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Face & Neck Lift

A well-executed facelift should not look like a facelift.

Mr Matthew Potter performs the Deep Plane High SMAS facelift — one of the most technically advanced facelift techniques available — restoring a natural, rested appearance that turns the clock back by 10 to 15 years. Unlike conventional techniques, this approach lifts the face, neck and mid face simultaneously through a single set of incisions, without the windswept look or tell-tale signs associated with less advanced methods.

Mr Potter has performed this procedure more than 160 times, with a 0% facial nerve injury rate throughout his career.
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Why Mr Potter

160+ face and neck lift procedures performed

0% facial nerve injury or paralysis

0% long-term pain

Average post-operative stay: 1–2 nights

Return to office work: 2–4 weeks

PHIN patient satisfaction score: 99%

PHIN is an independent government audit of consultant patient outcomes, randomly sampling post-operative patients. A 99% satisfaction score places Mr Potter among the highest-rated plastic surgeons in the country.

Our Technique

There are multiple facelift techniques available, and their benefits are championed by those who use them. Our aim is always the same: to restore a harmonious, natural appearance that makes the patient look younger without the tell-tale signs of surgery.

The technique Mr Potter uses is the Deep Plane High SMAS facelift, most often performed in combination with lipofilling — taking the patient’s own fat from the thighs and placing it precisely in areas of facial volume loss. This approach has clear advantages over conventional techniques such as the standard deep plane facelift, SMAS plication or the MACS lift.

Critically, it lifts not only the neck and jowls but simultaneously elevates the mid face through the same incisions — removing the need for a separate mid face lift and the additional downtime associated with it. This approach has evolved over more than a decade through continuous review of results, discussion with international colleagues, and an unwavering focus on technique safety.

The Deep Plane High SMAS Facelift

The cheek descends with age, producing folds between the cheek and the corner of the mouth. Conventional mid face lifts can re-suspend the cheek, but where volume has been lost, the result lacks substance — the cheek may sit higher but there is nothing behind it.

Mr Potter’s approach restores volume first. Fat is taken from the patient’s thighs and transferred via fine cannulas into the cheek, lower eyelid and tear trough. Once the cheek has recovered its volume, the tissue is then mobilised upward and outward through the High SMAS technique — achieving a result that is both elevated and naturally full.

Our Approach to the Mid Face

The facial skin rests on a deep tissue layer called the SMAS, which descends with age and is anchored to the facial skeleton by strong retaining ligaments within the cheek. Conventional facelift approaches do not release these ligaments, which limits how far the tissue can be elevated.

The High SMAS technique involves dissecting in front of the parotid gland and releasing these ligaments directly. This allows the SMAS to lift dramatically — transferring tension to the jowls and elevating the entire cheek independently of the overlying skin. The result is a smooth, natural jaw contour without the pulled or windswept appearance that can accompany less advanced techniques.

Our Approach to the Lower Face & Jowls

From the lower face to the collarbone, the neck ages through apparent skin excess, tightening bands from the underlying platysma muscle, and fat deposition under the jaw line. Simply pulling the neck tissue upwards — as with conventional facelifts — does not fully address jaw definition or effectively tighten the platysma.

Mr Potter reduces the bulky tissue beneath the jaw line first, allowing the skin and platysma to tighten against less resistance. This defines the jaw profile, tightens the neck skin, and improves the angle between the jaw line and the side of the neck.

Our Approach to the Neck

Patient Imagery

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Your Recovery

What to Expect

Post-operative swelling typically peaks at day 3 and begins to settle over the following week. Areas of the scalp and face are likely to feel numb after the procedure — be careful with hot water and hair dryers until full sensation returns. Altered sensation and firmness typically take 6 to 9 months to fully settle. It is realistic to expect to look good in photographs at around 2 to 3 months.

Recovery Timeline

Days 1 – Shower encouraged; wound tapes washed and air dried; drains removed if used

