Today it is possible to restore freshness and softness to the skin and smooth the lines of the facial contour without expensive interventions.There are many modern lift 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 these problems: the skin of the face loses its elasticity, becomes dull and wrinkles appear.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 come to a consensus on what is considered aging and what causes it.However, we can say that aging is the result of the accumulation of defects in cells and intercellular structures, which gradually disable the organism's vital systems.
Childhood
Perhaps the only period in which the skin requires practically no care is the period of life from about six months until the onset of puberty.Children's skin is elastic, smooth, vital and fresh, and it is a pleasure to look at it.
Adolescence
Unfortunately, all good things come to an end sooner or later and, starting 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 drips down 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 noticeable than in those with oily skin.However, in any case, the skin does not remain the same as in childhood.
And, of course, the most painful skin change that poisons the life of a significant part of adolescents is acne, which appears during puberty and occupies the skin for many years (sometimes for decades), despite all attempts to get rid of it.For many teenagers, the fight against acne becomes the main goal of cosmetic procedures and sometimes the meaning of life.Unfortunately, in the course of this fight, many people cause serious damage to the skin, which can be very difficult to compensate for in the future.
A very small percentage of teenagers understand the need to protect their skin.Most, as a rule, at this time, mercilessly irradiate the skin with sunlight (and sometimes with artificially generated ultraviolet radiation in solariums), cover it with layers of cosmetics (which are often left overnight), tattoos, deplete them with night vigils and all kinds of toxic substances.Despite all this, the skin remains fresh and elastic for a long time.
Youth
By the age of 20, many people's skin condition improves: it becomes less oily, less prone to acne, more even and attractive.
The period from 20 to 30 years is a period of stability for the skin, in which most people cannot think about the intricacies of cosmetic care, choosing cosmetics based on packaging, perfume or company name, and, despite this, have good skin.
But all this is only true if your skin is healthy.Unfortunately, adolescent stress, attempts to self-medicate acne by randomly smearing something labeled "for acne" on the skin, excessive use of antibiotics or retinoids, and sometimes unthinkable diets can provoke the onset of various skin problems, ranging from advanced forms of acne to allergic dermatitis, etc.In such cases, the skin requires carefully thought-out care, which is best entrusted to a competent specialist.
The beginning of skin aging
Already from the age of 25 the skin progressively loses the fresh charm of youth.The renewal of the cells of the stratum corneum slows down and the skin becomes duller.The rate of collagen and elastin formation decreases and the skin no longer appears elastic.Fine wrinkles appear under the eyes, skin defects such as age spots, stretch marks, scars from past acne, etc. accumulate.
The closer we get to turning 30, the more often women start to think about skin care, trying to slow down aging or mask the signs.And although doctors do not stop repeating that it is necessary to protect and care for the skin from early youth, in reality only after 30 years can the skin expect that attention will finally be paid to its needs.
Middle age
Between the ages of 35 and 50, skin aging becomes increasingly evident.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 fat layer on the face becomes thinner and fat is redistributed (there is less and less fat on the cheekbones and fat pads often form under the chin and at the bottom of the cheeks), spots appearsenile, dilated blood vessels and, of course, wrinkles.
It must be said that the wrinkles that trouble women so much not only look different, but have different causes.They are often divided into static and dynamic wrinkles.
Static wrinkles occur due to changes that occur in the skin itself (damage to skin fibers due to various harmful factors, age-related wear and tear 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” back with it.
In young women, the skin is elastic, quickly responds to such muscle movements and returns to its original state.With age, such exercises become more difficult for her, and 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 years
After 50 years, the skin is affected by the onset of menopause, when the amount of female sex hormone, estrogen, 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 a lifetime protecting their skin from harmful influences (especially the sun) will have fewer wrinkles, fewer imperfections and will look fresher and younger.
If your skin has been exposed to intense sun exposure (this is more important in hot countries), it will most likely show rough, deep wrinkles and be covered in age spots.
In old age (70 years and older), the skin is characterized by a thickened stratum corneum (parchment), a thin dermis (through which the subcutaneous adipose tissue is visible, which gives the skin a yellowish color), poor elasticity and numerous deep wrinkles and folds.
The path we have now outlined is followed by every person's skin, and there are no products in cosmetology that can prevent the skin changes that occur at each stage.
