Written by Dr Julian De Silva
Non-surgical facelift techniques are associated with less invasive procedures that are faster and have less recovery. Non-Surgical facelift techniques are best suited for patients that have only early signs of facial ageing with loss of facial volume and minimal skin laxity.
A large number of different techniques have been labelled as the ultimate non-surgical facelift in the media. The techniques that Dr De Silva utilises are based on correcting the three principal causes of facial ageing and restoring tissues to their previous location. The three principle characteristics of facial ageing are loss of facial volume, gravitational descent of soft tissues of the face and changes in the quality and laxity of the skin. Each individual has different components of these three factors, which must be specifically addressed with a non-surgical facelift to give a natural looking and effective result.
Dr De Silva utilises his understanding of the underlying anatomy of the face to treat patients utilising the boney architecture of the cheek and jaw bones to build up and restore the face to its appearance before facial ageing. Dr De Silva tailors the use of a range of non-surgical treatments to give the final result, this includes the use of volume enhancement with the use of fillers (Restylane, Juvaderm, Sculptra, Radiesse, Silicone), skin treatments (Wrinkle injection, facial peels & lasers, Cosmeceuticals). Other names for these non-surgical facelift treatments include the ‘Y’ lift, “lunchtime lift’ or ‘rapid recovery lift’.
Other technologies have been heavily marketed include Thermage (radio-frequency) and Ulthera (ultrasound), these work on inducing skin tightening. These techniques have limited duration of effects and are similar in effect to skin resurfacing by laser or mechanical devices.
The advantages of non-surgical facelift treatments include the relative speed of the treatments and low downtime after treatment. The procedures are often available in the clinic or office and do not require visits to the operating room. The treatments are effective in improving facial appearance as have been demonstrated by high profile celebrities including Madonna.
*Results May Vary
Non-surgical face lift procedures use a combination of non-surgical treatments that are tailored to the individual to achieve their result. Each of these treatment types utilise different technologies and techniques while focusing of a fast recovery and minimal downtime. Treatments include:
The nature of non-surgical facelift treatments is that their effect is not long-term and many offer rejuvenation for a period of 1-year. Patients need to appreciate that non-surgical treatments are not as long lasting as surgical treatments.
Non-surgical facelifts are not effective for marked skin laxity of the neck or face, marked jowls or vertical platysmal bands in the neck. These signs of facial ageing are likely to require surgical treatments to give the best results. Dr De Silva offers both non-surgical and surgical treatment options and provides his patients with impartial advice regarding which treatment is best suited to your signs of facial ageing. Dr De Silva has patients who have had ineffective non-surgical treatments when surgical facial procedures would offer better results.
Dr De Silva is highly specialised in only facial cosmetic surgery and performs no other surgery. He trained in London Teaching Hospitals in Surgical Specialities including Anatomy, Emergency Surgery, Neurosurgery, Ophthalmic Micro-Surgery before focusing entirely on Facial Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery. He worked in the cosmetic centres of Beverley Hills and New York with super-specialised Facial Plastic and Oculo-Facial Plastic Surgeons. Dr De Silva tailors facelift and neck lift surgery to each individual patient. Different facial shapes, ethnicity and individual anatomical changes require different types of facelift, customized to the individual patient to achieve a natural looking and long lasting results.
Non-surgical facelift techniques require correction of an individual’s facial ageing. Often elevation of the soft tissues of the face results in an excess of skin that requires removal. Dr De Silva hides such incisions in natural creases in the skin and in the inner tragus of the ear to avoid visible scars while giving the best possible results. Elevation of the skin alone in older techniques leaves stretched scars that are the hallmarks of surgery, Dr De Silva takes meticulous attention to elevating the tissues beneath the skin to enable scars to heal better free of tension. Dr De Silva presented internationally on Advanced Neck Lifting Techniques at the 43rd Annual ASOPRS Scientific Symposium in Chicago, IL, USA.
The risk, recovery, and downtime with non-surgical face lifts are rarely issues. Pain management, overall, has hardly been an issue. Some procedures do require use of local anesthetics or over the counter pain medication. The downtime for most patients is minimal and usually only a few hours. There is often some temporary swelling, redness, or even skin blanching immediately following a treatment. Rare risks of the treatment include lumps or bumps, redness or pigmentation changes.
Facial ageing that includes descent of the jowls along the jawline and skin laxity of the neck will have a modest outcome from a non-surgical technique. The name non-surgical facelift is misleading as the technique does not lift the face in the same way as a facelift, it is primarily a volume rejuvenation of the face. Such changes require surgical lifting of the soft tissues and removal of excess skin. The decision whether to have surgery can be a difficult decision and Dr De Silva will advise you on whether surgery or non-surgical treatment is going to give the best result, that is effective, long-lasting and natural looking.
Renowned expert in Facial Cosmetic and Plastic Surgery. Signature techniques in Blepharoplasty, Rhinoplasty and Facelift surgery. Expert in revision surgery and in natural looking results
