Deep Plane Facelift in Medellín

What a deep plane facelift is

A deep plane facelift lifts the face in one layer, not two. The skin, the fat, and the muscle beneath them are released as a single unit and repositioned upward. That is the main difference from older facelift techniques, which pulled the skin while the deeper tissue stayed put. When the layers move together, the face keeps its natural shape instead of looking stretched.

Dr. Franco uses this technique for most of his facelifts because the vertical lift it produces looks like a younger version of you, not like a face that has been pulled back.

Why the deep plane holds up

The SMAS, or superficial musculoaponeurotic system, is the sheet of muscle and connective tissue that sits under the facial skin. In a deep plane lift, this sheet is released from its deeper attachments and moved as one piece with the fat and skin above it. Because the lift happens at the level where aging actually occurs, the result lasts longer and the risk of a tight, operated look is lower.

How your face shape changes the plan

Not every face should get the same lift. A 2025 review of 78 deep plane procedures found that round and square faces can drift downward again sooner after a standard deep plane lift, because the natural pull of those face types is oblique rather than vertical. For these patients Dr. Franco adjusts the vector of the lift, and in some cases a high SMAS lift is the better choice. Oval and gaunt faces tend to do very well with the deep plane, because the technique restores volume the face has lost.

Who is a candidate

A deep plane facelift is for someone with real laxity in the lower face and neck. If your jowls have dropped, your jawline has softened, and the skin along your cheek no longer sits where it used to, this is usually the right procedure. You should be in good health, a non-smoker, and able to keep your blood pressure under control, because blood pressure is one of the strongest predictors of bleeding after surgery.

How the procedure is performed

The operation is done under general anesthesia and takes between three and five hours, depending on whether a neck lift is added. The incision starts in the hairline above the ear, follows the natural curve in front of the ear, and ends behind the ear in the hairline. Through this incision Dr. Franco releases the deep plane, repositions it, trims the excess skin, and closes the incision in layers so the scar hides in natural creases.

Safety measures that matter

Two measures reduce the main risk of a facelift, which is a hematoma, or a collection of blood under the skin. The first is blood pressure control. A 2024 study found that keeping systolic blood pressure under 120 during and after surgery lowered the hematoma rate from 3.76 percent to 0.5 percent. The second is tranexamic acid, a medication that reduces bleeding and bruising. A 2025 systematic review found it cut drain output by about 71 percent in face and neck lift patients. Both are standard in Dr. Franco's protocol.

What the data says about results

Deep plane lifts score well on patient satisfaction. A 2025 meta-analysis of nearly 2,900 patients found a 94.4 percent satisfaction rate with the deep plane technique, compared with 87.8 percent for SMAS lifts. The tradeoff is a slightly higher complication rate, mostly temporary swelling or nerve weakness that resolves on its own.

Recovery

You will be swollen and bruised for the first week, and you should sleep upright and avoid bending or lifting. Stitches come out around day seven. Most patients feel presentable after two weeks and can fly home then. The final result appears over three to six months as the deeper tissues settle. Plan for ten to fourteen days in Medellín.

Cost

A deep plane facelift in Medellín ranges from about $8,000 to $12,000 depending on whether you add a neck lift or eyelid surgery. In the United States the same procedure commonly runs two to three times that amount. Your written quote covers the surgeon's fee, anesthesia, the facility, and your follow-up visits. We do not publish flat prices because no two faces need the same operation.

Why Dr. Franco and Medellín

Dr. Franco is a board-certified plastic surgeon in Colombia, registered with ReTHUS, with more than fifteen years in facial surgery. Medellín has a concentration of experienced surgeons, modern accredited facilities, and year-round mild weather that makes recovery easier. You can read more on our travel guide.

Results

▶Facelift transformation▶Facelift transformation

Related pages

• Facelift in Medellín: the full overview
• Deep plane vs SMAS: which technique fits your face
• Mini facelift: a smaller option
• Neck lift
• Facelift recovery timeline

Next steps

Send three photos from the front and one from each side, and Dr. Franco will tell you whether a deep plane lift is right for you and what it would cost.