Today, it is possible to restore freshness and softness to the skin and smooth the lines around the face without costly operations.There are many modern facelift procedures that do not require major surgery.How to choose the ideal facelift and how do the procedures differ from each other?
Every woman sooner or later faces such problems: the skin on the face loses its elasticity, becomes dull and wrinkles appear on it.Modern cosmetology knows many ways to get rid of these unpleasant processes and surgical intervention is not necessary at all.
Stages of age-related skin changes
Biologists have not yet reached a consensus on what is considered aging and what causes it.However, it can be said that aging is the result of the accumulation of defects in cells and intercellular structures, which gradually disable the body's vital systems.
Childhood
Perhaps the only time when the skin requires virtually no care is the period of life from about six months of age until the onset of puberty.Children's skin is elastic, smooth, vibrant and fresh, and it is a pleasure to look at it.
Adolescence
Alas, all good things come to an end sooner or later, and from the age of 12-14 the appearance of the skin begins to deteriorate.First, it becomes oilier and some people produce so much fat that it literally runs off the skin.Then the structure of the skin changes, it becomes rougher and more porous.
In people with dry, thin skin, these changes are less visible than in those with oily skin.However, in all cases, the skin does not remain the same as in childhood.
And of course, the most distressing skin change that poisons the life of a significant part of adolescents is acne, which occurs during puberty and occupies the skin for many years (sometimes for decades), despite all attempts to get rid of it.For many adolescents, combating acne becomes the main goal of cosmetic procedures, and sometimes the meaning of life.Unfortunately, during this struggle, many people cause serious damage to their skin, which can be very difficult to compensate for in the future.
A very small percentage of adolescents understand the need to protect their skin.Most, as a rule, at this time mercilessly irradiate the skin with the sun (and sometimes with ultraviolet rays artificially generated in solariums), cover it with layers of cosmetics (which are often left overnight), tattoos, exhaust them with all-night vigils and all kinds of toxic substances.Despite all this, the skin remains fresh and elastic for a while.
Youth
By the age of 20, many people's skin condition improves: it becomes less oily, less prone to acne, more even and more attractive.
The period from 20 to 30 years is a period of stability for the skin, when most people cannot think about the intricacies of cosmetic care, choosing cosmetic products based on packaging, fragrance or company name, and, despite this, have beautiful skin.
But all this is only true if the skin is healthy.Unfortunately, adolescent stress, attempts to self-medicate acne by haphazardly applying anything labeled "for acne" to the skin, overuse of antibiotics or retinoids, and sometimes unthinkable diets can cause the appearance of various skin problems, ranging from advanced forms of acne to allergic dermatitis, etc.
The beginning of skin aging
From the age of 25, the skin gradually loses the fresh charm of youth.The renewal of cells in the stratum corneum slows down and the skin becomes duller.The rate of collagen and elastin formation decreases and the skin no longer appears as elastic.Fine wrinkles appear under the eyes, skin defects accumulate, such as age spots, stretch marks, past acne scars, etc.
The closer the 30-year mark gets, the more women start to think about skin care, trying to slow down its aging or mask its signs.And although doctors keep repeating that it is necessary to protect and take care of the skin from an early age, in reality, it is only after the age of 30 that the skin can hope that its needs will finally be taken into account.
Middle Ages
Between the ages of 35 and 50, skin aging becomes more and more noticeable.At this time, its ability to retain moisture decreases, cell renewal slows down, defective collagen and elastin accumulate, the amount of hyaluronic acid decreases, the fatty layer of the face becomes thinner and fat is redistributed (there is less and less fat on the cheekbones, and fat pads are often formed under the chin and in the lower part of thecheeks), age spots appear, dilated blood vessels and, of course, wrinkles.
It must be said that the wrinkles that bother women so much are not only different, but have different causes.They are often divided into static and dynamic wrinkles.
Static wrinkles appear due to changes occurring in the skin itself (damage to skin fibers by various harmful factors, age-related wear and destruction of skin structures, etc.).
Dynamic wrinkles are formed in places of constant muscle activity due to the fact that when contracting, the muscle shortens and wrinkles the skin, and when relaxing, it returns to its original position and “pulls” it towards itself.
