Searches for “Kris Jenner” have become synonymous with searches for “deep plane facelifts” ever since she stepped out in Paris last week sporting a smooth complexion and a tight visage like never before, according to the beauty and wellness app, Fresha. The reality star, who openly admitted to getting a facelift in 2011, increased the online interest in the surgery by 213 percent, per Fresha, though she’s never admitted to undergoing the procedure in the past or more recently. Yet, the uptick in Google search for deep plane facelifts seems to indicate that people think they’ve found an answer to their reverse aging query. 

Introduced by Dr. Sam Hamra in the 1990s, a deep plane facelift is a surgical technique different from the traditional facelift. According to Dr. Arnold Breitbart, a board-certified facial plastic surgeon based in New York, the deep plane focuses on the deep layers of facial tissue below the superficial muscular aponeurotic system (SMAS) instead of pulling the skin or tightening the surface layer of the face.

“This approach repositions the deeper facial muscles and fat pads to restore youthful contours in a more natural and longer lasting way,” Dr. Breitbart told WWD. 

The incisions are also smaller, starting from the back of the jawline before making their way to the corners of the eyes. The traditional technique, on the other hand, makes incisions around the ears, hairline and below the chin. 

Dr. Breitbart said traditional facelifts can often result in a more “limited and sometimes windblown appearance.” How deep plane lifts avoid this is by manipulating those underlying layers to reposition the “actual architecture of the face.” 

“The deep plane facelift often addresses areas that traditional methods might miss, like the nasolabial folds and the fullness of the midface,” Dr. Breitbart pointed out. 

Despite internet certainty Jenner’s new youthful look is from the work of this modern science, Dr. Breitbart said the deep plane facelift shouldn’t be noticeable. “A well-executed deep plane facelift should not be easy to detect. The goal is to restore the patient’s natural anatomy, not to create a new or overly tightened face,” he said. 

A poorly done facelift would likely result in tight corners of the mouth, unnaturally high cheekbones and limited motion. Risks include hematomas, infections, prolonged swelling and facial nerve injury. 

That said, deep plane facelifts can take away the need for facial filler or fat injections, a benefit that’s appealing to many amid wider movements away from from these cosmetic procedures. Dr. Konstantin Vasyukevich, a double-board-certified plastic surgeon in New York, reported seeing an increase in patient dissatisfaction with dermal fillers as well as rapid interest in surgical procedures.

Though there are still people turning to injections for a quick and easy way to refresh the face, others are experiencing “filler fatigue,” a term used to describe the burnout overtime that comes from excessive and ongoing use of filler.  

Dr. Breitbart said the overuse of filler can lead to a “distorted or puffy appearance” in the mid and lower parts of the face, creating the inverse intended effect. This happens because filler only adds volume and does not lift the facial tissue. “Over time, adding volume to a face that actually needs lifting can create a look of heaviness,” he explained.

“While indicated for individuals with mild or minor signs of volume loss as a result of facial aging, continued use may lead to less satisfying and less dramatic results,” Dr. Sam Fuller, a board-certified cosmetic surgeon, told WWD.

Celebrities such as Courteney Cox and Kristin Davis experienced this fatigue, making the conscious decision to dissolve their filler in a bid to look more natural. The “Friends” star expressed regret over getting too much filler in 2017 and admitted to getting it taken out. Last year, the “Sex and the City” lead opened up about her decision to stop getting face and lip fillers after getting injectables for years.

The filler fatigue phenomenon likely stems from resistance to strict beauty standards and shifts in the economy as recession fears loom. Dr. Jimmy Sung, a plastic surgeon in New York, said this faitgue is also an example of the pendulum swinging back after the plastic surgery industry exploded and encouraged consumption over the last couple of years due to “a significant increase in both injectors and economic incentives provided by drug makers.”