Facelift Series #12: Deep Plane Facelift w/ Dr. Christopher Surek

Few surgical terms get more marketing buzz right now, and few cause more confusion. The deep plane isn't a secret, it isn't new, and it isn't automatically better. It has been part of most facelifts since the 1980s. Facial anatomy expert Dr. Christopher Surek joins Dr. Lawrence Bass, Summer Hardy, and Dr. Edinger to clear it up. The deep plane sits beneath the SMAS, a layer Dr. Surek compares to a bedsheet wrapped around the facial muscles and fat. Surgeons reach it two main ways: composite and bilamellar. Four choices separate them: skin lift, SMAS entry point, direction of pull, and neck work. A composite lift moves skin and SMAS together as one unit. A bilamellar lift separates them so each layer can move in its own direction. Dr. Surek prefers bilamellar for most faces because he can enter the SMAS closer to the ear, where it's thicker and farther from facial nerve branches. Neither approach has strong data proving it's safer, longer-lasting, or faster to heal. Deep neck work fits with either one. Dr. Surek saves it for full necks and treats the fat, the submandibular gland, and the muscle together. Dr. Bass often decides during surgery. The technique matters far less than the surgeon performing it. Every facelift should be customized to your face, down to the differences between your two sides. Chapters 0:00 What the deep plane is and isn't 1:55 Welcome Dr. Christopher Surek 2:04 The deep plane and the SMAS 3:21 Composite vs. bilamellar 3:37 Four choices that separate the techniques 5:32 Advantages of the composite technique 8:56 Risks of the composite technique 10:54 Advantages of the bilamellar technique 14:23 Is one technique better? 15:04 Anatomic age vs. chronological age 17:30 Deep neck work with either technique 18:31 When deep neck work makes sense 19:44 Fat, gland, and muscle 22:05 Dr. Bass's takeaways About Dr. Christopher Surek Dr. Christopher Surek is a board-certified plastic surgeon with Surek Plastic Surgery in Leawood, Kansas. He is an assistant professor of anatomy at Kansas City University and a clinical assistant professor of plastic surgery at the University of Kansas Medical Center. For years he has directed facial anatomy courses at The Aesthetic Society meetings, and he co-authored one of the leading textbooks in aesthetic plastic surgery. Learn more about Dr. Surek https://www.usdermatologypartners.com... Questions answered by this episode: 1. What is the deep plane in a facelift? 2. What is the SMAS, and why does it matter in facelift surgery? 3. Is a deep plane facelift new, or better than other facelifts? 4. What is the difference between a composite and a bilamellar facelift? 5. Which deep plane technique is safer for the facial nerve? 6. Does one facelift technique last longer or heal faster? 7. Why do some surgeons pull the skin and the SMAS in different directions? 8. Do you need deep neck work with a facelift? 9. Does deep neck work remove the submandibular gland? 10. Does the surgeon matter more than the facelift technique? About Dr. Lawrence Bass Innovator. Industry veteran. In-demand Park Avenue board certified plastic surgeon, Dr. Lawrence Bass is a true master of his craft, not only in the OR but as an industry pioneer in the development and evaluation of new aesthetic technologies. With locations in both Manhattan (on Park Avenue between 62nd and 63rd Streets) and in Great Neck, Long Island, Dr. Bass has earned his reputation as the plastic surgeon for the most discerning patients in NYC and beyond. To learn more, visit the Bass Plastic Surgery website (https://www.drbass.net/) or follow the team on Instagram @drbassnyc (  / drbassnyc  ) Subscribe to the Park Avenue Plastic Surgery Class newsletter https://parkavenueplasticsurgeryclass... to be notified of new episodes & receive exclusive invitations, offers, and information from Dr. Bass.