Deep Plane Artiste Lift™ + Fat Transfer : Why Volume Matters
Combining Deep Structural Support and Subtle Volume for a Refreshed, Authentic Look
Facelift surgery is often associated with tightening, but age-related changes are more complex. Over time, the face not only sags but also loses volume in key areas, including the cheeks, temples and around the mouth. A natural-looking facelift addresses both.

At Balikian Facial Plastic Surgery, the Artiste Lift™, a preservation deep plane facelift, is often paired with facial fat transfer to restore youthful fullness while maintaining your unique features.
Facial aging is a combination of gravity, tissue laxity and volume loss. The skin stretches, fat pads descend and support structures weaken. Traditional facelifts that only pull the skin can look tight or flat.
By restoring volume with your own fat, the goal is to recreate soft, balanced contours so your results look natural rather than “done.”
Fat transfer is a technique that uses your own fat to restore volume in areas that have thinned with age.
The fat is carefully harvested, purified, and placed in small layers to achieve even, lasting results.
“Fat transfer uses micro-droplets layered in multiple depths, gently lifting the trough without causing bulging.”
– Dr. Balikian
The Artiste Lift™ is designed to correct gravity’s effects by lifting both the skin and the deeper supporting layer together. This preserves blood supply and reduces tension. Aging is not only about descent. It is also about volume loss as fat pads, bone, and muscle thin over time. This is why lifting alone is not enough for a natural and youthful result.
By repositioning tissues back to their natural location, the Artiste Lift™ creates a strong foundation for restoring volume. Fat is harvested, refined, and placed in micro-droplets at multiple depths to soften shadows and smooth transitions, especially around the under-eyes and midface. This technique avoids overfilled or puffy results and blends seamlessly with the lifted structure.
“We shrink from a grape to a raisin as we age. Fat transfer is where the artistry comes in, layering volume to replace what time has taken while keeping your face looking like you.”
– Dr. Balikian
The goal is restoration, not redesign. This approach restores balance, softness, and natural highlights while keeping your face recognizable and authentic.
Recovery after the Artiste Lift™ with fat transfer is a gradual process designed to promote healing and enhance long-term results.
Recovery is individualized, but most patients can expect:
With each stage, swelling softens, contours settle, and your face continues to look more harmonious and rejuvenated.
Watch real patient stories in our “Younger, Not Different” playlist to see how the Artiste Lift™ restores youthful balance with natural, lasting results.

These videos highlight Dr. Balikian’s artistry and precision, giving you a clear vision of what your own transformation could look like.
Combining a deep structural lift with precise fat restoration offers results that look natural, balanced, and youthful.
This approach enhances contours, improves skin quality, and delivers lasting rejuvenation that fillers alone cannot achieve.
Patients with both skin laxity and volume loss often benefit most from combining a preservation deep plane facelift with fat transfer.
Each plan is tailored to your anatomy and goals, with the aim of achieving a refreshed appearance that reflects your natural structure.
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.