Life takes a toll on the body. The most obvious signs of the time you’ve spent on this earth are skin laxity, loss of skin volume, and wrinkles. But you don’t need to let aging and gravity get you down. At Finesse Cosmetic Surgery we are proud to provide our patients with an exhaustive array of skin-tightening treatments.
Whether or not you are new to cosmetic treatments, the amount of treatments designed to tighten skin can be daunting. Our goal is to provide you with the most comprehensive care possible, and that starts with providing you with the best information to help you make a fully informed decision. Learn everything you need to know about treatments for tightening skin before contacting our office for your initial consultation.
What Is a Skin Tightening Treatment?
A skin tightening treatment is an umbrella term for any treatment that works to correct lax skin on the face or body. Several different techniques can tighten skin, both surgical and non-surgical. The choice between surgical and non-surgical techniques is determined by patient preferences, patient health, and the desired outcome of the treatment.
Surgical
Surgical techniques to tighten skin are usually reserved for patients with greater deposits of excess fat and loose skin. Surgical techniques typically involve incisions, general anesthesia, and longer recovery times. On the other hand, surgical techniques also tend to last longer or can even be permanent.
Non-Surgical
Non-surgical techniques can be either minimally invasive or non-invasive. It is common for non-surgical techniques to use injections, radiofrequency, ultrasound waves, or a combination of those methods to tighten skin. Many non-surgical techniques can last for a few years at a time.
The screening at your initial appointment will determine if you are a better candidate for surgical or non-surgical techniques. Surgical techniques for tightening skin have more restrictions than non-surgical techniques, including health conditions, medications you may be taking, and general lifestyle habits. Our goal is to help you select the treatment that is best suited to your needs.
Skin Tightening Treatments at Finesse Cosmetic Surgery
At our clinic, we offer a wide variety of treatments that tighten skin. For both face and body, there are multiple surgical and non-surgical treatment methods that you may choose from. A consultation at our clinic will help you determine which techniques are best for you and your specific needs. We will gladly help you create a personalized treatment plan so that you can look the way you want and love the way you look.
Skin Tightening Treatments for the Face
Our clinic specializes in several types of treatments for tightening skin on the face and neck. These treatments include:
Facelift
A facelift is a type of surgery that reduces the appearance of wrinkles and tightens sagging skin in the mid-face area. Facelifts improve your overall appearance by restoring your skin to a more youthful-looking state. Facelifts are considered an anti-aging treatment that can last several years at a time.
Brow Lift
A brow lift is a surgical technique that lifts the skin in the forehead and brow area, specifically skin that sags over the eyes. Loose skin over the eyes can impede vision as well as add several years to your appearance. Brow lifts are an anti-aging treatment that helps correct the loose skin around the eyes and reduce the appearance of wrinkles on the forehead and crow feet around the eyes.
Affirm
Cynosure Affirm Anti-Aging is a revolutionary laser treatment that uses different heat levels to help restore a youthful appearance. Affirm is used to reduce wrinkles, soften acne scars, reduce enlarged pores, improve skin texture, correct sun damage, and tighten skin. As a newer treatment with growing popularity, Affirm is an all-in-one technique that addresses multiple skin concerns at one time.
Neck Lift
A neck lift is a surgical solution to lifting the excess skin in the neck and chin areas. Liposuction for submental fat, which is responsible for the dreaded double chin, is often combined with a neck lift. A neck lift addresses the skin laxity that affects many people during aging or after weight loss.
Ultherapy
Ultherapy is an innovative non-surgical, non-invasive treatment to tighten skin on the mid-to-lower face and neck regions. Ultherapy uses ultrasound waves and heat to increase collagen production, which in turn restores skin volume to reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and skin laxity. Ultherapy uses the body’s regenerative abilities to restore a youthful appearance.
Skin Tightening Treatments for the Body
Our clinic offers different types of treatments for tightening the skin on the body, particularly in the abdominal region. These treatments include:
Tummy Tuck
A tummy tuck is a common surgical procedure used to tighten the skin and muscles in the abdomen. Loose skin in the abdominal region can be caused by weight loss, age, and childbirth. Tummy tucks are personalized to your exact needs and have relatively quick recovery times. Some tummy tucks are combined with liposuction to remove excess fat.
Breast Lift
A breast lift is a surgical solution to skin laxity found in the breasts, which is common in aging, after weight loss, and after breastfeeding. Breast lifts trim away the excess skin from loss of volume and lift the breasts into a higher position. Breast lifts tighten the appearance of breast tissue and skin to produce a more youthful, perky appearance. Breast lifts can last for years and even decades.
