Deep Plane Facelift & Neck Lift Before & After Gallery
Explore our gallery of before and after photos showcasing the transformative results of Dr. Balikian’s Artiste Lift™ and deep vertical neck lift procedures.
No two facelift results should look the same. Notice how the jawline, neck, cheeks and expression work together. The best facial rejuvenation draws attention to the person, not the surgery.
What Makes These Results Look Natural?
One of the things you’ll notice throughout this gallery is that no two patients look alike after surgery. That’s intentional.
Every face ages differently and every surgical plan should reflect those differences. Some patients benefit most from restoring the jawline and neck. Others require more support through the cheeks or around the eyes. The objective isn’t to perform the same facelift on every patient. It’s to understand the anatomy and restore facial balance while preserving the characteristics that make each person recognizable.
That’s why the results throughout this gallery vary from patient to patient while maintaining the same overall philosophy: patients look refreshed, healthy, and like themselves.
Why Patients Choose the Artiste Lift™
The Artiste Lift™ is Dr. Richard Balikian’s preservation approach to deep plane facial rejuvenation. Rather than relying on skin tension to create the lift, it focuses on repositioning the deeper facial structures while minimizing unnecessary trauma to the tissues.
This approach allows facial rejuvenation to look balanced and natural while supporting a more comfortable recovery.
Patients choose the Artiste Lift™ because it offers:
- Preservation Deep Plane Facelift techniques
- Deep Vertical Neck Lift when appropriate
- Reduced swelling through tissue-preserving techniques
- Advanced recovery protocols designed to support healing
- Results that restore facial support while maintaining natural expression
Every recommendation is made with one objective: to restore facial harmony while preserving the features that make each patient look like themselves.
Facial Rejuvenation Is Rarely One Procedure
One of the themes you’ll see throughout this gallery is that facial rejuvenation is often customized beyond the facelift itself.
Depending on the patient’s anatomy and goals, surgery may also include a Deep Vertical Neck Lift, facial fat transfer, upper or lower blepharoplasty, brow lift surgery, lip lift, or laser resurfacing. Each recommendation is made to improve overall facial harmony rather than focusing on a single feature.
Natural-looking facial rejuvenation comes from treating the face as a complete system, not as a collection of individual procedures.
If you’d like to better understand how facelift surgery is planned, how different techniques work and how facial anatomy influences treatment recommendations, visit our comprehensive facial rejuvenation education center.
Deep Plane Facelift Before & After FAQs
Questions Every Patient Should Ask
Why do some facelifts look obvious while others don’t?
A natural-looking facelift isn’t determined by how much skin is tightened. It’s determined by whether the relationships between the jawline, neck, cheeks, eyelids, and facial expression remain balanced. When those relationships are preserved, people notice the person, not the procedure.
Why can I recognize an unnatural facelift even if I can’t explain why?
We don’t recognize faces one feature at a time. We recognize the relationship between all of their features. When one area appears overcorrected or out of proportion, it changes the overall impression of the face.
Why do men usually notice changes in their jawline before wrinkles?
For many men, the jawline is one of the defining characteristics of the face. As the deeper tissues descend and the neck becomes heavier, the transition between the jawline and neck becomes less distinct, often making men feel they look older before wrinkles become their primary concern.
Why doesn’t tighter skin automatically look younger?
Skin reflects the structures beneath it. If deeper facial support isn’t restored, tightening the skin alone may not recreate youthful facial relationships. Repositioning the deeper tissues allows the skin to drape more naturally.
Why do some patients in this gallery have eyelid surgery or fat transfer too?
Facial aging rarely affects only one area. Depending on your anatomy, facial rejuvenation may also include upper or lower blepharoplasty, facial fat transfer, or a temple lift. Dr. Balikian commonly combines a temple lift with upper eyelid surgery to restore natural facial balance.
Why don’t all patients in this gallery look the same afterward?
Because no two faces age the same way. The amount of tissue descent, neck aging, facial volume loss, skin quality and skeletal support varies from patient to patient. The surgical plan should reflect those differences.
What should I look for when comparing facelift before and after photos?
Rather than focusing on one feature, look at the face as a whole. Notice whether the jawline, neck, cheeks, eyelids, and facial expression remain balanced. The best results usually don’t draw attention to the surgery itself.
Can a facelift make me look younger without changing how I look?
Yes. Facial rejuvenation is designed to restore youthful support while maintaining the features that make you recognizable. The objective is to look refreshed, not like a different person.
Why does facial movement matter after a facelift?
People recognize one another not only by facial appearance but also by expression and movement. Preserving natural facial animation is an important part of achieving a result that doesn’t draw attention to the surgery.
What’s the biggest misconception about facelift surgery?
Many people believe a successful facelift is measured by how much younger someone looks. I believe it’s measured by something much simpler: whether people notice the person instead of the procedure.
Why Trust Dr. Balikian with Your Face?
Dr. Richard Balikian is a highly respected facial plastic surgeon serving the San Diego area.
With over 20 years of experience and double board certification in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery as well as Head and Neck Surgery, Dr. Balikian offers a unique combination of technical expertise and artistic vision.
He is part of an elite group of surgeons with extensive training focused exclusively on the face and neck.
Your Journey Starts Here
Elevated Care. Exceptional Results.
Dr. Richard Balikian is recognized for elevating facial plastic surgery through precision, artistry and outcomes that reflect your true self.
