By Dr. Shervin Naderi, Double Board Certified Facial Plastic Surgeon – The Naderi Center
Considering a facelift? Learn about our deep plane facelift in Washington, DC.
Facelifts have long been associated with people between 50 and 70, the age when sagging, jowls and deep creases usually bring someone to a surgeon. That is changing. More men and women in their late 30s and 40s are now choosing a facelift, not to look drastically younger, but to keep their facial shape, stay ahead of the visible changes, and look their best during their busiest years.
Deep plane facelift specialist Dr. Shervin Naderi, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, sees the shift in his own consultations: patients are coming in earlier and asking for subtler changes. “Younger patients are no longer waiting until significant sagging sets in,” Dr. Naderi explains. “They’re seeking subtle refinement while their tissues still have elasticity, which allows for an even more natural and long-lasting outcome.”
Modern Facelift Surgery Highlights
- Facelifts are no longer just for older patients. People in their late 30s and 40s are choosing surgery to keep the facial structure they have now.
- A deep plane facelift lifts the deeper tissue that causes sagging, not just the skin, so the result looks more natural and lasts longer.
- Younger patients tend to heal faster, scar finer and get a subtler result.
- Dr. Shervin Naderi, a double board-certified facial plastic surgeon at The Naderi Center, aims for a face that looks rested, not operated on.
- Having surgery before the changes become severe usually means a smaller correction and a more natural result.
The Rise of the “Beautification Lift”
Video calls, phone cameras and social media mean people now see their own faces from every angle, often many times a day. Rather than living with wrinkles, lines and jowls for several decades and then trying to erase those decades of aging later in life, many patients in their late 30s and early 40s are now looking to refine the jawline, lift early cheek descent, and restore youthful definition. Some call this the “beautification lift”: a facelift done to keep and enhance what a patient still has, rather than to correct decades of change.
Dr. Naderi notes that these patients aren’t seeking to look “different.” They want to look rested and like themselves during their busiest, most active years. They are not interested in paying for an endless series of painful “no downtime, no result” device treatments like Thermage or Ultherapy. They do not want to be overfilled with filler just to “stretch out” early sagging. They just want the actual problem corrected. “My younger facelift patients often say, ‘I don’t want anyone to know I had surgery. I just want people to think I take care of myself.’” That is the result a well-done deep plane facelift is designed to give.
Facelifts in Your 40s: Aging Starts Below the Skin
Most people assume aging starts with wrinkles. The changes that eventually lead to a facelift start deeper, and usually earlier than people expect. Through the late 30s and 40s, the retaining ligaments that hold the cheek and jaw tissue in place begin to loosen, and the deep fat pads of the face slowly slide downward. Collagen production slows at the same time, so the skin has less spring.
On the surface, this shows up as a jawline that is a little less sharp, a lower face that looks heavier, deeper folds between the nose and mouth, and the first signs of jowls. Those folds deepen mainly because tissue has moved down and is folding over, not because the skin has suddenly wrinkled. That is why skin treatments alone rarely fix the problem once descent has started.
Genetics has a lot to do with the timing. Some people inherit looser skin or a facial structure that shows descent early, and years of sun exposure speed it up. That is why two people the same age can have very different amounts of jowling.
Weight loss can bring these changes forward too. Patients who lose a lot of weight quickly, including on GLP-1 medications such as Ozempic, often lose facial volume along with it. The cheeks hollow, the skin loosens and the jawline softens, sometimes years earlier than it otherwise would have. Depending on how much tissue has descended, the answer may be fat injections, a facelift, or both. See our page on preventing Ozempic face for more on this.
