A new and exciting alternative method to traditional facelifts is the non-surgical type of facelift. It is an effective and ideal way to restore youthfulness without any complications typical of surgical facelifts.

Safety is the first benefit of a non-surgical facelift, plus it also requires only a short span of recovery. Lastly, it is almost pain-free.

The whole procedure takes only about 30 minutes, and it is nearly painless because of the application of local anaesthetic. Right after the procedure, you may have bruising, swelling and a little redness which will any how subside within several hours to a few days. (These effects would also depend on your individual skin type.)

During the evaluation and consultation phase, your doctor will ask you about your specific needs and concerns to ensure you will achieve your most desired results. It is recommended that you ask for some before-and-after photos of the patients whom the doctor has previously treated.

Things to Consider When Choosing between a Non-surgical and Surgical Facelift:

Is it safe to have a non-surgical facelift compared to a surgical facelift?

Any surgical procedure done to the human body has the risks of anaesthesia complications such as paralysis, infection, and scarring. In some cases, medical treatment or even further surgery is needed to be done to treat the complications done by the initial surgery. The recovery time necessary for traditional facelift surgeries is around one to two months and high dosages of pain medication are often needed. With non-surgical facelifts on the other hand, you may only experience minor bruising, redness, and swelling which will subside after only a few days. No pain killers will be needed and almost instantly you’ll be able to go back to your normal daily activities.

What are the differences in the end result?

The results of traditional surgical facelifts last for a couple of years. However, one unpleasant result is that you will look like you have had a plastic surgery. Most of the time, the results are very dramatic that it’s like having a new face by which no one would recognize you. The non-surgical type of facelift on the other hand will last one to two years or maybe more if regular touch-ups are also applied. You will look naturally younger without altering your original face.

How about the difference in price?

Traditional surgical facelift costs from around $5,000 up to $8,000. If you encounter complications, the expense will surely be much higher. With a non-surgical facelift, it starts from only around $800, but the final cost will be determined after the initial consultation or after you have specified all your needs.

Facelift – Non-surgical Options:

BOTOX is a painless and quick non-surgical method to do a facelift – developed to restore beauty, youthfulness, and freshness. More than TWO million BOTOX treatments are done in year 2003 alone – enough to measure its effectiveness and popularity.

Dermal and cosmetic fillers are developed to eliminate folds and wrinkles in the face as well as the lips. (Several types of dermal fillers can be used to attain the best results.) The following are the most known types of fillers: Radiesse, Perlane, Restylane, and Juvederm among others. Each has its own specific effect which can be used depending on a patient’s needs. Used alone or applied with BOTOX, a person can achieve tremendous results taking years off of one’s overall facial skin appearance…

• Restylane is a kind of cosmetic filler approved by the FDA to help eliminate folds and wrinkles on the facial skin as well as lips. Restylane’s active ingredient is derived from a natural sugar called hyaluronic acid which can be found in the human skin. It is this ingredient which makes Restylane a perfect choice as a skin or dermal filler. Its results may last from 6 months up to 1 year.
• Hydrelle is a very affordable treatment option for wrinkles. It is the first ever HA (hyaluronic acid) dermal filler with lidocaine that has been approved by the FDA. It’s a natural, long-lasting, comfortable and convenient way to fill in wrinkles in the face so you can acquire a younger looking skin. One syringe of Hydrelle can decrease wrinkles and may last for up to 1 year.
• Juvederm is a gel-type, smooth filler that produces a more natural feel and look of the skin. Juvederm is also the only type of skin filler that contains the highest concentrations of hyaluronic acid. Its effects may last for up to 6 months and sometimes longer.
• Perlane is cosmetic filler that can restore fullness and volume to the skin, hence correcting moderate to severe skin folds and wrinkles such as the face’s nasolabial folds or the lines appearing from the sides of the nose to the corners of the mouth.
• Radiesse is a dermal filler that is often used in facial contouring. It can also be used to lift the cheeks and the eye brows, to straighten the nose, and also to smoothen the jaw line. It mainly consists of calcium hydroxylapatite which is a constituent of the human bone. It can usually maintain longer lasting effects compared to the other types of skin fillers.

Do non-surgical facelifts really work?

While BOTOX can paralyze the muscles and remove frown lines, facial skin fillers that contain hyaluronic acid can plump out skin that sag and give it a “lifted” effect which could last for one year. After 7 days, the frown lines in between the eyes will soften and most of the wrinkles will start to vanish. Generally, it will make the skin texture tighter and a lot smoother. After 1 month, the swelling will almost complete disappear and the effect will be subtler and natural-looking.

Facial skin filler has the tendency to attract water which means, the skin will normally not be as dehydrated as before. With fillers, you should NOT be able to feel the dermal filler but rather, you should feel a much bouncier, plumper youthful skin.