Dr. Duplechain Reveals His Secrets to a Natural-Looking Facelift

A facelift, or rhytidectomy, is one of the most rewarding procedures; it helps patients look how they did years ago and better represent how they feel inside. The primary goal for a facelift is to achieve natural-looking results—not to create a whole new look. We want to restore the look you saw when you looked in the mirror 10+ years ago. 

Here, one of the best facelift surgeons in the country, Dr. J. Kevin Duplechain, shares how he achieves a natural-looking facelift using the latest techniques and complementary treatments for transformative results. 

Step 1: Choosing the right technique 

When choosing a facelift technique that will make your anti-aging efforts virtually undetectable and achieve natural-looking results, less is not always more. The deep plane facelift is a more advanced technique than the SMAS (superficial muscular aponeurotic system) or “traditional” facelift, and it is the key to a natural-looking facelift. 

This technique makes deeper adjustments by releasing the ligaments that anchor your muscles and connective tissues (the SMAS layer) to your facial bones, allowing the tissues to be re-suspended in a naturally higher position. This facelift achieves significant improvement in your facial appearance while appearing totally natural. 

“Dr. Duplechain and his staff are absolutely FANTASTIC!!! His skills and keen eye for aesthetics, delivers EXCELLENCE results! I have had several procedures done under his care.. I HIGHLY recommend his services!!”
—5-star Google review

Because the repositioned ligaments support the SMAS layer, your deep plane facelift results will be stronger and longer lasting.

But how can “more work” appear more natural than less comprehensive techniques? Because your SMAS is repositioned as a unit, rather than separating the muscles and tissues (as with traditional facelift techniques), there is much less surface tension placed on the skin. Thus, we can avoid the “windswept” look that is indicative of traditional techniques and the concern of looking “overdone.”

Additionally, the deep plane facelift technique prevents pulling on the earlobes after surgery, which can create an unnatural “pixie ear” deformity—a dead giveaway that you’ve had a facelift. 

Step 2: Placing incisions 

Surgical scars are a telltale sign of having work done, so most surgeons place facelift incisions to be as inconspicuous as possible. Our approach to Lafayette deep plane facelift incision placement goes a step further—we use the patient’s natural hairline to conceal the incision sites whenever possible. During surgery, we will shave a small section of hair in front of the ears to place the incision, which the hairline will later cover. The incision also crawls around the front and the back of the ear and is tucked within its natural creases. About 2 months following surgery, the hair will have grown enough to hide the scar.

Because the tension is placed on the underlying ligaments and not on the surface of your skin, the incision lines tend to heal to be very fine lines that are nearly undetectable.

“Dr. Duplechain and his staff did an amazing job explaining what options were available to achieve the results I was looking for. Once I decided to proceed with upper and lower blepharoplasty, Co2 laser, and fat transfer, they walked me through step by step. Dr. Duplechain is extremely talented at creating a natural outcome. I was concerned about the notable, obvious plastic surgery look. He wiped away the “tired” & “unhappy” look that consumed my face even though I was not tired or unhappy. There is nothing fake or unnatural about my results!” 
—5-star Google review

Step 3: Adding complementary procedures and treatments

Facelift surgery rejuvenates the midface and neck areas but does not address the upper face and surface imperfections in the skin; taking a comprehensive approach to anti-aging will make your results appear more cohesive and natural. 

For example, your midface and neck improvement may be overshadowed by droopy eyelids or a heavy brow. In fact, only addressing one aspect of your facial appearance may make it somewhat apparent that you have had surgery, as different parts of your face show different levels of aging. Depending on your specific needs, we can design a treatment plan to rejuvenate your entire face and address any superficial skin concerns that bother you:

• Eyelid surgery addresses excess skin and fat that may create a droopy, tired appearance; it may also improve the field of vision for some patients. 
• Brow lift lightens and lifts a heavy brow and achieves a smoother, more refreshed appearance.
• Chin augmentation enhances the contours of the chin and jawline; a chin implant helps correct a weak or recessed chin and creates a more harmonious facial profile.
• Facial fat transfer uses your body’s own fat to restore volume and smooth wrinkles in areas of the face such as the cheeks, under-eye hollows, and nasolabial folds. 
• Lip lift shortens the distance between the upper lip and the nose, increasing the visibility of the upper teeth and creating a more youthful, lifted appearance. This procedure can also enhance the shape and volume of the lips.
• Laser skin resurfacing treats a number of superficial skin concerns such as pigmentation irregularities, scarring, and visible sun damage. It also increases collagen and elastin production to give your skin a fresh start. 
• Chemical peels remove dull, damaged outer layers of skin to improve skin texture for a clearer, brighter complexion.
• Botox® injections temporarily reduce muscle contractions that cause expression lines and wrinkles to soften existing signs of aging and prevent new ones from forming. 
• Dermal fillers can add temporary, youthful fullness to several areas of the face and are also used for lip enhancement to create a proportionate lip appearance, plump the lips, and fill in lip lines. 

Other considerations for achieving natural-looking facelift results

The majority of facelift patients are in their 50s and 60s when signs of aging are more pronounced. A deep plane facelift can achieve natural-looking results at any age; however, treating signs of aging earlier in the natural aging process has numerous benefits:

• Younger patients generally have an easier and faster recovery.
• Younger patients often experience longer-lasting results because they slow the aging process sooner, when their skin and underlying tissues are stronger and healthier.
• For most younger patients, facelift results can be enjoyed during some of the most active years of their lives.

Older patients with more significant signs of aging may not see the same level of improvement, as symptoms become more challenging to treat as we age. That said, as you can see in the photos in the section above, a deep plane facelift is still transformative for patients in their 70s and even beyond that as well. 

Are you looking for natural-looking facelift results? 

If you would like to restore the appearance you enjoyed years ago, find a cosmetic surgeon who specializes in the most advanced facelift techniques and is highly experienced in achieving natural-looking results.

Lafayette cosmetic surgeon Dr. J. Kevin Duplechain has over 20 years of experience performing facial cosmetic surgery and is highly sought after by both local Louisiana-area patients and out-of-town cosmetic surgery patients who want outstanding results. To schedule your consultation, call our office at (337) 456-3282 or use our contact form on our website and we will reach out to you. 

References »

Surek CC, Moorefield A. Deep Plane Anatomy for the Facelift Surgeon: A Comprehensive Three-Dimensional Journey. Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America. 2022 May;30(2):205-214. doi: 10.1016/j.fsc.2022.01.015. 

Raggio BS, Patel BC. Deep Plane Facelift. 2023 Apr 3. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2023 Jan–. 

Gentile RD. Laser-Assisted Facelifting and Energy-Based Rejuvenation Techniques During Rhytidectomy. Facial Plastic Surgery Clinics of North America. 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.fsc.2020.03.006.