What Makes a Deep Plane Facelift Unique
Unlike older techniques that simply pulled the skin tighter, or even the SMAS lift/suturing techniques, a deep plane facelift works beneath the superficial layers, repositioning the underlying deeper muscles and fat pads where facial aging begins. Because the deeper layer carries the lift, the skin isn’t stretched tight and the face still moves naturally. “Sagging of the tissues occurs in the inferomedial (downward and inward) vector and the deep plane rhytidectomy lifts these layers back up in the exact opposite direction they descended. Traditional facelifts lifted the skin in a more lateral direction creating unnatural pulls and that telltale sign of a facelift,” says Dr. Naderi.
Dr. Naderi has refined this technique over more than 20 years of facial surgery. “By releasing the deeper facial ligaments, we can reposition the midface and jawline in harmony with the rest of the face,” he explains. “The result is soft and structurally supported, not pulled or overdone.”
A Younger Generation Seeks Subtle Refinement
Many of Dr. Naderi’s newer facelift consultations involve patients in their late 30s and early 40s who have noticed subtle jowling or sagging. They aren’t trying to reverse 20 years of aging. They want to keep the facial shape they have. Many of them think of cosmetic surgery as maintenance, much like skincare or fitness.
Most of these patients have already tried nonsurgical treatments. A younger facelift patient has often had Morpheus8 skin tightening or IPL Photofacials and a conservative amount of filler before deciding on surgery, so they come in with a good foundation for surgical results. They are not delaying gratification until their 70s. They want to look great now.
Why Younger Patients Are Moving Away From Overfilling
For the past decade, many people tried to put off a facelift with repeated filler, threads and skin-tightening devices. Filler has a real place, but it adds volume. It cannot move tissue back up once it has descended.
Once the main problem is descent rather than lost volume, adding more filler tends to make the lower face look heavier, not younger. That is how the “liquid facelift” turned into the overfilled look that many patients now want to reverse.
For early jowls, Dr. Naderi’s advice depends on when surgery is likely:
- If a facelift is likely within about a year, he usually skips filler. Any volume the face needs can be added with fat injections during the facelift.
- If surgery is several years away, filler placed well can help in the meantime. He leaves the jowl itself alone and adds support in front of it, behind it along the angle of the jaw, and sometimes in the chin.
Injections at The Naderi Center are done only by physicians, and Dr. Naderi does his own. Because he has a significant injectables practice as well as a surgical one, his advice isn’t tilted toward the operating room. Some younger patients are better off with injectables for now, and he tells them so. Others have reached the point where no amount of filler will give them the result they want, and he is just as direct about that.
Recovery Advantages for Younger Patients
Younger patients usually recover faster. Their skin heals well and swelling tends to settle sooner. “Younger patients typically see visible improvements within two to three weeks,” Dr. Naderi shares. “By four to six weeks, most are back to casual work and casual social life without too many signs of surgery.” It still takes up to three months before most feel fully like themselves.
The incisions are discreetly hidden along the hairline and around the ear. Because deep plane facelifts place less tension on the skin, scars tend to heal finer and softer, even in patients prone to thicker scar healing. Just as important, younger tissue is more elastic and holds a lift better. In someone in their 70s the tissue is thinner and more fragile, and how much it can be lifted is more limited.
Book a Consultation
Thinking about a deep plane facelift? Meet Dr. Shervin Naderi, double board-certified facial plastic surgeon, at our offices in Reston, VA and Chevy Chase, MD.
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Call Reston (703) 481-0002 or Chevy Chase (301) 222-2020.
Natural Is the New Luxury
The facelift trend follows the same “quiet luxury” idea seen elsewhere in aesthetics: refinement rather than transformation.
Dr. Naderi’s goal is to deliver undetectable rejuvenation. “My patients often tell me their friends can’t pinpoint what changed. They just get compliments about looking rested,” he says. That is what a good facelift should do. “To achieve such results, oftentimes it’s not a simple matter of pulling, but also adding proper volume. Volume is added in the form of micro and nano fat injections. That is what creates a youthful look, not a simple pull,” says Dr. Naderi.
