The Face
Facelift
Structural Restoration. Enduring Elegance.
Structural Restoration. Enduring Elegance.
At Edition, we believe the recovery process should be as refined as the surgery itself. We prioritize a surgical experience that is as gentle as it is effective, and our patients are often surprised to find that post-operative discomfort is quite manageable, frequently requiring only over-the-counter medication within a day or two. By combining this sophisticated technique with Dr. Schwartz’s meticulous recovery protocol, we ensure you can return to your life feeling as fabulous as you look. When you look in the mirror, our team wants you to see a reflection that finally matches the young, vibrant individual you know yourself to be.
True artistry in facial rejuvenation lies in the details that go unnoticed. Dr. Schwartz places a significant emphasis on volume restoration, returning descended fat to the upper cheekbones to create natural fullness without the need for excessive fillers. Simultaneously, he is meticulous about incision placement, concealing them within the natural contours of the hairline and ears. This allows the skin to be redraped without tension, ensuring your results are virtually undetectable and recognizably, undeniably you. Our goal is for our patients to look like a rested, vibrant version of themselves—refreshed by a decade or more.
The deepest aspiration of facial surgery is not to look altered—it is to look the way you feel. At Edition Plastic Surgery, our approach centers on the belief that a successful facelift should address the structural cause of facial aging rather than its surface appearance. While traditional techniques often focus on pulling the skin backward, Dr. Schwartz focuses on a vertical lift. By releasing deeper tissues at their anatomical attachment points and repositioning them upward to where they originated, he restores the heart-shaped contour of youth and addresses jowls and midface flattening at their source without the "pulled" look of the past.
Unlike traditional facelifts that pull the skin horizontally, Dr. Schwartz utilizes the deep plane technique to release underlying retaining ligaments and lift the facial tissues vertically. At Edition, our approach centers on repositioning the malar fat pad and deeper structures to their youthful position, restoring a natural, heart-shaped contour while avoiding the "wind-tunnel" appearance of surface-tension procedures.
One of the most significant benefits of this approach is the ability to address the midface, where hollowing and descent first occur. By releasing the zygomatic and masseteric ligaments, Dr. Schwartz lifts the malar fat pad to soften nasolabial folds and restore volume to the upper cheekbones, achieving a refreshed look from within rather than simply pulling the surface.
To ensure a harmonious result, Dr. Schwartz addresses the neck concurrently by tightening the platysma muscle and refining the cervicomental angle. This unified approach creates a defined, elegant jawline and a smooth neck contour that blends seamlessly with rejuvenated facial features, from the jaw to the décolletage.
Dr. Schwartz meticulously places incisions within the natural hairline and along the subtle contours of the ear to ensure they are virtually imperceptible once healed. This level of precision preserves the temporal hairline and ensures the ear retains its natural appearance, allowing our patients the freedom to keep the details of their procedure a private matter.
At Edition Plastic Surgery, Dr. Schwartz generally recommends general anesthesia to ensure absolute comfort and safety throughout the surgery. Depending on the complexity of your specific case, our team may also discuss a combination of local anesthesia and sedation to determine the best option for your health and goals.
Most of our patients find post-operative discomfort is mild and manageable with over-the-counter medication. While you should plan for 7 to 10 days of social downtime before returning to an office environment, light walking is encouraged almost immediately, with a return to more strenuous exercise typically recommended by our team after three weeks.
For comprehensive facial rejuvenation, Dr. Schwartz often pairs a deep plane facelift with eyelid surgery, a brow lift, or fat grafting to restore lost volume. During your consultation, he will recommend the specific combination of procedures that will most meaningfully improve your overall result and maintain a balanced, authentic aesthetic.
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All photographs are of actual Edition Plastic Surgery patients. Individual results may vary.
A deep plane facelift is a significant surgical procedure with a recovery that rewards patience — the results continue to improve for months after the initial healing.
Dr. Schwartz will conduct a comprehensive facial analysis — evaluating the degree of tissue descent, skin quality, skeletal structure, and volume changes — and design a surgical plan specific to your anatomy. He will discuss whether complementary procedures such as a brow lift or blepharoplasty would meaningfully improve your result, and will be transparent about realistic timelines and outcomes.
Lab work, medical clearance, and medication adjustments — particularly blood thinners and supplements — are coordinated in advance. Our patient concierge arranges all logistics and provides a detailed preparation guide to ensure surgery day is calm and well-organized.
A deep plane facelift is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes four to six hours, depending on the extent of the procedure and whether complementary procedures are combined. Surgery is performed at our accredited surgical facility. You are discharged the same day or following an overnight stay depending on your surgeon's recommendation.
