This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) guide is intended for educational purposes only and is not a substitute for medical advice. Surgical techniques, recovery timelines, and recommendations continue to evolve, and each patient’s experience is unique. The information provided here is a general overview and may not reflect the most current updates. For the most accurate, personalized, and up-to-date guidance, please rely on direct communication with Dr. Locketz and his care team.
A wealth of educational videos can also be found by following Dr. Locketz on Instagram @drlocketz
Table of Contents:
3. Can I Have a Neck Lift Without a Facelift?
6. Anesthesia
7. What is a Deep Plane Facelift?
8. Difference Between a Deep Plane Facelift and a SMAS Facelift
9. Does Dr. Locketz Perform Mini Lifts?
10. How Long Do Results Last After a Deep Plane Facelift?
11. Will I Still Look Like Myself After Surgery?
13. When Can I Wear Makeup After Surgery?
14. How Much Bruising and Swelling Should I Expect?
15. How Do I Prepare for Surgery?
16. Is There an Age Limit for Facelift Surgery?
a. Social Downtime
Recovery Timeline Overview: Recovery varies based on individual privacy preferences and procedures performed.
Work and Event Planning Recommendations:
b. Post-Operative Activity Guidelines
Exercise is important for physical and mental health, and the goal is to resume safe physical activity as soon as possible. Follow the timeline below for resuming physical activity.
Weeks 1-2: Rest and Recovery
Weeks 2-3: Light Activity
Week 3: Full Cardio
Week 4: Strength Training
Week 6 and Beyond: Full Activity
Yoga & Pilates
Barre & HIIT classes
Golf, Tennis, Pickleball, Skiing
Surgical Incision Placement Overview
Dr. Locketz is committed to achieving natural, long-lasting results with minimal visible scarring. There will always be a scar where an incision is made. The goal is for scars to heal into thin, fine lines and be strategically hidden in contours of your anatomy so a casual observer would not see them.
a. Deep Plane Face & Neck Lift
The incisions for this procedure are strategically placed to remain discreet and well-hidden. The Deep Plane Facelift reduces tension on incisions, helping them heal more naturally and minimizing visible scarring.
The incision begins near the sideburn and follows the natural contours of the hairline.
The incision extends downward around the front of the ear (following the root of the helix).
In most cases, the incision continues behind the tragus (the small cartilage at the front of the ear canal), and then continues in the crease in front of the earlobe.
The incision curves behind the ear (hidden in the crease behind your ear) and extends along the hairline behind your ear.
An additional small incision is placed under the chin for neck contouring access.
Sutures are generally removed 5-7 days after surgery.
Note: The length of the incision in the sideburn/temple region and along the hairline behind the ear is dictated by your anatomy; patients with significant laxity require longer incisions to avoid skin bunching and pleating.
a. Why a Neck Lift Alone May Not Be Enough
The face and neck age together. From an anatomical perspective, the muscle layer of the face that is repositioned and lifted in Deep Plane Facelifting (the SMAS) is the same muscle layer that is responsible for neck aging (the platysma). As we age, the natural separation between the face and neck begins to soften. When facial aging extends into the neck, it becomes less effective—and less natural-looking—to address the neck in isolation.
Once a patient begins to develop jowling and midface descent, a neck lift alone is no longer recommended. In these situations, tightening only the neck can lead to an unbalanced and “operated on” appearance.
To achieve the most harmonious and natural results, Dr. Locketz performs a comprehensive approach by repositioning the underlying muscles and connective tissues of both the face and neck together. This technique restores structure and support across the entire lower face and neck.
In many cases, this tightening is extended upward into the temple area, which:
• Prevents bunching along the jawline or lower face
• Maintains smooth transitions between facial regions
• Enhances the overall balance and symmetry of the result
This integrated approach is key to achieving refined, natural-looking outcomes that age gracefully over time.
b. When a Neck Lift Can be Performed Without a Facelift
In some cases, laxity and fullness of the neck occur earlier in life than facial laxity. This can be the result of many factors – genetics, sun exposure, weight loss, non-surgical interventions, etc. If neck laxity/fullness is present in a patient without jowling or signs of midface descent, a neck lift in isolation (without a facelift) may be a wonderful option. In general, these patients are in their 20s-40s.
• Note - it is extremely uncommon for a patient in their 50s and beyond to be a candidate for a neck lift in isolation.
Hyperbaric Oxygen Therapy (HBOT) can be a highly beneficial adjunct to the healing process following surgery or injury.
HBOT is a safe and effective treatment that delivers oxygen to your cells at atmospheric pressures, significantly increasing the amount of oxygen dissolved in the bloodstream. This enhanced oxygen delivery helps to:
• Reduce swelling and inflammation
• Improve blood flow and circulation
• Accelerate tissue repair and cellular regeneration
• Support the body’s natural healing and detoxification processes
By increasing oxygen supply to compromised or healing tissues, HBOT promotes faster recovery and may improve overall surgical outcomes. It is commonly used in both medical and aesthetic settings to optimize post-operative healing.
