Do not let wrinkles, lines, or sagging skin affect your daily life, appearance, and self-esteem. Genetics and lifestyles combined with aging can make you feel more conscious about your appearance. Schedule an appointment at Millennial Plastic Surgery to meet Dr. David Shokrian for the best advice on tightening your sagging skin with the least invasive, advanced treatments. Skin tightening treatments aim to boost collagen production that tightens your skin and makes you look, and feel younger.
What Does Skin Sag?
Collagen and elastin are natural proteins that help your skin retain its youthful appearance. They support the skin, hold it in its structure and allow it to stretch and snap back into place. But, due to age and several other factors, collagen production slows down. As the collagen breaks down in the skin and is not replenished by the body as readily, the skin begins to lose its natural elasticity and sags.
Other causes of early wrinkles and sagging skin include:
- Significant and sudden weight loss
- Pregnancy
- Illness
- Rare disorders like Ehlers-Danlos syndrome
- Smoking
- Frequent exposure to ultraviolet A (UVA)/ultraviolet B (UVB) rays
- Too much intake of processed foods
Wrinkles and sagging skin, especially on the face, can be frustrating and affect your overall looks and self-esteem as well. Luckily, there are multiple ways to minimize and lose it. Read on to find some of the best ways to tighten facial skin.
6 Ways to Tighten Sagging Skin on the Face
There are plenty of ways to tighten sagging or loose skin at home with remedies, including firming skin care products, as well as exercises. If home remedies do not work, surgical and non-surgical procedures can also tighten skin and help you achieve that fresh, youthful look again.
Topical Creams and Lotions
The market is full of topical creams and lotions that claim to firm and tighten the skin, but you should not try everything without knowing how it works. Most of these products only work for very mild cases of sagging. Also, you may have to use these products for extended periods before seeing any results.
Antioxidants and cell regulators are the two main types of anti-aging products that slow the signs of aging and show effective results. Antioxidants are rich in vitamins C, B, and E. They make skin stronger against oxidative stress, and prevent wrinkles rather than reverse sagging skin. Antioxidant ingredients can decrease redness and inflammation, which makes the skin look healthier.
Cell regulators are creams and lotions that contain peptides, retinols, or growth factor ingredients. These ingredients stimulate collagen production in your skin, which improves elasticity and maintains healthy skin. Retinol or tretinoin, forms of vitamin A, are the most frequently used ingredient in anti-aging creams that can firm or tighten the skin on the face and neck.
Facial Exercises and Yoga
Studies indicate that facial muscle exercises can help to tighten skin and reduce the appearance of sagging skin. Your doctor may recommend specific facial muscle exercises to improve loose skin on your face. You must perform these exercises several times a day for several weeks to see the results.
The practice of yoga has been recommended to achieve skin that looks younger and a body that feels healthier. Yoga itself increases the oxygen levels in the skin, which helps you look and feel young and healthy.
Facial massage also stimulates cell growth and increases blood flow. It can prevent fine lines and wrinkles. Massaging your face for a few minutes each day should work.
Surgical Face-lifts
A surgical face-lift is the most effective option for people who have severely sagging skin, have tried all home remedies without success, and want long-term skin tightening results. A facelift is a surgical procedure during which the plastic surgeon removes excess and sagging skin, pulling back your face so that the skin appears taut and smooth. It also helps to eliminate wrinkles and deep lines and treats loose skin successfully, improving visible signs of aging.
A surgical facelift is an invasive treatment and requires anesthesia which means you may have to stay in the hospital and carries a risk of infection or other complications. It can cost between $7,000 and $11,000, depending on the procedure and the amount of fat you want to be removed.
Facelifts can be complex and cause a long incision that starts at the brow line and extends down the length of the face, usually within your hairline. Mini facelifts make a shorter incision and require less recovery time. Your doctor will recommend the best surgery, based on your medical history, skin type, and the extent of sagginess you have.
Heat Treatment
Surgery does not work for everyone as it comes with many risks, and to avoid the risks and complications, many people choose non-invasive procedures. Laser or other heat treatments are an effective option as they stimulate collagen growth, an essential protein responsible for healthy joints and skin elasticity, or stretchiness. Non-invasive skin tightening procedures include the Microfocused Ultrasound (MFU) procedure. It uses ultrasound waves to treat damaged skin tissue. Focused ultrasound energy is transmitted through the skin’s surface to heat deeper layers that stimulate collagen production. It mostly works if your skin has been severely damaged by sun exposure, but you can begin to see results in a few months that continue to improve with time.
Injections
Skin tightening injections work best when the skin is wrinkled and sagging, and you don’t want to go for surgery. They are a non-invasive option that includes dermal fillers and injections that plump the skin, make it taut, remove wrinkles, and improve collagen production.
Botox is the most popular solution for minor and moderate sagging, but other options, such as Restylane and Radiesse, can help with minor wrinkles and sagging. Botox essentially causes certain muscles in your face not to move, which makes the skin appear smoother and less wrinkled. It is important to note that these injections are not a permanent solution, as they only last three months to a year, depending on which injection you receive and how your skin responds to it.
Radiofrequency Treatments
Radiofrequency therapy, also called radiofrequency skin tightening is another non-surgical method for tightening loose or sagging skin. The procedure uses energy waves to heat the deeper layer of your skin, known as your dermis, to stimulate collagen production to make it firmer. A thin tube or needles are inserted into the skin to heat the tissue beneath. This allows the surgeon to provide heat exactly at the post where it needs to lighten loose skin. Radiofrequency therapy is at least as or more effective than cosmetic firming creams.
Thermage treatments are an excellent option to tighten loose skin and smooth lines, wrinkles, and creases on the face. Thermage works by using radiofrequency energy to induce collagen production that pulls the skin tighter. It is best used in cases of mild to moderate sagging and wrinkles.
Another radiofrequency option is the ThermaDot procedure which combines Thermage and SmartXide Dot, a laser treatment. This procedure is also minimally invasive and penetrates deep into the tissue to promote collagen production and tighten the skin. It is best for moderate to severe cases and delivers quick results that improve over time.
Seeing an experienced and best board-certified plastic surgeon is the safest way to learn about skin tightening procedures and what they can do for you. With so many skin tightening products and treatment options easily available, you must consult an expert to determine what would suit you more considering the extent of sagging you are experiencing.
Explore Our Popular Procedures
Visit Millennial Plastic Surgery to find out the best options for advanced skin tightening treatments. Dr. David Shokrian discusses the benefits of surgical as well as non-surgical methods to get rid of the unwanted wrinkles and lines on your face that make you look older than you are. He recommends the most effective treatment options to regain your skin’s youthful and plump appearance.
We can’t wait to meet you! We offer comprehensive consultations with Dr. Shokrian, and his team both virtually and in person.
212-421-7123