Liquid Facelift Phoenix and Scottsdale

More and more patients are seeking facial rejuvenation in Phoenix. Aging changes occur throughout our lifetime; however, they seem to become more apparent beginning in our late 30s. There are four components of the face that undergo aging changes; skin, muscle, fat and bone. Skin and muscle lose elasticity and tone, while fat and bone absorb, causing volume loss to the face. Gravity and the environment (sun) add to the aging changes.

A comprehensive examination by a qualified Facial Plastic Surgeon in Phoenix can help one determine what aging changes are taking place and what treatment would be best. Over the years there have been many names given to the facelift procedure; many of these for marketing reasons. If one is experiencing sagging of the cheek, jowls and neck tissues, a facelift is recommended. Keep in mind a full facelift only addresses the aging changes in the cheeks, jowls and neck; it has nothing to do with the aging changes around the eyes and brows. There are procedures such as blepharoplasty and forehead lift to address these areas.  A full facelift does nothing to improve the texture of the skin; this is where laser skin resurfacing or chemical peels are used.

So what is a “liquid facelift?” To some extent it is a misnomer. With a liquid facelift, one is adding three dimensional volume to the face, not necessarily lifting the sagging tissues. If one still has firm skin that has not sagged, and is only experiencing hollowness or loss of volume, then injectable fillers can be helpful, thus the name liquid facelift. There are many different types of fillers, some with immediate results and others which require multiple sessions to obtain the desired amount of volume restoration. Some of the most common fillers used today are hyaluronic acid fillers, i.e. Restylane, Perlane and Juvéderm. These fillers can be used to minimize wrinkles as well as fill in hollows or recontour the jaw line. The procedure takes about 15-30 minutes to perform depending on the amount of volume needed. Most patients experience no downtime with these procedures; however some bruising can be expected. The results for most products are immediate and last between 6-12 months on average. Sometimes touchup or follow up injections are necessary to obtained one’s desired result.

A comprehensive consultation with a  board certified Phoenix or Scottsdale Facial Plastic Surgeon like Dr. Ronald Caniglia, is highly recommended to determine whether a “liquid facelift,” that is adding volume only to the face is needed, or whether a surgical procedure such as a facelift is required to address the sagging tissues of the face and neck.