An Alternative to Facelift: The Next Best Option for Those Not Ready Yet

In the current era of numerous cosmetic treatment options, people are able to control their visible aging. As per the Aesthetic Society's data, over the past year, nonsurgical interventions reportedly rose by 23 percent. While facelifts certainly see an increase in popularity, not all individuals consider it as their first choice. Thankfully, multiple noninvasive facelift substitutes are there to help attain a fresh, younger look without undergoing surgery. Here are some transformative noninvasive facelift alternatives that will give your face a ‘lifted look’ without having to set foot in the operating suite.

Suitable for: Individuals with mild-to-moderate wrinkles and mildly loose or sagging skin.

What it does: This noninvasive facelift option assists with drooping eyelids, sagging cheeks, and severely wrinkled skin. The outcomes are typically gradual and could vary from subtle to significant

“A ‘liquid facelift’ requires between four and eight filler syringes and 25 to 100 units of botox,” explains Dr. Kenneth Beer, based in West Palm Beach, FL. “Appropriate candidates are typically healthy individuals with mild to moderate skin laxity, lost facial volume, or wrinkles. Suitable candidates might also have mild jowls or 'smoker’s lines' around the mouth. It's crucial to note that a liquid facelift is not a substantial face recontouring process but rather a revitalization of the natural contours.”

Suitable for: Those with mild-to-moderate skin laxity, especially in the lower face and neck.

What it does: This procedure is a minimally invasive method that employs radio-frequency heat and liposuction, representing an alternative to traditional facelifts. “Numerous young patients want to opt for facial treatments that will make a significant difference,” notes Dr. Jill Hessler, a facial plastic surgeon in Palo Alto, CA. “FaceTite, often combined with buccal fat removal and perhaps a little fat transfer, can achieve powerfully transformative results.”

Suitable for: Those looking for a facelift substitute to enhance the appearance of moderate-to-severe wrinkles and afford ample downtime. Dr. Allenby recommends planning for a recovery period away from the public eye. “Allocate a couple of weeks for recovery. It could be about a week before you're comfortable enough to use makeup to conceal any evidence of the treatment.”

What it does: Ellacor is a minimally invasive procedure intended to reduce wrinkles and unnecessary skin in the mid to lower face. “It involves coring needles to withdraw thousands of micro-cores of skin, leading to the skin retracting and tightening while it heals,” explains Dr. Janet Allenby, a dermatologist based in Delray Beach, FL.

Suitable for: Those with mild, moderate, or severe sagging or laxity who desire to see smoother, firmer skin.

What it does: UltraClear's Laser-coring is a skin treatment technology that uses a cold, ablative fiber laser for tissue coring, helping to improve deep wrinkles, scars, and other marks of aging on the skin. Though classified as a facelift alternative or noninvasive facelift, it is in fact minimally invasive. This treatment triggers healing, which in turn stimulates collagen production, leading to skin tightening. Like micro-coring, laser-coring forms tiny, minuscule cores in the skin, prompting the dermis to enter healing mode. “The procedure is considerably less painful, the recovery is swifter, and safety is significantly improved,” says Dr. Madeline Krauss, a dermatologist in Newton, MA. “The approach is incredibly customizable, leveraging the cumulative benefits of tissue coring and laser rejuvenation, which has a compounding effect, culminating in rapid collagen contraction.”

Suitable for: MyEllevate is well-suited for those with mild to moderate sagging in the jawline and neck area.

What it does: “The MyEllevate is a less invasive way to manage the neck and subcutaneous tissues of the neck,” states Dr. Anthony J. Wilson, based in Portsmouth, NH. This minimally invasive contouring technique uses a supportive sling to keep the neck's underlying structures in place for a more defined appearance. It's commonly done in-office, takes just about an hour to complete, and typically necessitates minimal post-procedure care and recovery time.