The Work · Hero Case

Preservation of the
face and neck.

Studio · Archive Case 0301
Documented Year 01 · Post-op
Case File · Opened

A fifty-six-year-old patient presents with cervicofacial laxity and submental fullness whose source is glandular, not adipose. The Studio's plan is an extended deep plane facelift with concurrent deep neck contouring — a single sitting, a single dissection, one continuous restoration of the soft-tissue architecture. What follows is the file as kept.

I · The Result
01 · Before · After

Three angles, one motion.

Drag the handle to scrub all three angles in lockstep. Tap a video to play.

Front
Before 0% After
¾ View
Before 0% After
Profile
Before 0% After
· Four pairs · captured Day −14 & Year 01 100%
Before — three-quarter
Before¾ view
After — three-quarter
After¾ view
Before — front
BeforeFront
After — front
AfterFront
Before — front, animated
BeforeFront · animated
After — front, animated
AfterFront · animated
Before — profile
BeforeProfile
After — profile
AfterProfile
From the patient's archive · The reference A face she already had — the operative reference for every decision below.
Yearbook portrait, c. 1986
c. 1986Yearbook
Earlier portrait
c. 1995Family archive
Earlier portrait
c. 2008Family archive
II · As Posted
02 · From the Patient's Feed

In her own words.

The patient documented her result on Instagram. Reproduced with permission.

View Post 01 →
View Post 02 →
III · The Plan
03 · Surgical Strategy

A method without compromise.

Six discrete corrections, planned as one continuous dissection.

  1. 01 Deep plane release at the zygomaticus. Sub-SMAS dissection extended medially to the lateral border of the zygomaticus major. Frees the malar fat pad as a single composite unit.
  2. 02 Reposition over the arch. The deep plane flap is advanced vertically, restoring the youthful position of the cheek without lateral pull.
  3. 03 Deep neck contouring. Subplatysmal fat resection, partial digastric reduction, and submandibular gland repositioning. The neck is reshaped — not just tightened.
  4. 04 Platysmaplasty (modified). Anterior midline corset to support the deeper work, executed with absorbable suture, with no permanent foreign material left behind.
  5. 05 Auricular preservation. Tragal incision designed to preserve native contour. No earlobe distortion is acceptable.
  6. 06 Tension-free closure. All tension borne by the deeper SMAS plane. Skin closes without strain. No "operated look."
IV · The Operation
04 · The Operating Room

Five hours, forty-two minutes.

Live OR captured 14 August. Frames selected by Dr. O'Daniel.

14:22:08 Live · Sub-SMAS dissection
09:14 Tragal incision
12:38 Composite flap
13:55 Submandibular reposition
15:01 Tension-free closure
V · The Recovery
05 · Followed for One Year

A timeline, documented.

DAY 03 Early recovery

First office visit. Drains removed.

WEEK 02 Sutures out

Suture removal.

WEEK 06 Out in the world

Mild residual fullness at the angle of the mandible — expected, resolves by month 03.

MONTH 06 Settled

Scars maturing · contour stable.

YEAR 01 Final result

Hero portrait · twelve-month follow-up.

VI · The Op-Note
06 · Clinical Dossier

For the attending physician.

Op-note summary. Full surgical record available to referring surgeons on request.

OP-NOTE · 0301

Author · Gerald O'Daniel, MD
PatientFemale · 73 yr
DiagnosisCervicofacial laxity · midface descent
ProcedureExtended deep plane facelift with deep neck contouring
AnesthesiaGeneral, with TIVA
PositionSupine · 30° reverse Trendelenburg
IncisionTragal · pre-tragal extension · post-auricular
PlaneSub-SMAS · extended deep plane
NeckSubplatysmal · digastric · gland
Closure5-0 Monocryl deep · 6-0 Prolene skin
DrainBilateral · removed POD #1
Duration5 h · 42 min
EBL85 mL
ComplicationsNone
DispositionHome · concierge nursing · POD #0
Signed · 14 Aug 2025 · TO'D ·