What is a Biltmore Lift?

Simply put, the Biltmore Lift is a face and neck lift performed at Biltmore Plastic Surgery in Asheville, NC by Dr. David Harley. Over the years, I have performed several thousand face and neck lifts using a variety of techniques, including SMAS plication, lateral SMASectomy, and the deep plane facelift technique. I have been performing mostly deep plane facelifts recently. Most of these include platysmaplasty with some sculpting and removal of fat from along the jawline and neck. The common ingredient for all of my lifts has been the use of local anesthesia and oral sedation. Patients are thus able to walk in and walk out of the office, and also they enjoy the benefit of reduced costs and practically zero anesthetic downtime. So from an anesthesia standpoint, I would describe this as minimally invasive. However, I have learned that while patients desire minimally invasive procedures, most do not usually want mini results. Therefore, I have employed what I feel is the most sophisticated face and neck lift technique available today, known as the deep plane face and neck lift. This procedure offers optimal results, both natural and long-lasting, while being done under local anesthesia. Clearly, patients agree and often travel across the country and around the world for the procedures we provide. Many times their friends and family travel the same distances after seeing their loved one’s new look.

The confusion surrounding various facelift techniques often stems from marketing phrases that attempt to brand a certain type of procedure. The name isn't as important as what actually occurs during surgery and whether it will produce the results an individual patient wants. In this case, a Biltmore Lift is simply a minimally-invasive facelift that may be fine for some patients. But it will not match the transformative results that a surgical procedure can provide, such as a SMAS facelift.

Facelift surgeons love to name their specific combination of techniques. This is for marketing purposes and does not indicate any particular clinical efficacy or specific utility to a given patient. In your consultation, please inquire about the technique: what is lifted? where are the incisions? how is the neck treated? etc. This will be much more valuable than requesting a surgery by it's marketed name. Take care and best of luck!

The displayed results for the Biltmore lift are very good.  I would not get focused on the name, but more on the results.  When surgeons use names for a comprehensive procedure, it is most commonly done to represent the comprehensive nature of the surgeries and to distinguish the results from the usual or negative results seen from other surgeons.  Good Luck.

Dear Kittygirl4156Thank you for your question!  There are a lot of names for face lifting procedures - the Biltmore lift appears to be a procedure marketed by a Plastic Surgeon.With Warm RegardsTrevor M Born MD

kittygirl4156, it is a marketing ploy similar to what I call a "Signature Lift". It is simply a short flap facelift; been around for decades. Forget about the name; when it comes to your facelift see a surgeon that does "only faces" and is familiar with deep plane techniques and does them routinely. Look through their web site and make sure you like their photos. Make sure they are specialist and have decades of experience. Search the Internet. Good luck!

 In our practice, we rarely ever performed a mini lift, since they give mini results. It is very important to look at  the surgeon's results in the before and after  photo gallery to get an idea what can be accomplished by that particular surgeon, and not listen to a marketing gimmick. In our practice, we perform a high- SMAS  lower face and neck lift, which involves tightening loose facial and neck muscles, tightening loose facial and neck skin, removing fatty deposits in the neck, lifting the jowls to perform a natural appearing comprehensive rejuvenation of the face and neck. For many examples and more information, please see link and the video below.

This a "name" assigned to a form of short scar "mini-lift" that a surgeon uses in an attempt to market it as something unique. While there is nothing "wrong" with this patients need to understand it. In my opinion, the basic "mini face lift" provides a mini amount of lift for a mini amount of money with a mini amount of scar for a mini amount of time in the majority of patients. I do think there is a small subset of patients who can benefit though often times they can be adequately improved with less invasive means such as skilled use of fillers and Botox like products.

Like many forms of limited facelifts, doctors have placed their own marketing and branded names on them. It is no surprise than that that this 'mini-facelift' technique is done by a plastic surgeon who lives in an area that would be closest to this name. Even if your doctor discussed the exact same type of facelift procedure he/she would have has no reason to mention it by this marketed name. While there can be very subtle differences in limited facelift procedures there are no magical differences between any of them.

 That is a new one to me, There are so many branded or catchphrase names for facelifts such as lifestyle, quick lift, afternoon left, lunchtime lift, now Biltmore lift, they are all words  meant to fool patients into believing that it is something new and unique to that specific surgeon. Most real board-certified plastic surgeon's will not resort to these type of names if they are a good surgeon and produce good quality  results. I think that evaluating the specific surgeon and their outcomes and if they seem to have a good understanding of what you're trying to accomplish is your best bet. I would avoid someone who needs to hide behind a false name.Good luck!