Concierge plastic surgery · UK
Face lift, facelift, face and neck lift — the same operation, done properly.
Deep-plane, SMAS, mini-lift, or isolated neck lift — by BAAPS or BAPRAS plastic surgeons on the GMC Specialist Register, in a CQC-regulated theatre, with the technique matched to your face rather than to the surgeon’s comfort zone.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A BAAPS or BAPRAS plastic surgeon, in theatre
Not a cosmetic doctor and not a shopping mall clinic. A named plastic surgeon on the GMC Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery, in a CQC-regulated theatre.
- 02
Deep plane, mini, or neck alone — honestly picked
For some faces a mini-lift is right. For others only a deep-plane facelift will hold. We say which fits yours before you commit.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a private face and neck lift costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our BAAPS and BAPRAS partner surgeons. Send us your goals and we quote firm figures across two or three options.
In short
A deep-plane face and neck lift in our network: £16,000–£25,000, one night in hospital, final result at 6–12 months.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Theatre time | Hospital stay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mini-lift / S-lift (short scar, jowl-focused) | £6,000–£9,000 | 2–3 hours | Day-case or 1 night |
| Isolated neck lift (platysmaplasty + deep neck) | £7,000–£12,000 | 2–4 hours | 1 night |
| SMAS facelift + neck lift (standard package) | £12,000–£18,000 | 4–5 hours | 1 night |
| Deep-plane facelift + neck lift | £16,000–£25,000 | 5–6 hours | 1 night |
| Face + neck + brow + upper/lower eyelids | £18,000–£30,000 | 5–7 hours | 1–2 nights |
| Consultation only (BAAPS/BAPRAS plastic surgeon) | £200–£350 | 45–60 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by surgeon seniority, by hospital, by the technique chosen, and by whether brow lift, blepharoplasty, fat transfer or resurfacing are added. This is cosmetic surgery — not covered by NHS or by private medical insurance. We confirm a firm quote within one working day.
The problem
The right surgeon, the right technique, the right expectations.
The UK cosmetic market is loud, and it is not always honest. Some clinics oversell mini-lifts. Others sell deep plane to everyone. And plenty of "facelifts" are done by non-plastic surgeons. We fix all three before you commit.
-
Not sure it is surgery yet?
For early laxity, fillers or a thread lift might still make sense. For true jowls and neck bands, they will not. We say which applies.
-
Deep plane, SMAS, or mini?
Match the technique to the face, not to the surgeon’s comfort zone. Our panel offers all three.
-
Want it done properly?
A BAAPS or BAPRAS plastic surgeon on the GMC Specialist Register, in a CQC-regulated hospital theatre, with an overnight stay for blood-pressure control.
The journey
From enquiry to the final result — what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message through the mandatory cooling-off, into theatre, and out the far side of a six-month recovery.
Phase 1 · Before your operation
Consultation, cooling-off, prep
Phase 2 · On the day
Theatre and overnight stay
Phase 3 · After
Recovery, then the final result
- 01
Before
You tell us what is bothering you
A short, confidential form. Jowls, neck bands, midface volume loss, tired eyes — whatever it is that made you start looking.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: the right surgeon, the right technique (mini-lift, deep plane, isolated neck lift), the likely combination with brow or eyes, and indicative pricing.
- 03
Before
Consultation and cooling-off
A full consultation with the plastic surgeon — history, photos, plan. A mandatory two-week cooling-off period follows, in line with GMC cosmetic guidance.
- 04
Before
Prep — smoking, alcohol, medications
Nicotine and alcohol stop at least two weeks before. NSAIDs and aspirin stop ten days before. Bloods, ECG and medical optimisation as needed.
- 05
On the day
The operation
General anaesthetic in a CQC-regulated theatre. Three to six hours depending on scope. Drains placed, head-and-neck compression garment fitted.
- 06
On the day
Overnight stay
Usually one night in the hospital for observation — blood-pressure control overnight is the single biggest driver of a smooth recovery.
- 07
After
Recovery and long-term result
Drains out at 24–48 hours, bruising fades over two to three weeks, swelling settles over three to six months. Final result at six to twelve months. Longevity eight to twelve years.
Typical end-to-end: 4–6 weeks from enquiry to surgery. Final result: 6–12 months. Longevity: 8–12 years.
