Cosmetic surgery rarely produces paradigm shifts, but the extended deep-plane facelift that Dr. Andrew Jacono developed qualifies as one. Before his work gained wide acceptance, patients choosing a facelift understood they were accepting some degree of unnatural appearance in exchange for a younger look. That assumption no longer holds for surgeons trained in the Jacono Method.
Why the Old Approach Fell Short
Standard facelifts in the decades before Dr. Jacono’s innovation typically separated skin from underlying tissue, repositioned the skin upward, and trimmed the excess. The SMAS layer was sometimes tightened as a secondary step. The approach improved on earlier techniques but still left patients vulnerable to a pulled look, shorter-lasting results, and a set of limitations tied to working near the surface.
Dr. Andrew Jacono’s extended deep-plane method abandons that logic. Rather than separating layers, his technique keeps skin, fat, and muscle connected as a unified composite. Working beneath the SMAS, he releases the facial retaining ligaments that hold descended tissue in place the zygomatic, masseteric, mandibular, and cervical ligaments then repositions the entire unit vertically. This approach restores volume to the midface, sharpens the jawline, and smooths the neck without the surface tension that traditional facelifts generate.
Evidence Supports the Shift
Dr. Jacono published initial outcomes from 153 patients in Aesthetic Surgery Journal in 2011, recording a 3.9% revision rate, approximately 1.9% hematoma rate, and 1.3% temporary facial nerve injury rate figures below standard benchmarks. Results in his documented cases last 12 to 15 years, compared to roughly half that for conventional SMAS techniques. In 2021, he published The Art and Science of Extended Deep Plane Facelifting, a textbook covering more than 2,000 cases that now serves as a teaching resource for surgeons worldwide. Dr. Andrew Jacono performs approximately 250 procedures per year, maintaining the case volume that allows continued technical refinement. Tatler Magazine recognized him as one of the world’s best international surgeons, specifically citing the extended deep-plane facelift as the basis for that distinction. See related link for more information.
More about Dr. Andrew Jacono on https://goodmenproject.com/everyday-life-2/dr-andrew-jacono-on-the-rising-demand-of-male-facelifts/