Smartlipo
Smartlipo is a laser-assisted liposuction technique that is designed for body contouring. Smartlipo is typically used by patients who want to melt unwanted fat and tighten the skin in their abdominal region. Smartlipo can also be used to remove fat and produce tighter skin in the thighs and buttocks. Smartlipo is commonly used for both men and women.
VelaShape III
VelaShape III is a non-surgical body contouring technique that reduces cellulite, removes small fat deposits, and tightens skin. VelaShape can be used on multiple regions of the body, such as the abdomen, hips, thighs, and buttocks. VelaShape has a quick recovery time and can last for a long time.
How Many Skin Tightening Treatments Do People Typically Have?
There is no hard and fast rule for how many skin tightening treatments patients can have because it varies from patient to patient. There is no standard formula for how many techniques every patient uses. The number of treatments used by patients is determined by the type of treatments they are using.
Combining Treatments
Some patients combine tightening techniques for the face and body. For example, while you may want a tummy tuck for your abdomen, you may want to avoid surgical treatments for your face and use a different technique to tighten the skin there.
Additionally, the techniques used for the face and body often use specialized devices that can only be used on certain areas, and that means you will be using multiple techniques if you want to tighten the skin in multiple areas.
Frequency of Treatments
The frequency of skin tightening treatments depends on two factors: the type of treatment being used and how well you respond to the treatment. As a general rule of thumb, invasive treatments last for several years at a time, while non-invasive treatments need maintenance one to three times a year.
It is typical for patients to return to the clinic for follow-up appointments to continue to see the desired results. Our compassionate, expert staff will help you determine the different types of techniques that are best for you as well as the frequency required to achieve your ideal appearance.
What to Expect
Many patients who are new to cosmetic treatments are comforted to know what will happen when they come to our clinic for a visit. Regardless of what treatment you plan to have, the process from start to finish is always the same. We have put together a general outline of what you can expect when you visit Finesse Cosmetic Surgery, from your initial consultation to recovery and every step along the way.
Initial Appointment
Your first appointment is a free consultation. At your consultation, our expert staff will answer any questions you have about the cosmetic treatments we offer at our clinic. We will ask you to identify your targeted problem areas and walk you through the treatment options we have available to address your concerns. Our goal is to help you find the treatment that works best for your needs and your lifestyle.
If you are prepared to set an appointment for a particular treatment, your consultation may include a gathering of information to put into your patient file. We may ask you for your general medical history, any surgeries you have had in the past, your current medical issues, and medications you are currently taking. For certain treatments, we may also ask about drug allergies or plans that may impact treatment, such as intentions to have children.
Treatment
Your treatment sessions will be determined by your treatment plans. For any non-surgical treatment you have, you can expect to spend between 30 to 90 minutes at your appointment. Surgical treatments usually last between 3 and 8 hours, depending on how much work needs to be completed.
Pre-Treatment Guidelines
Before your treatment, we may provide you with a list of pre-treatment guidelines. These guidelines are created for your health and safety to prepare you for your treatment. Some common guidelines include avoiding certain foods, avoiding alcohol, and temporarily avoiding certain over-the-counter medications or supplements unless otherwise specified by a doctor. You may also be asked to avoid using certain products that may interact with the products used for your treatment.
Depending on the treatment you plan to have, you may be asked to arrange for transportation. We will let you know the specifics at your appointment.
Post-Treatment Guidelines
After your treatment, you will be given a list of post-treatment guidelines that need to be followed so you can have a good recovery from your treatment. Common post-treatment guidelines include instructions for washing treatment sites, advice on how to manage discomfort, and a list of products to avoid, such as certain foods, supplements, and medications.
Recovery and Results
Your expected recovery depends on the type of treatment you select. Non-surgical recovery generally has little to no downtime with a quick return to normal daily activities. Most patients recover from non-surgical treatments within 3 to 7 days following the treatment.
Most patients are recovered from surgical treatments within 2 to 4 weeks following the treatment. Results are usually immediately noticeable after swelling from the treatment has reduced.
Ideal Candidates
Ideal candidates for treatments to tighten skin include both men and women who have noticed a greater skin laxity on their face or body. Candidates who are interested in treatments to tighten skin include those who want to reduce the appearance of:
- Sagging or loose skin
- Wrinkles and fine lines
- Cellulite
- Acute skin volume loss