Mini Facelift vs. Deep Plane Facelift for Younger Patients
Younger patients often ask whether a mini facelift is enough, since their changes are still mild. A mini facelift uses shorter incisions and a more limited dissection, and most mini lift techniques work only on the superficial layers. The deeper tissue that is actually descending stays largely where it was, so the improvement is smaller and tends to fade sooner. A deep plane facelift releases the ligaments and lifts the cheek and jowl tissue as one layer, so the skin isn’t carrying the lift. For someone in their 40s who wants the result to last well into their 50s, that difference matters.
For Dr. Naderi, the plan always starts with anatomy. “Every face ages differently,” he says. “The key is understanding how to re-suspend the deep tissues in a way that complements the patient’s individual facial balance.”
Facial Plastic Surgery Expertise Matters
Dr. Naderi has more than 20 years of experience in facial plastic surgery and has performed thousands of facial operations. Patients come to The Naderi Center from other states and other countries for that experience, because consistent, natural facelift results come largely from repetition.
Many of them are specifically trying to avoid the “pulled” or “windswept” look of older techniques. Dr. Naderi does not create that overdone look.
Why Younger Patients Choose a Facelift
Many patients in their 30s and 40s report that they don’t feel old but are starting to look tired in photos. They want their face to match how they feel. Often they eat well, exercise and take good care of their skin, but none of that lifts tissue that has started to descend. Only surgery does that. “It’s about confidence and self-expression,” Dr. Naderi says. “When the way you look matches how you feel, that confidence shows.”
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Combining Procedures for Harmonious Results
Dr. Naderi often performs a facelift together with a neck lift, fat transfer, eyelid surgery or a brow lift so the whole face looks evenly refreshed, rather than lifted in one area and tired in another. Done together, they also share one anesthesia and one recovery.
For younger patients, less is often more. A deep plane facelift on its own is sometimes all that is needed.
Longevity of Results
While individual outcomes vary and there is no such thing as “perfection,” a well-performed deep plane facelift typically lasts 10 years or more. How long depends partly on genetics and partly on what you do afterward: sun protection, not smoking and good skincare all help. Your face keeps aging after surgery, but because the deeper tissue was lifted rather than just the skin, it ages more gracefully. To protect the result and put off future surgery, Dr. Naderi recommends ongoing maintenance: Botox, a conservative amount of dermal fillers, Morpheus8, microneedling, good skincare and light laser treatments.
How Dr. Naderi Customizes Each Facelift
Every facelift is different. Dr. Naderi plans each one around the patient’s skin quality, ligament support, where volume has been lost, the shape of the jaw and neck, and what the patient wants to change. For younger patients, he often focuses on subtle refinement and early jawline definition rather than dramatic lifting.
That planning is a big part of why his results look natural, and why many facelift patients send their friends, family and coworkers to him.
Safety First: Accredited Surgical Setting
Dr. Naderi performs facelifts in the operating room of an accredited surgery center, such as Prince William Surgery Center, under general anesthesia overseen by board-certified anesthesiologists. A deep plane facelift takes about four hours. General anesthesia keeps the patient still and comfortable the whole time, which lets him work under the best conditions. “We take no short-cuts and maintain hospital-level standards,” Dr. Naderi emphasizes, “from anesthesia through recovery.”
Recovery Timeline
Most patients return home the same day, and drains are not usually needed. Swelling peaks around days 2–3 and gradually improves over the first week. By week two, patients may begin light activity. Between weeks three and four, most can wear makeup, get back to normal routines and feel comfortable in casual social settings. Exercise can usually resume at about one month. The final result shows between three and six months, once the cheeks, jawline and neck have settled into their new contour.
Preparing for Surgery
Preparation starts with the skin. Many patients have a VISIA Skin Analysis to check the condition of their skin before surgery. Getting the skin healthy beforehand with good skincare products is important.
Avoiding all nicotine products is an absolute must. Stopping medications and supplements that increase bleeding, and keeping blood pressure normal to low, lowers the chance of a hematoma after surgery.
