What is a deep plane facelift and why is it so popular?

A deep plane facelift differs from a traditional (SMAS) facelift in how deep the surgeon works. In a traditional facelift, the skin is lifted and the SMAS layer (a muscular sheet under the skin) is tightened separately. In a deep plane facelift, the surgeon releases the ligaments holding the deeper tissues and lifts the skin and SMAS together as one unit. This produces more natural results because there's less tension on the skin—the deeper structures support the lift. The results typically last longer (10-15+ years vs 5-10), and there's less risk of the "pulled" or "windswept" look. The trade-off is a longer surgery (4-6 hours), higher cost, and the need for a surgeon with specific expertise in this technique.