Getting a Liquid Facelift? The Facts You Need to Know About

What Is a Liquid Facelift?

A liquid facelift is a minimally invasive cosmetic procedure that utilizes injectables (or fillers) to achieve a more youthful appearance. These fillers are intended to help soften the appearance of wrinkles and lines on the face, plump up the skin, and reduce sagging.

As we age, our skin’s connective tissues such as collagen and elastin naturally break down. Many may also experience fat loss in their face as they age. A combination of these conditions can lead to an aged or gaunt appearance in the face. The liquid facelift injects dermal fillers that help to fill up space in the layers of skin that have broken down over time. By replenishing volume within the skin tissue, liquid facelifts help to counter facial signs of aging.

Liquid facelifts are often favored over traditional surgical-facelifts (or surgical brow lifts) for many reasons. While they can provide many of the same benefits as a surgical facelift, liquid facelifts are cheaper, safer, have significantly less recovery time, and typically result in less bruising. As a non-surgical procedure, liquid facelifts are also less painful and many patients return to work the next day. It also restores volume within the face rather than simply stretching the skin, giving patients the potential to achieve more subtle and natural-looking changes.

Treatment Areas for Liquid Facelifts

Liquid facelifts are ideal for those who have a relatively small amount of wrinkles or sagging. Treatment areas for this procedure are unique for each patient’s skin condition. Generally, age-related changes on the face that can be treated by liquid facelifts include areas around the cheeks, jowls, temples, under the eyes, near the eyebrows, and folds between the mouth and nose.

The liquid facelift is a common procedure amongst people in their 30s and 40s that still have good skin elasticity. Patients with more advanced aging features (especially with more significant sagging skin) may be better off pursuing surgical facelifts to achieve their desired results as a liquid facelift is not a long-term substitute for a surgical facelift.

What Fillers Are Used in Liquid Facelifts?

The types of fillers used during liquid facelift treatments may differ depending on which problem areas are being treated, the condition of the skin, and the preference of the dermatologist or plastic surgeon administering the treatment. Common dermal fillers include hyaluronic acid and other injectables such as Perlane, Radiesse, Restylane, Juvederm, Sculptra, and Artefill are often used in conjunction with each other and at times with Botox as well.

When integrating Botox, the treatment should deliver better and longer-lasting results. Botox can be particularly useful when treating significant expression lines caused by repeated movements. Because these repeated movements will cause fillers to break down more rapidly, Botox helps stabilize these muscles by blocking the nerve impulses responsible for muscle contractions.

What To Expect During a Liquid Facelift Procedure

Every patient’s procedure will vary depending on the condition of their facial skin and tissue, present lines, and desired results. Because of this, the process for any liquid facelift should begin with a thorough examination of the face and a discussion regarding the key areas that could be addressed with fillers. The dermatologist or plastic surgeon will provide recommendations and will plan the scope of the treatment with the patient. At this stage, the estimated cost for the procedure will be discussed, giving the patient an opportunity to make any adjustments to the treatment as needed to fit their budget.

After the plan has been determined, the physician will likely mark injection locations on the face to achieve the desired results and address volume loss. The injection areas will then be cleaned and (in most cases) topical numbing agents will be applied to ensure that the process is as comfortable as possible. Once the tissue has numbed, the injections will be performed with a thin needle. The injection areas will then be massaged to help the filler to settle smoothly.

While in most cases the full liquid facelift will be completed in one sitting, some may prefer to spread the injections out over more than one appointment. This will allow the patient the necessary time to see the results in segments and give them an opportunity for touch-ups during future appointments.

How Long Does a Liquid Facelift Last?

Results will be visible immediately and can last anywhere between six and 24 months. The duration is largely dependent on the type of filler used in the treatment, the amount of filler used, and the location of the filler injections. A treatment plan can be established based on a patient’s unique timeline to maintain the liquid facelift appearance on an ongoing basis. Given the temporary nature of this procedure, patients are able to determine if they like the results before committing to regular treatments and longer-lasting filler options.

What Is the Average Cost of a Liquid Facelift?

The liquid facelift cost is highly variable and dependent on a number of factors. Considerations that could affect the price include the types of fillers used, the number of injections, and the quantity of filler needed to treat a specific patient’s facial volume loss. Other factors that could affect the cost are if additional procedures are bundled with the liquid facelift and the experience level of the physician administering the treatment.

Patients can expect an average of around $3,000 for liquid facelift costs. Keep in mind that for maintenance and touch-ups additional treatments will incur more costs. Compare this to the price of a surgical facelift, which carries an average cost of over $7,400 and can be even more expensive depending on the work that is needed to achieve the desired results. It should also be noted that because this is a cosmetic procedure, it is not likely that an insurance provider will cover any costs.

Conclusion

A liquid facelift is an excellent option for those looking for a non-surgical treatment to help them achieve a more youthful appearance and restore facial volume. If you would like to see if a liquid facelift is right for you, take part in a free, no-pressure consultation with one of our experts at Heart of Texas Eye Institute. We look forward to helping you make an informed decision and achieve the results you have been searching for.