Often the marketing term "Non-surgical facelift" or "Liquid Facelift" is used by doctors who cannot perform a real facelift because they are not trained to do so.
Because they can't do a facelift, these doctors attempt to rejuvenate the face using only injectable products such as Restylane, Juvederm, Sculptra, Radiesse and Botox Cosmetic. Many of these patients would be better served by a combination of skin tightening using a facelift, cheeklift, or necklift along with the "nonsurgical" techniques mentioned above and and sometimes frational CO2 laser. The overall result would be better and and more durable, lasting 7 - 10 years. While the initial cost of facial rejuvenation surgery is more, the "non-surgical" techniques could easily add up to more cost over a 7 - 10 year period because of the need for repeated injections.
Most board certified plastic surgeons are trained to do all of these procedures, therefor they have no vested interest in trying to "sell" someone on a "non-surgical facelift".
Physicians offering only a "Non-surgical facelift" are most likely not trained to do advanced facial surgery (including the gold standard facelift), therefor they have a vested interest in marketing the "Non-surgical Facelift" as the best or only approach. If all you have is a hammer (needle in this case) everyone starts to look like a nail.
Often this aggressive marketing attempts to play on your fears by saying you don't need to have invasive surgical procedures or that the downtime is much less for a "non-surgical facelift" or even worse claims that the "non-surgical facelift" is a replacement for a real facelift
To avoid being lured in by slick or deceptive marketing:
1. Always consult with a board certified surgeon who has training and experience doing the entire spectrum of procedures for facial rejuvenation including the gold standard facelift. If you are not sure about the doctor you are seeing, find out by asking the question, "If I needed a facelift would you be doing it or would I have to go to a different doctor."
2. Avoid physicians who treat all facial aging only with injectable fillers and Botox or that say a "non-surgical facelift" can replace a real facelift.
3. Remember that dermal fillers, Botox cosmetic and Sculptra have added greatly to our ability to rejuvenate the face by replacing lost volume in key areas, and reducing wrinkles but they don't solve the problem of laxity (loose skin of the face and/or neck)
4. Don't fall for the ploy that the "non-surgical facelift" involves less cost, or downtime. Over 7 - 10 years this is probably not true.
5. Understand that not all patients with facial aging need a facelift. If there is little or no loose skin (laxity) dermal fillers, Botox Cosmetic and Sculptra often work very well. But you will not know the answer to this question unless you ask a surgeon who can offer you all of the different surgeries and injectable techniques.
Truly sound, long lasting facial rejuvenation often involves a combination of surgery (facelift, cheeklift, necklift, eyelid lift, browlift), injectable techniques such as fat grafting, sculptra and dermal fillers and Botox Cosmetic and laser (fractional or traditional laser resurfacing).
This unified approach to facial rejuvenation will give you the best and longest lasting results.
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