Facial surgery in Alicante
Returning the tissues of the face and neck to their place once sagging has become noticeable, without changing your expression. Depending on the case, Dr Navarro may suggest a deep plane face and neck lift, which repositions the tissues from beneath the superficial muscle layer instead of pulling the skin tight.
Anaesthesia
General
Duration
3 to 5 hours
Hospital stay
One night
Stitches
Most removed around day 5
Back to social life
Around 2 to 3 weeks
Final result
Between 6 and 12 months
Approximate figures. They are confirmed at your consultation for each case.
The technique
Over the years, the face does not only lose skin elasticity: the layers underneath also descend. The cheeks drop, lines deepen, the jawline loses definition, and fat and bands appear in the neck. A facelift and neck lift returns these tissues to a higher position and removes excess skin, with incisions hidden around the ear and in the scalp.
Beneath the skin and fat there is a fibromuscular layer, the SMAS, which continues into the neck as the platysma muscle. In a classic facelift, the skin is lifted and the SMAS is tightened separately. In a deep plane face and neck lift, the work is done beneath the SMAS: the retaining ligaments, which anchor the tissues to the deeper structures and limit their movement, are released, and the skin and SMAS are moved together as a single unit.
In this way, the tension is placed on the deep layer rather than on the skin, and the cheeks, jawline and neck can be repositioned in a more vertical direction. It is a more demanding technique, because the work is carried out closer to the branches of the facial nerve, and not every face needs it. In the neck, depending on the case, the platysma is tightened and excess fat under the jaw is removed.
It is still major surgery, with a recovery period and risks. The technique is chosen to suit your face; what matters most for the result is an accurate diagnosis and realistic planning.
Suitability
If the sagging is early and limited to the lower third of the face, a mini facelift may be enough. If loss of volume is the main issue, facial fat transfer, on its own or combined, may be more suitable. A facelift does not improve skin texture or fine wrinkles either.
Smoking, poorly controlled blood pressure or taking certain medicines increases the risks. Dr Navarro will go through this with you before suggesting surgery.
Before you decide
No two faces age in the same way. At your first consultation you are seen personally by Dr Navarro, who examines your face area by area (forehead and eyebrows, cheeks, jawline and neck) to decide which technique makes sense in your case.
01
What bothers you when you look at yourself from the front and in profile, and what you do not want to change about your expression.
02
Skin elasticity, fat and muscle, bone structure, the position of your eyebrows and the condition of your neck.
03
Which technique Dr Navarro recommends and why, where the scars will be, the type of anaesthesia and what recovery will involve.
04
You take the information away in writing, with the quote and the risks. You can ask about anything you are unsure of before you decide.
On the day of surgery
Before
Pre-operative tests and an assessment by the anaesthetist. If you smoke, you will need to stop for a few weeks before and after surgery, because smoking hinders healing.
Start
Usually under general anaesthesia. The incisions are hidden in the hair at the temple, in front of and behind the ear and, if the neck needs treatment, under the chin.
Face
In the deep plane, the retaining ligaments are released and the skin and SMAS are lifted together to their new position, where they are secured with internal stitches.
Neck
Depending on the case, the platysma is tightened and fat under the jaw is suctioned or removed to define the angle of the neck.
Finish
Excess skin is removed, the incisions are closed without tension using fine stitches and a compression dressing is applied. In some cases a small drain is left behind the ear.
Afterwards
Days 1 and 2
Rest with your head raised and take the prescribed medication. Rather than pain, you will feel tightness and numbness. If a drain has been placed, it is usually removed the next day.
Around day 5
Follow-up appointment at the clinic, where most of the stitches are removed. Those in the scalp may be removed a little later.
Weeks 2 and 3
The swelling and bruising gradually settle. Many patients return to their social life after around two or three weeks.
Weeks 4 to 6
You can gradually return to sport, as advised by Dr Navarro. It is normal for some areas to feel numb or slightly firm for weeks or months.
Between 6 and 12 months
The remaining swelling disappears and the scars mature. The final result is assessed between 6 and 12 months.
Comparison
The difference lies in which layer is worked on and how the tissues are moved. It is not a better technique for everyone: Dr Navarro will explain which one makes sense in your case.
| Classic SMAS facelift | Deep plane facelift | |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical plane | The skin is lifted above the SMAS and the SMAS is tightened separately. | The work is done beneath the SMAS, and the skin and SMAS are moved as a single unit. |
| Retaining ligaments | Usually not released, which limits how far the tissues of the midface can move. | Released, which allows the cheeks and jawline to be repositioned with less resistance. |
| The skin | Lifted over a wide area and redistributed separately. | In the cheek it is not separated from the SMAS: it moves with it and is closed without tension. |
| Technical demands | A widely used technique with extensive published experience. | More demanding: the work is closer to the branches of the facial nerve and requires a thorough knowledge of that anatomy. |
Important information
Like any surgery, a facelift carries risks. Most are uncommon, but it is important to know about them before you decide:
Dr Navarro will go through them with you at your consultation, and they will be set out in the informed consent form.
Common questions
It is a way of performing a facelift in which the work is done beneath the SMAS, the ligaments that anchor the tissues are released and the skin and SMAS are lifted together. Dr Navarro will tell you whether it makes sense in your case or whether another technique is enough.
The aim is a more rested appearance, not a pulled look: the tissues are repositioned from the deep layer and the skin is closed without tension. The scars are hidden around the ear and in the hair.
Rather than pain, most patients notice tightness and numbness for the first few days, which is controlled with the prescribed medication.
For gentle activities, within a few days. To go out socially without the swelling being noticeable, it is usual to wait around two or three weeks.
It is long-lasting, but your face continues to age at its own pace. How long it lasts depends on your skin, your lifestyle and the technique used.
Yes. It is often combined with blepharoplasty, a brow lift or facial fat transfer to restore volume. This is decided at your consultation.
A mini facelift is more limited: shorter incisions, less separation of the tissues and an effect mainly on the lower third of the face. It is designed for early sagging; a facelift and neck lift is for sagging that is already noticeable.
It depends on the areas to be treated and the technique. The quote is confirmed after your first consultation.
Your surgeon
Plastic surgeon in Alicante, focused on facial, breast and body surgery. He sees you personally at the first consultation, during surgery and at every follow-up.
“Every procedure is unique. My commitment is to combine advanced technique with sound medical judgement, with one clear aim: natural results in harmony with your face and body.”
Clinic at Carrer de Velázquez, 2, 03560 El Campello (Alicante)
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