See https://www.locketzfacialplastics.com/blog/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy/ for more information.
b. Lymphatic Massage
When appropriate and safe to begin, Dr. Locketz or a member of his clinical team will personally guide you through the proper technique for lymphatic massage. This ensures the massage is done safely and effectively to support your healing process.
We do not recommend seeking lymphatic massage from outside providers, as improper technique or timing can interfere with your recovery. Our team will ensure you receive clear, personalized instructions tailored to your specific procedure and stage of healing.
Roughly half of our patients travel in from outside of Colorado for surgery. We are highly-experienced in caring for traveling patients, and will make your post-surgical stay extremely comfortable and pleasant. Please work with our team and follow our guidance to ensure an excellent experience.
a. How Many Days do I Stay in Denver
To ensure your safety and optimal recovery, we have specific guidelines based on your distance from our office.
• Patients living more than 1 hour away are required to stay within 1 hour of our office for 8 days following surgery. This allows for close monitoring and timely access to follow-up care, if needed. • Patients living in areas such as Boulder, Loveland, Fort Collins, or Colorado Springs may only be required to stay within proximity to the office for 48 hours following surgery, provided your recovery is progressing as expected. This will be a discussion with Dr. Locketz based on the type of procedure, the distance between your home and our office, and the patient’s comfortability level. o Note for Facelift patients - we see patients in our office on Day 4 after surgery. You will also be seen in our office on Day 6 or 7 after surgery.
• Out-of-state patients or any patient who has not met Dr. Locketz in person prior to surgery must plan to visit our office the day before surgery for an in-person consultation and pre-operative assessment. o Note – if your surgery is on a Monday, you must plan to arrive on the Friday preceding your surgery date to meet with Dr. Locketz.
These guidelines are in place to support a smooth and safe recovery. If you have questions about accommodations or travel arrangements, our team is happy to assist you.
b. Where Do I Stay?
As you plan your stay with us, our concierge team will guide you on appropriate travel accommodations. We offer a number of hotel options with preferred pricing for our patients, and will also provide AirBnB/VRBO recommendations. Please consider strongly our recommendations. We have a detailed understanding of where our patients have felt comfortable and had a pleasant experience recovering from surgery.
c. Who Takes Care of Me After Surgery
After any surgery, you are required to have constant supervision and care for the first 24 hours. This is non negotiable and required for your safety. After Facelift/Neck Lift surgery, it is strongly recommended that you have a caretaker with you for the first 48 hours. After day 2, most patients are generally self-sufficient with their care. Note – patients are strongly advised against driving in the first week after facelift surgery, and are forbidden to drive while taking any controlled substances.
Many patients travel to Denver with a friend or family member as their caretaker. We make the postoperative care regimen easy for anyone to follow and administer, and our nursing team will guide you and your caretaker every step of the way.
Many patients opt to use a private postoperative care nurse for the first 24-48 hours. Note – if you are traveling to Denver alone for surgery, we strongly recommend using a post operative care nurse for the first
48 hours. Please communicate your travel plans with our concierge team and we will help you coordinate your nursing care.
Anesthesia Overview for Surgery with Dr. Locketz
All Deep Plane Facelifts performed by Dr. Locketz are done under deep sedation/general anesthesia to ensure your safety and comfort throughout the surgery. This type of anesthesia involves:
• Deep sedation administered through an IV (typically using Propofol)
• Use of a breathing tube to keep your airway open and protected during the procedure
Dr. Locketz does not use IV narcotics for pain control during surgery. Instead, he uses targeted numbing injections (local anesthetic) in the facial area to manage discomfort effectively and minimize nausea after surgery.
To ensure the highest standard of care, Dr. Locketz works exclusively with his highly specialized team of board-certified anesthesiologists, who remain with you throughout the entire procedure to monitor your safety and well-being.
This approach is chosen because Dr. Locketz believes it is the safest and most effective way to perform deep plane facelift surgery. It eliminates any risk of airway obstruction during sedation and ensures you are completely asleep—you will not feel or remember anything during your procedure.
A Deep Plane Facelift repositions not only the skin but also the deeper support layers of the face — the fibrous tissue, the muscle layers, and fat pads that actually drop with age. Instead of simply tightening skin or pulling on the superficial muscles, this approach lifts the skin, muscle layer, and fat pads together as one connected layer. This creates a more natural, longer-lasting result.
