With cosmetic surgery and non-invasive cosmetic procedures becoming more and more mainstream each day, it’s not surprising that in 2016, more than 17 million Americans went in for a bit of anti-aging work. Of those numbers, nearly 10 million procedures were Botox or dermal fillers, while about 130,000 were facelifts.
The constantly changing landscape of dermal fillers (such as Juvederm and Restylane) and Botox offers a quick, non-invasive fix for even the deepest lines and wrinkles on your face. You can achieve a smoother and more youthful look in just minutes, but the downside is that you have to be vigilant to maintain that look with a consistent injection schedule.
The Limited Power Of Injectables
Injectables are growing in popularity, but many people don’t realize that there are limits to what they can accomplish. If your main concern is forehead furrows, Botox can smooth and relax the muscles that cause those lines to form. If you are looking to address the loss of volume in your cheeks or lips, as well as lines around the nose and mouth, Juvederm and Restylane are the answer. But if you have excess loose skin that causes jowls and sagging, injectables aren’t going to do much to remedy that.
While fillers can stave off the need for more invasive procedures, they can’t take the place of what a facelift can do for you. The goal of most surgeons when performing a facelift is to keep you looking like yourself, only younger. That’s technically also the goal of fillers, but if you disregard the limits of injectables, you can end up looking overdone and unnatural.
But Aren’t Fillers More Cost-Effective?
While it may initially seem as if fillers are a more cost-effective option than facelift surgery, if you add up the cumulative cost to maintain your youthful appearance with fillers, in truth, they may end up being much more expensive. Depending on the injectables you use, the amount, and the length of time between sessions, fillers can end up costing thousands of dollars each year. A facelift performed by an experienced surgeon, which may seem expensive, may actually turn out to cost less in the long run.
Choosing The Right Procedure For The Right Reasons
If you are under the age of 50 and are just looking for a bit of a boost in smoothness and volume, an experienced injector can refresh your face and keep you looking natural. However, if you have developed jowls or excessive loose skin on your face and neck, the mistake many people make is instead of tightening the loose skin surgically, they choose to add enough volume to fill it. The result is quite different than what you would get with a facelift. Too much filler can distort your natural facial definition, leaving you with puffy lips and overfilled cheeks.
The goal of a surgical facelift is to lift and smooth sagging skin, restoring it to a more youthful position, and eliminating jowls and excess skin. If you also have a loss of facial volume, a facelift can fill those hollows a bit, but you may eventually choose to undergo fat grafting or add fillers to enhance your results. The essential takeaway is that if your goal is to look refreshed without looking as if you’ve had work done, a facelift can achieve that better than an excess of fillers.
If you are searching for the best procedure or combination of procedures to rejuvenate your face, call one of the offices of the New York Plastic Surgery Group today at 888-834-2075. Whether you need a facelift or fillers, our experienced team can help you choose the best path to achieve the look you desire.
