Vertical Restore Facelift vs Traditional Facelift: Which Suits You?

The main difference between a Vertical Restore facelift and a traditional facelift is the direction and depth of the lift. A traditional facelift tightens the skin and the layer beneath it with a pull that runs more sideways and backwards, while a Vertical Restore facelift lifts the deeper tissues more upward and often adds fat grafting to replace lost volume. Neither is right for everyone, and the two overlap more than the names suggest.

This article compares the two approaches point by point: what each one lifts, how natural the result tends to look, recovery, risks and how long results last. Plastic Surgery Turkey Group (PSTG) coordinates the practical side of treatment, and the choice of technique is made by the treating surgeon at a contracted healthcare institution in Istanbul or Antalya after examining you. For an overview of all the options, see our facelift techniques and recovery page.

The two approaches at a glance#

The table shows how the two are usually described. Surgeons use the names in different ways, so treat it as a starting point for your consultation.

What a traditional facelift is#

The traditional facelift, or rhytidectomy, has been performed for decades and is still widely used. The word "traditional" covers two quite different things:

• Skin-only lifts, an older approach in which mainly the skin is lifted and tightened. These are rarely used on their own today.
• SMAS facelifts, in which the surgeon lifts the skin and tightens, folds or partly removes the SMAS (superficial musculo-aponeurotic system), the supporting layer beneath it. This is a well-established technique that suits many patients.

A traditional facelift can:

• reduce sagging skin in the lower face;
• sharpen the jawline and soften jowls;
• improve moderate neck laxity, often with a neck lift through a small incision under the chin.

Limitations#

When most of the tension sits in the skin, or the pull runs strongly sideways, the face can look pulled, flat in the cheeks or "windswept". Tension on the skin can also widen scars and distort the earlobe. Skin stretches over time, so some surgeons argue that a lift relying mainly on the skin relaxes sooner than one that repositions deeper tissue. A sideways pull also does little for a mid-face that has dropped, and it does not replace lost volume.

What a Vertical Restore facelift changes#

A Vertical Restore facelift rethinks the direction of the lift. Ageing pulls the tissues of the face downward, so the lift aims to move them back upward rather than across the face towards the ears.

The principles usually described are:

• A more vertical direction. The deeper tissues are lifted upward, so the skin can be redraped with less tension.
• Deep repositioning. The surgeon works at or beneath the SMAS and releases retaining ligaments, so cheek fat pads and jowls move as a unit.
• The face and neck as one plan. The cheeks, jawline and neck are usually treated together.
• Volume as well as lift. Fat grafting to the cheeks, temples or folds is commonly part of the plan.

The name is not a standard medical term. Some surgeons use it for a deep plane lift, others for a vertical SMAS lift, and the amount of fat grafting varies. Our complete guide to the Vertical Restore facelift explains what to ask when a plan uses this name, and the article on deep plane versus SMAS facelifts covers the techniques underneath it.

Which looks more natural?#

A natural result comes from the right direction of lift for your face, skin closed without tension, enough volume and a surgeon who does not over-correct. The label of the technique matters less than these points.

Lifting the deeper tissues upward can restore cheek height and a smooth line from cheek to jaw without stretching the skin, which is why a vertical approach is often described as looking less operated. A well-planned SMAS facelift can also look natural, however, and a deep lift that is poorly planned or overfilled with fat can look puffy or unbalanced. Ask the surgeon how they would avoid a pulled look in your case rather than asking which technique is more natural in general.

Before and after: what each tends to show#

Photos after a traditional facelift often show a tighter jawline and less loose skin in the neck. The cheeks may look unchanged, and the folds from the nose to the mouth may still be visible. A Vertical Restore facelift aims to change the mid-face as well, so photos may show higher cheeks, softer folds and a smoother transition into the jawline, although this varies from person to person.

Each photo shows one person, at one point in healing. Compare the earlobes, the area in front of the ear and the cheeks, not only the jawline, and check that photos are taken at six months or later. The facelift before and after gallery shows real patients, and the Vertical Restore guide explains what to look for in detail.

