In the world of cosmetic procedures, it can be dizzying to know what’s what – with everything from ‘fox eye lifts’ to ‘upper blephs’ and BBLs circulating on social media.
But the latest trend on the rise – according to cosmetic surgeons – is a ‘major surgery’ that achieves a natural youthful glow without the tell-tale ‘pulled’ look of many procedures.
Speaking to FEMAIL, experts said they have seen increased interest in ‘deep plane face lifts’ – an operation that can set you back a whopping £60,000 – but offers a red-carpet worthy ‘glow-up’ that isn’t obvious yet still gives a snatched rejuvenation. It was first developed in 1990 by Sam Hamra – a renowned practitioner – but recent years appear to signal an uptick in demand, as celebs have been signing up to go under the knife.
And a myriad of A-listers including Nicole Kidman, Gwyneth Paltrow and Anne Hathaway are speculated to have had one – although pros say the work can be done with such finesse and hidden-away scarring, that it’s ‘impossible to tell’.
Meanwhile, other VIPs such as Marc Jacobs and Real Housewives star Sonja Morgan have been open about getting the work done – and even shared recovery updates.
Fans have suggested that Christina Aguilera, Lindsay Lohan and Kris Jenner are also among those who may have taken part in the procedure, having recently shown off very youthful visages with doctors on social media suggesting they may have had a series of procedures – both surgical and non-surgical – including brow lifts, nose jobs and liposuction.
‘The popularity of this method fits with a wider trend I’m seeing in aesthetics which is increasingly focused on subtle refinement rather than dramatic change. People want to look great without it being obvious they’ve had anything done,’ Dr Aamer Khan of the Harley Street Skin clinic said, adding that it may cost around £15,000 to £30,000 on average.
‘The result is a more youthful facial structure and volume – patients look like a fresher version of themselves – not someone else entirely.
Fans have suggested that Christina Aguilera (pictured), Lindsay Lohan and Kris Jenner are also among those who may have taken part in the procedure
Lindsay Lohan has never confirmed any plastic surgery, but fans have speculated over her recent youthful appearances
Anne Hathaway is another star who, while not confirming any work, has showed off a youthful visage
‘We’re also seeing growing demand in this procedure because the results are far more long-lasting.
‘Traditional facelifts typically last five to seven years, however, deep plane facelift results are more durable – they can last up 10 to 15 years, although the ageing process will continue!’
He added that as well as the celebs who have been open about their experiences with deep plane face lifts, there ‘many more celebrities, particularly US A-listers with the means to access the best cosmetic surgeons in the world, have undoubtedly undergone the procedure, because it’s imperative that they achieve natural, rejuvenated results for maintaining their public image’.
‘Nicole Kidman, for example, looks especially youthful for her age and exceptionally beautiful,’ the expert shared.
‘Her deeper facial structures appear to have been expertly pulled and lifted, while her jawline and neck look noticeably tighter. While we cannot be certain that Nicole has had a deep plane facelift, her appearance is a perfect example of the results surgeons should be aiming for when performing this procedure.
‘Sharon Osbourne has openly discussed her facelifts over the years, and although she expressed dissatisfaction with one of her procedures a few years ago, she looks great; her results also suggest the kind of youthful yet authentic definition and lift associated with deep plane techniques.’
Experts have speculated that Nicole Kidman, 57, has potentially had a facelift. Pictured left in 2016 and right in November
Kris Jenner, 69, has admitted to having a face lift – and social media users have speculated it may have been a deep plane one
Gwyneth Paltrow – pictured – is another A-lister who surgeons have suggested may have gotten a face lift
Marc Jacobs, pictured in 2021 before his face lift, is among the celebs who have admitted to getting the procedure
Marc Jacobs took to social media, to thank Dr Jacono for his ‘lewks’, posting a photo three days post op
The designer was open and candid about getting his face lift – and even shared the name of his surgeon
Dr Barbara Kubicka, Founder of ClinicBe commented on the ‘subtlety’ of the procedure, adding that results look more ‘harmonious’ because it’s working on a deeper level of the tissue.
‘There’s certainly growing interest,’ she added. ‘While I don’t perform surgery myself, I’ve noticed more patients are asking informed questions about deep plane facelifts — often after seeing impressive results online or on social media.
