Not Ready for a Facelift? Here Are Some Good Alternatives

Nothing will give you the same dramatic results as a full facelift. The right surgeon can transform you and give you back the confidence you had when you were younger. A top facelift surgeon will help you achieve the look you dream of. However, a facelift in Miami is also expensive and highly invasive. It can take weeks to recover and months to see results. Also, not everyone is a candidate for a facelift. You need to have good skin elasticity and be in good overall health. If you don’t want a facelift or have to fix health issues first or raise the money, some facelift alternatives can greatly improve your appearance with less expense and downtime.

A Healthy Skincare Plan

Looking after your skin can delay the need for a facelift. It can also help preserve the skin elasticity you need to be a good facelift candidate and to get the best results from one. Keeping your skin healthy also helps support your overall health. Here are a few things you can do to keep your skin healthy:

• Quit smoking. Talk to your doctor about a cessation plan if you find that hard. Smoking damages your entire body, including your skin.
• Eat a healthy diet with plenty of fruits and vegetables.
• Use SPF 30 or better sunscreen regularly. This reduces your risk of skin cancer, age spots, and other sun-related skin problems.
• Bathe and wash your hands in warm water, not hot, especially if you wash your hands frequently.
• Use moisturizing creams and lotions regularly.
• Avoid using anything that irritates your skin. Stop using any product that causes a rash.
• Don’t use tanning beds or sunlamps.
• Drink plenty of water to keep your skin hydrated.
• Reduce stress.
• Get enough sleep.

You can talk to a professional about a personalized skin care plan. There are also some less invasive procedures you can get. The top facelift alternatives are:

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are FDA-approved products to replace subcutaneous fat on the face. As we age, our facial skin loses that natural fat, which causes a hollow look and makes smile lines and crow’s feet more obvious. Using dermal fillers restores a youthful look to the face. You can choose from various materials, which vary in composition, longevity, and firmness. Dr. Gallo will help you pick the right one, depending on where the fillers will be applied, your age, and other concerns. Dermal fillers last from 6 to 24 months before your body absorbs them harmlessly. They work well for plumping thin lips, smoothing out smile lines, adding volume to sagging cheeks, and fixing acne or chickenpox scars. Dermal fillers do have to be repeated and are often chosen by people who intend to get a facelift, but need something to “tide them over.”

Sculptra

Sculptra works a lot like dermal fillers. However, it’s what we call a “biostimulatory” substance. It contains a substance called poly-L-lactic acid, which stimulates the natural production of collagen. It’s the same substance used in dissolvable stitches. As we age, our skin produces less collagen, resulting in that slow loosening over time that eventually turns into wrinkles and sagging skin. Sculptra reverses that process by giving your skin what it needs to produce more collagen. Sculptra can last as long as 2 years, but can also improve skin health and “just” filling in for lost fat. It’s not recommended for people with immune deficiencies or a history of keloid formation or hypertrophic scarring. However, it’s safe for almost everyone and typically only has brief, local side effects such as reddening or pain at the injection site.

Threadlift

A threadlift is done using NovaThreads, which are needles loaded with absorbable sutures made of polydioxanone. The inserted threads absorbed by your body, trigger your skin to heal and produce new collagen. It’s a controlled inflammatory result. They use two different techniques. The first is to create a mesh that tightens your skin from within. The second is to use the sutures to reposition your skin, which will heal in the new location. This is a minimally invasive technique with a short recovery time, with most patients immediately resuming their usual routine. Although some heavy activity might be restricted, you should use a high-SPF sunscreen for a period after the procedure. Threadlifts typically look natural, lift your face, and rejuvenate your skin. The sutures are absorbed within a few months, leaving no scars. While threadlifts are technically permanent, the aging process will resume, and eventually, your skin will sag again.

Mini Facelift

A mini facelift is a “smaller” version of a traditional facelift. They use shorter incisions at the temples. We recommend a mini-lift if you have less skin relaxation. The results are less rejuvenating but are great for some patients. Mini facelifts are still facelifts and they are still surgery with recovery time. However, mini-lift patients don’t have drainage tubes and may have a shorter recovery period. Plan to stay home from work for weeks and not exercise for three to four weeks. It’s a shorter and cheaper procedure that can still give good results. A top facelift surgeon can provide you mini-lift that will look good for years before you return for a full facelift. These facelift alternatives can help you postpone (or in some cases avoid) a facelift if you want a more youthful look but are intimidated by its cost and invasive nature. A top facelift surgeon can explain which treatments are best for you. We can also advise on a personalized skincare routine to help you keep your skin healthy. Look into these facelift alternatives before giving up on the new look of your dreams. You can talk to Dr. Gallo about the best ones for you and how to get the youthful look you deserve.