What is a Liquid Facelift And Is It Right For You?
As we get older, we all begin noticing unwanted signs and symptoms of the aging process, including fine lines and wrinkles, lost volume, and more. There are a number of options available for facial rejuvenation, though these different treatments vary both in what they can accomplish, and how extensive their results can be. One treatment that patients should be aware of is what’s commonly known as the liquid facelift.
“Liquid facelift” is a term that physicians didn’t come up with so much as patients did… but nevertheless, it has become a huge term on social media, and it’s a procedure that more and more patients are aware of. As such, it’s worth pausing to consider these questions: What is a liquid facelift, what does it do, and are you a candidate for it?
What is a Liquid Facelift?
To start with, it’s crucial to understand that facelifting surgery is surgery that’s performed to rejuvenate the lower face and neck, the jawline, and the area under the chin. It is particularly useful when there is a lot of excess skin and a lot of sagging.
A liquid facelift does not accomplish the same thing as a surgical facelift. There are lots of changes that occur to the face over time that surgery won’t fix. For example, over time, our faces tend to lose volume. We get hollow in the temples, under the eyebrows, and under the eyes. The soft tissue in our cheeks begins to deflate, which can lead to deeper wrinkles and lines. We also see changes along the jawline, changes in the chin, even changes in the lips. Almost every part of the face will be affected over time by changes to natural volume.
That brings us back to the liquid facelift, which is a way to rejuvenate the face both by recontouring (meaning to pick things back up and reposition them) and by restoring the volume that’s been lost with age. Note that a liquid facelift cannot reposition as effectively as surgery can, but it can still offer some very positive results.
How Does the Liquid Facelift Work?
How does all of this happen? Liquid facelifts are performed with the use of soft tissue fillers to address those changes that occur as a result of deflation, and to some degree the sagging of tissue for patients who really aren’t great surgical candidates.
Liquid facelifts are performed in our office without the need for sedation or anesthesia, though many patients opt to receive a topical anesthetic (or “numbing cream”) before their treatment begins.
Once the patient is comfortable, soft tissue fillers are used strategically to produce a more relaxed and natural facial appearance. Click here to get your guide to facial fillers and learn more about Dr. Biesman’s approach to facial contouring with injectables.
What is the Recovery from a Liquid Facelift?
One of the reasons why patients are drawn to the liquid facelift is that the recovery is much less extensive than what you’d experience with a surgical facelift.
After their liquid facelift, most patients experience very little discomfort. However, some swelling or bruising may occur. Dr. Biesman’s patients who experience bruising are invited to contact the practice to arrange for a complimentary laser treatment which can help to resolve the bruising more quickly.
What’s the Difference Between a Surgical Facelift and a Liquid Facelift?
One thing that patients should know about these two procedures is that they can often be complementary. A liquid facelift may be performed to restore lost volume and to improve the facial contour, while a surgical lift can be more effective at re-suspending tissue that has succumbed to time and gravity, or is simply present in an excess quantity.
In other words, these procedures are intended to accomplish different goals, and as such, it’s inaccurate to say that one is superior to the other.
How Long Do Liquid Facelift Results Last?
Patients often want to know for how long their liquid facelift results will last. The timeline can vary depending on the type of injectable fillers used. Some fillers last for only a few months, while others may last for up to two years.
During your consultation with Dr. Biesman, he will be happy to speak to the type of filler he recommends, as well as to the potential advantages of “maintenance” fillers to extend your initial results.
Is the Liquid Facelift Right for You?
How do you know if you are a good candidate for a liquid facelift? First and foremost, it is important to meet with an experienced oculofacial plastic surgeon, like Dr. Biesman, who can assess the changes to your face and inform you as to which type of intervention is right for you. Always seek the expertise of a facial or oculofacial plastic surgeon to determine the path of facial rejuvenation that’s best suited to your anatomy and your aesthetic goals.
Generally speaking, if your biggest concern is fullness of your neck, heavy jowls, your eyebrows dropping below the bony eye socket, or your lower eyelids being really puffy, surgery really is going to be the best option for you. But for those patients who don’t have changes that are so advanced, particularly those who have been relatively thin and fit their whole life but notice that they are looking older, liquid facelifts can be ideal.
Often, Dr. Biesman will ask patients to pull up their social medial to show him some old photographs, allowing him to look and see what’s changed and then use injectable fillers in various parts of the face, starting at the top and working down to help restore a more natural, youthful appearance, without it looking like the patient has had any work done.
Schedule a Liquid Facelift Consultation Today
Dr. Biesman has been performing facial rejuvenation procedures since the early 1990s, and has a wealth of knowledge and expertise regarding the use of soft tissue fillers to address wrinkles, lost volume, and related changes.