Facial sagging comes for everyone eventually. Our natural fat pads, collagen, and elastin will diminish over time, and those inevitable changes lead many people to seek facial anti-aging treatments. With one-stitch facelifts, mini lifts, and liquid facelifts all competing for your attention, do you find it confusing to determine which one offers the results that you need?
Cosmetic surgery and non-surgical cosmetic procedures are becoming increasingly mainstream each day, so we’re not surprised that women and men of all ages and backgrounds are looking into pro-aging procedures like face lifts.
The term “liquid facelift” is also known by other names. It essentially describes the process of enhancing the face with injectable products. Neuromodulators such as Botox are used to decrease facial muscle movement. Reducing the movement diminishes wrinkles and deep lines that form in the overlying skin and softens the wrinkles and lines that exist.
Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Dermal Fillers
The injection of various HA dermal fillers is also an essential element of the non-surgical facelift. The Torgerson Clinic in Yorkville carries a wide selection of industry-leading, Health Canada-approved dermal filler products. These fillers are available in various gel densities (cohesivity) to be placed in different areas of the face. The depth and method of injection will depend on the desired effect and the patient’s needs. Dermal fillers are designed to safely and temporarily restore facial volume. Examples of areas where they can be used to transform a face include:
- Lips
- Cheeks
- Temples
- Jaw
- Under the eye
- Nose
Just as aging can diminish our natural, youthful facial volume, replacing that volume can erase years off of someone’s appearance instantly. The results are temporary, but the cost for face lifts without surgery is significantly lower. How can people weigh the pros and cons of injectables versus surgical face-lifting and decide what’s best for them?
Injectables are more popular every day, and doctors have developed strategies to utilize their effects synergistically for overall facial rejuvenation. There was a time when spot-treating specific features like the lips, cheek, or brow accounted for the majority of injectable cosmetic treatments. In recent years, the combination of various HA gel consistencies placed in multiple facial areas has allowed doctors to rebuild structural supports, refill key volume areas like the midface, and diminish multiple areas that show aging. The addition of neuromodulators helps prevent downward pulling on the face and deepening of lines. It also helps prevent future wrinkles. The entire combined effect of a facelift done purely by injection can be dramatically rejuvenating and can make a person appear instantly rested, refreshed, and younger.
Has this exciting procedure replaced the demand for facelifts in Toronto?
Not at all. The number of people requesting facial surgery is growing, as are the innovations and options for approaching this procedure. Mini face-lifts, brow lifts, neck lifting, and deep plane face-lifts all represent different surgical approaches that achieve different outcomes.
Here are a few of the ways that surgical versus injectable facelifts differ:
- Surgery delivers permanent results.
- Surgery allows for the removal of excess, sagging skin.
- Surgery allows for the tightening of underlying muscle layers.
- Surgery can result in apparent age reduction.
- Surgery will not keep you young-looking forever, but it will help ensure that you age well.
Alternately, here are some of the liquid benefits that cause people to skip surgery:
- The results are instant, in-office, and dramatic.
- The downtime required is minimal, if any.
- The cost of a facelift without surgery is significantly lower.
- The effects can be more appropriate for someone who doesn’t need skin removal.
- Patients can avoid scars completely.
- The risks are lower.
So is there anything that injectables can’t do?
Fillers and neuromodulators can stave off the effects of aging for some time, but eventually, a surgery will be more effective and will be a better investment.
How can you choose the right facial rejuvenation for you?
When people who are older than age 50 see persistent sagging in the jowls, midface, and neck, they are more likely to be good candidates for a rejuvenating facial surgery than for injections alone. Late-term aging symptoms should be handled by an experienced and skilled facial plastic surgeon whose practice is devoted to specialized face surgery. The face-lift before and after photos available on surgical websites show incredible transformations. The more natural-looking examples are where the skin looks soft and relaxed, and no features are pulled or distorted. An expert technique like the deep plane facelift can erase years from your look without any apparent tension on the skin or notable signs of surgery.
The recovery for face lift procedures is generally 2 weeks, with the majority of swelling or bruising resolved by then. Special care is taken to hide scars and to treat them carefully while healing. The final results are usually appreciated a couple of months post-op, but you’ll see an improvement even a week or two later when some residual inflammation is still present. The face-lift procedure carries very high satisfaction rates and relatively low risk in the hands of a qualified professional.
Can you have it both ways?
At different stages of your life, both a liquid facelift and a surgical facelift may help form a comprehensive plan for the renewal of vibrant, youthful good looks.
Consult a facial plastic surgeon renowned for all rejuvenation techniques
The best way to find out whether you’re in a better position to benefit from surgery or non-surgical treatment is to meet with an expert in person. During your consultation, Dr. Cory Torgerson will be pleased to give you 30 minutes to chat about your areas of concern, your questions, and your available options. He’ll examine you and ask you a few questions too. The in-depth analysis of your face helps determine the areas in need of adjustment, and you’ll be welcome to use our Vectra 3D imaging system when you are considering possibilities. Dr. Torgerson will recommend one or more options to customize a treatment plan just for you, and he’ll give you a personalized quote.
As a nationally renowned expert in facial enhancement with in-depth knowledge of head and neck anatomy, Dr. Torgerson will offer solutions that could benefit you not just now, but well into the future as you eventually age gracefully. Revealing harmonious and healthy-looking facial improvements is something we’re passionate about at the Torgerson Clinic. Selecting the services that suit you best and allow you to feel like your most attractive self is a worthy goal, and we enjoy it immensely. If you’re thinking of a facelift or you’re not at all sure what you need, why not schedule a consultation to come in and learn more? We’re glad to help.
