Scarless Facelift: Less Expensive and No Downtime
Scarless facelift, liquid facelift, and non-surgical facelift all refer to the same thing—the use of non-surgical anti-aging techniques to take years off your appearance without having to undergo surgery. Scarless facelift has been gaining popularity in recent years because it costs less than traditional facelift, provides immediate results, is very safe, and requires no down time for recovery.
How It Works?
Plastic surgeons generally agree that a liquid facelift can take 10-15 years off your appearance and bring back your youthful look. Your doctor accomplishes this without surgery or incisions of any type by using muscle relaxants like Botox® or Dysport and dermal fillers like Juvederm, Restylane and Sculptra. The number of injection sites will depend on your specific case and how your skin has aged. Generally, your plastic surgeon will apply Botox® or Dysport to your forehead, and possibly to other areas of the face such as the area near the eyes to treat crow's feet. Your plastic surgeon will inject dermal fillers such as Juvederm into sites such as the lips, cheeks and/or nasolabial folds to eliminate lines and wrinkles and to restore youthful fullness to the face. ??Scarless facelift is performed in your plastic surgeon’s office with no anesthesia required. It can take as little as 30 minutes if only a few injections are required, but certainly no more than 2 hours even if many injections are recommended. The total cost runs from approximately $1,000 and up. Cost depends on the number of injections and amount of dermal fillers used. Plastic surgeons tend to discount multiple vials used in one session so ask your doctor for a specific price that treats your case.
Alternatives to Liquid Facelift?
With so many technological advances, non-invasive surgery is even more of a reality for patients. These techniques, like the scarless or liquid facelift, allow you to walk away with a more youthful appearance but keep you from going under the knife. They are a way for you avoid not only the knife, but the cost, time and physical difficulties of undergoing a traditional face lift.
- Facial creams and toners: Natural face creams, anti-wrinkle creams, and concentrated solutions of amino acids aim to help you appear younger. While these do not do as good a job as the scarless facelift, if your skin is still somewhat youthful and pliable, you may be able to stave off other anti-aging treatments through the use of these products. They are also good for post treatment maintenance.
- Microdermabrasion: A surface exfoliation removing some of the skin’s top layers (top dermis). Tiny crystals penetrate the skin in microdermabrasion, helping to reduce laugh lines and aging symptoms on the skin’s surface. This is the second most popular non-surgical cosmetic procedure for the face, second only to Botox® injections.
- Chemical Peel: Most commonly requested when sun-damaged skin or unevenly pigmented skin becomes unsightly for patients. While improving the appearance of facial blemishes, acne, wrinkles and light/dark pigmentation marks, chemical peels come in three different types. Using amino acids and chemicals, you can choose from an AHA, TCA or a Phenol Chemical Peel; your chemical peel procedure chosen by your plastic surgeon may depend on which region of your face you are receiving treatment and your skin type.
- Collagen Injection: A type of dermal filler, collagen is injected underneath the natural part of the dermis. Plumping up your skin, collagen fills wrinkles and side effects go away within hours. This injection is derived from a bovine source (cows) and sometimes referred to as “bovine collagen.” Some companies with well-known collagen injections include Artefill®, Zyderm®, Zyplast®, Cosmosplast® and Cosmoderm®.
- Laser Facelift: Using light, the skin is stimulated to increase collagen production under it’s surface and to remove upper layer, wrinkles. You and your plastic surgeon can decide how much of the epidermis you are treating with the laser.
Plastic surgeons can now address your concerns about wrinkles and sun spots or age spots in a non-invasive fashion. Fraxel laser is a good option to rejuvenate your skin. Though this seems like a fairly easy procedure, it should still be performed by a board certified plastic surgeon at a medical practice.
Laser skin resurfacing treatments are one of the fastest growing skin rejuvenation procedures performed by plastic surgeons. With many different types of lasers available, you can choose one that rejuvenates your outer, inner or both layers of skin.
- Microcurrent Facelift: Using gentle electrical stimulation to trigger the body’s natural skin-endorphines at a cellular level. With this painless technique, a board certified plastic surgeon or a microcurrent specialist uses a two-pronged instrument with cotton at the end.
- Also referred to as the Bio-Ultimate Face Lift, satisfying results are achieved without the intense surgical process of a traditional face lift. You will experience improved muscle tone in the face and neck, your jowls and eye-area will be lifted; even fine lines and wrinkles will be eliminated as you improve facial appearance and reduce pigmentation.
- Thermage: This method uses non-harming RF (radio frequency) to achieve a younger look in one procedure of under an hour and half if your body parts are treated. The heat in the radio frequency helps penetrate the collagen rich layers of your skin. The only non-invasive technique for plastic surgeons to tighten and contour your skin in one single treatment without the use of surgery and injections.
Thermage stimulates your body’s natural renewal of collagen allowing your skin to be tighter and smoother with softened lines. A great alternative for some patients since the downtime is lessened, Thermage is an effective treatment to achieve an overall younger looking appearance.
Choosing Your Plastic Surgeon
Choosing a plastic surgeon for your scarless or liquid facelift should be an important priority for you. While many types of doctors may offer Botox® and dermal fillers, only plastic surgeons have the training to be able to tell you if the scarless facelift is a better alternative for you than traditional facelift. A plastic surgeon can also help you to compare other options like laser skin resurfacing. We have many board certified plastic surgeons [/plastic_surgeons/index.aspx] on this site who are experienced at all types of anti-aging procedures, simply visit our plastic surgeon finder [/plastic_surgeons/index.aspx] for a recommendation near you.
Your Facial Plastic Surgery Options
| Side Effect | Scarless Facelift | Thermage | Lasers | Traditional Facelift |
| Non Invasive | x | x | x | |
| Long-Lasting Results | x | x | x | |
| Full Results After Only 1 Treatment | x | x | Varies | Varies |
| No Downtime / Recovery | x | x | ||
| Applicable for All Skin Tones | x | x | x | |
| Can Treat Entire Face | x | x | x | x |
| Can Treat Entire Body | x | x | x | |
| Rejuvenates Skin | x | x | x | |
| Expense | Low | Middle | Middle | High |
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Good luck in choosing your option, and remember to do enough research so that when it’s consultation time with your plastic surgeon, you know what questions to ask and which procedures will attain your goals.