In young women, the skin is elastic, it quickly reacts to such muscle movements and returns to its original state.With age, these exercises become more difficult for her, as well as around the eyes, on the bridge of the nose, on the forehead and around the mouth - where the facial muscles work most actively.
Age-related skin changes after 50
After age 50, the skin is affected by the onset of menopause, when the amount of estrogen, female sex hormones, in the body decreases.At this time, more wrinkles appear, the thickness of the dermis and epidermis rapidly decreases, and the skin noticeably fades.The rapid aging process continues until around age 60, after which the skin enters a period of relative stability.At this stage, little depends on cosmetics and any changes are possible only with the help of plastic surgery.Those who have spent their lives protecting their skin from harmful influences (especially the sun) will have fewer wrinkles, fewer imperfections and will appear fresher and younger.
If the skin has been exposed to intense sun exposure (which is more important in hot countries), it will most likely have rough, deep wrinkles and be covered with age spots.
In old age (70 years and older), the skin is characterized by a thickened (parchmenty) stratum corneum, thin dermis (through which subcutaneous fatty tissue is visible, giving the skin a yellowish color), low elasticity and numerous deep wrinkles and folds.
The path just described is followed by each person's skin, and there is no product in cosmetology that would prevent the skin changes that occur at each stage.
The skin of a teenager will never regain the fresh softness of a child's skin, and the skin of a lady of Balzac's age will never resemble the skin of a 20-year-old girl.
Senile changes in the skin occur due to the fact that it is a program built into the cells, due to the fact that the skin, like the whole body, accumulates damage and diseases throughout life, in other words, it wears out.It is virtually impossible to influence genetically determined aging, but you can slow down skin wear and prevent premature aging.To do this, you need to know which skin changes are inevitable and which are caused by our careless attitude or are due to harmful environmental factors.
What happens to skin as we age?
As we see, almost all structures of the skin (and the body as a whole) deteriorate over the years and cease to perform their biological functions.For convenience, we can identify certain targets of aging, which are also the main targets of anti-aging procedures.
Professional procedures of cosmetics, aesthetics and medical cosmetology - we found out what procedures for facial skin rejuvenation are offered by the salons of our city.
Facial massage + botulinum toxin injections
Facial massage ─ manual or hardware ─ is one of those procedures that should be used to prevent age-related changes even at a relatively young age.It also gives a good effect when correcting already appeared age-related changes (pronounced nasolabial folds, “pride lines” and longitudinal wrinkles of the forehead, “crow's feet” in the eye area, loss of facial contours, double chin).Massage allows you to work and tone relaxed muscles or, conversely, to relax tense muscles.As a result, we achieve the effect of reducing the severity of wrinkles and improving the oval of the face.The massage is done as a treatment (on average 10 procedures, two per week), at the end of which you can correct facial wrinkles using botulinum toxin injections.In this case, it will be possible to get by with a smaller amount of medication and achieve a more pronounced result.
Facial skin lifting + filler or autofat injections
With the help of plastic surgery, you can achieve a lifting effect, but, alas, it cannot completely eliminate wrinkles.After plastic surgery, for example, wrinkles around the mouth remain, as well as "puppet lines" (called "grief lines").To make them less visible, filler injections are used in the nasolabial folds, lips and cheekbones.An alternative to filler injections is the lipofilling procedure, which involves using your own fat cells to fill in the volume.They are taken using a syringe from certain areas of the body (abdomen, inner thighs, knees) and injected in small quantities into the desired area.This must be done very carefully, because the main task is to ensure that the fat cells fit in the right place and take root.The advantage of lipofilling over filler injections is obvious: fillers must be renewed every year, while the fat cells remain in the injected area for years.Furthermore, in the case of lipofilling, a possible allergic reaction that may occur to the injected fillers is excluded.
Blepharoplasty + laser procedures
To a greater extent, this combination will be suitable for plastic surgery of the lower eyelids, where the muscles are “welded” to the skin and it is impossible to remove all its excess.This is why laser treatment of this area is indicated three weeks after surgery.The laser has a stimulating effect on the skin, thereby reducing it and activating the synthesis of new collagen and elastin, after which the skin thickens and becomes more elastic.One session may be enough for a pronounced effect.