The skin of a teenager will never return to 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.
Age-related changes in the skin occur because this is the program built into the cells, because the skin, like the whole body, accumulates damage and disease throughout life, in other words, it wears out.It is practically impossible to influence genetically determined aging, but it is possible to slow down the rate of wear of the skin and prevent premature aging.To do this, it is necessary 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 it ages?
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 some aging targets, which are also the main targets of anti-aging procedures.
Professional cosmetics, aesthetic and medical cosmetology procedures - 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 is appropriate to use to prevent age-related changes even at a young age.It also gives a good effect in correcting already emerging age-related changes (pronounced nasolabial folds, "proud wrinkles" and longitudinal wrinkles on 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, on the contrary, to relax tense ones.Thanks to this, we achieve the effect of reducing the severity of wrinkles and improving the oval of the face.The massage is carried out in a cycle (on average 10 sessions, two per week), at the end of which it is possible to correct facial wrinkles using botulinum toxin injections.In this case it will be possible to get by with a smaller amount of the drug and achieve a more pronounced result.
Facial skin lifting + filler or self-fat injections
With the help of plastic surgery, you can achieve a lifting effect, but, alas, it is not possible to completely eliminate wrinkles.After plastic surgery, for example, wrinkles around the mouth and "marionette wrinkles" (the so-called "pain wrinkles") remain.To make them less noticeable, filler injections are used in the area of the nasolabial folds, lips and cheekbones.An alternative to filler injections is the lipofilling procedure, during which your own fat cells are used to fill the volume.They are taken with a syringe from certain areas of the body (abdomen, inner thighs, knees) and injected in small quantities in 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 compared to filler injections is evident: the 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 could occur to the injected fillers is excluded.
Blepharoplasty + laser procedures
To a greater extent, this combination will be appropriate for plastic surgery of the lower eyelid, where the muscles are “welded” to the skin and it is impossible to remove all its excess.That is why laser treatment of this area is indicated three weeks after surgery.The laser has a stimulating effect on the skin, 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.
Often this technique is used in cases where it is necessary to get rid of hernia sacs (this problem, by the way, can disturb even young people).The operation to remove such hernias is performed transconjunctivally (through a small incision on the side of the mucosa of the lower eyelid), and after removing the fat bags, excess skin remains that needs to be tightened - for these purposes a laser is needed.
What is a facelift and which procedure is best to choose?
Perhaps almost every woman sooner or later begins to think about lifting.As time passes, the skin loses its 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 structure, the skin becomes flaccid 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 facelift typically refersto an operation that corrects the front and sides of the neck, the midfacial and frontotemporal areas, the outer eyebrows, the cheeks and the areas around the corners of the mouth.The operation is performed under general anesthesia and can last several hours.After the operation you will have to spend several days in hospital, after a week the stitches will be removed and the swelling will completely disappear in 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.Circular lifting 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 7-10 years.A circumferential facelift should not be performed before age 40-50.Based on the depth of the impact, two types of circular facelift are distinguished: the SMAS facelift, which affects not only the skin, but also the adipose and muscle tissue, and a more superficial subcutaneous facelift.The former is able to cope with even the most significant age-related changes, while the latter is suitable for less obvious problems.
This is 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, lactation and a number of others.Therefore, it is very important to consult a doctor before surgery.
Endoscopic facelift
This procedure is also sometimes called a sutureless facelift.All manipulations are performed through small incisions, after which practically no scars remain.Endoscopic facelift is indicated in case of small age-related changes: appearance of facial wrinkles on the forehead and in the area of the nasolabial folds and drooping eyebrows.But if there is significant deterioration of the skin, it is better to choose a traditional circular facelift.In terms of effectiveness and recovery time, the endoscopic facelift is very similar to a conventional circular facelift.Contraindications are similar: heart and vascular diseases, oncology, diabetes, hypertension, blood clotting disorders, diseases of internal organs, thyroid, wounds and burns on the surface of the face, pregnancy, breastfeeding, etc.Also, after the operation, pulling sensations in the suture area are possible.
On purpose
Facelift surgery reduces the blood flow to the skin, compromising its elasticity.Therefore, after surgery, additional procedures are always necessary for rapid rehabilitation.
