Deep Plane Facelift in Abu Dhabi
A Deep Plane Facelift is a surgical facelift that releases the facial retaining ligaments and repositions the deeper muscle-fat layer, usually together with a deep neck lift. It is considered for jowling, mid-face descent and neck heaviness. In Abu Dhabi, it is performed at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) by Dr Thomas Colson, Head of the Department of Plastic Surgery.
Indications for a Deep Plane Facelift
Facial ageing is not only a skin problem. It is a structural event: the deep fat pads descend and the retaining ligaments weaken. The Deep Plane Facelift addresses that architecture rather than the surface.
The indication is assessed at consultation at SKMC, on the face and neck as a whole. Where the need is a change of skin quality or volume rather than of structure, the non-surgical options apply instead.
- Jowling along the jawline
- Descent of the mid-face
- Nasolabial folds no longer answered by non-surgical treatment
- Heaviness of the neck and loss of the cervicomental angle
Deep Plane Facelift and deep neck lift: how the operation is carried out
Traditional SMAS techniques rely on pulling the skin, which can produce a stretched appearance. The Deep Plane Facelift repositions the deep facial tissues instead.
Release of the retaining ligaments
The defining step of the Deep Plane Facelift is the surgical release of the zygomatic and masseteric ligaments, which act as tethering points holding the tissues down. Once released, the muscle-fat layer and the cheek fat pad are repositioned as a single composite unit.
A vertical vector
The elevation follows a vertical vector: the fallen cheek fat is lifted back towards the cheekbone, in the direction opposite to the descent, rather than pulled horizontally towards the ears. This addresses the nasolabial folds.
The deep neck lift
The procedure is almost always combined with a deep neck lift. This goes beyond liposuction: the deep fat pockets under the neck muscle are sculpted, the platysma is tightened to define the angle between chin and neck, and the digastric muscles are contoured where required.
Incisions, anaesthesia and hospital stay
The incisions follow the natural contours around the ear, and the neck is approached through a short incision under the chin. The type of anaesthesia and whether an overnight stay at SKMC is planned are set out individually at consultation.
Recovery timeline after a Deep Plane Facelift
Recovery follows a predictable sequence, although its pace varies from one patient to another. The schedule of follow-up visits is set at SKMC after the operation.
| Period | What is usual |
|---|---|
| First days | Swelling and a sensation of tightness of the face and neck. Rest with the head raised, and early review by the surgical team. |
| About two weeks | Social downtime of approximately fourteen days. Because the work is carried out deep under the muscle and the skin is not separated from its blood supply, there is often less bruising than with traditional lifts. |
| First weeks | Swelling may persist for a few weeks. In the climate of the United Arab Emirates, strict sun avoidance is required during healing. |
| Following months | Sensation around the ears and cheeks returns progressively, and the scars mature. The return to strenuous exercise is set individually at follow-up. |
Risks of a facelift
A facelift carries the risks common to any surgery: bleeding, infection, delayed wound healing, venous thromboembolism and reaction to the anaesthetic. It also carries risks specific to the face and neck.
- Haematoma, a collection of blood under the skin, which may require a return to the operating theatre
- Injury to a branch of the facial nerve, with weakness of facial movement that is usually temporary
- Altered or reduced sensation around the ears and cheeks
- Healing difficulty at the skin edges, whose risk is markedly raised by smoking
- Visible or widened scars, changes of the hairline near the incisions, and asymmetry
These risks, and the factors that raise them — smoking, high blood pressure, anticoagulant or antiplatelet medication, and diabetes — are reviewed individually before consent.
What should prompt a call to the department
Contact the Department of Plastic Surgery at SKMC without waiting for the next appointment in case of: swelling or pain that increases rapidly on one side of the face or neck, difficulty breathing or swallowing, fever, discharge from an incision, or an area of skin that becomes dark.
Choosing a surgeon in Abu Dhabi: verifiable criteria
The criteria below apply to any surgeon and can be checked independently. They are listed to help a patient ask the right questions, not to compare practitioners.
- Licence: a surgeon operating in Abu Dhabi holds a Department of Health Abu Dhabi licence, and its number can be requested and checked. Dr Colson is licensed as a Consultant Plastic Surgeon under licence GD47532.
- Specialist certification: board certification in plastic surgery, with the issuing board named. Dr Colson is double board certified by SOFCPRE (French Board) and EBOPRAS.
- Hospital setting: where the operation takes place, and what support is on site. Dr Colson operates at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC), a government tertiary hospital within the SEHA network, with anaesthetic, imaging and inpatient support on site.
- Consultation and consent: an examination by the surgeon who will operate, and a consent discussion that covers the risks, the alternatives and the limits of the operation, with no promise of a particular result.
- Follow-up: who sees the patient after surgery, and how the team is reached if a complication occurs. At SKMC, follow-up takes place in the Department of Plastic Surgery.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a Deep Plane Facelift and a traditional facelift?
A traditional SMAS facelift relies on pulling the skin, which can produce a stretched appearance. The Deep Plane Facelift releases the zygomatic and masseteric retaining ligaments and repositions the muscle-fat layer and the cheek fat pad as a single composite unit, along a vertical vector rather than horizontally towards the ears.
What is the recovery timeline for a Deep Plane Facelift?
Patients should expect a social downtime of approximately fourteen days. Because the work is carried out deep under the muscle and the skin is not separated from its blood supply, there is often less bruising than with traditional lifts, though swelling may persist for a few weeks. In the climate of the United Arab Emirates, strict sun avoidance is required during healing.
Is the neck treated at the same time?
The Deep Plane Facelift is almost always combined with a deep neck lift, which addresses the deep fat under the neck muscle, tightens the platysma and, where required, contours the digastric muscles.
Who performs the Deep Plane Facelift, and where?
Dr Thomas Colson performs the operation at Sheikh Khalifa Medical City (SKMC) in Abu Dhabi, where he is Head of the Department of Plastic Surgery. In the UAE, consultations and surgery take place exclusively at SKMC.
What are the main risks of a facelift?
Beyond the risks common to any surgery, the main risks are haematoma, temporary weakness of facial movement from injury to a branch of the facial nerve, altered sensation around the ears and cheeks, healing difficulty at the skin edges, and scarring. Smoking markedly raises the risk of healing difficulty. These risks are reviewed individually before consent.
Are before and after photographs of facelift available?
The before and after gallery of this website includes Deep Plane Facelift cases, published with written patient consent. It shows facial results only.
Related pages
Consultation
In the UAE, consultations and surgery are performed exclusively at SKMC, Abu Dhabi.
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Educational disclaimer
The information provided on this website is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of a qualified surgeon or health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.