Face & Neck Lift: Restoring the Harmony and Youthfulness of Your Features
Redefining facial contours without altering your identity
Over the years, the deep structures of the face and neck experience the combined effects of gravity, loss of skin elasticity, and bone resorption.
Modern face and neck lifting is no longer about "pulling the skin" — it's about carefully repositioning the deep muscle layers (the SMAS) and re-draping the tissue with delicacy. The goal: a rested face, a defined jawline, a restored neck-chin angle, and above all, an absolutely natural result.
Dr Yousefpour's Exclusive Approach: Maxillofacial Precision for Aesthetics
Facial cosmetic surgery requires absolute command of bony volumes, muscle dynamics, and the path of the facial nerves. Thanks to his advanced training in oral and maxillofacial surgery, Dr Yousefpour approaches every face with an overall 3D architectural view.
- Subcutaneous retensioning (SMAS): Support relies on the muscle layers, avoiding any frozen or "overly pulled" look.
- Nearly invisible scars: Custom-designed to follow the tragus's anatomical contour and hide within the hairline.
- Overall harmony: Can be combined with facial fat grafting (lipofilling) or blepharoplasty to restore volume and the eyes at the same time.
Your Surgical Journey
| Step | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Consultation & 3D planning | In-depth shape analysis, volume assessment, and a personalized surgical plan defined by Dr Yousefpour. |
| 2. The procedure | Performed under general anesthesia or conscious sedation (depending on the indication). Duration: 2.5 to 4 hours. |
| 3. Immediate post-operative course | A moderate compression dressing is applied. Rest recommended for 7 to 10 days (temporary swelling and bruising). |
| 4. Final result | Natural-looking rejuvenation visible from 4 to 6 weeks, with complete tissue maturation between 3 and 6 months. |
Comparison: Mini-Lift, SMAS Plication & Deep Plane
A tailored approach for every degree of facial aging.
There is no single universal facial rejuvenation technique — only a precise indication matched to your anatomy, tissue quality, and goals. As a specialist in facial anatomy, Dr Yousefpour is skilled in every surgical plane, allowing him to recommend the most lasting and natural strategy.
| Criteria | Mini-Lift (MACS-Lift) | Classic SMAS Lift (Plication / Resection) | Deep Plane Facelift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Plane of action | Superficial skin, with vertical SMAS suspension | Subcutaneous, with SMAS retensioning/plication | Deep sub-SMAS, complete release of the suspensory ligaments |
| Areas treated | Early sagging of the jawline and jowls | Jawline and moderately sagging neck | Midface, cheekbones, nasolabial folds, jawline and neck |
| Effect on the neck | Mild to moderate | Moderate to good (combined with platysma work) | Excellent (full neck-cheek repositioning with no skin tension) |
| Duration of effect | 5 to 7 years | 8 to 10 years | 10 to 15 years |
| Social downtime | 7 to 10 days | 10 to 14 days | 12 to 18 days |
| Ideal profile | Ages 40–50, early sagging, mild loss of firmness | Ages 45–60, clear jowls, moderate neck/cheek sagging | Ages 50+, marked midface ptosis, hollow under the eyes, sagging neck |
The 3 Surgical Approaches in Detail
1. The Mini-Lift (Minimally Invasive Approach)
- The concept: A reduced incision (mainly pre-auricular) to retighten superficial tissue using suspension sutures anchored to the SMAS.
- The advantages: Minimal scarring, fast recovery, and surgical risk reduced to a strict minimum.
- The limits: Cannot correct significant cheek drooping or major neck skin laxity.
2. The Traditional SMAS Lift (Plication or Resection)
- The concept: Undermining the skin, followed by direct retensioning of the underlying musculo-aponeurotic system (via suturing or trimming a strip of SMAS).
- The advantages: Effective, lasting treatment of the jawline and jowls, with excellent redistribution of lateral volumes.
- The limits: Limited effect on the nasolabial folds and midface, since the deep ligaments are not released.
3. The Deep Plane Facelift (The Advanced Anatomical Standard)
- The concept: The surgeon works directly in the plane beneath the SMAS to release the restraining ligaments (zygomatic and mandibular ligaments). The entire skin-muscle-fat unit is mobilized and repositioned upward as a single block, without any tension on the skin.
- The advantages: Complete treatment of the midface (lifted cheekbones, softened bitterness lines), a perfectly redefined neck angle, an absolutely natural result, and maximum longevity.
- The requirement: Requires advanced surgical expertise in the facial compartments and the course of the facial nerve — a field where Dr Yousefpour excels.