Wire lifting
This is a relatively simple, minimally invasive and very effective procedure.That's why it gained such popularity.The essence of the method is to implant thin threads under the skin that strengthen the skin.These threads are made of gold, caprolactone, polypropylene, polylactic acid, are biologically compatible with the human body and do not cause allergies or other unwanted effects.The thread is inserted using an elastic needle.Over time, a connective tissue forms around the thread that supports the skin and prevents it from sagging.
Today, both non-absorbable and absorbable sutures are used.The latter disintegrate after 8-9 months and are eliminated naturally from the body.Threads are used not only for face lifting, but also for body contouring.
The surgery is performed under local anesthesia and lasts about an hour.After 2-4 days the swelling disappears and after 2 weeks you can return to your normal lifestyle.
This type of lift has much fewer contraindications than the previous two types.These include pregnancy and breastfeeding, acute infections, skin diseases, allergies, oncology and autoimmune diseases.
Hardware lifting
Hardware tightening is performed using equipment that uses various types of energy (laser, radio waves, ultrasound) to affect the skin.Hardware lift is available not only in plastic surgery clinics, but also in medical cosmetology clinics.Such methods do not require general anesthesia or a long period of rehabilitation and 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 softness, but also a healthy color.
Laser lift is performed quickly and without anesthesia, although very sensitive people may experience slight discomfort during the procedure.Significant and long rehabilitation is not necessary: a slight redness disappears very quickly on its own, and the effect of laser lifting is immediately visible.
Ultrasonic lifting
Ultrasound lifting is the only hardware technology that allows you to act on the deep levels of the skin.This type of facelift is often called a non-surgical SMAS facelift.The procedure is moderately painful and lasts 30-60 minutes.After the procedure, slight redness or swelling may persist for another 2-3 hours.
When carrying out this type of facelift, an ultrasonic wave acts specifically on the deep layers of the skin and on the muscular aponeurotic layer, activating the process of formation of new elastin and collagen fibres.The synthesis of new collagen fibers continues for 3-4 months, so the skin will become fresher and younger every day.The effect can last up to 3 years.
The safety of the procedure is guaranteed by ultrasound visualization of the skin and muscles;in real time the doctor sees the tissue changes produced by the ultrasound wave.
Radio wave lift (RF lift)
Radiofrequency lifting targets the superficial layers of the skin and subcutaneous fat using high-frequency electrical current.Some devices combine RF with exposure to a magnetic field.The pulses heat the skin cells, activating them and stimulating collagenogenesis.As in the case of ultrasonic lifting, radiofrequency lifting has a prolonged effect, which increases over the course of several months and lasts up to 1.5–2 years.The session only lasts about 20-30 minutes and requires no pain relief.The procedure is performed without age restrictions.
The method is contraindicated for people with heart sensor and metal structures in the body (pins, plates, etc.).
Photolifting
The procedure promotes skin rejuvenation through the use of light-thermal pulses that act on its deep layers.It is performed using IPL therapy devices.Light energy is absorbed by various chromophores of the skin (hemoglobin, melanin pigment), converted into heat, due to which the renewal process of skin cells is stimulated, pigment spots lighten and the vascular network disappears.This type of facelift is often used not only to smooth out wrinkles, but also to eliminate spider veins and even out the complexion.The duration of a session is approximately 30 minutes.The course consists of 1 to 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 initiates regeneration processes.For this procedure, blood is drawn from patients in a volume of 8 to 40 ml.Using a special centrifugation mode, platelet-rich plasma is isolated from the blood.The concentration of platelets in plasma for cosmetic injections is 4-5 times higher than that in human blood.Thanks to such a high content, a noticeable and very fast effect is achieved.The course consists of 3-5 weekly procedures.The first results can be seen already on the day of the procedure.
Like other types of lifting, plasmolifting has a number of contraindications: pregnancy and breastfeeding, skin diseases, tumors, infectious and autoimmune diseases, etc.
Lifting using hyaluronic acid injections (fillers)
Contour plastic surgery can also achieve a significant facelift effect.For example, with volumetric correction, 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 facelift: the filler is injected subcutaneously in the direction of the sagging skin, strengthening and firming it.
Contraindications to the procedure are blood diseases, infectious diseases, pregnancy and breastfeeding, damage or inflammation in the area to be treated, drug intolerance.