As you age, you will see one of the following signs of aging on your face and neck such as:
- Relaxation of the skin of the face causing sagging
- Deepening of the fold lines between the nose and corner of the mouth
- Fat that has fallen or has disappeared
- Jowls
- Loose skin and excess fat of the neck that can appear as a double chin or “turkey neck”
The loss of youthful contours in the face can be due to variety of factors, including thinning of the skin, loss of facial fat, gravity, sun damage, smoking, as well as heredity and stress.
Types of facelifts
There are two main options to correct the aging changes in the face and neck— surgical facelift and non-surgical facelift.
A surgical facelift aims to correct the aging changes of the face and neck through surgery.The vast array of facelift techniques can be bewildering: deep plane, high SMAS, short scar, skin only, MACS lift, SMASectomy and the list goes on. Other procedures that might be performed in conjunction with a facelift are brow lift and eyelid surgery to rejuvenate aging eyes.
A non-surgical facelift, on the other hand, uses non-invasive techniques to improve the appearance of the face and neck. There are a myriad of techniques that fall under the category of ‘non-surgical facelift’ but only a handful that truly works.
Types of Non-Surgical Facelift
- ALL ROUND: Thermage & Ulthera
- TARGETED: Face Thread Lift
- ADJUVANT: Fillers and Botox
Read more: Science of Beauty- When To Lift And When TO Fill
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All Round Non-Surgical Facelift
Non-surgical facelifts can be divided into three broad categories. The ‘all-round’ treatments help to tighten and firm skin of the face and neck. Treatments such as monopolar radiofrequency Thermage and microfocused ultrasound Ulthera are examples of all-round non-surgical facelifts as they work on larger areas— usually the entire face and neck per session, leading to global tightening and rejuvenation.
Both treatments show great aptitude when it comes to tightening the skin and stimulating new collagen growth. Ulthera excels in treating thick skin, and is especially useful in contracting the heavyset faces of older clients. This non-surgical treatment uses ultrasound to heat targeted tissue under the surface of the skin, which triggers the natural production of collagen. Ultimately, ultherapy counteracts the effects of time and gravity on the skin. Ultherapy can be repeated every 6 to 12 months, as collagen typically takes this long to develop.
Thermage on the other hand exerts its magic in the upper layers of the skin, smoothening and ironing out any surface creases and lines. It is especially valued for its anti-aging effects around thinner skins such as the eyes and neck. Thermage helps to smooth and improve skin by tightening existing collagen and stimulating the production of new collagen. It is also used to treat fine line and wrinkles as well as dimpled skin and cellulite. It also lifts the brows, cheeks, and jawline.
When both Thermage and Ulthera are done together, they provide synergistic effects and delivers a 3D facelifting effect that is unparalleled as compared to either of the treatment delivered singularly.
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Targeted Non-Surgical Facelift
The targeted non-surgical facelifts include Thread Lifts which are used to improve isolated areas of the face or neck. However, because of their significant ability to hook, lift and anchor tissues, dramatic and visible changes can be seen even after one session. Threadlifts are the new “it” non-surgical facelift option and can be performed in under an hour. It involves insertion of thin threads into the face through injections made in the targeted area. The threads attach to the skin tissue and then are pulled back to lift and smooth the face. The ends of the threads are hidden and the results of the lift are seen immediately. The effects last about 18 months, at which point the threads biodegrade and are absorbed by the body.
Latest face and neck thread lifts include Infinity Instalift and Silhouette Soft. Both uses 100% bop-absorbable collagen threads that leave behind a matrix of supporting collagen as the threads dissolve over time to anchor the resultant lift. Clients who desire maximal lifting flock to Silhouette Soft, and are rest assured with their long safety record and high efficacy in restoring very sagging faces. Clients who desire not just facial lifting but shaping of their faces to a V-shape contour won’t hesitate to undergo Infinity Instalift. Besides the face, thread lifts have gained a solid reputation as the lifting technique of choice for necks, brows and even nose enhancements! As results are long-lasting for 12-18 months, satisfaction scores rank high for this type of non-surgical facelifts. One brilliant way to extend the longevity as well as the results of your thread lifts is to combine them with other non-surgical facelift options such as 3D Facelift (thermage & ulthera) above and Botox & fillers below.
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Adjuvant Non-Surgical Facelift
The adjuvant non-surgical facelifts include peripheral aesthetic treatments such as your botulinum toxin anti-wrinkle injections and dermal fillers. On their own, they may not be able to confer impressive skin-lifting benefits, but when done together with other aesthetic treatments or any of the aforementioned non-surgical facelift therapies, they can enhance the results and prolong the rejuvenative effects of the treatment.
Botox (or botulinum toxin) can diminish expression lines such as your frown lines and crow’s feet granting you instant youth. Dermal fillers play an important part in refilling the volume loss on your face, that has occurred with the passage of time. By eliminating gauntness so commonly seen in older individuals, filler hydrolift also coined ‘liquid facelift’ can confer some amount of lifting effect to the facial tissues when done by a skilled medical practitioner.
