The Coppergate Clinic, York
8 Coppergate, York YO1 9NR
An independent clinic in the centre of York, with secure parking a short walk away.
Directions
Advanced facial rejuvenation
Total facial rejuvenation, centred on deep plane face and neck lift surgery.
Mr Christopher West is a consultant plastic surgeon based in Yorkshire. Patients travel to see him from across the UK and overseas.
As seen and heard on
Mr Christopher West
“For me, one of the most important parts of a consultation is deciding what not to operate on.”
Mr West is a consultant plastic and reconstructive surgeon. His private practice is built around the face and neck, with the deep plane face and neck lift at its centre.
He qualified in medicine at the University of Sheffield in 2004. Surgical training took him from Yorkshire to Edinburgh and Dundee. His PhD at the University of Edinburgh studied the stem cells found in human fat.
In the NHS he is a consultant at Leeds Teaching Hospitals, where his work covers sarcoma surgery, microsurgery and complex reconstruction. He appeared in the BBC Two series Saving Lives in Leeds.
In 2018 he completed an advanced training fellowship in cosmetic surgery. He continues to train alongside facelift surgeons in the UK, Europe and the USA.
The deep plane facelift
A deep plane facelift lifts the face from beneath the SMAS, the muscle layer that carries facial shape. Mr West releases the retaining ligaments directly, so the whole layer moves together as one piece. Below is a cross-section through the cheek.
The outer layer. In a deep plane facelift the skin moves with the tissue beneath it instead of being pulled tight on its own.
The fat that gives the cheek its fullness. Where it has thinned, Mr West can restore volume with the patient's own fat.
The muscle layer that carries the shape of the face and continues into the neck as the platysma. This is the layer a deep plane facelift lifts.
Fibrous ties that hold the SMAS down. Mr West releases them by direct dissection so the face can move as one piece.
The deepest layer, where the branches of the facial nerve run. The deep plane sits directly above it.
- 4 to 5 hoursIn theatre
- GeneralAnaesthetic
- 2 to 3 weeksOf visible swelling
- 3 to 6 monthsUntil the final result
The deep
neck lift
The shape of the neck is not set by skin and superficial fat alone. Fullness under the jaw often comes from deeper structures: deep fat, the digastric muscles and the submandibular glands. Mr West assesses each layer and treats only the ones shaping the neck. Below is a section beneath the jaw, seen from the front.
The outer layer. It is redraped over the deeper structures once they have been treated.
Mr West rarely removes this layer, because it keeps the neck looking even and natural.
A thin sheet of muscle from the chest to the lower face. With age it can loosen into vertical bands. It can be repositioned or tightened.
Fat beneath the platysma that skin tightening cannot reach. In selected patients it can be reduced.
Prominent digastric muscles can add fullness in the centre of the neck. In selected patients they can be carefully modified.
Salivary glands beneath the jaw. When prominent, part of each gland can be reduced through the same small incision under the chin. The rest keeps producing saliva.
“The aim is not the tightest neck. It is the right neck for you.”
300+Submandibular gland reductions performed by Mr West.
Patient results
Every pair is one of Mr West's own patients and is published with their consent. Results vary from person to person.
The same patient, before and after
Each pair shows one of Mr West's own patients before surgery and after healing. Swelling settles over several weeks and the final result is usually visible between three and six months.
Hear from Mr West
A short introduction to how Mr West approaches facial surgery, from the first consultation through to recovery.
“Two patients may both ask for a deep plane facelift but have very different anatomy.”
Surgery of the face and neck
Facial surgery leads the practice, with the deep plane face and neck lift at its centre. It is often combined with eyelid surgery, a lip lift or facial fat grafting.
Deep plane face and neck lift
Lifts the face and neck from beneath the SMAS, releasing the ligaments so the layer moves as one. Read more
Illustration
Deep neck lift
Treats the structures under the jaw: deep fat, the digastric muscles and the submandibular glands. Read more- Upper blepharoplastyRemoves the excess upper eyelid skin that hoods the eye.
- Lower blepharoplastyTreats eye bags through an incision inside the lower lid.
- Facial fat graftingMoves a patient's own fat to areas that have lost volume.
- Lip liftShortens the space under the nose without adding volume.
- Brow liftRaises a heavy or low brow to open up the upper face.
- Revision face and neck liftCorrects or improves the outcome of an earlier facelift.
- Breast and bodyBreast augmentation, uplift, reduction and tummy tuck.
What patients say
Reviews from Mr West's Google profile, published as written.
- 80+Deep plane facelifts a year, typically two a week.
- FellowshipAdvanced facelift training in the UK, Europe and USA.
- FRCS (Plast)Consultant plastic surgeon, GMC specialist register.
- PhDEdinburgh research into stem cells in human fat.
Patients travel to see Mr West
Most of Mr West's patients come from outside Yorkshire, from across the UK and overseas. The team helps with timings, travel and somewhere comfortable to recover.
- London
- Under two hours to York by direct train.
- Edinburgh
- Direct trains to both York and Leeds.
- Manchester
- About an hour to Leeds by direct train.
- Overseas
- Leeds Bradford and Manchester airports.
Spire Leeds Hospital
Roundhay, Leeds LS8 1NT
A CQC registered private hospital in Roundhay, with parking on site for patients.
Directions
Frequently asked questions
The questions patients ask most often. Anything specific to one patient is covered at the consultation.
What is the difference between a deep plane facelift and a traditional facelift?
A deep plane facelift releases the retaining ligaments and lifts the SMAS, the muscle layer under the skin, together with the skin as one unit. A traditional SMAS facelift tightens the skin and the SMAS separately without releasing the ligaments.
How long does a facelift last?
A facelift does not stop ageing. The face carries on ageing from its new starting point. Published data put the average time before a second facelift at around 11 years. It is longer for people who have their first facelift younger.
What is the ideal age to consider a facelift?
Most patients have a facelift between their late 40s and early 60s. Suitability depends more on anatomy and skin quality than on age.
Will I have visible scars after surgery?
The incisions sit around the ears and within the hairline. Scars usually settle and fade over the following months.
How long is the recovery after a facelift?
Expect 2 to 3 weeks of visible swelling and bruising. Most patients return to work and social plans within 10 to 14 days. The result keeps improving over several months.
Does everyone having a neck lift need submandibular gland reduction?
No. Some patients get an excellent neck contour without the glands being touched. Mr West reduces them only when they are adding real fullness under the jaw, which is the case in 80% or more of the neck lifts he performs.
Can a facelift be combined with other procedures?
Yes. Common combinations include a neck lift, upper or lower eyelid surgery, a lip lift and facial fat grafting.
Where is surgery performed?
Mr West operates at the Coppergate Clinic in York and Spire Leeds Hospital. The right location is agreed at the consultation.
Will I still look like myself after surgery?
Yes. Mr West aims to restore a patient's own features, not to change them. Every operation is planned around the patient's own anatomy.
Book a consultation
A consultation with Mr West covers the anatomy, what surgery can realistically achieve and the risks involved. A fixed written quote follows afterwards.
Surgery is only planned after this assessment, with time to reflect before any decision. Virtual consultations are available for patients travelling from further afield.
Keep up to date
Mr West's advice articles, sent once a month by email.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.