Recovery compared#

Recovery after the two approaches is broadly similar. Claims that one heals much faster than the other are not well supported, and your own healing, the extent of the neck work and whether fat is grafted have more effect than the technique name.

• First week. Swelling, bruising and tightness peak in the first few days. You rest with your head raised and avoid bending and lifting.
• Two weeks. Stitches are removed in stages within the first one to two weeks. Many patients plan around ten days to two weeks in Turkey before the surgeon clears them to fly.
• Three to six weeks. Most visible bruising has faded and many people return to social life, although the face can still feel tight or numb.
• Six months to a year. Swelling along the jaw and neck settles and scars mature. This is when the result can be judged fairly.

A deeper lift can mean more swelling in the mid-face for some patients, and fat grafting adds soreness at the donor site and swelling in the grafted areas that takes longer to settle. Our week-by-week facelift recovery timeline describes each stage.

How long results last#

No facelift stops ageing. Your face continues to age from its new starting point, and how long the improvement remains visible depends heavily on your skin quality, age at surgery, weight stability, sun exposure and whether you smoke.

Some surgeons argue that lifts which reposition the deeper layers hold longer than lifts that rely on the skin, because the skin is not carrying the tension. The evidence comparing techniques head to head is limited, so be cautious with any precise number of years quoted for one technique against another. Ask the surgeon what they expect for your face and what maintenance, such as skincare or later non-surgical treatment, they suggest.

Risks of both approaches#

Both are significant operations under general anaesthesia or sedation, and they share the main risks:

• haematoma, a collection of blood under the skin, which may need a return to theatre;
• facial nerve injury, causing weakness of part of the face, which is usually temporary;
• numbness of the cheeks and ears, which generally improves over months;
• skin healing problems and skin loss, especially in smokers;
• visible or widened scars, hairline changes and earlobe distortion;
• asymmetry, infection, blood clots and the general risks of anaesthesia.

Deeper lifts may work closer to the branches of the facial nerve, which is one reason the surgeon's experience with the technique matters. Fat grafting adds its own risks: some fat is reabsorbed, the amount that survives varies, and lumps or uneven areas can occur. The surgeon explains how your health and the planned technique affect these risks.

How to choose between them#

The decision is the surgeon's recommendation based on your examination. The main factors are:

• how much laxity there is in the skin of the lower face and neck;
• whether the mid-face and cheek fat pads have descended;
• how firm the facial ligaments are;
• whether there is volume loss in the cheeks, temples or around the eyes;
• your skin quality, health and nicotine use;
• how much recovery time you can allow, and how natural or how noticeable a change you want.

A traditional SMAS facelift may be enough when the main concern is the jawline and neck, and the cheeks still sit well. A Vertical Restore approach is more often suggested when the mid-face has dropped and the face has lost volume. Some surgeons combine elements of both. A facelift does not change the upper face or tired eyelids, so some patients also discuss eyelid surgery or a temporal lift for the outer brow.

Questions to ask in consultation#

• Which layers will you lift, and in which direction?
• Is the neck included, and how?
• Do you recommend fat grafting, and where from and where to?
• Where will the scars be, and how will you protect the earlobe and hairline?
• How often do you perform this technique, and can I see examples with a similar starting point to mine?
• What happens if I have a problem after I fly home?

Planning either facelift in Turkey#

The technique is decided at your examination, so the first step is the same for both: send clear photos from the front, both sides and three-quarter angles, with your medical history, medicines and nicotine use. The surgeon reviews them and suggests a plan, which is confirmed in person before surgery.

PSTG coordinates the practical parts of the trip: consultations before and after the operation, hotel accommodation, airport and hospital transfers, an interpreter or assistant, 24/7 support and virtual follow-up after you fly home. A written quote is given after the medical assessment and depends on the technique, the neck work, any fat grafting or added procedures and the length of stay. Our article on what a facelift package includes explains how to compare quotes, and the comparison of facelift aftercare in Turkey, the UK and the US helps if you are still deciding where to have surgery.

If you are unsure which approach fits your face, a free, no-obligation photo assessment is a calm way to start. You can send your photos through the contact page and take your time with the answer.