Liquid Facelift

Facial aging is brought about by the combination of genetics and the natural aging process. If a patient has parents who look younger than their actual age, they are more likely to age gracefully. But as most people age, their skin tends to lose its elasticity.  It begins to get saggy because of the loss of volume.  Simply put, we get smaller as we get older.  For instance, you are much smaller at 90 than you were at 20. The loss of elasticity combined with the loss of volume equals sagging.

Surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures are available to correct sagging skin. Some of the available surgical options include laser surgery and fat grafting. Laser surgery can improve skin elasticity but the effects are not long lasting. On the other hand, fat grafting can improve volume but it may require multiple surgical appointments.

If laser surgery and fat grafting don’t sound appealing and you want to avoid surgery altogether, then you can opt for a treatment called Liquid Facelift.

GENERAL INFORMATION

A liquid facelift is a non-surgical cosmetic procedure that makes use of fillers, and on some occasions, neurotoxins such as Botox. Compared to the classic facelift, which is a surgical procedure, a liquid facelift is more of a facial rejuvenation treatment rather than a skin-tightening procedure.

Cosmetic fillers work exceedingly well in problem areas such as underneath the eyes and around the mouth. Undergoing liquid facelift will help improve these areas dramatically.

CANDIDACY

There are a lot of reasons why patients choose liquid facelift over the classic facelift. The most obvious is that they don’t want to undergo surgery because of the downtime that comes with it. Cost is another factor. Some practitioners admit that cosmetic fillers can also be expensive, depending on the type of filler being used.

The problem areas that need to be treated must also be considered when choosing between the liquid facelift and classic facelift. Problem areas that are limited to the eye and mouth are much better off with fillers. However, if the problem includes the neck and jawline area, then a classic facelift is the recommended option.

DURING CONSULTATION

Most patients don’t opt for cosmetic fillers because they think retreatment is needed every 12 months. This is not necessarily true as there are different kinds of fillers, such as: permanent or long-term fillers, medium-term fillers and short-term fillers, which offer varying durations of results. Short-term fillers like Belotero, Juvederm, Perlane and Restylane last for 12 months.  Medium-term fillers such as Juvederm Voluma, Radiesse and Sculpta can last for up to two years. And if those aren’t enough, long-term fillers like Bellafill produce results that stay for five years or more. Some would argue that Bellafill is not really a filler but rather a volume replacer, which makes it suitable to be used as an implant.

In liquid facelift, long-term fillers are used so that the patient won’t have to keep coming back. The most commonly used long-term fillers are Radiesse and Bellafill.

ESTIMATED COSTS

The cost of a liquid facelift depends on what fillers will be used. Short-term fillers start at $500 per syringe, with an average cost of around $650 to $700. Juvederm and Perlane are the frequently used short-term fillers, with the former costing less. Long-term fillers are much more expensive with an estimated price of $900 to $1000 per syringe. At least five syringes of fillers are needed per treatment bringing the total price up to a whopping $5000.

If these fillers are out of the patient’s budget then they may also opt for the much more affordable Botox. Botox treatment is significantly cheaper at $300 to $400 but the procedure will have to be repeated every four months. In addition, it is effective only for crow’s feet and minor wrinkles in the forehead.

LIMITATIONS AND SIDE EFFECTS

One of the most important limitations of liquid facelift is related to the cost of the treatment. If the patient’s budget is restricted to five to six syringes and his/her case requires more than that, the practitioner won’t be able to manage all the areas that need to be corrected. As a consequence, the results produced could be nowhere near the improvement the patient is expecting.

In regard to side effects and complications, there are very few incidents reported. But generally speaking, long-term fillers produce fewer and less serious complications than short-term fillers. Some of these complications include swelling and bruising, which most patients mistakenly perceive as the immediate result of the filler. These are nevertheless temporary complications and should go away after one or two weeks.

Development of bumps and lumps are also reported occasionally although this is more of an expectation rather than a complication. They are usually due to the technique of the practitioner, such as when a needle is used to administer the filler instead of a cannula or micro-cannula. These bumps and lumps should go away without any intervention, although some cases might require a little steroid injection.            

SAFETY

One treatment should be enough to get the desired results. To do this, long-term fillers are recommended so that the patient won’t have to come back every year. The problem with multiple repeated injections is they can result in scarring which sometimes leads to other associated problems.

RESULTS

How long the results last depend on what kinds of fillers are used. As previously mentioned, short-term fillers last for a year while medium-term fillers last for two. Bellafill, a long-term filler, last for at least five years.

RECOVERY

Liquid facelift can cause swelling and bruising that lasts up to two weeks or longer if they appear underneath the eyes. Other than that, no special precautions are necessary and the patient may readily resume his/her normal activities.

CONCLUSION

This procedure can provide great facial rejuvenation by reducing wrinkles and restoring the overall facial volume. However, it is important to remember that Liquid Facelift is a combination of fillers and Botox. This means that recurring treatments can result in permanent changes in your facial features over time. But as it stands, Liquid Facelift is a great anti-aging procedure with minimal downtime and risks.

Written by Cosmetic Town Editorial Team - MA

Based on an exclusive interview by Dr. Brian Windle in Kirkland, WA