When it helps
When a face lift or neck lift is the honest answer.
The situations we see most, plus the one honest red flag that means a facelift is not the right operation for you.
-
Jowls along the jawline
Softening of the jawline where the cheek fat has descended past the mandibular ligament — the classic facelift indication.
-
Neck bands (platysmal banding)
Vertical cords on the front of the neck from the ageing platysma muscle — corrected by platysmaplasty at the same time.
-
Loss of the cervicomental angle
A blunted angle between chin and neck, often with submental fullness — deep-neck contouring or an isolated neck lift.
-
Deep nasolabial folds and marionettes
Volume loss and ligament laxity in the midface. Deep-plane release plus targeted lipofilling addresses this properly.
-
Midface flattening and tear troughs
Loss of cheek projection with hollowing under the eye — an endoscopic mid-face lift or lipofilling combined with the facelift.
-
Tired look despite good skin
A structural problem, not a skin problem. Fillers will not fix it. A lift resets the position of the tissues.
-
You are done with tweakments
When years of fillers and toxin no longer give the result they used to, a surgical lift is often the honest next step.
-
Red flag: unrealistic expectations
A facelift addresses laxity and position. It does not change skin quality, freckles, or fine lines — a good surgeon will decline if the goals do not match the operation.
Techniques
"Facelift" is not one operation.
What each modern technique actually involves — and which fits which face. Often combined with brow lift, blepharoplasty, fat transfer or resurfacing.
-
Mini-lift / S-lift
Short-scar lift focused on the jowls and lower cheek. Faster recovery, less longevity — best for early laxity in a younger face.
-
SMAS plication or SMASectomy
The workhorse facelift. The SMAS layer is folded or partly removed and tightened. Reliable, durable, well-established.
-
High-SMAS and extended deep plane
The SMAS is lifted higher and further, releasing the retaining ligaments of the midface. The most powerful modern lift.
-
Deep-plane facelift
Considered the gold standard for durability. Retaining ligaments are released and the composite flap is repositioned — a natural, long-lasting result.
-
MACS-lift
Minimal-access cranial suspension. Vertical suture-based lift through a short scar — suits mild to moderate laxity.
-
Endoscopic mid-face lift
Small scalp incisions and a camera. Repositions the cheek pad upward — often combined with lower blepharoplasty for the tear-trough area.
-
Isolated neck lift
Submental incision, corset platysmaplasty, digastric shortening and deep-neck contouring. For patients whose face has aged well but whose neck has not.
-
Face and neck lift combined
The typical package — a facelift is rarely done without addressing the neck at the same time, because the two age together.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of plastic surgeons, we picked them.
BAAPS and BAPRAS members on the GMC Specialist Register, operating in CQC-regulated hospitals across London, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. Not listed publicly — introductions are made privately, once we understand your goals.
Selection criteria
How we choose every plastic surgeon in our network.
-
BAAPS or BAPRAS members on the GMC Specialist Register for Plastic Surgery
-
CQC-regulated hospital theatre with a consultant anaesthetist
-
Mandatory two-week cooling-off period after consultation, in line with GMC guidance
-
Deep-plane, SMAS, MACS and mini-lift all offered — the technique fits the face, not the surgeon’s comfort zone
Safety and recovery
The honest risks and what recovery really looks like.
A face and neck lift is a real operation with real risks. Done properly the risks are small, but they are not zero, and you should know what they are before you consent.
-
Haematoma is the main early risk
A collection of blood under the flap in the first 24 hours affects roughly 1–3% of cases and can need a return to theatre. Men are at higher risk because of beard vasculature — overnight blood-pressure monitoring is standard.
-
Nerve injury — usually temporary
The frontal and marginal mandibular branches of the facial nerve are the ones at risk. Temporary weakness (neuropraxia) is not rare; permanent injury is under 1% with an experienced deep-plane surgeon.
-
Skin-flap problems in smokers
Nicotine of any kind — cigarettes, vapes, patches, gum — narrows the blood supply to the flap and can cause skin necrosis. A minimum two-week stop is non-negotiable.
-
Scars fade but never disappear
The scar sits in the hairline and behind the ear. It matures over a year. Asian and keloid-prone skin needs a scar plan discussed before surgery.
