What is a Vertical Restore Facelift?

Dr Scott Turner - FRACS (Plas)

A New Facelift Technique

With time, the deep fascia layer of the face starts to develop visible jowls, fine lines, wrinkles, and lax neck skin. Vertical restore facelift is a new facelift technique that is created by surgeons to address signs of ageing on the different parts of the face, including the neck.

Traditional facelifts treat the skin laxity in the face by pulling the skin sideways. This can result in a pulled appearance of the face. On the other hand, a vertical restore facelift works by lifting the facial and neck tissue upward into a vertical position. A vertical restore facelift doesn’t pull the skin, instead, it repositions the deeper fascia layer in order to correct the signs of ageing in the face, temple, jaw, midface, and neck area.

Sydney Plastic Surgeon Dr Scott Turner performs vertical restore facelift to target specific areas of concern, such as the cheeks, jowls, and neck. This surgical procedure is often customised to address the unique needs and aesthetic goals of each patient. It can also be combined with other surgical procedures for a more comprehensive result.

What is a Vertical Restore Facelift?

A vertical restore facelift (VR facelift) is a surgical procedure that treats fascial laxity by lifting the entire face including the outer brow, midface, jawline, and neck.

Gravity constantly pulls your facial tissue downward. As time goes by, this creates visible signs of ageing on your face, including:

  • Visible jowling which can make the jawline more square
  • Laxity in the neck
  • Lax skin in the middle of the face
  • Volume loss in the cheeks
  • Deep nasolabial folds
  • Excess skin in the corner of the eyes

Instead of addressing these facial concerns separately, vertical restore facelift treats different parts of the face that are affected by ageing in a single procedure.

How is a Vertical Restore Facelift Different from a Traditional Facelift?

A vertical restore facelift involves lifting and repositioning the deeper tissues of the face in a vertical direction. On the other hand, a traditional facelift primarily lifts the skin horizontally. A vertical restore facelift works more on the deeper layers of the face – the fascia. The fascia is the deep facial layer containing muscles and connective tissue. The procedure involves lifting the deep layer of the face along with the overlying skin.

What Parts of the Face Does a VR Facelift Treat?

Vertical restore facelift works on various parts of the face:

  • The upper segment of the face, including the temples and outer brow.
  • The midface segment, targeting nasolabial folds and volume loss in the cheeks.
  • The lower segment of the face, addressing skin laxity contributing to jowling along the jawline.
  • The neck, addressing laxity that can create a band-like appearance

How is a Vertical Restore Facelift Performed?

VR facelift is done under anaesthesia. Once it has taken effect:

  • Dr Turner will carefully make small incisions at the top of your hairline that extend downward, around your ears, and backward to reach your hairline again.
  • Then, he gently separates the skin from the underlying facial tissue, without stretching or stressing the skin. The skin is laid back on top of the underlying tissue without causing any tension.
  • After that, Dr Turner will separate all the important ligaments that hold the fascia down to the bone from the cheek area, to the jaw area, and down to the neck area. This will allow him to vertically lift and reposition the entire face.
  • Next, the facial tissue is repositioned at around a 60-degree angle – the cheeks are elevated, nasolabial folds are lifted, and the neck is tightened.
  • Your skin will then be laid back over your face and any excess skin will be removed.
  • Finally, Dr Turner will use delicate suturing techniques to close your incisions.

A specialist plastic surgeon, such as Dr Turner, can accurately identify the deep fascia layers in the face and customise the angle of the lift based on each patient’s age, anatomy, and degree of skin laxity.

Who Can Get a Vertical Restore Facelift?

You might be an ideal candidate for a vertical restore facelift if:

  • You have excess skin on your face after losing a lot of weight.
  • You have advanced signs of facial ageing that also include the neck.
  • You have sun-damaged skin with facial wrinkles.
  • You have facial skin that descends downward.

Vertical Restore vs Deep Plane Facelift

Both the vertical restore facelift and the deep plane facelift use a vertical approach to lift the face upward rather than pull the skin backward. However, they are two different facelift techniques.

During the deep plane facelift, the surgeon releases and repositions the deeper facial tissues, including the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS), in a deeper plane beneath the muscle layer. This technique allows for more extensive lifting of the midface and lower face.

On the other hand, a VR facelift separates the skin from the underlying tissue. This allows the surgeon to reposition the deeper facial tissues, focusing on the cheeks, jowls, and neck.

Regarding incision techniques, a vertical restore facelift involves shorter incisions that are discreetly placed around the ears and hairline. Conversely, a deep plane facelift requires longer incisions that extend into the hairline and behind the ears.

FAQs about Vertical Restore Facelift

Who invented the vertical facelift?

The VR restore facelift was created and trademarked in the USA by Dr Amir Karam – a facial plastic and reconstructive surgeon in the United States. Since its creation, this facelift technique has been picked up and further developed by specialist plastic surgeons, such as Dr Scott Turner.

What is a mini vertical lift?

A mini vertical facelift uses small incisions to help lift the lower part of the face. It’s done to correct moderate facial skin laxity, especially in younger patients. During the procedure, Dr Turner makes small incisions around the ears and/or under the chin to access the underlying facial tissues. He then lifts and tightens the deeper layers of the face, repositions fat pads, and removes excess skin.

How long does the result of a vertical facelift last?

The results of a vertical restore facelift can last 10-15 years. However, this will depend on several factors such as your body anatomy, lifestyle, and skincare regimen.

Is a vertical facelift a scarless procedure?

The vertical facelift procedure involves incisions that are done high up your hairline and extend behind your ear into the deep crease of your ear. This produces scars once the incisions heal. However, the scars from your facelift are well hidden in your natural hairline and behind your ear. Moreover, hair may grow back into the incision which can conceal your facelift scar.