‘People today are looking for subtler, more elegant outcomes that don’t scream ‘surgical’ and the deep plane approach tends to align with that desire.’
Dr Kubicka added that while it’s not possible to ‘speculate definitively’, it’s ‘fair to say that many people are curious about public figures like Christina Aguilera, Lindsay Lohan, Anne Hathaway and Nicole Kidman’.
‘Their faces appear more sculpted and youthful over time, which may be due to surgical intervention, advanced aesthetic treatments, or simply good genetics, skincare, and lighting,’ she added. ‘It’s important to remember that non-surgical treatments, when done well, can also yield impressive transformations.
While some appear to be discreet, other stars have gone as far as sharing the clinic they went to get their perfect snatched look.
Sonja Morgan, 61, of the Real Housewives of New York, took to Instagram to address ‘speculation around her fresh new look’ in 2020.
‘I got a lower facelift and neck lift after wrapping Season 12,’ she expressed. ‘I just wanted to be rid of the wrinkling on my neck and the jowls that were starting to form. People thought I was nuts because it was so subtle. But not to me!
Sonja Morgan, 61, of the Real Housewives of New York, took to Instagram to address ‘speculation around her fresh new look’ in 2020
Sonja shared the name of her surgeon, and opened up about the exact procedure she got online
‘It was a no-brainer – gravity had taken its toll, I was also exhausted and I needed a ‘pick me up’. I entrusted my face to the best Dr Andrew Jacono, and he hit it out of the park.
‘He uses a method called deep plane which goes under the muscle so your skin is still attached. Your blood flows and your face stays vibrant and heals fast.’
The following year, Marc Jacobs, 62, took to social media, to thank Dr Jacono once again for his ‘lewks’, posting a photo three days post op.
Elsewhere, Real Housewives of Dubai star Caroline Stanbury, 49, got the procedure and documented it on social media.
In August, she revealed this was because she wanted to see what people her age would look like after getting it.
‘You get handed books [with pictures of] 80-year-old women that suddenly look 70 or 60. And that’s not me. I couldn’t relate to them,’ she told PEOPLE.
‘I wanted to find someone else my age who had done it but she wasn’t looking dreadful. She just wanted to look better, right?’
Dr Ross Perry – the Medical Director of Cosmedics skin clinics – explained that it works by ‘lifting and repositioning deeper layers of facial tissue, not just the skin’.
Elsewhere, Real Housewives of Dubai star Caroline Stanbury, 49, got the procedure and documented it on social media
‘A traditional facelift is used to tighten the skin and superficial tissues, whereas a deep plane facelift releases and repositions the SMAS layer (the superficial musculoaponeurotic system) and deeper facial fat pads,’ he revealed.
‘This technique allows for more natural-looking, longer-lasting results, particularly in the midface (cheeks), jawline, and neck.
‘The other benefits to a deep plane is that it is able to target deeper layers, repositioning sagging muscles and fat, not just skin. The results are far more natural compared to the ‘pulled’ look common with older facelift methods.’
As described by The Williams Center in the US, the surgery involves making an incision in the face and neck – usually hidden within the hairline or tucked in the skin crease in front of the ear – where the face and neck skin is then ‘separated’ from the deeper tissues.
This allows the surgeon to access your superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), a tissue layer made up by muscle cells, collagen fibers, and elastic fibers, which is known to become thinner with aging. It covers from your neck up to your forehead, and is the part of the face that gets ‘lifted’.
The SMAS is separated from the ‘deeper tissues’ underneath it – known as the ‘deep plane’ – and ‘lifted up’.
‘The principles of a deep plane facelift are that the surgery is done under the surface of the SMAS anatomy and extends all the way to the side of the nose and the corner of the lip and by doing this there are ligaments that are like glue that can be released in this,’ Dr Julian De Silva, a Harley Street surgeon, expanded.
‘When these ligaments are released, the whole face will lift up, also improving the neck area and jawline. An extension of a vertical deep plane facelift is deep neck surgery where deep soft tissues including inherited fat and low submandibular slavery glands are also reduced which can give a much enhanced jawline.
Dr Julian De Silva explained that the deep plane face lift targets different tissue to a normal face lift
‘How does this compare with a conventional or classic face lift, well most of the classic face of surgery was completed on the SMAS anatomy and this is located in front of the air, this surgery avoided the delicate anatomy beneath the mass however did last to improve the middle part of the face.
