While the days of the surgical facelift are by no means over, today’s less invasive options are varied and plentiful, offering a number of strategies to reverse the effects of time without resorting to the trauma of surgery. Non Surgical facelift has been gaining popularity in recent years because it costs less than a  traditional facelift, provides immediate results, is very safe, and requires no or minimal down time for recovery.

If you wish to try a gentler option that will allow you to age gracefully but still look the best you can, then a non surgical facelift  may  be one of the best options for you. There are a large number of choices amongst non surgical facelift procedures having  varying degrees of intensity  and effectiveness.

Fashionfad got in touch with Dr. Varun Katyal, renowned Cosmetic Dermatologist & Anti-ageing Expert of The Skin Centre, New Delhi revealing the facts about Non Surgical Facelifts. 

What are the advantages of Non surgical facelifts over Surgical facelifts ?
Non surgical facelifts are less expensive, time saving, and devoid of side effects that come with surgical facelifts. Besides, recovery after a non-surgical facelift is  quicker than a traditional one. The risk of complications and post-treatment infections is lower too.There are various non surgical facelift procedures available for improving your appearance. They are quite effective, almost pain free, and require minimal invasion of skin.

What are the special Advantages of Non surgical facelifts ?
Unlike with ablative lasers or chemical peels, there is no peeling of the top layer of skin in non surgical facelifts, and therefore the procedures are also suitable for patients with darker skin tones, because of the significantly lowered risk of pigmentation changes. The cost is also considerably less than a surgical facelift, and because the procedure is non-invasive (no cutting) there is usually no need to take time off from work.

What are the common types of Non surgical facelift procedures available?
There are mainly three common types of Non surgical facelift procedures available.They are :

1. Infrared light And Radiofrequency facelift
Medical science has discovered that heating the outer layers of the skin makes it tighter and induces collagen formation. The tightening and the plumping effect of the newly formed collagen makes wrinkles and creases disappear.
There are two popular methods to achieve this skin tightening effect. The first one uses radiofrequency energy to heat the skin. An example of this is the Thermage treatment. The second uses infrared light for the same purpose. The Polaris and Titan are the most widely used  non surgical facelifts that use infra red light.

2. Microcurrent facelift
This is a type of non surgical face lift procedure that does not rely on heat. Instead, it uses gentle electric currents to stimulate the skin’s natural production of elastin and collagen. The effects are subtle and  usually taking several weeks before any noticeable difference occurs in your appearance. This is because the microcurrent focuses on making your body produce healthier new cells instead of fixing the existing outer layer of the skin.

3. Thread facelift
The thread facelift is a type of non surgical facelift procedure which is used to reduce sagging mainly around the neck, jaw and cheeks. The treatment uses special, nearly invisible threads which are inserted under the skin through tiny incisions. Once inserted, the threads attach themselves to the skin tissue and hold it up. A thread facelift can be completed in just one to two hours and can be used either as a stand-alone treatment or in addition to conventional surgery.

What are the risks, recovery and downtime for non surgical facelift procedures?
Pain management is hardly an issue, as some of the non surgical facelift  procedures require the use of local anesthetic and  or over-the-counter pain killers, while some use nothing at all. All non surgical facelift  procedures usually incorporate some sort of means of cooling the skin during the treatment.

For most patients, there is no downtime, although a few people may have excessive swelling or redness, or even temporary skin blanching (whiteness) immediately following a treatment. More serious risks include bumps, blistering, permanent pigmentation changes, or skin depressions, although these are rare. Extremely rare incidents of scarring or infection have been reported.

What is the cost of getting a non surgical facelift ?
The cost  of getting a non surgical facelift usually varies depending mostly on the size of the area being treated and the type of procedure being used.

What to expect from non surgical facelift procedures?
It important to remain realistic about what these non surgical facelift procedures can truly accomplish. They do make your skin look better. They typically freshen and tighten your skin, giving you a more youthful yet natural appearance. Many non surgical facelift methods, when they are used regularly, can improve the appearance of the skin. Some methods will work better than others.

However, although non surgical facelift procedures are effective, these treatments simply do not have the same effect as a surgical facelift.A surgical facelift is by far the most effective treatment option for eliminating the drooping and wrinkling of aging skin.

It is also important to remember is that results vary from patient to patient due to differences in skin thickness and texture, healing response, and lifestyle variables. The non surgical facelift procedures are probably best looked at as a way for younger patients to stave off more invasive procedures, or for those patients for whom surgery is not an option.

Who is a good candidate for a Non surgical facelift?:
Non surgical facelift procedures seem to work best in patients who have thin faces, who don’t quite yet need a surgical facelift and want to put it off for a few years. In some cases, these procedures may have little or no discernible effect on those who actually may need a surgical facelift due to having very loose skin and, or those with a lot of excess facial fat. Although many patients do experience dramatic differences, there is no guarantee of a noticeable improvement.

How does one ensure best results in a Non surgical facelift?
Operator technique is of paramount importance to obtaining a good result with non surgical facelift procedures, so one should definitely do one’s research regarding the experience and training of the person who will be performing the procedure and one should ideally get and check references before making a decision.