An important step in this procedure is releasing the “tether points” including:
• Cheek ligaments (zygomaticocutaneous ligaments): These are small, fibrous bands that anchor the cheek fat pads to the bone of the cheek (zygomatic arch). As we age, those fat pads descend but remain tethered in spots, creating folds and heaviness. In a deep plane facelift, these bands are
carefully released so the cheek can be moved upward and back without tension into a youthful position, softening deep smile lines (nasolabial folds) and restoring cheek fullness.
• Neck ligaments (cervical retaining ligaments): These connect the skin and muscle layer of the lower face and neck to the underlying structures. Releasing them allows the neck skin and muscle to move as a smooth, continuous sheet when redraped, improving the jawline without creating tightness or bunching.
Every Deep Plane Facelift performed by Dr. Locketz is combined with a Deep Neck Lift – contouring the neck shape, improving the jawline, and enhancing neck profile. This involves:
• Trimming or tightening neck muscle (platysma) to reduce banding.
• Removing deep fat under the platysma muscle for a slimmer neckline.
• Contouring deep neck musculature when necessary
• Reducing the size of the submandibular glands if they are enlarged and creating bulges under the jawline (done with care to avoid nerve injury).
Why it works
• Repositions the cheek and jawline tissues together without tension, which looks more natural than pulling on these tissues without releasing them.
• Restores the cheeks and softens folds around the mouth.
• Improves jawline and neck contours in one procedure.
• Results often last a decade or more because the deeper support system is repositioned, not just tightened.
Deep Plane Facelift:
• This advanced technique lifts the SMAS layer along with deeper facial structures (muscle, fat, and connective tissue) as one unit. It releases facial ligaments for more natural repositioning, especially in the midface, jawline, and neck. Results are long-lasting, natural-looking, and involve minimal tension on the skin, reducing visible scarring or a "pulled" appearance.
• Best for: Moderate to advanced facial aging.
SMAS Facelift:
• This method targets only the SMAS layer, which is either folded (plication) or trimmed and tightened. It offers improvement for the lower face and jawline but does not lift deeper structures or midface volume effectively. Neck shape is often minimally improved. Recovery may be quicker, but results are often less meaningful and shorter-lasting.
Key Difference:
The deep plane facelift offers more comprehensive, natural, and longer-lasting results by lifting deeper tissues, while the SMAS facelift is more limited in scope and best suited for earlier signs of aging.
The term “Mini Lift” is purely marketing. There is no true definition of a “mini lift”. Essentially, a “mini lift” means a less effective facelift. Dr. Locketz does not perform “mini lifts” or other types of abbreviated facelifts for a variety of reasons:
a. Inadequate for Significant Aging Changes
• Moderate to severe jowls or sagging along the jawline won’t be adequately corrected because the dissection is shorter and the lift vector is more limited.
• Deep nasolabial folds are minimally improved, since the procedure usually doesn’t release the deep retaining ligaments.
• Midface descent is not corrected — cheek volume and projection will remain flat if the malar fat pads are not repositioned.
b. Limited Neck Rejuvenation
• A mini facelift generally stops dissection above the jawline, so loose neck skin, platysmal banding, or submental fat are not addressed.
• Prominent submandibular glands or digastric hypertrophy won’t be improved.
c. Shorter Longevity
• Because it typically involves only skin and limited SMAS plication (rather than full mobilization), mini facelift results are often short-lived
d. Risk of Mismatched Results
• Correcting just the lower face can leave a disconnect between the jawline and neck, or between the lifted lower face and still-aged midface/cheek area.
• This can make the result look less harmonious — the “bottom half looks done, top half doesn’t” effect.
e. Poor Scaring
• Mini facelifts often rely on tension to lift the face, resulting in poor scars after surgery.
The results of a Deep Plane Facelift are long-lasting — typically 10 to 15 years, depending on factors like your age at the time of surgery, skin quality, bone structure, lifestyle habits, and genetics.
What’s most important to understand is that your face will continue to age naturally, but you will always look younger than if you had never had the procedure. Many patients report that even a decade after surgery, they still look significantly younger and more refreshed than their peers.
To help maintain your results, we strongly recommend:
• Practicing consistent sun protection (daily SPF)
• Avoiding smoking or nicotine
• Following a high-quality skincare regimen
• Maintaining a stable, healthy weight
• Considering non-surgical maintenance treatments like lasers, peels, or injectables if appropriate
Yes. The goal of surgery with Dr. Locketz is natural, elegant rejuvenation — not to change the way you look, but to restore your features to a more youthful, refreshed version of yourself.
You will look like you — just well-rested, lifted, and more vibrant. The techniques used in a Deep Plane Facelift are designed to:
• Avoid tension on the skin (which can create an “overdone” look)
• Restore volume and structure in a natural direction
• Harmonize the neck, jawline, and cheeks with your facial anatomy
Most patients tell us that friends and colleagues often comment that they “look amazing,” but can’t quite tell what changed — which is exactly the result we want.
