My facelift diary – here's the gruesome reality

telegraph.co.uk:

traditional facelift, the skin is pulled taut, in a deep plane lift, the surgeon operates deep beneath surface layers of the face, going under muscle and fascia, and lifts this together with the skin (in the current standard SMAS – superficial musculoaponeurotic system – procedure, this layer and the skin are lifted separately).

Working this deep into the face is not without risk: the procedure is complex and carries a potential risk of nerve damage, so an experienced surgeon is a must.

But on the plus side, a deep plane lift is thought to last longer than any other and to give a more natural, less ‘stretched’ look.For Ellis, the potential benefit was worth the risks. ‘I want my appearance on the outside to match the person on the inside,’ she explained in her diary of the time. ‘But injectables and minor procedures cannot give me the youthful results I want.’ She has also posted selfies and videos illustrating every part of the experience on Instagram (@faceliftat50), a decision she made ‘because I believe a lot of women are curious about cosmetic surgery and contemplate doing it but don’t because of fear’.

Here, she shares more from her facelift diary.When I quit drinking three years ago, I lost three stone very quickly. My face lost volume and sagged, particularly around my neck and jawline.