The choice of technique is not a matter of fashion, but of a careful analysis of your aging vectors. The aim is to restore structures to where they were ten or fifteen years earlier, without superficial tension and without distorting the dynamics of your smile.
— Dr Yousefpour
Volumetric Restoration: Combining Lifting with Facial Fat Grafting
Retensioning isn't enough — light and fullness must be restored too.
Facial aging combines two simultaneous mechanisms: gravitational ptosis (the drooping of muscle and skin tissue) and selective lipoatrophy (the loss and migration of deep fat compartments).
A lift alone repositions sagging structures, but cannot compensate for bone and fat volume loss in the temples, tear trough, or cheekbones. Dr Yousefpour systematically takes a three-dimensional approach, combining structural lifting with high-precision autologous fat grafting: micro-fat and nano-fat.
Why Combine Fat Grafting and Lifting?
- A living result, never hollow: Avoids the "skeletonized" or over-pulled look of a classic lift by restoring the natural curves of youth.
- 100% biological & permanent: Uses your own fat, harvested with an atraumatic micro-cannula (abdomen or inner knees). Fat cells that take hold integrate permanently, with no risk of rejection or foreign-body reaction.
- Dual action on structure and texture: Simultaneously corrects deep volume and regenerates the superficial layers of the skin, thanks to growth factors and mesenchymal stem cells (ADSC).
Micro-Fat vs Nano-Fat: Two Particle Sizes, Two Purposes
| Characteristics | Micro-Fat (Volume Restoration) | Nano-Fat (Regeneration & Bio-Remodeling) |
|---|---|---|
| Filtration process | Purified fat, preserving intact adipocyte micro-lobules | Emulsified, ultra-filtered fat (no intact adipocytes, rich in stem cells) |
| Injection plane | Deep / supra-periosteal and submuscular, via a blunt micro-cannula | Superficial intradermal and subcutaneous plane, in micro-papules |
| Target areas | Cheekbones, temples, tear trough, chin, bitterness lines | Fine perioral lines ("barcode" lines), dark circles, skin texture, décolletage |
| Main goal | Rebuilding volume and projecting contours | Dramatically improving elasticity, radiance, and skin thickness |
Dr Yousefpour's Surgical Protocol
- Atraumatic micro-harvesting: Small volumes of fat harvested under low pressure to preserve maximum cell viability.
- Purification & emulsification: Washing and filtering in a sterile closed circuit to separate active fat tissue from cellular debris and oily fluids.
- Surgical repositioning: Performing the lift (SMAS or Deep Plane) to retension the muscle structures and the jawline.
- Three-dimensional micro-grafting: Layered reinjection in interwoven micro-droplets, to maximize revascularization of the grafts and ensure even, lasting integration.
True facial rejuvenation doesn't seek tension, but balance between the verticality of the deep structures and the softness of your original volumes.
— Dr Yousefpour
Post-Operative Care & Follow-Up Schedule
Optimizing your recovery and making your result last.
The success of a facelift depends equally on the precision of the surgical technique in the operating room and the rigor of post-operative care. Dr Yousefpour and his team support you every step of the way through your recovery, to ensure a comfortable course, discreet scarring, and complete safety.
Recovery Schedule & Follow-Up Visits
| Period | Clinical Progress & Key Care | Appointments & Medical Care |
|---|---|---|
| Days 1–3 | Peak swelling and bruising. Complete rest with the head elevated (2 pillows). Gentle compression dressing in place. | Post-op visit on day 1/2: removal of the initial dressing and careful check for hematoma. |
| Days 4–7 | Skin tension gradually decreases. Start of prescribed gentle shampooing and local incision care. | Check-up on day 7: cleaning the suture lines and removal of the first stitches or temporal staples. |
| Days 8–15 | Marked resolution of bruising. Covering makeup and light social outings become possible. | Check-up on day 12–14: removal of all remaining stitches, including behind the ears. |
| Weeks 3–6 | Gradual return to sports activities. Start of scar massage and moisturizing protocols. | 1-month check-up: interim assessment of symmetry, skin tone, and tissue flexibility. |
| Months 3–6 | Complete resolution of residual swelling and scar maturation (scars gradually fade). | 3-month & 6-month consultations: comparative photo assessment and validation of the final result. |
Essential Post-Operative Instructions
Position & Rest
- Sleep on your back, with your head elevated 30–45°, for the first 10 days, to speed up lymphatic drainage and limit swelling.
- Avoid tilting your head forward or bending your torso down abruptly.
Wound Care & Hygiene
- Gently clean the areas behind and in front of the ears with sterile gauze soaked in a mild antiseptic, without rubbing.
- Apply the healing ointment prescribed by Dr Yousefpour in a thin layer along the incision lines.