Days 1–3 – Swelling peaks; rest quietly

7 days – Sutures removed at outpatient clinic

1–2 weeks – Light work possible depending on bruising and swelling

2–4 weeks – Most patients return to work; some social interaction by 2–3 weeks

6 weeks – Strenuous exercise avoided until this point

2–3 months – Looking good in photographs

6–9 months – Altered sensation and firmness fully settled

Do's & Don'ts

  • Do not drive for at least 10 days — only resume when you can perform an emergency manoeuvre, turn your head freely and are off pain relief
  • Rest quietly for at least three days after the procedure
  • Sleep flat on your back without a pillow in the initial post-operative period
  • Shower and shampoo the area from the first post-operative day
  • Avoid straining, bending and heavy lifting for at least 2 weeks
  • Avoid strenuous exercise for 6 weeks
  • Avoid alcohol and citrus drinks for 2 weeks
  • Avoid salty food or food that is difficult to chew in the early recovery period
  • Do not perm, dye, highlight or chemically treat hair for 2 weeks after the procedure
  • Use curling irons and hair dryers with care for several months — facial and scalp skin may have reduced sensation
  • Apply the medicated moisturising lotion provided to all surgical sites twice daily for 2 weeks
  • Pain relief: Paracetamol 1g four times daily as a baseline; Ibuprofen or Codeine Phosphate for breakthrough pain

The Procedure

What Happens on the Day

You will be admitted on the day of your procedure, where you will be seen by the anaesthetist and Mr Potter. Your face will be marked and you will have the opportunity to ask any final questions before going to theatre.

The procedure is performed under general anaesthetic and takes approximately 6 to 7 hours. All wounds are closed with sutures and covered with antibiotic ointment — no tapes or bulky bandages are applied to the facial wounds. Any incision under the chin is dressed with a simple skin-coloured tape designed to be washed from the following morning. Where fat is taken from the legs for lipofilling, those sites are also closed with dissolving sutures and dressed with skin-coloured tape.

Most patients stay one to two nights in hospital. You will be encouraged to shower the morning after the procedure, washing all wound tapes gently and allowing them to air dry. During your first night you are likely to wear inflatable compression cuffs to the ankle and calf, and will be given a blood-thinning injection to reduce the risk of clots.

Sutures are removed at exactly seven days after the procedure.
Mr Potter will discuss all risks with you in detail during your consultation. As with any surgical procedure, a full list of potential risks must be presented — in practice, Mr Potter’s complication rates across 160+ procedures speak for themselves.
Risks associated with this procedure include:
  • Infection or wound breakdown — exceptionally rare in this area due to the rich blood supply of the face
  • Scarring — incisions are placed within the hairline and around the ear in natural skin folds to minimise visibility; some puckering initially, settling to flat scars within a month
  • Swelling and bruising — expected; typically settles within one to two weeks
  • Bleeding / haematoma — rare; drains may be placed during surgery to reduce this risk
  • Changes in skin sensation — common around the operative site, including occasional numbness around the ear; typically resolves with time; full resolution of altered sensation and firmness takes 6 to 9 months
  • Alteration to the hairline — rare; can occur where incisions pass into the hairline in front of and behind the ear
  • Hair loss around suture lines — usually recovers fully once wounds have healed
  • Asymmetry
  • Facial palsy — an exceptionally rare complication caused by temporary weakness of the facial nerves; may affect muscles around the eye, smile, or lower lip; when it does occur it is usually due to swelling around the nerves and resolves within weeks; occasionally may last 6 months; permanent cases are exceptionally rare
  • Over / under resection — Mr Potter errs toward under-resection, which is more straightforwardly corrected than over-resection
  • DVT / pulmonary embolus — specialist stockings, compression cuffs and blood-thinning injections are given during your stay to reduce this risk
  • Further procedures — where any adjustments are needed, Mr Potter and his hospital teams are happy to facilitate further surgery to ensure you are happy with your result

