Vertical Restore Facelift at a Glance
| Areas addressed | Midface, jowls, jawline and neck, with brow, upper and lower eyelids, upper lip and facial volume according to assessment |
| Usually performed | As a single-session operation, with a deep plane face and neck lift in every case |
| Anaesthesia and stay | General anaesthesia in an accredited private hospital, overnight admission |
| Surgical time | 7 to 8 hours where all components are included |
| Return to desk work | Usually 3 to 4 weeks; recovery varies between patients |
| GP referral | Required (Medical Board and AHPRA requirement) |
| Indicative cost | $55,000 to $65,000 all-inclusive; no Medicare rebate for cosmetic indications |
What the Operation Includes
Deep plane face and neck lift
This is the base of the procedure and is included in every case.
The skin and SMAS layer are elevated as one composite unit, and the retaining ligaments tethering the midface to the deeper structures are released. This allows the whole unit to be repositioned without tension falling on the skin. The neck is treated in the same operation, with the platysma released and re-suspended, and the deeper structures of the neck treated where the assessment calls for it.
Deep plane facelift · Deep neck lift
Brow lift
A facelift treats the face from the cheekbones down. Where the lateral brow and temple have descended, lifting the lower face on its own can leave the upper third sitting out of proportion with the rest. A brow lift repositions the brow and temple so the upper and lower face are treated to the same degree.
Upper and lower eyelid surgery
Upper blepharoplasty removes excess upper eyelid skin. Lower blepharoplasty treats lower lid laxity and the fat pads that produce a hollow or bulging appearance at the lid-cheek junction. Both are commonly included, because eyelid changes usually become visible at the same stage of facial ageing as jowling and neck laxity.
Upper blepharoplasty · Lower blepharoplasty
Lip lift
The distance between the base of the nose and the upper lip lengthens over time, and the visible portion of the upper lip reduces. A lip lift shortens that distance through an incision placed at the base of the nose. It is included where the assessment shows this has occurred.
Facial fat grafting
Facial ageing involves volume loss as well as descent. Repositioning tissue does not replace volume that has gone. Fat is harvested from elsewhere on the body, processed, and placed into the temples, midface and other areas where the assessment shows deflation.
Why It Is Planned as One Operation
Each of the components above is available on its own and can be staged across separate procedures. Combining them means one anaesthetic, one hospital admission and one recovery period rather than several.
It also allows the face to be planned as a single unit. Where the brow, midface, neck and lips are operated on months apart, each operation is planned against a face that the previous one has already altered. Planning them together means the relationship between those areas is assessed once, before any of it is changed.
The trade-off is a longer operation and a longer recovery, both covered below.
The Vertical Lifting Direction
The name refers to the direction in which tissue is repositioned.
Older facelift techniques often pulled tissue laterally, towards the ears. Facial ageing does not occur laterally. Soft tissue descends, so repositioning it upward follows the direction of the change rather than working across it. Lateral tension is also what tends to produce a tight or altered facial shape.
Releasing the retaining ligaments in the deep plane is what makes upward repositioning possible. Without that release the tissue remains tethered, and any attempt to lift vertically transfers tension to the skin instead.
How This Differs from a Deep Plane Facelift Alone
A deep plane facelift is a surgical technique, named for the tissue layer dissected. It treats the midface, jowls, jawline and neck.
The Vertical Restore Facelift uses that same technique as its foundation and extends the scope to the brow, eyelids, upper lip and facial volume within the same operation. The difference is how much of the face is included, not how the lift itself is performed. The deep plane dissection is identical in both.
| Feature | Deep plane face and neck lift | Vertical Restore Facelift |
|---|---|---|
| Surgical technique | Deep plane dissection with ligament release | Deep plane dissection with ligament release |
| Areas included | Midface, jowls, jawline and neck | The same, with brow, upper and lower eyelids, upper lip and facial volume according to assessment |
| Surgical time | 5 to 7 hours | 7 to 8 hours where all components are included |
| Return to desk work | Usually 2 to 3 weeks | Usually 3 to 4 weeks |
This distinction matters when comparing quotes between surgeons. Two practices quoting for a facelift may be describing operations of quite different scope, and the technique named does not tell you how much of the face is included. The components listed above are what account for the difference in operating time, recovery and fee.
Patients whose assessment shows change confined to the lower face and neck are usually better served by a deep plane facelift on its own. It is a shorter operation, a shorter recovery and a lower fee.
Who May Be Suitable for a Vertical Restore Facelift
The procedure may be appropriate where the assessment shows change across the upper face, midface, neck and lips together, where a patient is medically fit for a long general anaesthetic, and where a single recovery period is preferred to several.
