical direction. One must note that if a patient’s age at the first procedure was under 40-50, they enjoy results lasting 12-15 years or even more, which is further significantly influenced by the patient’s genetics, skin quality, and lifestyle, including sun exposure, skincare, or smoking. However, the longevity of a deep plane facelift greatly depends on the individual. Still, with Dr. Jay Calvert’s expertise, extensive surgical training, and hands-on practice, his patients across Southern California enjoy the utmost long-lasting effect, lasting 10-15 years or longer.

Myth vs Fact

Myth: You can have only one deep plane facelift.

Fact: Revision surgery might be an unavoidable inclusion because aging is a natural phenomenon, and changes in skin laxity- loss of firmness and elasticity occur over time due to several biological and environmental factors. However, many patients are advised to undergo a revision deep plane facelift to maintain the youthful, long-lasting effect.

Myth: A second facelift looks unnatural.

Fact: The results look as natural as the first procedure with the expert hand of a facial plastic surgeon. Since a deep plane facelift is a sophisticated technique that aims to lift and reposition deeper facial tissues rather than tighten the skin, the results look most natural, with no windblown or overly tight appearance. However, selecting an experienced, well-skilled surgeon like Dr. Jay Calvert, following the required pre-and-post surgery measures, and attending to all the follow-ups is key to attain the most aesthetic outcomes.

Myth: Skin becomes too thin.

Fact: The goal of a deep plane facelift surgery is to make your skin look younger and more vibrant by correcting persistent/ recurrent skin laxity, making skin more elastic and less saggy, meaning the procedure is not just limited to skin tightening or pulling on the superficial layers of the face, but targets deeper structures where aging truly begins. However, it is just a misconception that a deep plane facelift causes skin to thin; in contrast, it preserves skin thickness and health, as the surgeon operates in the sub-SMAS layer (underneath the muscle and connective tissue). Moreover, lifting the entire structural unit- the skin, fat, and muscle leads to muscular-level lifting and does not cause the skin to be forcefully pulled, stretched, or thinned out.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Can a facelift be repeated?

Undoubtedly, yes, if a patient wants to undergo a revision session to enjoy the long-lasting effect and signs of static aging recur due to a gradual breakdown of structural support networks beneath the surface. A facelift can reverse some signs of aging, but it doesn't stop the aging process. This is a natural combination of internal biological aging, structural shifting, and environmental damage, which may lead to a secondary facelift.

Note: Considering a revision facelift too soon after the first procedure is generally avoided unless correcting a specific surgical post-op complication. However, patients seek a second procedure years later to address new sagging.

Q. Does a second deep plane facelift hurt more?

In fact, the second deep plane facelift is easier to do than the first, and it is less painful if the initial procedure is done correctly. Doing the procedure correctly means there are no disruptions to tissue layers, once the ligaments released during the first procedure have already been almost released (as it is not a routine or automatic step). A surgeon generally does not have to redo the deep neck or the brow. Moreover, the second deep plane is done on the face only, and literally there are no additional difficulties. Furthermore, most patients do not report much pain after surgery, and mild to moderate discomfort is very common and can feel like tightness or pressure rather than sharp pain. Still, the prescription pain medicine is given for moderate discomfort.

Q. Is a revision facelift more expensive?

Just as the expertise of a facial plastic surgeon is a prerequisite for dealing with a revision case, the cost is naturally higher than the first facelift. A revision facelift typically costs 20-30% more than the primary procedure. The cost is drastically influenced by the extreme surgical precision required to operate through scar tissue and correct previous surgical changes. If you want to know the revision facelift cost in Beverly Hills or Los Angeles, it is inevitable to schedule your introductory consultation with a highly expert facial plastic surgeon, like Dr. Jay Calvert.

Q. What age is too old for a second facelift?

Firstly, there is no specific age limit for facelift candidacy, and most importantly, patients over the age of 65 can have secondary/ revision facelift surgery. Thus, candidates over the age of 70 can safely undergo a secondary facelift; it can still give natural-looking results if you have good skin elasticity and thickness, and a highly experienced facial plastic surgeon performs the procedure. In addition, candidacy is more about anatomy and skin quality than biological age, as a facial plastic surgeon also evaluates your facial structure and overall tissue quality as a key factor in determining whether you are a good fit for the surgery.

Q. Why should I choose Dr. Jay Calvert for a revision deep plane facelift?

Dr. Jay Calvert is a leading name in deep plane facelift and revision procedures in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach for delivering unmatched, natural-looking results. Dr. Calvert has performed thousands of successful facelift surgeries and has happy, satisfied patients, as verified by reputable review portals like RealSelf, Healthgrades, and Yelp.

Surgeon Insight:

Every revision facelift surgery is a sophisticated task in terms of precision and meeting the aesthetic outcomes because every patient is unique, needs a customized approach, and heals differently based on their anatomy, genetics, skin quality, and lifestyle. Moreover, no two patients age the same way, meaning a second deep plane facelift is more about maintaining long-lasting youthful results than meeting a specific age to be considered a candidate.

Note that a revision facelift surgery is fully possible and safe, typically performed 10-15 years after an initial procedure to correct new sagging caused by aging, gravity, or weight change. But it requires a highly experienced and skilled facial plastic surgeon to achieve realistic, most natural-looking results.

To know more about facial rejuvenation procedures in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, CA, call Dr. Calvert at 310.777.8800, 949.644.2858, or fill out the contact form to schedule your in-person consultation today.