-
Numbness — expect it for months
The cheek and earlobe are numb for weeks; sensation returns gradually over six to twelve months. A small permanent patch of altered sensation is possible.
-
Earlobe and hairline distortion
"Pixie ear" (a stretched, downward-pointed lobe) and a shifted temporal hairline are avoidable with careful closure — but they are the classic signs of a poorly done lift.
-
Over-tightening looks wrong
A "wind-swept" face or a "cobra deformity" of the neck (over-resected central hollow) are the signs of too much tension or too much fat removal. A conservative, deep-plane approach avoids both.
-
DVT and PE
Any long operation under GA carries a small risk of deep-vein thrombosis. Compression stockings, calf pumps and early mobilisation are standard.
-
Revision — 5–10% at five years
Even a well-done lift can benefit from a small tuck at five to ten years. This is not a failure — it is the honest longevity of the tissues.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever technique was used — mini, SMAS or deep plane — the note the surgeon sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly — we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Technique chosen and scope
Which lift was done — mini, SMAS, deep plane — and whether the brow, eyes, fat transfer or resurfacing were combined.
- 02 Technique
SMAS handling and neck work
How the SMAS was managed (plicated, SMASectomy, deep-plane release), and what was done to the platysma and deep neck.
- 03 Findings
Ligament release, fat transfer, drains
Which retaining ligaments were released, how much fat was harvested and grafted, and drain placement and expected removal timing.
- 04 Impression
Recovery, garment, review timing
Read this first: garment schedule, when the drains come out, sleeping position, when you can wash your hair, and when to expect the final result.
Recognised by major UK insurers
A face and neck lift is cosmetic surgery — it is not covered by the NHS or by private medical insurance. Payment plans are available through the operating hospital.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about face lift and neck lift.
Quick answers on techniques, cost, recovery, risks and longevity.
-
What is the difference between a face lift, a facelift, and a face and neck lift?
"Face lift" and "facelift" are the same operation — a rhytidectomy that lifts the lower cheek and jowls. A "face and neck lift" adds a platysmaplasty and neck contouring at the same time. In practice almost every modern facelift is a combined face and neck lift, because the face and neck age together.
-
What is a deep-plane facelift, and is it worth the extra cost?
A deep-plane facelift releases the retaining ligaments of the face and lifts the tissues as one composite flap, rather than pulling the skin over a tightened SMAS. It is widely considered the gold standard for a natural, long-lasting result. For most patients over 55 with true midface descent, yes — it is worth it. For early laxity, a mini or SMAS lift can be enough.
-
How much does a face and neck lift cost privately in the UK?
A mini-lift is £6,000–£9,000. A full SMAS face and neck lift is £12,000–£18,000. A deep-plane face and neck lift is £16,000–£25,000. Adding brow lift and eyelid surgery brings the total to £18,000–£30,000. This is cosmetic surgery — not funded by the NHS or by private medical insurance.
-
How long is the recovery?
Bruising fades over two to three weeks, with a yellow phase at three to four weeks. Most patients are back to office work with makeup at two to three weeks. Exercise resumes at four to six weeks. Swelling continues to settle for three to six months. The final result is at six to twelve months.
-
How long does a facelift last?
A mini-lift lasts around five to seven years. A SMAS facelift lasts eight to ten years. A deep-plane facelift is the most durable — typically ten to twelve years or more before a small revision might be considered. Nothing stops the ageing process; a lift resets the clock.
-
What are the main risks of a face and neck lift?
Haematoma (1–3%, higher in men) is the commonest serious early complication and can need return to theatre. Facial nerve injury is usually temporary and permanent injury is under 1%. Skin-flap necrosis is largely a smoker’s risk. Scars, numbness (six to twelve months), and possible earlobe or hairline distortion are all worth discussing before you consent.
-
What is often done at the same time?
A brow lift, upper or lower blepharoplasty, fat transfer to the midface and marionette area, buccal fat pad reduction, and skin resurfacing (medium-depth peel or CO2/erbium laser) are all commonly combined. This is more efficient, and a resurfacing pass done at the same time as the lift addresses skin quality that a lift alone will not.
-
Can I have a face lift without touching my neck?
You can, but it is uncommon. The neck usually ages faster than the lower face, and a facelift alone often makes the neck look worse by comparison. A properly done modern facelift almost always includes at least a platysmaplasty.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
Nearby in the library