A facelift, or a rhytidectomy, is a surgical procedure that aims to give the face a more youthful appearance by lifting the sagging and drooping areas of the face. Traditionally, a facelift is performed by a plastic surgeon and works by removing any excess facial skin to tighten (or ‘lift’) the face. It is often combined with other surgical procedures such as eyelid surgery to enhance your desired look.
However, as the facelift is a surgical procedure, there are all the risks associated with any surgical procedure, from bleeding, bruising, infection, scarring, and complications with anaesthesia may occur during the surgery. The risks of complications increase if the patient has high blood pressure and/or diabetes.
Surgery can also be considerably expensive and requires you to take time off from work for recovery. Furthermore, the recovery process can be uncomfortable and painful.
Fortunately, advancements in medical technology mean that you can forgo surgery and still get the benefits of a facelift minus the high cost, risk and downtime! Here are two non-surgical alternatives to the facelift.
Ultherapy: Ultrasound skin tightening
Ultherapy is one of the newest and only non-invasive technologies utilizing ultrasound, that that can lift and tighten the skin. Ultherapy uses ultrasound to trigger the body’s regenerative processes to gently and gradually lift your skin.
One of the main advantages of Ultherapy is its precision. Unlike laser treatments, which use light energy, Ultherapy uses sound energy. As the skin is not easily heated when exposed to sound energy, the energy can be delivered to the deeper layers of the skin without affecting the external layer.
Ultherapy’s ultrasound technology also allows for imaging – your aesthetic doctor will be able to see and target the tissues during the treatment, this enables him/her to target exactly the depth required and not any deeper, to ensure that you always achieve the best results. Additionally, as the treatment is applied using an applicator, no incisions are required and you can resume your everyday activities immediately after leaving the clinic. Hence, Ultherapy is an excellent alternative to a surgical facelift for those that want the benefits of a facelift, without having to go under the knife.
Threadlift
During a threadlift treatment, a barbed thread is inserted into the face. This thread helps to stimulate the production of collagen in those areas. Collagen is the protein that gives our skin its strength and is naturally produced in our body. Hence, the production of collagen helps to rejuvenate our skin, much like the effects of a facelift.
The effects of a threadlift are subtle and immediate, though it will continue to improve up to two months after the procedure. You will not need to undergo a separate procedure to remove the thread from your face, as the inserted thread will be absorbed by the body after one to two years.
Under the guidance of our Medical Director, Dr Elias Tam, both threadlift and Ultherapy are offered. Dr Tam has over 20 years of medical experience and more than 10 years in the field of aesthetic medicine. To book an appointment with Dr Tam, call EHA Clinic at 6235 3325.