Your skin has a couple of unstoppable forces working against it: time and gravity. On top of that, the sun, smoking, and a myriad of other things can all cause your skin to start to sag, wrinkle, and literally show its age. In the past, patients had only one option to get rid of their wrinkles and sagging skin: the traditional facelift. But these days, patients have more options than ever before. One of the most popular non-surgical methods is called a “liquid facelift.” Usually performed at a med spa, patients get impressive results that can take years off of their face with a liquid facelift. In this blog post, we’ll look at a few of the pros and cons of each of these options. If you’d like to learn more about the liquid facelift or if you have any questions about removing wrinkles, acne scars, liver spots, and more then just give Dr. Sikorski a call today. If you’d like to see Dr. Sikorski’s impeccable work for yourself, you can also check out our before-and-after gallery.
What Are the Differences Between a Surgical Facelift and a Liquid Facelift?
Before we get to the results, we need to first look at the massive differences between the two procedures.
The Surgical Facelift
Many of our patients are generally aware of how a traditional surgical facelift procedure works. Dr. Sikorski makes incisions around the face in areas where the scarring will not be noticeable. She then removes excess sagging skin and fat. From there, she sutures the incisions to finish the procedure.
The procedure lasts several hours and the recovery period can be painful and long. There is also a serious risk of infection.
One important thing to note about a surgical facelift is that it is designed to address different issues than a liquid facelift. For example, a liquid facelift can do little to remove loose skin at the jowls, under the eyes, or under the neck.
The Liquid Facelift
As its name suggests, the liquid facelift addresses the signs of aging using injectable fillers like Botox, Juvederm, Restylane, Radiesse, and others. The treatment can last about an hour, and we perform it right here in our med spa. Patients sometimes get local anesthesia, but there is virtually no pain and no recovery time. In fact, many of our patients can return to work immediately after their treatment. While there are some serious risks, the most common issues are bruising and swelling. Also, while a surgical facelift can address a wider range of issues, a liquid facelift is often used to hide wrinkles and add volume to areas of the face.
Comparing Results of a Liquid and Surgical Facelift
But let’s get down to brass tacks: what about the results? Dr. Sikorski always discusses the risks and rewards with each patient when they come into our med spa. Patients often have unrealistic expectations about the results they can get with both a surgical and liquid facelift.
One of the main topics that Dr. Sikorski discusses is how long the results last and how dramatic the changes will be. Here’s the bottom line: with a liquid facelift you can expect your results to last up to a year–but it depends on the treatment you get. For example, Botox results will last about 4 months. But Sculptra results can last up to 2 years. Juvederm can last up to a year. So the results can vary depending on which products Dr. Sikorski recommends.
With a traditional facelift, patients can expect to enjoy their results for up to 10 years depending on how well you care for your skin and your genetics.
How to Get Started with Dr. Sikorski and Our Med Spa
Patients have access to one of the finest and most well-respected surgeons in the state with Dr. Sikorski. Not only does she have decades of experience, but she’s also one of the only doctors to be board-certified by the American Board of Dermatology and a Diplomat of the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery–the highest academic achievement in her field. On top of all that, our patients absolutely love how kind, thorough, and efficient she is. Plus, they appreciate the world-class results that they get.
For more information on the differences between nonsurgical facelifts and surgery, make sure you give us a call today at our office to get started.