Deep-Plane Lifts Suspected Behind Hollywood’s Most Subtle Makeovers

There’s something about the latest round of celebrity red carpet appearances that’s set the aesthetic world buzzing. Anne Hathaway’s skin seems to defy gravity. Kris Jenner’s jawline has the tautness of someone decades younger. Lindsay Lohan is suddenly giving early-2000s cheekbones. What do they all have in common? According to aesthetic insiders, the likely answer isn’t filler, threads or filters—it’s the deep-plane facelift.

How do deep-plane facelifts work?

Facelift surgery (rhytidectomy) rejuvenates the aging face by lifting and repositioning soft tissues. Over the past decades, multiple techniques have evolved, including SMAS facelifts (addressing the Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System) and deeper-plane lifts. The Deep-Plane Facelift (DPFL), originally described in the 1970s, has gained renewed popularity in recent years for its potential to produce natural, long-lasting results.

The deep-plane facelift involves dissection beneath the SMAS layer, within the loose areolar tissue above the facial muscles. Unlike a traditional facelift that raises skin and SMAS separately, the deep-plane approach elevates the skin and SMAS together as a single composite flap. This composite flap typically includes the skin, subcutaneous fat, SMAS, and often the malar fat pad, all lifted in unison. The surgeon works in the deep plane (deep to the SMAS) to release key retaining ligaments and mobilise deeper facial structures. By placing tension at the fascial layer rather than the skin, the deep-plane technique creates a tension-free skin closure, contributing to a more natural outcome and longer-lasting result.

The incision pattern in a deep-plane facelift is similar to that of other facelifts (typically starting in the temporal hairline, extending around the ear and into the lower scalp). After incising through skin and subcutaneous tissue in the cheek, the surgeon enters the deep plane by opening the SMAS layer in front of the ear or along the lateral cheek. Once in the sub-SMAS plane, dissection proceeds deep to the SMAS, preserving the skin-SMAS attachments in the midface. Crucially, several facial retaining ligaments are sharply released to allow effective mobilisation of the tissue. In an extended deep-plane facelift, surgeons specifically target four key retaining ligaments: the zygomatic cutaneous ligaments (which tether the midface over the cheekbone), the masseteric cutaneous ligaments (anchoring the lower cheek), the mandibular cutaneous ligaments at the jawline, and the cervical retaining ligaments in the neck. Releasing these fibrous attachments frees the SMAS-fat layer so it can be lifted and repositioned without resistance.

After ligament release, the surgeon elevates the composite flap in a superior and postero-lateral vector (often more vertical than a traditional facelift) to restore youthful contours. The malar fat pad and midface are lifted back to a higher position, softening nasolabial folds and enhancing cheek volume. The lifted SMAS and deep tissues are then secured to sturdy anchoring points (such as the deep temporal fascia or mastoid area) with sutures, suspending the face in its rejuvenated position. The skin is redraped with minimal tension and excess skin is trimmed, resulting in a tension-free closure of incisions. By applying traction at the deep fascial layer rather than the skin, the deep-plane facelift avoids the stretched “wind-swept” look and yields a more natural appearance of the skin envelope.

As Ms Monica Fawzy, Consultant Plastic & Reconstructive Surgeon at The Private Clinic, explains: "It focuses on repositioning and lifting the deeper tissues of the face. This achieves more long-lasting results than other techniques and more improvements in the centre of the face that would not be possible with more superficial lifts. By releasing ligaments that anchor the skin and superficial layers to deeper tissues, it avoids the ‘pulled’ look that may occur with more traditional techniques, and ensures a more natural appearance. The goal of this technique is to ensure you look more like you did 10 years ago, whilst avoiding an ‘operated’ appearance. By personalising specific steps in the procedure and working back towards your old photographs, your 'facial identity' is preserved and you will still look 'like you'—even with dramatic improvements. No one should know you have undergone the procedure unless you choose to tell them."

It’s technically complex, but the payoff is exactly what celebrities want: a face that looks fresher, not frozen. Surgeons who specialise in this technique report that their patients often leave friends guessing whether they’ve had work done at all. No tight hairlines, no exaggerated cheek hollows—just a sharper jawline, fuller cheeks and smoother transitions from the lower eyelid to the midface.

'The Deep Plane Facelift is an extremely technical procedure performed by the most highly trained Plastic Surgeons in the world” comments Dr Yannis Alexandrides MD FACS, founder of 111 Harley St. and 111SKin. “ The advantage of the Deep Plane technique is that the results are highly natural because it restores the youthful appearance of the face as it restores the deep structures of the face rather than just pulling the skin tight. Results typically last for a long time, often in excess of 10 years. For these reasons, the Deep Plane Facelift has become a most advanced and highly sought after technique, which is why many celebrities are choosing this procedure where they may previously avoided a surgical route through fear of unnatural looking results'.

In Kris Jenner’s case, media reports confirm she visited Dr Steven Levine, a New York-based surgeon known for the deep-plane method. The result? A lifted face that doesn’t scream surgery. Anne Hathaway, while remaining silent on the topic, has prompted whispers after a string of flawless appearances, her facial structure subtly but undeniably elevated. Lohan, whose look has dramatically shifted in the past year, has also sparked speculation of a deep-plane intervention, particularly given the improvement in her midface and under-eye area.

What makes this technique particularly interesting for the professional community is its longevity. When performed well, a deep-plane lift can deliver results that hold up for 10 to 15 years. That’s because it doesn’t rely on surface tension, but on deeper anchoring of facial ligaments. It’s also less likely to distort expressions, critical when your job depends on being recognisable.

The trade-off? A steeper learning curve and more surgical time. But for patients willing to invest in the most advanced techniques—and for the surgeons who master them—the results are redefining what ageing gracefully looks like. In the right hands, the deep-plane lift is less of a cosmetic procedure and more of a quiet reset, one that lets public figures keep their face and fame aligned