- The first gentle, lukewarm shampoo is allowed once cleared by the team (usually on day 3), without rubbing the suture areas, drying with cool/warm air (never hot).
Sun Protection & Massage
- SPF 50+ total sun protection: Strict daily application on the scars for 12 months, to prevent post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.
- Scar massage: Starting in week 3 (once the epidermis has fully healed), massage the scar edges with a silicone cream or repair serum to soften the tissue.
What Must Be Avoided
- Smoking & vaping: Strictly forbidden for 4 weeks after the procedure, to avoid delayed healing or skin distress.
- Blood-thinning medications / NSAIDs: No aspirin or ibuprofen without the surgeon's explicit approval.
- Intense physical effort: No sport, heavy lifting, or sudden neck movements for 3 to 4 weeks.
- Heat & vasodilation: No sauna, steam room, prolonged hot baths, or direct sun exposure for the first 6 weeks.
When to Contact the Medical Team Urgently
Close monitoring is provided. Contact the office or Dr Yousefpour's dedicated emergency number immediately if you experience:
- Sudden, hard, asymmetric swelling on one side of the face or neck (suspected hematoma).
- Acute, throbbing pain not relieved by prescribed pain medication.
- A fever above 38.5°C (101.3°F), or spreading, warm redness along an incision.
Frequently Asked Questions
Indications & Preparation
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How do I know whether I need aesthetic medicine (injections, threads) or surgical lifting?Aesthetic medicine treats skin texture and offsets moderate volume loss. However, when there's excess skin, clear jowls, or slack neck muscle bands, injections simply add weight to the lower face. Only surgical repositioning of the deep planes (SMAS / Deep Plane) can redefine the jawline without overloading volumes.
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Why is stopping smoking before the procedure important?Nicotine causes severe vasoconstriction (narrowing of small blood vessels), depriving the skin's edges of the oxygen needed to heal. To prevent skin distress, necrosis, or an unsightly scar, complete cessation of smoking and vaping is required at least 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after the procedure.
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Do I need to shave my hair for the procedure?No. No haircut or extensive shaving is required. Incisions are made atraumatically through or right along the hair-bearing areas (temples and nape), carefully respecting the direction of the hair follicles to preserve hair growth.
Surgical Course & Technique
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Which anesthesia is preferred for this procedure?The procedure is generally performed under general anesthesia or anesthetist-assisted conscious sedation (deep local anesthesia with continuous monitoring). A personalized assessment during the pre-operative consultation determines the option that offers the most comfort and safety.
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How does Dr Yousefpour's approach guarantee a natural result?The secret to an invisible result lies in separating the anatomical planes. Mechanical tension is applied exclusively to the SMAS (Superficial Musculo-Aponeurotic System) and the neck's muscle structures. The skin is simply re-draped without any pulling, which preserves the shape of the earlobes, the line of the mouth, and the freshness of natural expressions.
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Can a lift be combined with other procedures in the same surgery?Yes, this is very common and recommended for overall harmony: blepharoplasty (correcting drooping eyelids or under-eye bags), autologous fat grafting (micro-fat & nano-fat, restoring the cheekbones, temples, and skin texture), and submental liposuction (targeted removal of a double chin to sculpt the neck-chin angle).
Post-Operative Course & Recovery
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Is the procedure painful?A face and neck lift is not very painful. Patients mainly describe a feeling of tightness or numbness in the neck and ears, easily relieved with simple pain relievers (paracetamol) during the first few days.
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How long is the social downtime?Swelling and bruising peak between days 2 and 4 after surgery. By days 7–10, bruises turn yellow and can be covered with makeup. By days 12–15, all stitches are removed and you can discreetly resume social or professional life.
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What should I do if I lose sensation around my ears?Numbness of the cheek, neck, and earlobe is a classic, physiological occurrence caused by stretching of the superficial sensory micro-nerves. Reinnervation happens gradually, with normal sensation spontaneously returning between 3 and 9 months.
Results & Longevity
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How long do the benefits of a structural lift last?A lift durably repositions tissue to its original anatomical level, providing an average visual rejuvenation of 8 to 12 years. Natural chronological aging continues, but from a restored baseline — you'll always keep this positive age gap compared to how your face would have looked without surgery.
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When can the final result be appreciated?At 1 month: the contours are clear, the jawline is redefined, and 80% of the swelling has resolved. At 3 to 6 months: the tissue regains full flexibility, the result becomes perfectly stable, and the scars begin their discreet fading phase.