‘In terms of time a classic face lift, that may take two to three hours. Whereas a deep plane face lift can take more like four and half to five hours.’
He added that this is partially why it looks more like a younger version of you – than an un-recognisable version of you.
‘Within my patients the majority of patients who come to see me are looking for a natural looking result,’ he said.
‘What the vertical deep plane facelift does is that it enables me to lift parts of the face that have dropped with gravity, back to where they were previously which gives a very natural result.
‘Having said that it is a relatively invasive procedure and of course there is some degree of healing and recovery which includes swellings, feelings of numbness and tightness.
‘There are some of my patients who still request a classic facelift or Mini face because they are not looking to have such extensive surgery, however there is definitely a trend for patients wanting the best possible results which currently come from deep plane facelift surgery.’
Dr Perry also stressed it’s a much more ‘complex’ procedure – ‘requiring an exceptionally skilled surgeon due to the intricate anatomy involved’.
The SMAS is separated from the ‘deeper tissues’ underneath it – known as the ‘deep plane’ – and ‘lifted up’
The surgery involves making an incision in the face and neck – usually hidden within the hairline or tucked in the skin crease in front of the ear – where the face and neck skin is then ‘separated’ from the deeper tissues
Pictured: Before and after photos of a patient who Dr Julian De Silva performed a deep plane face lift on
This technique allows for more natural-looking, longer-lasting results, particularly in the midface (cheeks), jawline, and neck
‘Always do your homework and extensive research to find the surgeon who has performed this frequently and subsequently the results,’ he warned.
‘More and more people are opting for a deep plane for the more natural results and the fact it is longer lasting. You can expect prices to start from £15,000 upwards of £30,000 if the neck also requires work, for a reputable surgeon.’
Dr Khan also urged patients to consider how much post-op care it takes.
‘Patients today are more well-informed and discerning about cosmetic procedures than in past years, and because of this, we are seeing a shift away from traditional facelifts toward more advanced, natural-looking aesthetic procedures which include the deep plane facelift,’ he said. ‘The initial downtime typically takes three to four weeks.’
Dr Paul Banwell, Cosmetic and Plastic Surgeon at Pantheons Clinic, also said there are post-surgery markings to consider.
‘During recovery, you could experience bruising, tenderness, pain, bleeding, possibility of infection, skin discoloration, nerve change, and tightness and restriction of movement in the face, to name a few,’ he explained.
‘Deep plane facelifts carry slightly more risk in terms of nerve damage but the plastic surgeons performing these in The U.K. are all highly skilled and obtain lovely results.’
Dr Kubicka also shared that it’s crucial clients understand the facial is ‘not a quick fix’.
Dr Kubicka – pictured – has also shared that it’s crucial clients understand the facial is ‘not a quick fix’
‘Patients need to be in good general health, have realistic expectations, and understand the recovery process, which can be significant,’ she explained.
‘I always advise people to explore non-surgical alternatives first — especially if they’re under 50 — as modern aesthetic medicine offers a wide array of treatments that can restore volume, improve skin quality, and refine facial contours without surgery. Ultimately, it should be a well-informed, personal decision made in consultation with an experienced and reputable surgeon.’
And while fans have speculated about the glitzy Hollywood natives who may have had the procedure – as so many appear ageless when gracing the red carpet – Dr Banwell said because of how subtle and effortless the procedure can look, it’s tough to pin anyone down for sure.
‘It is sometimes difficult to discern whether someone has had a deep plane facelift although regardless patients usually look amazing with a refreshed more youthful look and a tighter neck and jawline,’ he added.
‘As plastic surgeons we always try to obtain inconspicuous scars and rapid healing. Deep plane facelifts often leaves a most pleasing lifted appearance that still looks quite natural.
‘The procedure can take several hours. I always recommend researching for a plastic surgeon who specialses in facelifts.’
Elsewhere, he also added that while a deep plane facelift is certainly one of the more popular new procedures, it signals an overall rise in all facelifts.
‘Yes, there seems to have been a surge in demand for deep plane facelifts in recent years, which I think has been due to the surge in popularity in face lifts in general,’ he said.
‘However, many people don’t actually know what a deep plane facelift is in comparison to traditional face lifts, so I do think there is still a great demand for a traditional face lift.’
