Surgical Vs. Non-Surgical Facial Rejuvenation

Undergoing a facial rejuvenation treatment is a critical cosmetic decision you may elect to make at some point in your life. The treatments are effective in changing, refreshing, and revitalizing the face, eliminating adverse effects of aging, and restoring a glowing, youthful appearance.

There are a variety of facial rejuvenation procedures. And so the right procedure depends on the cosmetic issue you want to resolve, whether you want a short-term or long-term solution, and on whether you want an invasive or non-invasive option.

What are the most common surgical facial rejuvenation procedures?

1. Facelift

A facelift is a surgical procedure to create a younger look in the face, often by removing unwanted wrinkles by tightening the skin of the face. The procedure can reduce sagging skin. It can also help smooth folds of skin on the cheeks and jawline

A facelift can help you to:

1. Remove fat and sagging skin, especially in a less defined chin
2. Eliminate jowls that appear clearly distinct
3. Remove deep skin folds that cause thick lines to appear around your nose and mouth

Pros and cons of a facelift

Pros:

1. Tightens facial muscles
2. Repairs loose skin
3. Improves facial contours
4. Produces long-lasting results

Cons:

1. Like every other surgery, there are risks
2. Out of pocket costs
3. Aftercare needed
4. Requires prolonged recovery time

2. Endoscopic brow lift

Endoscopic brow lift is a surgical procedure to correct loss of soft tissue elasticity in the upper third of the face.  During the procedure, your doctor inserts a flexible tube through a surgical incision. Then, the tube is used for various reconstructive and cosmetic surgical techniques.

Brow lift surgery removes excess sagging skin from around the forehead. And since sagging of forehead skin is a major cause of drooping (ptosis) of the brows and wrinkling of the forehead, the procedure helps to create a more refreshed, youthful appearance.

Pros and cons of endoscopic brow lift

Pros:

1. Treats drooping eyebrows, which when untreated can obstruct vision
2. Corrects sagging eyelid skin, which can makes many appear grumpy and fatigued
3. Eliminates frown lines and forehead creases between eyebrows
4. Makes you look younger, friendlier, and more pleasant

Cons:

1. May cause scarring, fluid accumulation, bleeding, and eye irritation
2. May cause hair loss around the incision sites

3. Eyelid surgery

Eyelid surgery is a cosmetic procedure to remove excess skin or fat from the eyelids. It improves drooping or hooded eyelids.  There are two types of eyelid surgery:  upper eyelid surgery and lower eyelid surgery.

Upper eyelid surgery removes excess skin in order to achieve a refreshed eye appearance. On the other hand, lower eyelid surgery corrects eyelid bags and hollowing.

Pros and cons of eyelid surgery

Pros:

1. Corrects eye puffiness
2. Eliminates fine lines around the edges of the eyes
3. Removes hooded skin around eyelids
4. Reduces eye bags around the lower eyelids
5. Makes eyes to appear younger, healthier, and refreshed
6. Improves peripheral vision

Cons:

1. Results take time to appear after the procedure
2. Can cause itching and dryness
3. Can cause scarring, bruising, and swelling
4. In rare cases, may cause temporary blindness and double vision—which tends to last a few hours after the procedure; sight usually regained in a day

4. Facial implants

For reconstructing, augmenting or rejuvenating facial contours, facial implants are a great option. Your doctor makes an incision and inserts an implant at the treated area. Upon healing, the area acquires enhanced contours. 

There are a wide range of sizes and styles of facial contours and your doctor will give the right recommendation depending on the nature of your facial contours.

Pros and cons of facial implants

Pros:

1. Quick procedure that produces permanent results
2. Eliminates facial deficiencies and asymmetry, particularly at the chin, jaw, or cheek
3. Does not require procedures elsewhere in the body, such as abdominal fat grafting

Cons:

1. Comes with the risk of infection, which may require implant removal
2. May cause abnormalities if the implants shift
3. May damage facial muscles and nerves

What are the most common non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedures?

When you want to get rid of wrinkles and restore a youthful appearance but can’t afford a prolonged recovery time, non-surgical rejuvenation may be ideal.  The non-surgical methods take just a few minutes to perform, require no downtime, and produce results that can last 3 months to 5 years.

Common non-surgical procedures include:

1. Dermal fillers
2. Botox injections
3. Fat transfer
4. Ultrasound
5. Laser lifts
6. Intense Pulsed Light (IPL)
7. Kybella

1. Dermal fillers

If your skin has become wrinkled, saggy and lax, due to your age, you can rejuvenate the affected areas through dermal fillers. Tissue fillers such as Juvederm and Restylane are effective in sculpting, firming, and restoring affected areas by stimulating collagen production.

Dermal fillers can help to treat:

1. Jowls
2. An aging neck
3. A lax jawline
4. Chin wrinkles
5. Volume loss
6. Marionette lines
7. Nasolabial folds (smile lines)

The pros and cons of dermal fillers are:

Pros:

1. Quick, non-invasive treatments
2. Help to achieve cosmetic goals
3. There are a variety of filler options

Cons:

1. Results last for varying times—some a few months, others up to a year
2. May require repeat treatment to maintain results
3. The costs of treatments and touch-ups may be high

2. Laser treatments

The two major laser options are laser skin tightening and laser skin resurfacing. Both are quick, easy techniques of addressing subtle signs of aging.

Pros and cons of laser treatments

Pros: 

1. Smooth out wrinkles
2. Long lasting results
3. Even out skin tone
4. Tighten the skin
5. Eliminate age and brown spots
6. Stimulate collagen production
7. Treat acne scars
8. Treat sun damage
9. Provide skin with a beautiful glow

Cons:

1. Longer recovery period
2. Can have adverse effects, such as scarring, cold sores, and skin darkening or lightening, depending on how powerful the laser used is.
3. Skin redness after treatment, which gets worse before it can get better

3. Botox injections

Botox treatment involves the injection of the cosmetic form of botulinum toxin. When administered, Botox reduces or eliminates facial lines, including forehead creases, Crow’s feet, and frown lines.

Botox works by removing tension from muscles, which in turn reduces wrinkles and produces a younger, smoother, more refreshed appearance. It also relieves migraine headaches, helps with excessive sweating, and minimizes muscle spasms in the neck and eyes.

Pros and cons of Botox treatment

Pros:

1. Softens wrinkles, producing a refreshed appearance
2. Relaxes muscles of the forehead and eyes, giving outstanding results.

Cons:

1. Accompanied by flu-like symptoms (rare) and headache
2. May cause a little pain and bruising

Which facial rejuvenation treatment is best for you?

Since there are a variety of facial rejuvenation treatments, it can be difficult to make the right choice. Consult with a board certified plastic surgeon, and don’t hesitate to talk about your desired outcomes. They will assess you, consider your goals and expectations, explain to you the available options, and guide you in making the fitting choice.

At Politis Plastic Surgery, we offer a wide range of surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatments. Dr. Effie Politis is a board-certified plastic surgeon, who has extensive experience in facial rejuvenation procedures. She will gladly assist in examining which options are suitable for you, to get the best possible outcome. 

For more information on facial rejuvenation treatments and options, contact us today!