Facelift surgery at any length is a long general anaesthetic, and fitness to tolerate one is assessed pre-operatively as a standard part of the workup. Staged surgery may be recommended instead where medical history, anaesthetic risk or the extent of the planned surgery makes a shorter operation the safer sequence, or where only part of the face shows change. The same components can be performed across two or more shorter operations. That is a clinical decision made at consultation rather than a patient preference.
Suitability is determined at consultation following assessment, and no outcome can be guaranteed for any individual.
Recovery
Recovery varies with the extent of surgery and between individuals, so the following is indicative rather than a schedule. Swelling and bruising are expected through the first two weeks and are usually most pronounced at day three to five. Because several areas are operated on together, swelling after this procedure is typically more marked than after a facelift alone, and most patients plan on three to four weeks away from work and social commitments. Post-operative reviews are scheduled at day 3 and day 7.
Sutures are generally removed across the first and second weeks, with eyelid and lip lift sutures coming out earlier than facelift sutures. Strenuous exercise is restricted for several weeks. Residual swelling can persist for some months, and the appearance at six weeks is not the settled appearance. Patients travelling from outside Sydney are advised to stay locally through the day 7 review; the practice holds commercial rates with a hotel and an Airbnb near the clinic.
Risks and Complications
This is major surgery and carries real risk. Risks include bleeding and haematoma, infection, delayed wound healing, scarring, asymmetry, temporary or permanent injury to branches of the facial nerve, altered sensation, and hair loss around the incisions. Eyelid surgery carries risks of dry eye, lid malposition and, rarely, visual disturbance. A lip lift leaves a visible scar at the base of the nose. Fat grafting carries risks of partial graft loss, irregularity and lumpiness, and the volume retained is not fully predictable. General anaesthesia carries its own risks, including blood clots.
Combining the components in one sitting means a longer operation and a broader set of surgical risks concentrated in a single recovery. Revision surgery is sometimes required. All of this is discussed in full at consultation, in the context of your own medical history.
Vertical Restore Facelift Cost in Sydney
The all-inclusive fee for a Vertical Restore Facelift in Sydney is $55,000 to $65,000. This covers the surgeon’s fee, the anaesthetist, the hospital, theatre time and the scheduled post-operative reviews.
Where a case sits within that range depends on total operating time and on which components are included. A case including all components at the longer end of the time band sits towards $65,000.
There is no Medicare rebate for facelift surgery performed for cosmetic indications. An itemised written quote is provided after assessment.
Fees for the component operations performed individually, and for the other facelift options, are set out on the facelift cost page.
Consultations in Bondi Junction and Manly
A referral from any registered medical practitioner is required before a consultation for cosmetic surgery.
Two pre-operative consultations are mandatory. The first may be conducted by video and the second must be in person. A seven-day cooling-off period applies before surgery can be booked or a deposit paid.
Read more about Dr Scott J Turner or contact the practice to arrange a consultation.
Vertical Restore Facelift FAQs
What is a Vertical Restore Facelift?
It is a single-session operation combining a deep plane face and neck lift with a brow lift, upper and lower eyelid surgery, a lip lift and facial fat grafting. The deep plane face and neck lift is included in every case. The other components are included according to the clinical assessment made at consultation.
How long does the surgery take?
Where all components are included, 7 to 8 hours under general anaesthetic, followed by an overnight admission in an accredited private hospital. Operating time is shorter where fewer components are included.
What does a Vertical Restore Facelift cost in Sydney?
$55,000 to $65,000 all-inclusive, covering the surgeon, anaesthetist, hospital, theatre time and scheduled post-operative reviews. Position within that range depends on operating time and on which components are included. There is no Medicare rebate for cosmetic indications. An itemised written quote is provided after assessment.
How is it different from a deep plane facelift?
A deep plane facelift is a surgical technique treating the midface, jowls, jawline and neck. The Vertical Restore Facelift uses that technique as its base and extends the surgery to the brow, eyelids, upper lip and facial volume within the same operation. The difference is scope, not technique.
Do I have to have all the components?
No. The deep plane face and neck lift is the base of the procedure. Which additional components are included is determined at consultation, based on the assessment. Some patients have only one or two of them.
Can the surgery be staged instead?
Yes. The same components can be performed across two or more shorter operations. Staging is sometimes recommended on medical or anaesthetic grounds rather than being offered as a preference, and that is discussed at consultation.
What is the recovery period?
Typically three to four weeks away from work and social commitments, with swelling and bruising most marked in the first week. Residual swelling can persist for some months. Recovery after combined surgery is longer than after a facelift alone, and varies between individuals.
Is combining the procedures riskier than having them separately?
A single operation means one anaesthetic and one recovery rather than several. It also means a longer operation, with a broader set of surgical risks concentrated in that one recovery. Which approach is appropriate depends on your medical history and on the clinical assessment, and is discussed at consultation.
