Facelift: Info, Prices, Photos, Reviews, Q&A

There are several options one can consider for nonsurgical facelift alternatives.

Fillers – be prepared if one has deep jowls and hollowness of the cheeks, 6-8 cc’s of filler may be necessary to achieve your goal. of course you do not have to do them all at once, unless you desire.

Carbon dioxide laser has been often referred to as non surgical – I put it in between. the procedure is a great tool for smoothing and tightening fair skin people with lots of sun damage.

I perform the procedure in the operating room, and recovery is about two weeks. There are no sutures or staples and for that reason many would list this in the non surgical category.

Phenol base chemical peels can achieve similar results to the CO2 laser.

Milder peels and Microdermabrasion will improve the complexion but generally do little to tighten the skin.

Duct tape and bobby pin. I have only seen one patient with the tape and bobby pin st up to lift the cheeks.

I recommended an emergency facelift for this patient, as she had obviously been thinking about her jowls for quite some time. (Brian Maloney, MD, FACS, Atlanta Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Non-surgical alternatives to facelifts are numerous and evolving. As we age, we do lose volume in the face, and so fat grafting or fillers can work nicely to improve facial contour non-surgically. In some cases, judicious use of botulinum toxin (type A) can help reduce wrinkles in some areas.

Rejuvenation of the skin with a fractionated laser peel and/or IPL can improve fine lines and color abnormalities. However, none of these will reduce excess skin, as you describe. A personal examination with an experienced surgeon can help determine what may be most effective for you, and how these non-surgical treatments might provide rejuvenation. (Sam Most, MD, Bay Area Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Although fillers may be able to somewhat camouflage the appearance of (early) jowling, they really are not the answer to what is essentially a “gravity”-related problem. The real fix for lax skin and muscle is to tighten these layers and remove any excess skin.

Non-surgical treatments cannot remove excess skin and they have had a mixed record with the tightening effect they provide.

However, a new device called Ultherapy has recently come on the market as a non-surgical device that uses ultrasound to tighten the deeper levels of the skin and the muscle in the neck and jowls.

Although it does not replace surgery, it does have the advantage of being non-invasive without any downtime. In fact, the FDA has approved its use for brow lifting indications. (Haresh Yalamanchili, MD, Houston Facial Plastic Surgeon)

There are a number of non-surgical treatments that will help rejuvenate the face, although rarely in the same manner, to the same degree, and with the same longevity as a surgical face lift.

In my opinion, the most effective non-surgical alternatives to a face lift are:

• Fat grafting
• Facial filler injections (such as Radiesse, Sculptra, etc.)

There are other non-surgical techniques, which can, to a much lesser degree, help tone and tighten the face. They include:

• Thermage
• Polaris (Elos)
• Laser resurfacing.

Unfortunately, sagging of the jowls and loose skin are typically best addressed by some form of a facelift. Liposuction of the neck can be a great option for a double chin. While liposuction often results in some skin tightening, it is not the best technique for loose skin.

Fillers such Restylane, Juvederm, and Radiesse may be helpful, but they have their limits for loose jowls and skin.

Be cautious about the nonsurgical facelift options that may be out there, because results may be less reliable, so do your research. (Michael Vincent, MD, Rockville Plastic Surgeon)

If you have significant sagging of the jawline or neck, you will probably be disappointed with anything less than a surgical procedure. Non-surgical options are simply not strong enough to deliver correction of significant sagging. (George Sanders, MD, Los Angeles Plastic Surgeon)

Facelifts effectively treat sagging jawlines and necklines. There are really no nonsurgical procedures that can create similar results. I would consider why you are seeking a facelift alternative- is it due to incisions?

There are quite effective ways to perform face and neck lift with well-hidden incisions, and sometimes none at all in front of the ears! Is it due to recovery time? Many nonsurgical treatments, such as aggressive injectable fillers or lasers, have a recovery time up to a week but do not produce results comparable to a facelift with similar recovery time.

If your true concerns are neck and jawline, I would advise you save your money and not “treat” them nonsurgically. If someday, your neck and jawline bother you enough, go for the real deal. (Laxmeesh Mike Nayak, MD, Saint Louis Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Non-Surgical Options to Facelift

It depends on the following; your desires and expectations, underlying bony anatomy the tissue features, skin quality and firmness and the amount of time you can be away from work And these are the possible non-surgical options; Good Skin care regimen Botox and fillers Laser treatment combination of all above Lastly, If a face lift is needed, usually that is the best option if it is done by an excellent surgeon.

