What are the best long-lasting, nonsurgical treatments for face tightening?

Question

Ive been hearing a lot about Morpheus 8, is it effective? I already have voluma on my lower cheeks but there's only so much you can add. I'm 38 yo and lost a lot of fat in my face due to weight loss. What are the best treatments that last the longest that are nonsurgical for tightening the face (jowls, cheeks, under the eye)? Thank you for taking the time to answer!

Danielle Shanley, MD · Answer

Morpheus 8 is a great treatment for overall anti-aging and skin tightening. It works by using a combination of micro-needling and radiofrequency to stimulate collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid production. The treatment is personally customized for each area of treatment to remodel and trigger skin tightening in concerning areas like eyes, jowling and submental. The best results will be seen after completing a series of 3-6 treatments, which would be done on a monthly basis.

Raffy Karamanoukian, MD, FACS · Answer

Morpheus 8 is a non-invasive skin and soft tissue tightening treatment that is consistently amazing in our patients. We use the Morpheus to exact fractional induced RF into the skin or tissue in order to tighten collagen and stimulate contraction of the tissue. For acne scars, it is quite useful to build collagen in patients who have atrophic scars but is not very productive for ice-pick scars which require TCA Cross. For tissue tightening, Morpheus is ideal for the face and neck and we often combine it with CO2 laser or Ultherapy to further enhance results. Chemical peels and skin resurfacing should be done at least 5 to 7 days after, but can be performed earlier, depending on treatment severity. Avoid exfoliating skin treatments before Morpheus and expect a period of 2-4 weeks for skin contraction to set in.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

Best, 
Dr. Karamanoukian 
Realself100 Surgeon

Anna Petropoulos, MD, FRCS · Answer

Hello, dgkutschera! Thank you for your question. Morpheus8 shows great results for overall skin tightening and some lifting with a series of treatments. If you are looking for something that will give more of a lift without surgery, a thread lift with Miracu PDO Threads might be a good option! I recommend finding a provider that carries this line of threads and has extensive training in performing this thread lift- when done properly it is a very safe and effective non-surgical treatment. Best of luck! Sincerely, Genie Alexander, RN BSN for Dr. Anna Petropoulos MD FRCS, Center for Classic Beauty, Boston and Danvers, MA.

Dallas Buchanan, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question......but you might not like the answer. The best treatment for skin laxity of the face, aging in the face, and volume loss in the face....is a facelift. Everyone keeps trying to find the best "non-surgical" options out there and to be completely honest, there is not one that is great. 
Can Morpheus8 provide some mild skin tightening and some textural improvement to the skin? Absolutely. But it is really only an invasive skin care treatment rather than a non-invasive surgical treatment. Is it going to be the improvement you are hoping for? Not likely, unless you are looking for things to maybe get 10% better. I see too many patients who spend 10+ years putting off surgery and investing in fad treatments and other things, often to the tune of several thousand dollars per year, only to end up with treatments that do not provide desired outcomes, outcomes that do not last, and then eventually, after they have spent $50K over 10 years, they end up moving forward with surgery when they could have spent $20-30K in the first place and had a result they could have enjoyed for 10-15 years. Furthermore, some of these "minimally-invasive" treatments can make surgery more difficult or risky when the time comes, or can limit the results that can be achieved with surgery, so it is important to think about that. 
Hope this helps!
Dallas Buchanan, MD
VIVIFY plastic surgery
Tampa, FL

Michael P. Morrissette, DDS, FACS · Answer

I prefer medium-depth chemical peels and CO2 laser resurfacing for nonsurgical facial skin tightening. Both can achieve incredible results. Depending on the settings, the laser resurfacing can be a longer recovery. I think that both of these treatment modalities are more effective than microneedling.

Anil R. Shah, MD · Answer

Hello! My name is Jessica, I am a physician assistant, and one of the providers at Aesthetic Skin. This is a great question. Morpheus8 is a great treatment for skin tightening. I highly recommend scheduling an in-person consultation in order to better assess your areas of concern and discuss an appropriate treatment plan to help achieve your aesthetic goals. Our office phone number is: (312) 944-0117, just call and ask for Jess :) I hope this helps and best of luck!

Lisa M. Jukes, MD · Answer

Hi there! We are so happy to hear you are looking for preventative treatments

We love Morpheus8! Especially when paired with Facetite (this is minimally invasive to help smooth and rid of the prejowls, sagging neck, and chin.) For Morpheus8, your provider can adjust the settings depending on your skin tone and your goals. It's very important during your consultation to tell your provider the areas you especially want to target.

Typically, a series of 3 is required for best results. It is permanent! Our patients feel it is less painful then Ultherapy, Hifu, and Thermage. We have a little cheat sheet for what to expect on our Instagram and the process you can always refer back to!

You'll numb for 30 minutes. We typically leave the neck numbing while working on the face. Starting at a lower setting then going higher by the last pass. There is a "fat melt", as we call it, setting to also help with lower face/jawline/ under chin should you request. It feels a bit like microneedling and little hints of heat. That's the Radio Frequency working to tighten the skin under the surface. It is normal to have "tire tracks" or little bumps, feel tight, and warmth. This typically goes down within 24-48 hours. We highly recommend adding on a PRP or stem cell if they have it available. This speeds up your healing time, leaves you with a lasting glow, and boosts the collagen in the skin. Another tip is to take an arnica tablet or drink pineapple juice to help with the inflammation.

Some clients are also a great candidate for Sculptra. This would be done after your treatment (atleast a week to two weeks later. Sculptra not only looks more natural, but naturally helps boost collagen (it's placed on a deeper level in the skin). Another plus, it lasts 2-3 years! We hope you love your results!

Laura A. Katz, MD · Answer

First of all congratulations on your weight loss.  That is awesome.  The thing is that your skin is slow to catch up and may sometimes remain stretched out.  But!  we have solutions.  Morpheus can tighten skin and remove small fat if desired very easily and with quick results.  also, if you have loose jowls you can use submental coolsculpting to remove the remaining fat and morpheus to tighten the skin.

Camille Cash, MD · Answer

You will likely have the best result from a combination of treatments.  Fillers are great for adding volume.  Another option to consider is Renuva.  This treatment gives the instant benefit of volume like fillers but it is different in that over time the injected area is gradually replaced with your own fat, giving longer lasting results.  Morpheus8 is a great treatment used to stimulate collagen and improve overall skin tone and texture.

Leonard Grossman, MD · Answer

The best way to restore volume in the face is with the use of your own fat taken out elsewhere on the body. Proper fat has to be used to produce natural and permanent results. As long as the procedure is done by Plastic surgeon with many, many years of experience in fat grafting techniques, you should be quite happy. I hope this helps. Good luck from New York City Plastic Surgery.