This technique is often used in cases where it is necessary to get rid of hernial sacs (this problem, by the way, can also bother quite young people).The operation to eliminate these hernias is carried out transconjunctivally (through a small incision on the side of the lower eyelid mucosa), and after removing the fat bags, excess skin remains that needs to be tightened - for these purposes, a laser is needed.
What is facelift and which procedure to choose?
Perhaps almost every woman sooner or later begins to think about lifting.Over time, the skin loses its former elasticity and the first wrinkles appear.This is an inevitable process: after 30 years, the amount of collagen and elastin begins to gradually decrease, and without this framework, the skin becomes flabby and inelastic.
All procedures are divided into surgical and non-surgical.Operating rooms require the intervention of a surgeon.Non-surgical methods include various types of hardware lifting, as well as injections of cosmetic preparations that improve skin tone and saturate it with moisture.
Circular elevator
A circumferential faceliftgenerally refers to an operation that corrects the front and sides of the neck, medial and frontotemporal areas, outer eyebrows, cheeks, and areas around the corners of the mouth.The operation takes place under general anesthesia and can last several hours.After the operation you will have to spend several days in the hospital, after a week the stitches will be removed and the swelling will completely disappear after about 2 months.You can speed up rehabilitation with the help of massage and physiotherapy.You can fully evaluate the result after a facelift after 6-8 months.A circular facelift is the most serious and traumatic lifting operation.However, the effect is very long-lasting: surgeons recommend resorting to such operations no more than once every 7 to 10 years.A circumferential facelift should not be performed before the age of 40-50.Depending on the depth of impact, there are two types of circular facelift: the SMAS facelift, which affects not only the skin, but also adipose and muscle tissue, and a more superficial subcutaneous facelift.The former can cope with the most significant age-related changes, while the latter is suitable for less visible problems.
It's important
The procedure has a number of contraindications, including blood diseases, oncology, serious disorders of internal organs, heart disease, hypertension, diseases of the nervous system, epilepsy, pregnancy, breastfeeding and many others.It is therefore very important to consult a doctor before surgery.
Endoscopic facelift
This procedure is sometimes also called a sutureless facelift.All manipulations are carried out through small incisions, after which practically no scars remain.Endoscopic facelift is indicated for minor age-related changes - the appearance of facial wrinkles on the forehead and in the nasolabial folds and drooping eyebrows.But in case of significant deterioration of the skin, it is better to opt for a traditional circular facelift.In terms of effectiveness and recovery time, the endoscopic facelift is very similar to a classic circular facelift.Contraindications are similar: heart and vascular diseases, oncology, diabetes, hypertension, blood clotting disorders, diseases of internal organs, thyroid gland, wounds and burns on the surface of the face, pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc.In addition, after the operation, feelings of tightness at the suture level are possible.
Besides
Facelift surgery reduces the blood supply to the skin, which affects its elasticity.Therefore, after surgery, additional procedures are always required for rapid rehabilitation.
Thread lifting
This is a relatively simple, minimally invasive and very effective procedure.This is why it has gained such popularity.The essence of the method consists of implanting fine threads under the skin that strengthen the skin.These threads are composed of gold, caprolactone, polypropylene, polylactic acid, they are biologically compatible with the human body and do not cause allergies or other adverse effects.The thread is inserted using an elastic needle.Over time, connective tissue forms around the thread, which supports the skin and prevents it from sagging.
Today, non-absorbable and absorbable sutures are used.These disintegrate after 8 to 9 months and are eliminated naturally from the body.Threads are used not only for face lifting but also for body contouring.
The operation takes place under local anesthesia and lasts approximately one hour.After 2-4 days the swelling disappears and after 2 weeks you can return to your normal lifestyle.
This type of facelift has significantly fewer contraindications than the two previous types.These include pregnancy and breastfeeding, acute infections, skin diseases, allergies, oncology and autoimmune diseases.