Please consult with a board-certified surgeon with additional training in facial plastic surgery. (Ali Sajjadian, MD, FACS, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)

Nonsurgical facial rejuvenation

Think of your face in three zones. The upper 1/3rd starts at the hairline and extends to the bridge of the nose. The middle 1/3rd continues to the base of the nose and the lower 1/3rd includes the jaw and neck.

Here are solutions for each zone:

Upper: Botox to alleviate the forehead wrinkles and furrows as well as to nonsurgically raise the brows. Hyaluronic acid fillers to further “erase” the wrinkles around the scowl lines and brow lines. Sculptra to fill the temple hollows and round out the brow.

Middle: Hyaluronic acid fillers: Perlane or Juvederm UltraPlus for cheek volumization. Prevelle silk or the finer HAs, Restylane or Juvederm for the hollows under the eyelids or crow’s feet lines.

Lower: Evolence (porcine collagen) for deep nasolabial lines. Sculptra for hollows under the cheek bones. Radiesse for the prejowl sulcus (the area in front of the mandibular jowls) and for better chin projection. HAs to support the corners of the mouth and plump out the vermillion border of the lips.

Botox to neutralize the corners of the mouth (DAOs), soften the lipstick bleed lines, relax the platysmal bands. Sculptra has been used, in extremely dilute concentrations to retexturize the neck and decolletage; this is an “off label” indication.

Overall skin texture can be improved by light based therapies, such as Lumenis, Active Fx, etc as well as retinols, moisturizers and sunscreen. While these may not produce as dramatic results as a surgical procedure, they are complimentary and depending on your endpoints may result in great satisfaction. (Lavinia K. Chong, MD, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)

Peoples’ faces change with age for three different reasons. There is atrophy and loss of volume in the upper face so that you develop hollows. There is sagging of the cheeks and jaw line. Lines and wrinkles develop around the eyes and around the mouth.

The treatment for each of these three different aging problems is different. When correcting hollows in the upper face and in the cheeks without a facelift, deep fillers are most effective, and we have had very good results both with Juvederm Ultra Plus and with Radiesse.

When the main problem is looseness in the jaw line, the most effective treatment is tightening the skin with Thermage, which uses radiowaves to contract the collagen in the deep layers of the skin and produce a cleaner jaw line.

For the lines and wrinkles around the eyes and around the mouth, a combination of Botox to relax the muscles and fillers to clean up the lines and wrinkles is quite effective.

The non-surgical alternatives to a facelift are most effective in younger patients.

We look not at chronological age but at the actual biological age of the skin of the individual. In general, patients over the age of 60 may well need surgery. (George J. Beraka, MD (retired), Manhattan Plastic Surgeon)

Non-Surgical Atlernatives to Facelift that Work

Not everyone needs a facelift. Not everyone wants one. But… everyone wants to look good.

Here are some things you can do (without surgery!) that will improve your appearance:

Nasolabial folds and jowls – fillers can be used to smooth lines around the nose and mouth and mild to moderate jowls. This improvement can be natural and noticeable.

Fullness under the neck – lymphatic drainage procedures improve this for 3-7 days. A series of massages can provide longer lasting results; for long lasting results based on a one-time intervention, liposuction under the chin can help.

If the skin and jowls are tight, but the neck skin is loose, a limited neck lift can be done. If this looseness is related to a weak chin on profile, a chin implant alone or added to another procedure, can provide a noticeable improvement as well.

Overall loose tone – a facial exercise regimen can definitely help, BUT commitment is key. (Michelle R. Yagoda, MD, New York Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Many options exist for nonsurgical facelift

There are many options that exist to provide a nonsurgical facelift result. However, the treatment options will vary per individual and largely depend on the skin type, amount of skin laxity and sag, and amount of volume in the face that needs to be replaced.

In some cases, people just simple volume replacement with dermal fillers such as Restylane and Juvederm. In other cases, the neck is the main issue and treatments such as radiofrequency or laser technology can help to tighten the skin.