Most patients are surprised to find that post-operative discomfort is very manageable. Pain after a facelift is typically mild to moderate and described more as tightness, fullness, or pressure rather than sharp or severe pain.
During surgery, we use long-acting local anesthetics that continue to provide numbness for several hours post-operatively. This significantly reduces discomfort in the immediate recovery period.
After surgery:
• Many patients manage well with just Tylenol (acetaminophen)
• A short course of prescription pain medication is available if needed
• Patients generally do not require narcotics for more than 2–3 days
Pain is subjective, but our careful technique and thoughtful anesthesia plan help make the recovery process as comfortable as possible.
Most patients can resume wearing makeup 10 to 14 days after surgery, once the incisions have closed and sutures are removed.
At that point, light makeup (especially mineral-based products) can help:
• Conceal any residual bruising
• Reduce the appearance of redness
• Even out skin tone
We will guide you on:
• What types of makeup to use (non-comedogenic, gentle formulas)
• How to apply around healing incisions without irritating the skin
• When to resume skincare products like retinoids, vitamin C, etc.
Please avoid applying makeup directly over fresh incisions or raw skin until cleared by our team.
Bruising and swelling are normal parts of healing after any surgical procedure, especially on the face. The amount and duration vary between patients but generally follow this timeline:
• Days 1–5: Swelling typically peaks during this time, especially around the cheeks, jawline, and under the eyes. Bruising may extend into the neck or chest area.
• Days 6–10: Swelling and bruising begin to subside. Discoloration may shift in color (purple → yellow) as it fades.
• By Week 2: Most patients are ready to appear in public with some makeup. This is when most patients are “restaurant ready”. Swelling is still present but often only noticeable to the patient.
• Weeks 4–6: Swelling continues to resolve. Most patients look refreshed and natural. • 3 months to 1 year: Subtle residual swelling and skin remodeling can continue.
We’ll provide tips to help reduce swelling, including cold compresses, sleeping with your head elevated, and optional recovery aids like lymphatic massage or HBOT.
Preparation plays a major role in your comfort, safety, and recovery. Our team provides personalized, detailed pre-op instructions, but general preparation includes:
6 Weeks Before Surgery:
• Stop all forms of nicotine (including vaping, patches, or gum) — nicotine impairs healing and increases complication risk
• Begin optimizing skin health if advised (e.g., topical vitamin C, SPF, gentle exfoliation) 14 Days Before Surgery:
• Stop blood-thinning medications/supplements (aspirin, ibuprofen, fish oil, vitamin E, turmeric, etc.) • Ensure you're eating well, staying hydrated, and in good general health
• Begin preoperative vitamin supplementation provided by our team
• Confirm travel, hotel, caretaker plans
• Schedule hyperbaric oxygen therapy sessions
1 Week Before:
• Fill prescriptions
• Prepare your recovery space with supplies we recommend (e.g., cold compresses, soft foods, button-down shirts)
The Day Before Surgery:
• Follow fasting instructions
• Remove nail polish and jewelry
• Arrive for your pre-op consultation and medical assessment (for out-of-town patients) Our team will walk you through everything and answer any questions during your pre-op call or visit.
There is no strict age cutoff for facelift surgery. Patients in their 60s, 70s, and even early 80s can safely undergo facelift procedures — and often achieve dramatic, beautiful results — as long as they are in good overall health and have realistic expectations.
What matters more than age is:
• Your skin and tissue quality
• Your underlying anatomy and bone structure
• Your medical history
• Your personal goals
We conduct a thorough health assessment before scheduling surgery and may consult with your primary physician or cardiologist if needed.
While revision surgery is not common, it can be necessary in a small number of cases due to: • Healing variations or scar response
• Minor asymmetry
• Changes in tissue with aging
• Personal preference for further refinement
Dr. Locketz uses precise, advanced techniques to minimize the need for revision, but healing is still a biological process — and some factors are outside anyone’s control.
We are deeply committed to your satisfaction and will work with you supportively if a revision or touch-up becomes appropriate in the future.
Yes — and the number of male patients seeking facial rejuvenation continues to grow each year. Men undergo facelifts for many of the same reasons as women: to look refreshed, more youthful, and more vibrant — while maintaining a natural, masculine appearance.
Dr. Locketz has extensive experience operating on male patients and tailors each procedure to: • Preserve masculine jawline angles
• Avoid feminization or over-lifting
• Strategically hide incisions in areas compatible with short hairstyles or thinning hair
Men often benefit greatly from procedures like Deep Plane Facelift, Neck Lift, and Lower Eyelid Blepharoplasty, particularly if they’ve developed jowling, neck fullness, or tired-looking eyes.
