Dear Dr. Seckel, Is it true that you can have a non-surgical face lift? Thank you, Mary Jo, Richmond, Virginia.
Dear Mary Jo,
The short answer is no, a face lift, also called a rhytidectomy is a surgical procedure designed to remove excess facial skin and tighten the face to give the face a more youthful appearance. The non-surgical face lift so frequently talked about is not a face lift but a skin tightening procedure.
The term non-surgical face-lift is seen advertised widely on the Internet and elsewhere to promote a new skin tightening procedure that uses radiofrequency waves (Thermage®, Aluma) or infrared waves (Lux IR,Titan®) to heat the deep layers of the skin and tighten the skin. They are not non-surgical face-lifts. In fact they are only about 30% effective on 30% of people and do not lift the skin biut result in skin tightening.
Another procedure advertised as a non-surgical face-lift is the Thread lift also called the Feather lift, Russian lift or Contour® lift. These procedures utilize a thread attached to a needle that is passed beneath the skin and then tied on the scalp in an attempt to lift the facial skin. These procedures are surgical procedures so they should not be called a non-surgical face lift. Complications do occur and results are often disappointing.
If you need a face lift, have a face lift, but see a board certified plastic surgeon who is experienced in face-lift surgery.
Don’t be fooled by advertisements that promise a non-surgical face-lift. It is an advertising gimmick and if you truly need a face lift, it will certainly not live up to your expectations.
For more information on non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.
Sincerely,
Boston, Massachusetts