Material lifting
Hardware tightening is carried out using equipment that uses different types of energy (laser, radio waves, ultrasound) to influence the skin.Hardware lifting is available not only in plastic surgery clinics, but also in medical cosmetology clinics.Such methods do not require general anesthesia or a long rehabilitation period, and they are incomparably cheaper than surgical methods of restoring youth.However, one should not forget about contraindications, including epilepsy, oncology, heart disease, pregnancy and a number of other serious diseases.
Laser lifting
When the laser is applied to the skin, thermal energy is generated, which promotes the natural rejuvenation process.After laser facelift, the skin becomes denser and more elastic, the production of collagen and other elements that contribute to the natural rejuvenation process increases.Wrinkles are smoothed, blood circulation is accelerated, and the face acquires not only smoothness, but also a healthy color.
The laser facelift is carried out quickly and without anesthesia, although very sensitive people may feel slight discomfort during the procedure.Significant and long rehabilitation is not required - slight redness disappears very quickly on its own and the effect of laser lifting is visible immediately.
Ultrasonic lifting
Ultrasound lifting is the only material technology that can act on deep levels of the skin.This type of facelift is often called a non-surgical SMAS facelift.The procedure is moderately painful and takes 30 to 60 minutes.After the procedure, slight redness or swelling may persist for an additional 2 to 3 hours.
When carrying out this type of facelift, an ultrasound wave acts specifically on the deep layers of the skin and the muscular aponeurotic layer, activating the process of formation of new elastin and collagen fibers.The synthesis of new collagen fibers continues for 3 to 4 months, allowing the skin to become fresher and younger every day.The effect can last up to 3 years.
The safety of the procedure is ensured by ultrasound visualization of the skin and muscles;in real time, the doctor sees the tissue changes produced by the ultrasound wave.
Radio wave lifting (RF lifting)
RF facelift affects the superficial layers of the skin and subcutaneous fat using high-frequency electrical current.Some devices combine RF and exposure to a magnetic field.The pulses heat the skin cells, activate them and stimulate collagenogenesis.As in the case of ultrasound facelift, RF facelift has a prolonged effect, which increases over several months and lasts up to 1.5-2 years.The session only lasts about 20 to 30 minutes and does not require any pain relief.The procedure is carried out without age restrictions.
The method is contraindicated for people with a heart sensor and metal structures in the body (pins, plates, etc.).
Photolifting
The procedure promotes skin rejuvenation through the use of light and thermal pulses affecting its deep layers.It is carried out using IPL therapy devices.Light energy is absorbed by various skin chromophores (hemoglobin, melanin pigment), transformed into heat, due to which the process of skin cell renewal is stimulated, pigment spots lighten and the vascular network disappears.This type of facelift is often used not only to smooth wrinkles, but also to eliminate spider veins and even out skin tone.The duration of a session is approximately 30 minutes.The course includes 1-3 procedures.
Plasmolifting
Our blood contains platelets, cells responsible for its clotting.But in addition to this, platelets secrete special substances that accelerate cell division.The introduction of platelet-rich plasma stimulates the synthesis of new cells and starts regeneration processes.For this procedure, blood is collected from patients in a volume of 8 to 40 ml.Using a special centrifugation mode, platelet-rich plasma is isolated from blood.The concentration of platelets in plasma intended for cosmetic injections is 4 to 5 times higher than in human blood.Thanks to such a high content, a noticeable and very rapid effect is obtained.The course includes 3-5 weekly procedures.The first results are visible from the day of the intervention.
Like other types of facelift, plasmolifting presents a certain number of contraindications: pregnancy and breastfeeding, skin diseases, tumors, infectious and autoimmune diseases, etc.
Lifting with hyaluronic acid injections (fillers)
Contour plastic surgery can also achieve a significant lifting effect.For example, with volumetric correction, by creating volume, for example in the cheekbones, a general lifting of the lower half of the face occurs.Bioreinforcement of the cheek and neck areas, when the filler is injected intradermally and subcutaneously in the form of a mesh, the skin becomes more elastic and toned.Vector lifting – the filler is injected subcutaneously in the direction of sagging skin, thereby strengthening and firming it.
Contraindications to the procedure are blood diseases, infectious diseases, pregnancy and breastfeeding, lesions or inflammation of the area to be treated, drug intolerance.