Deep plane face and neck lift in Denver: the 2-month result people called natural
If you’ve been staring at face-and-neck-lift photos wondering whether anyone comes out of this still looking like themselves — this is the result people kept asking about. The questions in the comments are probably the ones keeping you up too: does it look natural, are you old enough, how bad is recovery, and what does the $20,000 actually cover.
The part people reacted to
A cleaner neck and jawline without losing her face.
The surgeon shared this one, so it reads a little differently than a first-person recovery diary. But the details are exactly the ones you’d want before booking anything: price, incisions, downtime, age timing, and what’s actually included.
Timeline
About 2 months
Location
Denver
Cost note
Starts around $20k
Goal
Jawline and neck first
What bothered her
Jowls and loose neck skin were the pieces that made her reflection feel out of sync with how she felt inside.
What she chose
Other options came up in her consult, but she wanted to focus on the jawline and neck for now. You’re allowed to do that.
What people noticed
The comments kept coming back to one word, the one you’re probably most afraid of losing: natural.
Explore on Afters
Use this story to compare profiles, front views, and neck angle — and whether a result still feels like the same person.
Facelift
Compare natural lower-face results
Also helpful
The real reason this result lands
The surgeon wrote that she felt like her outside no longer matched the person she was on the inside. It’s a small line, but if it made your chest tighten a little, you already understand why a result like this gets saved and stared at. This was a deep plane lift, which means the surgeon repositions the deeper muscle layer under the skin, not just the skin itself.
A face and neck lift gets sold as looking younger. That’s not really the wish, though. Most of the time it’s quieter than that: you just want the person in the photos to feel like you again.
The reaction
"So natural."
When you’re scared of looking done, this isn’t a throwaway compliment. Natural is usually the whole point.
The patient goal
"I just wanted to focus on improving the jawline/neck for now."
Here’s the permission you might need: you don’t have to fix everything in one surgery. She didn’t, and it worked.
The timeline
"Around 2 months post-op."
Two months can look polished, but it’s still part of the healing story, not the finish line.
She didn’t try to fix everything at once
The restraint here is one of the best parts. The caption says she and the surgeon talked through other options too — eyelid surgery, fat transfer, a brow lift, laser resurfacing — and she still chose to focus on the jawline and neck for now.
If you’re prone to wanting it all handled in one go, sit with that. The best plan isn’t the longest one. It’s the one that matches the thing bothering you most.
Procedure
A deep plane lower face and neck lift, plus submental liposuction (fat removed from under the chin), which the surgeon mentioned in the comments.
Anesthesia
He said he uses sedation anesthesia with IV propofol for this kind of case.
Incisions
He described incisions around the ears, inside the ear canal, and a small one under the chin.
Drains
He said he doesn’t usually use drains for these cases.
Why the comments went straight to age and cost
When a result looks this natural, you stop wondering whether surgery can work and start wondering whether it’s right for you. The comments turned from compliments into the real questions fast: am I old enough, and what does this actually cost.
Does it look natural?
That was the loudest reaction, and you can feel the relief in it. People weren’t just complimenting the lift; they were relieved it didn’t announce itself as surgery.
Am I old enough for this?
Someone asked about the right age, and the answer was refreshingly grounded in anatomy. Your jowls, your neck, and what has or hasn’t worked for you already matter far more than your birthday.
What does the price include?
The cost comment helped because it spelled out that the starting price covered anesthesia and surgery center fees, not just the surgeon’s fee.
Cost mentioned
$20k
Starting point from the comment thread
The helpful part wasn’t just the number. It was what the surgeon said was included: anesthesia and surgery center fees. That’s exactly the kind of detail you want to pin down on your own quote, because a price can look lower or higher depending on what’s bundled into it.
What 2 months really means in a face and neck lift result
At 2 months, the jawline and neck can already look dramatically cleaner. That doesn’t mean she’s done healing, though. ASPS describes weeks 3 and 4 after a facelift as a stretch where a lot of people still have leftover swelling and tightness even as the contour starts to come in. ASPS also notes that neck lift swelling can take weeks to months to fully settle. So if you’re looking at a 2-month photo, you’re seeing a direction, not the final answer.
