The Liquid Facelift Procedure Option

Many women experience adverse signs of aging that do not reflect how they feel on the inside. While facial plastic surgery is often an excellent, permanent solution to address these signs of aging, some women are reluctant to go through surgery. Liquid facelifts – which are performed using nonsurgical methods such as injections and dermal fillers – are an excellent alternative for these individual.

Who is a Candidate for a Liquid Facelift?

You may be the ideal candidate for a liquid facelift treatment if:

• Have mild signs of aging such as minimal volume loss and fine lines or wrinkles on areas of the face.
• Do not suffer from excessive skin sagging
• Haven’t developed jowls.
• Are able and willing to attend maintenance injections
• Have realistic expectations about what this treatment can achieve.

Liquid Facelift Procedure Process

Your liquid facelift procedure starts with your cosmetic surgeon applying a local anesthetic to numb the treatment area. Multiple injections of dermal fillers will then be applied to the treatment areas in order to restore facial fullness for a more youthful appearance. Each individual injection will take a few minutes and may target areas of the face such as:

• Sagging cheeks
• The temples
• Beneath the lower eyelid
• Nasolabial folds
• Creases beside the mouth

What Injectable Substances Are Used?

Plastic surgeons have a wide range of dermal filler and injectable compounds that they can use during a liquid facelift procedure.

• Wrinkle reducers – Dysport, BOTOX, and Xeomin are a few examples of botulinum toxins that the surgeon may use. These affect the movement of facial muscles to reduce the appearance of dynamic wrinkles such as crow’s feet, and frown lines between the eyebrows.
• Hyaluronic acid-based fillers – Restylane, Juvederm, and Belotero are excellent dermal filler substances for filling passive wrinkles. These injectable fillers may also be used to plump lips for patients who need that full and attractive appeal.
• Collagen-boosting fillers – sometimes, compounds such as Sculptra that stimulate collagen production may be used to help with marionette lines, nasolabial folds, chin wrinkles, and other aesthetic issues.
• Hydroxyapatite fillers – volumizers such as Radiesse offer an inert material that is best used for addressing deep nasolabia lines as well as filling out hollow cheeks and temples.

How Much Does Liquid Rhinoplasty Cost?

The cost of liquid facelifts in Houston and other Texas areas will vary depending on a number of factors. Based on national statistics released by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons over the last few years, one can expect a single syringe of hyaluronic acid to cost about $684. A poly-l-lactic acid injection may cost around $853 while you can expect to pay about $700 for a calcium hydroxylapatite injection.

How is Recovery Like

Results of a liquid facelift are often noticeable right away, but this will depend on the specific products used. When BOTOX is used, you can expect to see full results in one to two weeks. Sculptra, on the other hand, takes about three months. One of the best things about this type of facelift procedure is that there is minimal downtime involved. Most patients are able to resume routine activities right away. However, the surgeon recommends that you avoid intense physical activity at least within the first 24 to 48 hours.

What are the Side Effects

Liquid facelift is a straightforward non-surgical procedure that involves little to no downtime. While most patients are able to resume routine activities right away, you may experience side effects such as swelling, bruising, and redness at the injection sites, tenderness, sensitivity, temporary numbness, hard areas under the skin, or a hypersensitivity reaction that resembles an allergy. Keep in mind, though, that these side effects usually resolve within a couple of days without any intervention from yourself or the doctor.

Will I Need Repeat Treatments?

Repeat injections are typically needed in order to maintain the results of your liquid facelift. For instance, you may need to repeat a hyaluronic acid filler (e.g., Juvederm and Restylane) every 6 to 12 months to get an optimal, consistent outcome. A Sculptra injection can last up to two years and sometimes more, while a botulinum toxin injection (e.g., BOTOX and Dysport) will need to be repeated every 3-6 months.

Liquid Facelift vs Traditional Facelift

A liquid facelift is a non-surgical facial rejuvenation approach that uses a combination of dermal fillers to target signs of aging such as loss of volume and wrinkles. This is a temporary approach that gives patients relief from mild aesthetic issues without the downsides of surgery. A traditional facelift is a more permanent intervention where surgery is used to restructure and tighten areas of the face in order to alleviate severe aesthetic concerns.