What Patients Say

I couldn’t be happier with the treatment I received from Matthew Potter and his great team. I had enough appointments before my surgery to discuss what was going to happen, what I could expect from my facelift surgery, and it gave me ample chance to ask all the questions and concerns I had, while getting across what I wanted to achieve. When it came to the surgery day I couldn’t have felt more calm, from checking in, to how I was looked after from start to finish was faultless, my pain was manageable and I was so pleased with the results, it’s way better than I could ever have expected and I’m enjoying compliments from friends and family that have no idea I’ve had anything done, which for me is a sign of a job well done. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend Matthew to anyone, he is so down to earth and meticulous in doing not only a fantastic job, but what I asked for, the best decision I’ve ever made. I’m now happy to be in photographs, something I’ve avoided my whole life due to my double chin, which turned into a turkey neck as I got older.
Mr Potter has been incredible throughout my treatment with him. He explains every single thing in a reassuring way. The surgery he performed was carried out in a relaxing manner and the cosmetic result is perfect. I would have no hesitation in recommending Mr Potter.
Matt Potter has recently performed neck lift and lower face lift surgery on me. I’m absolutely thrilled with the results. I would highly recommend Matt to anyone who is thinking of having this surgery. I felt completely at ease throughout the whole Experience. Many thanks Matt. It has been a pleasure to have you as my surgeon.
Thank-you so much for making me feel at ease and explaining everything to me in a way that I understood. Thank-you for doing such an amazing job with my surgery and being so kind.
One of the most competent, dedicated and conscientious medical people I have come across. I have no reservations at all with recommending Mr. Potter to perform your plastic surgery.
I would just like to thank you for doing such a wonderful job last Friday morning. Your work was much admired by the visiting doctors and nurses over the weekend and I have no doubt that what you did was as good as it gets. Your reputation as one of the country’s top head and neck surgeons is clearly well founded and was hugely reassuring throughout.
John DoeCEO
Thank you for being a doctor who is skilled at the “people” side too.
John DoeCEO
Mr Potter is incredibly talented at what he does. My results are amazing and I just couldn’t be happier. I was nervous for my surgery, but everyone did their best to make me feel as comfortable as possible. I had to stay overnight and even then, whenever I needed anything, I’d get it immediately. Everyone was so kind and lovely. Before surgery I could book as many consultation as I needed to ask any questions and to explain exactly what I wanted to achieve. Mr Potter listens to you and makes you feel at ease but also gives his professional opinion. Overall I’m so happy and would recommend Mr Potter to anyone.
John DoeCEO
When it came to the surgery day I couldn’t have felt more calm, from checking in, to how I was looked after from start to finish was faultless, my pain was manageable and I was so pleased with the results, it’s way better than I could ever have expected and I’m enjoying compliments from friends and family that have no idea I’ve had anything done, which for me is a sign of a job well done.
John DoeCEO
I went to Mr Mathew Potter concerning my ageing neck and jowls. He came across as very kind and understanding to all of my concerns. It was agreed a lower face lift would be the best course of action and everything was explained in great detail about the procedure and what results I could expect. I had a few consultations before the surgery to check I was happy with everything before going ahead with it. On the day of the surgery I was a little nervous but I was made to feel reassured with everything that was going to happen. The care I received from Mr Potter and all the staff at the Nuffield Manor Hospital was truly outstanding. The surgery went really well and I am very pleased with the results better than I expected. The aftercare I received has been wonderful. Mr Mathew Potter is a lovely kind and knowledgeable surgeon. I won’t hesitate to go to him again if I need any surgeries in the future. Thanks again.
John DoeCEO

Frequently Asked Questions

Am I a good candidate for a face and neck lift?

he best candidates are patients who are bothered by jowling, neck laxity or facial descent and are in good general health. Mr Potter will assess you across several consultations before recommending any procedure.

A standard facelift primarily tightens the skin. The Deep Plane High SMAS technique goes deeper — lifting the underlying tissue structure independently of the skin, which produces a more natural, longer-lasting result and avoids the pulled appearance.

This is the central goal of Mr Potter’s approach. The technique is designed specifically to restore a younger version of your own face, not to produce an operated appearance. The testimonials above — many of which mention that friends and family had no idea surgery had been performed — reflect this.

Results are long-lasting. The Deep Plane technique produces durable elevation of the deeper tissue structures. While the natural ageing process continues, patients consistently maintain a significantly more youthful appearance than they would without surgery.

Most patients return to light work within one to two weeks and to full work within two to four weeks. Swelling peaks at around three days. You will look good in photographs at around two to three months, and altered sensation and firmness typically settle fully at six to nine months.

Mr Potter sees patients at the Manor Hospital in Oxford, Ridgeway Hospital in Swindon, Stratum Clinic in Wootton Oxfordshire, ProDerm in Cheltenham, and Interface Business Park in Royal Wootton Bassett.

Book a Consultation

Contact us if you have any health concerns or are looking to get a consultation. You can contact Matthew Potter by using the form below or contact him through one of the available telephone numbers or email addresses listed on this page.

Private Secretary & All Correspondence

T. 07917 965717

Swindon - Ridgeway Hospital

T. 01793 814848

Cheltenham - ProDerm, Festival House

T. 0800 0489230

Oxfordshire - Stratum Clinic,
Wootton Business Park

T. 01865 320790

Wiltshire - Interface Business Park, Royal Wootton Bassett

T: 0808 2803560

Oxford - The Manor Hospital

T. 01865 307777

Contact Lissie on 07917 965717 or use the form below.