Facial laxity is a normal part of the aging face. As you get older, you lose collagen and subcutaneous facial fat which causes your face to droop leading to “jowling” and more pronounced nasolabial folds. Until recently, the only way to address this problem was to have a facelift. We are now able to improve facial laxity in two ways. First, we can use radiofrequency energy to help tighten the skin. The procedure that we use at Limelight Laser and Medical Spa is called the Cynosure Tempsure Envi and involves moving a handpiece over your face which transmits radiofrequency energy into the dermis stimulating collagen production thus helping to tighten the face after 4-6 treatments. There is no downtime for this procedure, and it is very comfortable with many patients describing it as a warm stone massage of the face.
The other treatment that has become very popular over the last several years is a thread lift. A thread lift is a procedure that involves the physician placing absorbable, or temporary, sutures under the skin of the face which lifts that facial skin thus tightening the skin. In addition to creating a natural looking lift of the face, the threads also stimulate the bodies own collagen production since the sutures provoke the body’s healing response. The collagen helps to tighten the facial skin and improve its appearance.
There are two types of thread lifts. There are PDO threads which have been used for several years with good results. However, the technology has improved, and the new threads have been shown to produce a more noticeable lift along with the stimulation of collagen. This thread lift is called the Silhouette Instalift Thread Lift Procedure. These threads are now the preferred thread lifts in almost all of the high-end cosmetic surgery practices in LA and New York. The results also last longer than the PDO threads with results lasting around 2 years. We also are seeing a more dramatic lift of the face with these state-of- the-art threads.
The procedure is almost painless since we use local anesthesia to numb the face in the areas where the specifically designed thin needle is used to insert the threads into the skin. The procedure takes approximately 45 minutes to complete and there is typically no downtime with the ability to return to your normal activities immediately afterward. Typically, there might be some slight bruising and your face will feel tighter than it did prior to the procedure for a few days. Best of all, thread lifts are extremely safe with virtually no risk of scarring, severe bruising, or bleeding. Please call or schedule a free consultation to discuss this wonderful treatment!
-Dr. Scott Welden