Over 15.7 million minimally invasive – or nonsurgical, cosmetic procedures were performed in the United States in 2017, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. That’s up 186 percent from 2000. It’s also almost nine times more than the number of surgical cosmetic procedures that were done in 2017.
That data is telling in a number of ways. Perhaps most significantly, more and more people are gravitating to minimally invasive procedures, like a nonsurgical facelift, as they become more effective.
A nonsurgical facelift is actually a combination of treatments that are designed to shave years off your appearance, similar to a surgical facelift. But unlike the surgical facelift, you’re in and out of the surgeon’s office relatively quickly, you’ll experience little discomfort afterward, and the downtime, in turn, will be almost nonexistent.
Nonsurgical facelifts also come at a fraction of the cost of the surgical facelifts, but they may need touch ups every few months to maintain optimal results, which makes it a good way to test the waters, so to speak, if you’ve ever found yourself curious about a surgical facelift, but you’re anxious about its permanence.
Your goals tailor the treatment
A nonsurgical facelift is tailored to your goals, but it generally includes some combination of the following treatments:
- Dermal fillers – to restore volume along the cheeks, temples, lips, and under the eyes;
- Wrinkle relaxers – like Botox, to smooth forehead creases, frown lines, and crow’s feet;
- Fat injections – using cleaned and processed fatty tissue extracted through liposuction, to enhance facial volume;
- Chemical peels or laser resurfacing – to refresh dull or damaged skin; and
- Radiofrequency treatments – like Forma and Fractora, to increase your skin’s natural collagen production.
Dermal fillers, such as Juvederm, Restylane and Volbella usually last up to a full year, while Voluma will last for closer to two years. Botox will last usually from four to six months, fat injections will last for years, and the benefits of chemical peels, laser resurfacing, such as Halo, TRL and CO2, and radiofrequency treatments will become more apparent over the months after your nonsurgical facelift.
While the treatments may need a touch up from time to time, it’s worth noting that the more diligent you are, the less you may need over time.
Who’s a good candidate?
The nonsurgical facelift can slow the aging process, but it yields the best results when your skin is still elastic and your wrinkles aren’t very pronounced. In other words, your face shows only mild to moderate signs of aging.
Still, the results aren’t going to be as permanent as a surgical facelift. So, setting realistic expectations is important. Think of the nonsurgical facelift more as a subtle, natural recontouring of the face. You will be able to appreciate the results much sooner, though, than you would with a surgical facelift. The dermal fillers take effect instantly, and Botox begin taking effect within a few days and won’t require any downtime.
Chemical peels, laser resurfacing, and radiofrequency treatments may require a few days or weeks of recovery time, depending on the extent of your procedures—talk to your surgeon or medical aesthethician. Like I said, the nonsurgical facelift is tailored to your goals, and minimizing downtime certainly counts as one.
