We can look back through centuries of time and find evidence of the strong desire for youthful facial features. From milk and honey baths to the use of somewhat questionable substances to fight the signs of aging, humans have been persistently innovative. Our efforts have paid off. Throughout the past several decades, all degrees of facial aging have been beautifully corrected with the common facelift. For many of these years, facelift surgeries sat in the top 5 of all cosmetic procedures. Recently, though, innovation has occurred, giving us the option of treating facial aging without surgery.
Which is Right for You?
The fact that we can choose how we address signs of aging such as frown lines and sagging jowls doesn’t necessarily make our job any easier. More choices can sometimes mean more confusion. Here, we want to break down the ways that non-surgical and surgical facial rejuvenation work.
Nonsurgical Facial Rejuvenation
The most common non-surgical methods used to reverse age-related cosmetic concerns involve injectable products. For example, the injectable solution we know as Botox is frequently used to soften lines around the eyes and on the forehead. This injectable is also used to gently elevate the sagging brow. For concerns centered on the mid to low face, we commonly use dermal fillers formulated with hyaluronic acid. These products plump the tissue beneath the skin by adhering to water molecules. This mechanism promotes youthfulness by softening lines, adding volume to the cheeks, and disguising jowls.
As convenient as non-surgical wrinkle-reducing and skin-tightening treatments may be, these solutions are not appropriate for every person. Remember that we mentioned how facelift procedures rank in the top 5 cosmetic surgeries year after year? There’s a reason for this statistic.
Surgical Facial Rejuvenation
When we open the discussion about facelift procedures, we might need to request that you toss aside that typical representation of what a facelift looks like. The surgical techniques used to reposition sagging facial structure have changed so much over time that every facelift performed today can be conducted in a wholly customized fashion. For some patients, we may focus on the mid-face only while, for others, the focus may include the entire mid- to low face and neck.
Having options in how you approach aging can be a good thing. Having an experienced surgical team to consult with can lead you to the treatment that is ideal for you. To learn more about facelift surgery versus non-surgical facial rejuvenation, call our Chicago office at (312) 266-6240.