Cosmetic Plastic Surgery Articles

If the thought of a facelift still sounds a little daunting, a nonsurgical procedure called FaceTite could restore several years to your appearance.

FaceTite uses targeted radiofrequency energy—the same used in MRI machines and many other medical treatments—to tighten the skin from within the dermis. Results are immediate, though you’ll see continued improvement over the next six weeks as new collagen forms.

And it’s safe for all skin types, making it the next best thing to a facelift. It’s also an effective treatment for those who’ve had a facelift and want to maintain the results without further treatment.

Not bad for a procedure that lasts less than an hour, right?

How it works

FaceTite is performed under a local anesthetic, so you won’t feel anything. Your plastic surgeon will create a tiny incision near the treatment area, so tiny that sutures won’t be needed and it won’t leave a scar.

A small, hand-held applicator passes radiofrequency energy through a small electrode that’s been inserted through the incision. It heats the underlying tissue, making it tighten and contract.

The procedure was developed to treat delicate skin—beyond the face, FaceTite has also proven to be effective for treating small areas of the body—without causing cellular damage to the tissue. The applicator is equipped with state-of-the-art thermal controls to ensure the patient’s safety.

The reviews have been overwhelmingly positive, with most seeing a 40-percent improvement in the tightness of their skin shortly after the treatment. Clinical studies and patient reports suggest that the results are equivalent to those of a mini-facelift.

What’s the recovery like?

Following the procedure, you can expect your face to be a little tender and swollen for a few days, partly due to the local anesthetic. That’ll dissipate on its own, though it may also be accompanied by some redness and bruising. Most patients, however, return to work within a few days.

As always, discuss your goals with your plastic surgeon to find the best result and path for you.

Ever heard of micro needling? That’s collagen induction therapy.

Basically, it stimulates the body’s own natural healing response, dramatically improving skin tone and texture. The result is firmer, more radiant skin.

Collagen induction therapy suits all skin types and colors. It’s most often used on the face to target:

• Wrinkles and fine lines
• Uneven skin tone
• Sun damage
• Acne scars and other types of scarring
• Enlarged pores

It can also be used on other parts of the body. One study found that it’s an effective treatment for stretch marks on the thighs and abdominal area when it’s combined with dermal fillers.

How does it work?

A sterile roller with hundreds of micro-needles makes tiny pinpricks when it passes over the skin—it sounds much more terrifying than it actually is—which causes the skin cells to go into healing mode and produce new collagen-rich tissue.

It’s normal for the skin to lose collagen through aging or injury. Microneedling helps replenish those stores.

A topical anesthetic is applied prior to the procedure to minimize discomfort, but the treatment is not painful. Most describe it as a prickling sensation.

After the rolling part, vitamins A and C are applied. Once they penetrate the tiny perforations on the surface and make their way to the deeper layers of the skin, they’ll help facilitate the collagen growth.

Microneedling, unlike other treatments, is safe enough to be used around the eyes, so it treats the entire face.

The procedure typically runs about two hours—the actual microneedling part takes about a half-hour—and there’s little, if any, downtime afterward.

Multiple treatments are recommended for the best results. How many, exactly, will depend on the condition of the skin and size of the area being treated, but most undergo at least four. (Because the procedure’s considered cosmetic, it’s not covered by insurance.)

What’s the recovery like?

Right after a treatment, some mild sensitivity and redness is to be expected. The tiny perforations in the skin will close up within a few minutes, and the sensitivity and redness is usually gone within a few hours. Most return to work the next day.

The skin works pretty quickly to create new tissue. Results are usually visible within a week or two of the treatment. And the skin will continue to improve over the next few months. The height of the results occurs six months after the treatment.