Best Facelift Surgery Alternatives

Americans are living longer than ever, but more of us are concerned about the signs of aging. With the advancements in cosmetic procedures in recent years, it's more possible than ever to make our faces look smoother and younger…​ to make the years disappear!

However, not everyone wants to have major surgery such as a facelift because of the expense, recovery time, and general anesthesia. Also, some are concerned about going under the knife during the COVID-19 era. That's why alternatives to a facelift have surged in popularity recently.

If you're interested in turning back the clock and making your face look younger, please consider these popular alternatives:

Botox

Botox injections are one of the best alternatives to a traditional facelift. This practical, affordable treatment lets you smooth wrinkles and lines in many parts of the face without going through surgery and general anesthesia.

Botox works by stopping facial muscles from getting signals from the nerve cells. So, the muscles in treated areas freeze and shorten, making the skin look softer and firmer.

Botox isn't permanent, so you'll need to have new injections every four to six months. Expect it to take up to 72 hours after the procedure to see the results.

Facial Fillers

Facial fillers are another option to facelifts that are just a fraction of the cost. One of the best things about injectable facial fillers is you will see results in 30 minutes or less. Plus, they last up to a year.

Some of the most popular facial fillers are:

• Hyaluronic acid: This acid occurs naturally in our bodies, but production lessens with age. When the face is injected with hyaluronic acid, the face appears fuller and fresher, smoothing wrinkles and fine lines. Results can last from a few months to a year.
• Synthetic wrinkle fillers: These are artificial substances that can fill moderate to severe age lines and wrinkles
• Collagen wrinkle fillers: These are made from a purified version of collagen, but results only last about 30 days.

Chemical Peels

A chemical peel is a painless procedure without anesthesia that reduces age spots, blemishes, and uneven pigmentation. It also helps tremendously with wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes, nose, and mouth.

In a chemical peel, your surgeon or healthcare professional applies a chemical to the skin that makes it exfoliate and peel. When the top layer of skin peels away, smooth, new skin is revealed.

Every chemical peel type uses different chemicals and produces different results. Your surgeon will tailor this procedure to fit your needs and desires.

Chemical peels can be repeated every few months, and they can be combined with other facial procedures.

Laser Skin Treatment

Laser treatments can be used to treat many skin imperfections in the face. For example, lasers can reduce scarring, discoloration, wrinkles, and fine lines. They work by firing laser energy into the skin with several beams.

When the energy beams reach the deeper skin layers, it's absorbed as heat. This triggers your body's healing processes and creates new skin and proteins that look younger, smoother, and fresher.

The proteins support the health and strength of your skin, getting rid of the structures that lead to skin pigmentation and imperfections.

The recovery period takes several days, and you'll notice the appearance of your skin will slowly improve.

Micro-Needling

Micro-needling is a collagen-inducing, pain-free treatment that uses tiny needs to make micro holes in the facial skin. The process stimulates your skin's ability to heal, and as it does, it makes elastin and collagen.

The healing process starts almost right away, and makes your skin smoother and fuller while reducing wrinkling and scarring.

LED

LED or light-emitting diode therapy is a painless cosmetic procedure that uses different colored lights to target aging parts of the face. It treats wrinkles, discoloration, scarring, rosacea, and acne. Some patients also choose it to reduce facial redness and inflammation.

This procedure is inexpensive, but you need several before you can see results.

Ultherapy

This is a non-surgical cosmetic procedure for the face that uses ultrasonic waves to heat tissue below the skin that triggers collagen production. This is an effective therapy that can fight the effects of gravity and time on your skin.

You can repeat Ultherapy every 6-12 months. Note that it takes several months for collagen to develop, so results aren't seen immediately.

Threadlift

This is one of the newer non-facelift alternatives. This procedure can be done in less than two hours. It involves putting thin threads under the skin, pulled back to smooth, and lift the face.

The thread ends are hidden, and you can see the results right away. Expect the results to last 18 months; at that point, the threads dissolve, and the body absorbs them.

Request a Cosmetic Procedure Consultation

Have you been thinking of having a procedure to make your face look younger? Dr. Aric Aghayan