Post-Surgical Care
Follow-up care includes office visits and virtual check-ins. Patients receive detailed recovery instructions, scar-care guidance, and skincare product recommendations, such as ZO Skin Health and Alastin, to support healing.
Financing and Accessibility
Facelift costs vary depending on the patient anatomy and complexity of the case as well as any additional combination procedures. The Naderi Center offers Cherry financing, with flexible monthly payment plans and 0% APR options, making advanced facial surgery accessible to qualified patients.
The Consultation Experience
A consultation with Dr. Naderi starts with a full facial assessment: your anatomy, your proportions and what you want to change. He explains what surgery can and can’t do for your face, walks through the surgical details, and gives you a realistic picture of the result, so you can make the decision with good information.
See the Doctor
Questions about what you just read? Ask Dr. Naderi in person. Book a consultation in Reston or Chevy Chase, or start with a virtual consultation from home.
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Call Reston (703) 481-0002 or Chevy Chase (301) 222-2020.
Out-of-Town Patients
Many patients fly in from around the U.S. to see Dr. Naderi. The team helps them plan the stay, and during recovery they have a nursing concierge service in addition to their regular post-operative visits. Facelift patients from out of town should plan to stay in the area for 10 to 14 days.
Why Waiting Too Long Can Make a Facelift Look Less Natural
It is tempting to wait until the changes are obvious enough to “justify” surgery. Waiting longer doesn’t always give a better result. As aging advances, the tissue descends further, there is more loose skin, and the deeper support weakens. Correcting all of that takes a bigger move, and the bigger the correction, the harder it is to keep the face looking like the patient’s own.
In a patient in their 40s, the correction is smaller. The skin is still elastic, the deeper tissue holds its new position well, and Dr. Naderi is restoring structure the patient still mostly has instead of rebuilding what has been lost. That is one reason some of the most natural-looking facelift results are in younger patients.
A facelift in your 40s doesn’t stop aging, so “preventative facelift” is a slightly misleading name. What it does is put the jawline and lower face back where they were while the changes are still modest, so you go on aging from a better starting point.
Choosing the Right Time
There’s no “perfect age” for a facelift, only the right time for you. Some patients in their late 30s and 40s already have enough jowling and laxity to benefit from surgery. Others are better served by non-surgical treatment for now, and many patients have their first facelift in their 50s, 60s or 70s with a natural result. The decision should come from your anatomy and your goals, not your age.
Why Deep Plane Is The New Gold Standard
Deep plane facelifts restore natural anatomy without the “stretched” look. The deep tissue is lifted back in the direction it descended, not pulled sideways, which is what produced the telltale look of older facelifts. The face keeps its soft, youthful curves instead of looking flat or tight.
Patient Testimonials
Patients often describe the result in terms of energy rather than age.
“I finally look as energetic as I feel,” one recent patient shared. “Dr. Naderi’s approach was subtle, natural, and completely personalized. People keep telling me I look amazing, but no one suspects surgery.” Facelifts for younger patients aren’t new to Dr. Naderi, either. One of his patients first came to him twenty years ago as a 37-year-old flight attendant from Germany who was noticing early jowling and facial descent.
The Future of Facial Rejuvenation
Facial rejuvenation is moving toward smaller changes, made earlier, that keep a face recognizably the patient’s own. Surgery is only part of it. Patients who have lost volume need fat injections, and even after a facelift some need an occasional refill or touch-up. Aging doesn’t stop after one procedure, so the plan is a long-term one: gentle, consistent skincare, injections when they help, and surgery at the right time.
To find out if a deep plane facelift or a customized facial rejuvenation plan is best for you, book a consultation at The Naderi Center’s Reston or Chevy Chase offices, and talk through your face and your timing with Dr. Naderi.
Frequently Asked Questions About Deep Plane Facelifts
Patient Financing
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