Face Rejuvenation FAQs

If you want to put your best face forward, you may have questions about today’s facial rejuvenation options. We hope these face rejuvenation FAQs will help you as you consider your options.

What is Facial Rejuvenation?

Facial rejuvenation refers to a range of surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures that resist the effects of aging on the face and neck. These include treatments improving skin texture like chemical peels and microneedling, injectables that diminish fine lines like Botox®, or even a facelift.

Does Facial Rejuvenation Mean a Facelift?

As mentioned, it refers to both surgical and non-surgical options. Injectables have gotten a lot of press over the past few years. Neurotoxins like Botox smooth expression lines by temporarily stopping specific muscle contractions that cause wrinkles and fine lines. Injectable fillers visually plump and smooth the skin, replacing some of the volume lost with age.

Other skin treatments like peels, Profound RF, and Microneedling address some of the issues with skin tightness and texture. While none of these replace a full facelift, plenty of non-surgical options effectively address some of the earlier signs of aging.

What is a Facelift?

A facelift is a surgical procedure that addresses wrinkles and loose or saggy skin on the face and neck. The surgeon tightens and re-drapes the skin on the muscles and bones for a smoother and tighter appearance of youth. It most significantly improves the lower face and neck.

Similar principles apply to a brow lift, eyelid lift, and partial facelift, depending on the area of the face you want to target. Since a facelift and other lift procedures are elective operations, they require good general health. Nonsmokers with a healthy BMI who don’t have conditions that prohibit healing are the best candidates.

What Are the Risks Associated with Skin Rejuvenation?

The risks vary depending on the specific surgical or non-surgical procedure you get. Talk with your plastic surgeon or treatment provider about the particular risks, especially any specific to your risk factors. More invasive procedures like a full facelift carry more significant risk than minimally invasive non-surgical treatments like dermal filler injections.

The American Society of Plastic Surgeons outlines a few common to several procedures:

• Burns or scarring, especially for peels
• Redness, tenderness, and swelling while the skin heals
• Activation of herpes if you have it
• Increased sun sensitivity or risk of sunburns
• Skin sensitivity or allergy
• Slower wound healing
• Infection
• Changes in skin texture
• Changes in pigment, like dark spots

These, of course, vary by the procedure, so talk with your provider about the specifics and whether you have any condition that makes specific side effects more likely.

How Do I Maintain My Results?

Even in the case of a permanent procedure like a facelift, time doesn’t stop, and your skin continues to age. The best way to maintain your results for longer is to prevent premature aging by:

• Wear broad-spectrum sunscreen wherever you go outside, drive, or fly in an airplane
• If you smoke, please consider quitting
• Eat a healthy well balanced diet including lean proteins, plenty of antioxidant-rich fresh produce, and healthy fats like omega-3 fatty acids
• Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water
• Aim to get around 8 hours of sleep nightly
• Stay active and exercise regularly
• Maintain a healthy and consistent weight as weight loss and gain lead to looser skin and stretch marks

What Treatments Help Improve Skin Texture?

Some of the treatments that improve skin texture include chemical peels, microneedling, laser skin resurfacing, IPL, also known as intense pulsed light, and even dermal fillers. They work in a few different ways. For example, microneedling causes a mild injury to the skin, stimulating the production of collagen, which naturally slows with age.

Are Facial Rejuvenation Treatments Safe?

The FDA has cleared mainstream facial and skin rejuvenation treatments for safety and effectiveness for specific uses. These treatments are generally considered safe for healthy individuals but do carry risks. For example, the FDA cleared Botox® for the treatment of fine lines associated with repetitive facial expressions. It is generally safe though some people experience tenderness, tingling, and mild bruising.

Rare but serious side effects like paralysis of certain muscles or allergic reactions also sometimes happen. Talk with your provider about the risks and whether any lifestyle or health issues increase the odds. For example, some risks may be more prevalent among smokers, so it is important, to be frank with your provider about whether you are a smoker.

Keep in mind that risks vary by procedure. Surgical and more invasive procedures carry more risk, especially if a full anesthetic is required.

Risks associated with non-surgical procedures also vary as some may sensitize the skin, such as peels that remove the outer layer of the skin, exposing the inner layer of fresh but sensitive skin.

How Can I Choose the Best Rejuvenation Treatments for My Needs?

The best way to choose the right facial rejuvenation treatments is by booking a consultation with a skilled plastic surgeon or medspa professional. Talk with the doctor or provider about your goals, concerns, hopes, lifestyle, health history, and budget.

Sometimes people come in with a specific treatment in mind, but they may have contraindications that make it risky, or there might be another treatment that may better suit that patient’s needs. With recent innovations, you may not be aware of your full range of options. Your plastic surgeon can help you navigate these choices and make recommendations based on your specific situation and goals. You should also have the opportunity to see before and after photographs or use other imaging tools to show you what possible results you would be likely to experience.

It all starts with a consultation. If you live in the Charlotte area, consider Charlotte Plastic Surgery. We have had the privilege of helping our community members look and feel their most attractive and confident for decades. Contact us today to book your consultation.