Clinical context
Mayo Clinic explains that facelift surgery tightens deeper tissues and can reduce sagging around the cheeks, jawline, and neck.
ASPS describes weeks 3 and 4 after facelift surgery as a period when residual swelling and tightness may remain while facial contour starts to look better.
ASPS notes that neck lift swelling can take weeks to months to fully dissipate, and incision lines can keep maturing for up to six months.
How to actually read these photos
This case has the angles you want: front, three-quarter, and profile. The profile is the most dramatic, but the front view is the one that tells you whether the neck and jawline still look natural when someone’s looking right at you. When you check for neck bands, those are the vertical cords that show when the neck muscle loosens.
Look at the profile first: chin, jawline, neck angle, and the under-chin transition.
Check the front view for jowls and neck bands, not just smoother skin.
Compare three-quarter views, since they show cheek, jawline, and neck together.
Ask how many months post-op the after photo was taken.
Ask where the scars sit, and whether you can see examples with the hair pulled back.
Notice what wasn’t done. She chose to focus on the jawline and neck rather than every possible add-on.
The incision details worth asking about
The surgeon described hidden incisions around the ears and inside the ear canal, plus a small one under the chin. That’s good language to borrow for your own consult. Don’t just ask, "Will there be scars?" Ask where they sit, how they’re hidden, and whether you can see healed examples.
Ask precisely
Where do you place the incision in front of the ear?
Does it go inside the ear, around the earlobe, or behind the ear?
Will I need a small under-chin incision?
Can I see healed scars on someone with similar hair and skin?
Questions to bring if this result feels like your goal
Use this post to get specific. You’re not asking a surgeon to copy another patient’s face. You’re asking whether the same kind of lower-face and neck change is realistic for your anatomy, your budget, and how much downtime you can take.
Would I need a lower face lift, neck lift, submental liposuction, or a combination?
What makes me a candidate for deep plane technique specifically?
Where would my incisions be: around the ear, inside the ear, behind the ear, or under the chin?
Do you use drains for this type of case?
What is included in the quote: surgeon fee, anesthesia, facility, garments, follow-up, and revisions?
What should I expect at 2 weeks, 2 months, 6 months, and 1 year?
If I am not ready for surgery, what are the honest non-surgical alternatives and their limits?
The bottom line
What makes this one worth your time is that it answers more than "does the before-and-after look good?" She focused on the area that bothered her most, the result reads as natural, and you get the practical pieces you actually need before a consult: cost, timing, age, incisions, and downtime.
Questions this story answers
What did this Denver face and neck lift post show?
It’s a surgeon-shared post of a patient about 2 months after a deep plane lower face and neck lift in Denver, which means the surgeon repositioned the deeper muscle layer under the skin, not just the skin. The photos focus on the jawline, neck, front view, three-quarter view, and profile.
How much did the surgeon say this deep plane face and neck lift starts at?
In the comments, the surgeon said it starts around $20,000 at his office, and that this covers anesthesia and surgery center fees. He also noted that revisions, add-ons, more severe cases, and optional hyperbaric oxygen therapy can change the price.
What age is right for a deep plane face and neck lift?
There isn’t a single right age. The surgeon said timing depends on your anatomy, and that his most common range is early to mid-50s, though some people in their mid-40s can be candidates if the jowls and loose neck skin aren’t responding to other treatments.
What downtime did the post describe?
The surgeon described about 2 weeks of bruising and swelling, around 3 weeks without heavy exertion, and said out-of-town patients usually stay in town for about 10 days for early recovery and suture removal.
Are 2-month face and neck lift results final?
No. A 2-month result can show a strong direction, but swelling, tightness, numbness, and scar maturation can keep going. ASPS notes that neck lift swelling may take weeks to months to dissipate and incision lines can take up to six months to mature.