Need a refresh but too nervous to go under the knife? Hundreds of patients are foregoing traditional face lifts in favor of “liquid lifts,” a combination of fillers and injectables like Botox, to get a more youthful appearance.
The appeal of a liquid lift is that it’s non-surgical. It takes about 30 minutes and has no downtime, unlike traditional face lifts, where you won’t want to leave the house for at least two weeks thanks to bruising and swelling.
With a liquid lift you just go right back to your life, although some fillers can take a couple of days to settle into their optimum position but “you’ll just keep looking better.”
According to the Johns Hopkins Center for Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery, our skin loses collagen and elastin as we age, leading to wrinkles and saggy skin. It’s particularly a problem for women, who lose skin volume as we lose estrogen in our golden years.
Fillers can restore fullness to areas such as the cheeks, temples, under-eye area and jowl-causing creases next to the mouth.
Olivia says a liquid lift has a one-two punch: fillers make the patient look more relaxed and refreshed, and Botox paralyzes the muscles that create wrinkles, keeping you looking fresh-faced longer.
Most practitioners will typically suggest a filler like Juvederm or Sculptra to increase skin’s volume, as well as Botox to prevent wrinkles from getting worse.
One con of liquid lifts — they’re temporary, lasting about a year. However many patients actually consider this a selling point since they won’t be stuck with any results they don’t love.
When is it time for a liquid lift? If you look in the mirror and realize your forehead looks angular, your cheeks aren’t as full as they used to be, and you have a plethora of smile lines or crow’s feet, it might be time. Our research shows the average liquid lift patient age ranges from the mid-40s to early 60s.
Some patients opt to add an injectable called Kybella which permanently dissolves neck fat. Others add on profound skin tightening, a micro-needling procedure for the face and neck.
And although liquid lifts are less expensive than surgery (Pricing for a liquid lift starts at $1,000 and can vary depending on your desired look), you’ll still need to keep up with your fillers and injections every year or so.
The bottom line: if you want to look younger but aren’t ready for surgery just yet, a liquid lift may be the way to go.