Swelling and bruising are significant during the first week and are a normal part of the healing process. Drains, if placed, are removed within the first two days. Head elevation and gentle movement are encouraged. Most patients are surprised by how manageable the discomfort is — tightness and pulling sensations are more common than pain.
Most patients feel comfortable appearing in public — with makeup — at two to three weeks. Swelling continues to resolve gradually. Light activity resumes at two weeks. Strenuous exercise is restricted for four to six weeks. Each week brings visible, meaningful improvement.
The final result emerges as the deeper tissues fully settle and residual swelling resolves over three to six months. Most patients describe the final result as looking like a younger version of themselves — not like someone who has had surgery. The longevity of the deep plane result is typically ten to fifteen years.
A deep plane facelift is among the most technically demanding procedures in all of aesthetic surgery. The anatomy is complex, the margin between a natural result and an obvious one is narrow, and the surgeon's aesthetic judgment — knowing when enough has been done — matters as much as the technical skill to do it. Dr. Schwartz has dedicated a significant portion of his practice to facial rejuvenation and brings the same meticulous, preservation-oriented philosophy to every facelift he performs.
Full Credentials →The best candidates for a deep plane facelift are patients who see facial aging that bothers them in the mirror but want a solution that restores rather than alters their appearance.
Dr. Schwartz will give you a completely honest assessment — including whether surgical intervention is premature for your anatomy, or whether a less comprehensive procedure might serve you equally well at this stage.
Answers to the questions Dr. Schwartz hears most often from facelift patients — particularly about naturality and longevity.
A traditional facelift tightens skin and the superficial SMAS layer, which can produce a pulled appearance and often relaxes over time. Dr. Schwartz utilizes a deep plane technique to release and reposition the deeper tissues and retaining ligaments—restoring descended volume vertically to where it originated. Because we are addressing the structural cause of facial aging rather than simply stretching the skin, the result looks entirely natural and lasts significantly longer.
There is a common misconception that you need to wait until your 60s or 70s to consider this procedure. At Edition Plastic Surgery, Dr. Schwartz sees many patients in their 40s, and occasionally their 30s, who are beginning to see the effects of gravity, such as blurring of the jawline or sagging cheeks. Candidacy is about your unique anatomy and how you feel about your appearance, not the number on your birth certificate.
The 'wind-tunnel' look typically occurs when skin is pulled horizontally toward the ears. Dr. Schwartz focuses on lifting the deeper tissues and cheek volume upward, restoring the natural, heart-shaped contour of your youth. Our goal for every facelift is for our patients to look like a refreshed, younger version of themselves—as if they have simply returned from a long, restorative holiday.
A deep plane facelift typically lasts ten to fifteen years—significantly longer than traditional techniques. While natural aging continues after surgery, it proceeds from a much younger baseline. Many of our patients find they only require minor maintenance procedures a decade or more after their primary facelift to maintain their refreshed aesthetic.
Most of our patients are back to office jobs within 7 to 10 days, though you should expect significant swelling and bruising during the first week. While the recovery is more demanding than minor aesthetic procedures, the actual pain is usually quite mild and easily managed with over-the-counter medication. Most patients feel comfortable in public with makeup at two to three weeks, but Dr. Schwartz recommends waiting four to six weeks before returning to strenuous exercise.
Dr. Schwartz takes great pride in the artistry of concealing incisions. They are carefully placed within the hairline and in the natural creases behind and in front of the ear. These typically heal as very fine, pale lines that are difficult to see even upon close inspection. At Edition, we believe your secret is yours to share; the results will look natural, and the incisions will not be obvious to the world.
As with any surgery, there are risks, but we mitigate them through precise technique, modern anesthesia, and careful patient selection. The primary concerns post-surgery are typically temporary swelling, tightness, or minor bruising. During your consultation at Edition Plastic Surgery, we perform a thorough review of your medical history to ensure you are a healthy candidate for the procedure and the recovery process.
Because every face ages differently, Dr. Schwartz customizes each procedure to our patient’s unique bone structure and skin quality. The investment varies based on the extent of the restoration and whether complementary procedures, like a brow lift or fat grafting, are combined. We provide a transparent, detailed fee quote following your personal consultation, and financing options are available to help you achieve your goals.
Dr. Schwartz performs your deep plane facelift under general anesthesia at our accredited surgical facility, ensuring a safe and comfortable outpatient experience. While you will notice some initial swelling and tightness, discomfort is typically minimal, allowing most of our patients to return to their professional lives within seven to ten days. By the three-week mark, Dr. Schwartz clears you to resume your exercise routine as your results settle into a refined, natural contour and incisions begin to fade. Throughout this process, our dedicated patient concierge team coordinates every aspect of your care, ensuring your recovery at Edition Plastic Surgery is as seamless and elevated as your final result.