This is where the consultation is so vitally important to developing a concise and appropriate treatment plan for your face. (Michael T. Somenek, MD, Washington DC Facial Plastic Surgeon)

Non Surgical face lift options

Surgery is no longer the only option left to give your face rejuvenated look. There are a huge variety of laser and filler options to restore the youth. The answer really depends on your current age/skin quality and the result you are looking for.

If you have a lot of saggy skin, then surgery is the only option left. If you have mild laxity and few wrinkles and deep circles, then Ultherapy to tighten the skin, PicoSure for skin rejuvenation, Photofacial to remove all the tiny veins and redness, and of course botox and fillers, to smooth out lines.

There are a lot of different options. You should come for consultations and ask questions and find a physician you are comfortable with so you both can design a treatment plan. (Anna Avaliani, MD, New York Physician)

Best facelift alternatives depend on your goals

Nonsurgical rejuvenation in most cases is not as powerful for improving the signs of aging as a well-performed facelift would be. That being said, it is important to know that there are four areas of the face that need to be addressed to actually fully rejuvenate the face.

I will list each area individually and then give you an idea of options, both surgical and non-surgical, than can be attempted to provide the results you seek. Please note that this is my simple take on a complex issue, and that others may have a different viewpoint:

The Skin – this outer covering is routinely abused by the environment and our behaviors (sun, smoke, smog, etc.).

As we get older the content of collagen and elastin diminishes creating a thinner, more saggy covering. From the list below, it is common to utilize most of the therapies to help rejuvenate the skin and slow down aging:

• Sun screen,
• Moisturizer,
• Stop smoking,
• Drink alot of water,
• Microdermabrasion,
• Chemical peels,
• Laser resurfacing,
• Medical grade skin care
• The Muscle (SMAS) – routine use of facial musculature over time + gravity creates laxity, especially at the neck. There is no way to rehab the muscle as it ages. Most muscle tightening comes in the form of muscle plication or muscle resection and shortening.
• SMAS-type facelifts
• The Fat – Until the last few years there was little emphasis paid to the way the facial fat layers changed with age. Now most forward thinking plastic surgeons realize that re-inflation of the face with fat and fat repositioning procedures are better are restoring those pleasing youthful contours

Carbon Dioxide Laser Resurfacing

• Autologous fat grafting – restore volume
• Facial injectibles – hide the signs of lost facial volume
• The Bone – with age there are changes in volume and projection of facial bones, and this creates less support for the overlying soft-tissues letting them sag more and give the face a more flattened look. The name of the game here is volume restoration.
• Facial implants – more reliable and powerful
• Autologous fat grafting – easier on the body

Except for number 2, everything I have mentioned are considered non-surgical or minimally-invasive. (Manish H. Shah, MD, FACS, Denver Plastic Surgeon)

A true professional will help you sort through the alternatives

Ultimately we are all desirous of a more youthful look with classic signs of beauty and attractiveness. This is often interpreted as “tighter skin”. This may or may not be true. Aging is a complex process of shifing tissues, skin laxity, some loss of tissue volume and a confidence and demeanor that goes beyond physical appearance.

A true professional consultation will sort out these elements and combined with our desires formulate a plan that may have several alternatives. It may involve one of several surgical procedures of the face. It may involve lasers, Botox, fillers such as Juvederm and possibly radiofrequency technology as well.

Consult with a physician that can sort through the various possibilities. If the physician has only one, non-surgical alternative then be careful. When your only tool is a hammer, the whole world looks like a nail. (Talmage J. Raine, MD, FACS, Chicago Plastic Surgeon)

There are many non-surgical facelift options for facial rejuvenation

A ‘Liquid Facelift’ is a nice non-surgical alternative to a facelift, especially when combined with different skin tightening lasers. A Liquid Facelift may include Botox along with dermal fillers such as Juvederm, Restylane, or Radiesse.

However, realize this is still not the same as a true surgical full facial rejuvenation procedure such as an endoscopic browlift, upper and lower blepharoplasty (eyelid tuck) and a facelift or necklift. Many surgical patients benefit from non surgical options in addition to their surgical procedures. (Sanjay Grover, MD, Orange County Plastic Surgeon)