From the 1960’s through the 1990’s, the three most distinctive signs of facial ageing—loss of fat or volume in the face, fine lines and wrinkles from the sun’s harmful rays, and sagging skin—were all solved with one procedure: the facelift. “The catch phrase in the old days was, “Heal with steel —the knife can do everything,” as plastic surgeon Dr. Doug Steinbrech told Barbara Walters in an interview for US ABC News.
Until the end of the century, this procedure was complex, fairly risky and had a 3-6 month recovery time. In more recent times, a shift has been made to more natural-looking rejuvenation of the face, including a host of non-surgical facial treatments.
21st Century Non-Surgical Facelift Treatments
Thanks to a wide range of treatment advances, it is now possible to achieve transformative facelift results without putting patients under the knife at all. This is especially good news for the many men and women who fear the physical pain, not to mention the financial ouch of surgery.
There are many non-surgical options with varying degrees of intensity and effectiveness. From the mildest to the more advanced, these non-surgical facelift options give you a choice of how—and how significantly—you want to address the ageing of your face and skin over time.
- Creams and Powders – “Facelifts in a jar” rely on highly concentrated solutions of amino acids such as hexapeptide and alpha hydroxyl acid to tighten skin and reduce fine lines. Some may be applied at home; but the most effective are handled by an aesthetician or skincare specialist.
- Dermal Fillers – Dermal fillers plump the skin and fill deep wrinkles or enhance ageing lips. They are injected in small quantities to eliminate lines across the forehead, cheeks, jaw line, chin, and those that run from your nose to the corners of your mouth.
- Anti-wrinkle injectoins – These work by relaxing the muscle contractions of the face, which helps reduce the appearance of frown lines and expression wrinkles. Results that last up to four months.
- Radiofrequency Facelift – This popular treatment uses heat to stimulate collagen under the skin to contract, resulting in a skin-tightening effect. A major selling point is that this treatment yields results immediately, requiring only one session to take effect.
- Laser Facelift – This technique is similar to the radiofrequency facelift, except that it uses infrared light to heat the skin and tighten collagen structures. Unlike a radiofrequency lift, laser skin tightening generally requires up to six treatments for full effectiveness.
Good Results, Not Miracles
Despite all they have to offer, non-surgical facelift treatments will never deliver the same benefits and rejuvenation as literally removing skin from your face and neck, and tightening what is left. Only a surgical facelift can do this, which is why it remains the most effective treatment option for eliminating the drooping and wrinkling of ageing skin.