(It’s not surgery!)
If you’re familiar with the world of aesthetics and plastic surgery, you’re probably also familiar with a facelift and what it can achieve. Patients that are concerned with early signs of aging – such as wrinkles and volume loss – may think they could benefit from a facelift down the road…but what if there was a more immediate treatment to combat aging?
A “liquid facelift” refers to a combination of injectable procedures that can address some of the issues associated with aging – like a loss of volume or the appearance of wrinkles – without going through invasive surgery or lengthy recovery. Not all liquid facelifts are created equal – and for a good reason! This procedure is customizable to the patient and there is a plethora of combinations available to combat skin and soft tissue issues unique to your face.
Am I a good candidate?
Ideal patients for a liquid facelift have mild signs of aging, such as fine lines and wrinkles, minimal volume loss, or mild crepey skin. Oftentimes this will be a patient in their late-20s to their mid-40s (not always). The ideal patient also does not have excessively sagging skin or lose jowls.
An important thing to consider with a liquid facelift is that the treatments require annual maintenance and are designed to give you a boost in volume or smooth out wrinkles. The purpose of a liquid facelift is to provide temporary correction, not a permanent solution.
What can a liquid facelift address?
Liquid facelifts feature a combination of injectables to address common problems that arise as your skin ages, such as:
- Lines on your forehead, around your eyes (also known as “crow’s feet”), or around your nose and mouth
- Sagging brow lines, corners of your mouth, or jawline
- Loss of volume in temples, under eyes, cheeks, or lips
- Crepey skin resulting in moderate folds
What treatments are included in a liquid facelift?
The main issues with aging in these areas can be deduced to three categories – wrinkle reducers, skin tightening, and fillers (to fill areas with volume loss). Wrinkle reducers refers to injectables like Botox and medical-grade skincare products like retinols. To address skin laxity, we use a radiofrequency treatment known as Profound. Dermal fillers can be used to address volume loss. We carry the Juvéderm line of fillers to add volume in various areas of the face. To add volume AND increase future collagen production, we use the Sculptra filler.
Results from a liquid facelift are almost immediate, and depending on your treatment, the effects can last at least a year or longer.
Botox for fine lines and wrinkles
FDA-approved and clinically tested, today Botox is one of the safest and most popular injectables in the world. It works by temporarily and partially paralyzing the facial muscles that cause glabellar folds (harsh vertical creases between the eyebrows), frown lines extending downwards from the nose, crow’s feet (unforgiving wrinkles around the eyes), and “worry lines,”—those horizontal zig-zags across the forehead. The result is a smoother, more youthful facial appearance, regardless of facial expression.
Retinols
Retinoids are a family of skincare products, both prescription and nonprescription, that are derived from vitamin A. The retinoid family includes tretinoin, adapalene, tazarotene and retinol. Retinoids are considered to be the most effective skincare ingredients for improving visible signs of aging and sun damage. They are the most proven of all anti-aging ingredients and are a must for anyone wanting to preserve the appearance of their skin. Retinoids increase the skin’s production of collagen, which helps smooth the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles. They also promote the skin’s natural exfoliation process to eliminate damaged surface cells.
Hyaluronic Acid Filler
As we age, the skin around our neck, jaw, and cheekbones begins to lose its elasticity. Wrinkles, frown lines, and sagging skin threatens to completely distort our profile. Sunken cheeks and a furrowed forehead can make a person look tired and angry, rather than peaceful and refreshed. Even with exercise, juicing, proper hydration, and vitamins, these effects of time and gravity are difficult to combat. Juvéderm’s line of hyaluronic acid fillers is here to help! Loss of elasticity can be addressed by adding filler to areas that appear sunken. Juvéderm’s line of fillers are made of hyaluronic acid, a substance that is naturally found in the body and contributes to skin tightening.
Collagen-Boosting Filler
Sculptra is an injectable poly-L-lactic acid filler that is FDA-approved for replacing lost collagen. Collagen loss is an unfortunate, natural side effect of aging. It is what often gives our faces and bodies a bony and hollow appearance. By stimulating collagen production in the body, we use Sculptra to create natural-looking results for many of our patients. Sculptra is different from traditional dermal fillers which are usually composed of hyaluronic acid. Rather than plumping with liquid volume, Sculptra works with your body to stimulate collagen production and help restore the deep, underlying structure of the skin. Rebuilt collagen then gradually improves facial volume and diminishes wrinkles and folds. This is a slow-grow product that does take time to see results, but they are well worth it. Typically, a few treatments are needed, spaced 4-6 weeks apart. Patience is key here as results peak in the months following your last treatment. Because Sculptra stimulates the production of your own collagen, results can last 2-3 years and can typically be maintained with one treatment per year thereafter.
Profound Skin-Tightening
A single treatment procedure with a 100% response rate, Profound Skin Tightening is a unique radiofrequency treatment that meets the growing demand for non-surgical tightening of the face and neck to address loose or sagging skin brought on by aging or genetics. Profound delivers fractional radiofrequency energy to the subcutaneous layer, enabling treatment of adipose tissue and the septae as well. Profound is clinically proven to improve three vital skin elements: elastin, collagen, and hyaluronic acid. These major skin building blocks work to create dermal volume in one minimally invasive procedure, which has an impressive 100% response rate. As part of the Capizzi Method of treatment, patients who are having a Profound procedure on the face and neck will enjoy a cleansing using medical-grade skincare products, done by one of our Aestheticians.
What are the potential drawbacks?
A liquid facelift will not address any excess skin, as that can only be addressed through surgery. Fillers can’t effectively address excess skin and sagging jowls completely. This procedure is meant to enhance your natural face definition that has been masked by early signs of natural aging.
If you’re curious about a liquid facelift, call our office at 704-655-8988 to discuss what treatments might be recommended for your needs. We can give you ballpark pricing for a treatment plan, and schedule you a consultation with an injector or surgeon so that you can achieve your goals.