Without a doubt, the emergence of nonsurgical, anti-aging procedures is one of the most significant developments in the aesthetic field in the past 20 years. A patient who may have opted for a facelift at our Austin practice a couple of decades ago now can erase years from her or his appearance with laser skin treatments and injectables such as BOTOX® Cosmetic and fillers.
These medical spa treatments can address a range of aesthetic concerns and produce excellent results that look natural, which is really the bottom line when deciding on the best treatment plan for patients. There comes a time, though, when med spa treatments can no longer create the desired results.
We can tailor long-range plans for our patients that incorporate both nonsurgical and surgical procedures to produce lasting results that meet their aesthetic goals. Here are some of the factors we consider when recommending either med spa treatments or facial plastic surgery:
What are the patient’s concerns? If your goal is to restore lost facial volume, minimize wrinkles, or give your skin a refreshed appearance, medical spa treatments can be excellent choices. At Synergy MedSpa, we provide a range of procedures that can be combined to create comprehensive facial rejuvenation. In addition to injectables and laser skin resurfacing, we offer chemical peels and skincare products to use at home.
What is the skin’s condition? Signs of facial aging show up in different ways. Wrinkles, fine lines, and lost volume typically occur first and, as we’ve mentioned, can often be corrected with nonsurgical procedures. When the skin begins losing its elasticity and starts sagging, it’s time to consider a facelift or other type of facial plastic surgery. In the past, patients were hesitant to get facelifts because they worried about looking like they had “work” done. Modern facelift techniques, however, produce results that look natural because surgeons don’t simply pull the skin tight, as was done years ago. Instead, we reposition the underlying muscle and tissue, and re-drape the skin so that patients look like younger versions of themselves, but not different.
What is the patient’s goal when it comes to lasting results? Most patients understand that nonsurgical treatments produce results that won’t last nearly as long as those created by facial plastic surgery. For most people, that’s an acceptable trade-off because they aren’t ready for a facelift or other plastic surgery. But it is something we ask patients about, to ensure they understand that maintaining their results likely will require follow-up treatments, especially with injectables.
Of course, the choice isn’t necessarily an either/or decision. A facelift addresses the lower two-thirds of the face, so we’ll often recommend injectables to smooth forehead wrinkles and fine lines around the eyes. This combined approach can be extremely satisfying for patients.
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