{"id":34044,"date":"2026-07-28T11:40:09","date_gmt":"2026-07-28T09:40:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drmazarro.com\/riesgos-lifting-deep-plane\/"},"modified":"2026-07-28T13:12:49","modified_gmt":"2026-07-28T11:12:49","slug":"deep-plane-facelift-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drmazarro.com\/en\/deep-plane-facelift-risks\/","title":{"rendered":"Deep Plane Facelift Risks: A Complete Guide Before Your Surgery"},"content":{"rendered":"

Deep Plane Facelift Risks: A Complete Guide Before Your Surgery<\/h1>\n
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If you\u2019re considering a Deep Plane Facelift<\/strong>, you\u2019ve probably come across conflicting information.<\/p>\n

Some say the Deep Plane technique is safer. Others claim it carries a higher risk of damaging the facial nerve.<\/p>\n

Did you know that both statements are true \u2014 but with important nuances?<\/strong><\/p>\n

Let me share my perspective as a surgeon specializing in facial lifting for over 10 years.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\"Facelift<\/p>\n

What Exactly Is the Deep Plane Facelift \u2014 and Why Does It Matter for Understanding Risks?<\/h2>\n
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The Deep Plane Facelift is a facial rejuvenation technique in which dissection is performed beneath the muscle (SMAS), releasing retaining ligaments <\/b>\u2014 such as the zygomatic ligament \u2014 to mobilize the skin, fat, and muscle as a single unit.<\/p>\n

This sets it apart from more superficial techniques, like SMAS plication, where the work is done above the muscle.<\/p>\n

This technical difference is the key to understanding everything that follows: both its advantages and its real risks.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Location<\/p>\n

The Real Risks of Deep Plane (And Why They Are Lower Than You Think)<\/h2>\n

1. Facial Nerve Injury: The Myth That Needs to Be Debunked<\/h3>\n
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For years, it was said that the Deep Plane technique carried a higher risk of facial nerve injury because it works in a deeper plane.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s actually the opposite.<\/strong><\/p>\n

By operating beneath the muscle, the surgeon can directly visualize the nerve structures and actively protect them \u2014 rather than working blindly in a more superficial plane, as occurs in SMAS-type techniques.<\/p>\n

The scientific literature supports this. Recent reviews place the risk of permanent nerve injury in facelift surgery at below 0.1%.<\/p>\n

In my experience, this misconception is still used \u2014 consciously or unconsciously \u2014 by surgeons who do not master the technique as a justification for not offering it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"Facial<\/p>\n

2. Hematoma and Seroma: Why Deep Plane Reduces the Risk<\/h3>\n
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One of the lesser-known benefits of the Deep Plane Preservation variant is highly technical but easy to understand: by elevating the skin and muscle as a single unit, much less “dead space” is created than in a SMAS facelift, where the skin is dissected independently and more extensively.<\/p>\n

Less dead space means less fluid accumulation, which translates to:<\/p>\n