There are many methods touted to perform nonsurgical facelifting but there are a few facts we have to clarify:
Firstly, surgical facelift (cutting surgery) usually entails cutting away excessive sagging skin & subsequently pulling up remaining skin in a gravity-defying move. This is a necessary procedure for those with excessive skin, however, this doesn't improve the quality (defined by amount of collagen & elastin, firmness) texture or volume of face.
Secondly, thread or ribbon lifts also give gravity-defying instant lifting effects but it also doesn't improve firmness, texture, hydration or volume of face. Pros: no scars. Cons: it usually doesn't last as long as claimed. Poorly done jobs may only last 2-3 months. Done well, perhaps 1.5 years at best.
So, what's on offer the non-surgical way?
Pro: no scars, improves firmness, texture, hydration & volume & skin tone/complexion.
Cons: not as good "lifting" compared to surgical methods. In fact, it's more a skin tightening effect, can't say lifting as it does not give gravity-defying effects.
I've divided it into 3 groups to make treatment selection easier.
1) Needle-phobic, no downtime (but also least effective wrt tightening, no effect on complexion)
- Cynosure Elite laser RM3000 for 6 sessions
- Radiofrequency RM3000 for 10 sessions
2) Needle-phobic, don't mind 1 week downtime each laser session
- fractional CO2 laser RM4000 for 5 sessions
NB: advantage of frac CO2 - also improves skin complexion (you get fairer & rids pigmentation)
3) Don't mind needles, minimal 1 day downtime
- Liquid facelift with combination Botox & Restylane filler (please see July writeup on liquid facelift) RM3500
- Needleabrasion + PRP (adv: injecting with your own plasma, nothing foreign. cons: does not treat dynamic wrinkles like Botox, so actually this is good complement to Botox). RM2000. If you add on Botox cost, total cost is approx RM2800.
Approx cost to give 1 year effect is given above.