Medical Information & Informed Consent Document
Procedure: Face and neck lift (with or without a complementary step: platysmal muscle repair, facial fat grafting, blepharoplasty)
Surgeon: Dr Yousefpour — Specialist of the Face and Neck
1. Objectives and Principles of the Procedure
A face and neck lift aims to treat sagging tissue in the middle and lower face (cheeks, jowls, jawline) as well as the neck.
- The procedure relies on repositioning the deep anatomical structures (the SMAS and the platysma muscles) to correct sagging without applying artificial tension to the skin.
- The goal is a harmonious, natural aesthetic improvement. Surgery cannot guarantee absolute mathematical symmetry, since every face has pre-existing anatomical asymmetries.
2. Detailed Complications and Risks
Although carried out under rigorous surgical protocols and with the expertise of a practitioner dedicated to the facial region, every surgical procedure carries a degree of risk. The possible complications are clearly detailed below:
Hematoma (blood accumulation under the skin)
A collection of blood that can form under the undermined skin during the first 24 to 48 hours, often triggered by a spike in blood pressure, coughing, or a sudden movement. A small hematoma resolves on its own; a large, tense hematoma requires prompt drainage in the operating room to relieve the tissue and ensure optimal healing.
Altered Skin Sensation
Surgical undermining stretches or cuts tiny sensory nerve fibers in the skin. It's common to feel numbness, loss of sensation, or a "cardboard" feeling in the cheeks, neck, and earlobes. These effects are almost always temporary, with sensation gradually returning over 3 to 12 months.
Motor Nerve Injury (Facial Nerve Branches)
The facial nerve controls facial expression movements (smiling, closing the eyelids, moving the eyebrows). Its branches run beneath the deep anatomical planes. A temporary weakness (paresis) can occur from traction or post-operative swelling near the nerve (e.g. temporary asymmetry of the corner of the mouth when smiling), usually recovering within a few weeks. Permanent motor nerve damage with residual paralysis remains an exceptional complication.
Skin Distress and Necrosis (Delayed Healing)
A temporary reduction in blood flow to the thinnest skin edges (particularly behind or in front of the ears) can lead to a scab or localized superficial skin loss (necrosis). Smoking drastically reduces tissue oxygenation — complete cessation of smoking and nicotine (including vaping) for 4 weeks before and 4 weeks after the procedure is mandatory to minimize this risk.
Infection
Post-operative infection is exceptional in the face, due to its very rich blood supply. Prevented by strict surgical asepsis, and treated with targeted antibiotics and appropriate local care if it occurs.
Scar Abnormalities and Evolution
Incisions are carefully hidden within the natural folds of the ear and the hairline. However, healing depends on each individual's own biology. A scar can become red, thickened (hypertrophic), widened, or pigmented. Specific care (massage, silicone gels, local injections, or a touch-up under local anesthesia) can be offered if needed.
Scarring Alopecia (Localized Hair Loss)
Temporary or permanent hair loss can occur directly along incisions located in the scalp (temples or nape), related to the sensitivity of hair follicles to traction or cauterization.
Residual Asymmetry or Incomplete Result
Swelling resolves gradually (3 to 6 months). In some cases, localized residual laxity or persistent asymmetry may be observed once tissue has stabilized, which may justify a minor surgical touch-up at a later date.
3. Patient Commitments
To ensure the procedure and its follow-up go smoothly, I agree to:
- Report all of my medical and surgical history, allergies, and current treatments.
- Not take any medication containing aspirin or anti-inflammatories during the 10 days before the procedure.
- Follow the recommended smoking and nicotine-replacement cessation protocol.
- Strictly follow the post-operative prescriptions, dressing schedule, and follow-up appointments set by Dr Yousefpour.
4. Legal Provisions & Belgian Taxation (VAT)
21% VAT applies: In accordance with Belgian tax law governing medical and surgical procedures (VAT Code, Art. 44, §1, 2°), any procedure or portion of a procedure that is purely aesthetic is mandatorily subject to 21% VAT, charged in addition to fees and hospitalization costs (if applicable).
5. Financial Framework for Revision Surgery (Touch-Ups)
Final healing is reached after a period of 12 to 18 months. No definitive surgical touch-up can be undertaken before this full tissue-stabilization period.
- Terms for covering revisions: If a touch-up or revision surgery proves necessary later to correct a residual imperfection, all costs related to this new procedure (clinic/hospital fees, anesthetist's fees, consumables, operating room equipment, and surgical fees) remain entirely and exclusively the patient's responsibility.
- The initial surgical procedure never constitutes a package that includes any future secondary procedures.
6. Mutual Consent and Signatures
This consent form is reviewed and signed together with Dr Yousefpour in person prior to the procedure — it is presented here for your information so you can review it in advance.