Voluma vs facelift: which procedure is the most cost effective and provides the best results?

There is really no comarison between these two procedures.  one is for volume and contouring and the other is for skin laxity and lifting.  Often you need both.  That is why I am in a practice with there surgeons do cutting/lifting and I come in and do fillers / fat grafting to revolumize.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Voluma and other injectable fillers should not be compared to a facelift and should not be considered a replacement for a facelift.  Voluma is designed to add volume either as a restorative (replacing) or an augmentation (adding to areas never present), specifically in the cheek area.  In replacing this volume, there is a some "lifting" effect of the nasolabial folds and jowls.  A facelift is designed to reposition skin, subcutaneous tissue and in some cases muscle and directly lifts these areas by removing and repositioning tissue.  Fillers like Voluma aren't designed for patients who need a facelift, but instead meant for patients who "aren't ready" for a facelift or only have minimal facial ptosis, or more commonly volume loss only.  One is not a perfect replacement for the other and sometimes are best used in combination.

Discuss your facial aging with a board certified surgeon who performs both injections and facelift procedures. Often cost is a very important (but not singular) factor in deciding between the two options. A facelift will certainly last longer; however, a narrow or thin face may benefit from Voluma instead.

You're really treating two separate issues with Voluma vs a facelift.  Voluma, in my opinion, is perfect for people in their late 30's through early to mid 50's and perhaps even early 60's if they are looking to add volume to the mid-face in the cheek area to restore the youthful "apple cheek" appearance.  However, for people who have skin laxity in their neck, perhaps with banding and jowling along the jawline, Voluma is no replacement for a facelift and will not provide any of the effects of a facelift which would include tightening of the neck and jawline as well as potentially more fullness along the cheekbones if fat injections (or alternatively Voluma) is added.  Without knowing your age or having pictures, it is difficult to make recommendations for you, but I hope this answers your question.  An in-person consultation with a board certified plastic or facial plastic surgeon with experience in both Voluma injection and facelifting will give you your best answer.  Best of luck!

Facelifts are 3-dimensional operations in that they do address volume when needed, but they also reposition lax skin, treat neck bands from the platysma muscle, etc. Voluma only adds volume. It's a great product but a closer equivalent surgically would be fat grafting.

Everybody is different, so there are some people who may get a better result with Voluma than a facelift and vice versa.  Different things are accomplished with each procedure as well.  Voluma is a filler, so it adds volume to areas of the face that have lost fat over the years.  This filling effect can produce some mild lifting in some people.  A facelift does not add volume but it does lift jowls along the lower face and improves the neck.  Sometimes, both procedures can produce the best overall effect.  

There is no simple answer to your question because the procedures are not equal.  A facelift removes loose skin to recontour the face.  Voluma provides volume to the face.  In many cases, patients can benefit from both.  However, some people are not looking for, nor do they necessarily need a facelift.  The best advice is to consult with a board certified plastic surgeon who can present the benefits/risks of both options and give you the information you need to make a decision that is best for you. Good luck!

When deciding between surgery and injectable fillers and neuromodulators like Voluma and Botox, seek advice both from plastic surgeons and cosmetic dermatologists. Each may have different answers. The likely best answer is that while surgery can pull and tighten skin, it does not replace the lost volume that always comes with aging. When we age, we lose connective tissue plumpness and fullness, "baby"fat, and even bone volume. Most plastic surgeons performing face lifts will also recommend volume replacement with the surgery, to avoid that 1980's "overpulled" look. Fillers and neuromodulators are also less risky than elective surgery with general anesthesia. The good thing about their generally temporary nature is that if something goes wrong, it's not permanent. In surgery, if something goes wrong..... it's usually not good. Finally, though the Voluma gel itself may last "only" "up to" two years, each injectable procedure does stimulate fibroblasts to gradually create new collagen over time, so all is not lost when the gel is safely dissolved by your body.

Hi Genier, this is a difficult question to answer without seeing pictures. Fillers are very good at enhancing areas of hollowness in the cheeks, under the eyes, and in the nasolabial folds. Fillers can also provide a subtle lifting effect. If you have more advanced signs of aging such as sagging skin and muscle, a facelift and necklift would give you a better, more thorough result. I frequently will add filler such as Voluma at the same time I do a facelift. The addition of volume can provide is a very nice compliment to a facelift procedure.

Thank you for your question.  As my colleges have stated these procedures are not at all equal.  Voluma and other fillers do just that, fill the skin and give you lost volume.  A facelift pulls the skin back to where it should be and excess skin is removed.  Often times a patient may still need filler along with a facelift or even fat injections.It is always best to see a board certified plastic surgeon in person for a consultation to get your best  options and have all of your questions answered.Best of luck,Dr. Peter Newen