Surgical Vs. Non-Surgical Facelifts

The decision to get a facelift can be a daunting one. There are many reasons for and against both surgical and non-surgical facelifts, and trying to choose which one is right for you and your lifestyle can feel overwhelming.

There’s truly no need to worry. At Luxe Skin, we want to make sure that you feel happy, comfortable, and confident in your skin, no matter what decision you make. If you’re still on the fence about which one to go with, here is some information that may help your decision:

What is a Surgical Facelift?

A surgical face lift, also known as a rhytidectomy, is an invasive surgical procedure to lift and tighten the skin of the face, neck, and chin. A surgical face lift uses small cuts in the face to shift fat, tighten skin, or adjust facial muscles. Facelifts focus on a wide range of skin issues like sagging cheeks, drooping jowls, and excess skin on the face and neck.

A surgical face lift is an invasive procedure that requires the use of general anaesthesia and an overnight hospital stay. It’s a dramatic and semi-permanent procedure that will give you long-lasting results but not without major trauma to the skin.

On average, a surgical face lift will give you results lasting about five to six years and will cost anywhere between £10000, £12000.

What is a Non-Surgical Facelift?

A non-surgical face lift seeks to achieve the same results as a surgical face lift but without intense trauma to the skin. This can be done through many different means including dermal fillers, radiofrequency assisted liposuction and skin tightening (through means like FaceTite and NeckTite), PDO Thread Lift, and Spring Thread Face Lift.

These different types of non-surgical face lifts give you the appearance of having had a face lift procedure done, albeit without the general anaesthetic and hospital stay. Because of the less-invasive nature of a non-surgical face lift as well, there is a shorter recovery time, less bruising and swelling, and less risk of complications.

Luxe Skin uses several different means to achieve the non-surgical face lift. We use FaceTite and NeckTite, which are radiofrequency-assisted liposuction and skin tightening methods, PDO Thread Lift, which uses threads underneath the skin, as well as Spring Thread, which anchors to the skin and helps lift it.

In Glasgow, the average cost for a non-surgical face lift can be anywhere from £3450, £5950, which is significantly less than the surgical face lift.

Pros of a Non-Surgical Facelift

There are several reasons why you may choose to have a non-surgical face lift as opposed to a surgical one. Some of these reasons are:

Cost Effective

When you’re planning to get a face lift, a non-surgical face lift can save you money. Surgical face lifts can cost you upwards of £10000, which is a significant amount of money. Non-surgical face lifts, however, start about £3450, which is much more cost effective. You don’t have to break the bank to achieve the same effect!

Short Procedure and Recovery Time

Compared to a surgical face lift, a non-surgical face lift is going to save you so much time in both procedure time and recovery time. Instead of undergoing general anaesthesia and an overnight hospital stay, non-surgical face lifts allow you to use a local anaesthetic and complete the process in your dermatologist’s office within a few hours.

Additionally, your recovery time will be much shorter than with a surgical procedure. Your time “out of commission” so to speak will be severely reduced from a traditional face lift. In fact, you’ll be able to return to work in no time!

Long-Lasting Results

Results from a non surgical facelift especially involving Facetite and Spring Threads last around 5 years which is similar to that of a surgical facelift

Tightens Loose Skin

Facetite uses radio frequency to contract skin leading to shorter collagen band formation and therefore tightening skin as well as lifting it.

Fewer Risks

There are always going to be more risks when you’re doing a fully invasive cosmetic procedure as opposed to a non-surgical one. With a traditional facelift, you’re more likely to catch an infection, suffer from complications due to the anaesthesia, and more. With a non-surgical face lift, you will not need to worry about these additional risks when you go into your dermatologist’s office, ready for your procedure!

Cons of a Non-Surgical Facelift

Just as there are pros for this type of procedure, there are also cons. Some of these cons are:

Effects Aren’t as Long-Lasting if using PDO Threads

One downside to certain non-surgical procedures is that they sometimes aren’t as long-lasting as surgical procedures. For example, the PDO Thread Face Lift treatment available here at Luxe Skin typically lasts for about twelve to fifteen months. However if you choose the Spring Thread one-stitch facelift, you will get about three to five years.

Pros of a Surgical Facelift

If you’re considering a full surgical face lift, then there are plenty of pros to doing so. Some of these pros are:

Repairs Loose Skin

When you go in for your face lift procedure, your doctor will be able to tighten any loose skin after the procedure while you are still under the general anaesthetic.

Long-Lasting Results

While there is a longer recovery time from this more invasive procedure, the results do last longer. Having a full surgical procedure can produce results that will last five years or more. Having said that certain non-surgical facelifts especially using Facetite and Spring Thread also last for around 5 years.

Cons of a Surgical Facelift

There are also many cons to having a surgical face lift. Some of these cons are:

Recovery Time

The recovery time for a surgical face lift is going to be significantly longer than that of a non-surgical procedure. Your recovery time for this kind of face lift is going to be about six to eight weeks to a full recovery, while a non-surgical face lift option is only about a one to two week recovery period. You will likely have to take significant time off of work and out of your everyday routine to accommodate this procedure.

Risk of Surgery

Like any type of surgery, a surgical face lift is going to come with potential complications. There can be complications with general anaesthesia, infection, nerve injury, and scarring. While these complications have a 1 in 100,000 chance of occurring, the chance is still there, and it is a calculated risk to undergo this procedure.

What Luxe Skin Can Offer You

Here at Luxe Skin, we are happy to be able to offer you three different options for non-surgical face lifts. Those three options are the FaceTite/NeckTite combination option, the PDO Thread Face Lift, and then the Spring Thread Face Lift, also known as the one stitch face lift.

The FaceTite/NeckTite option features a radiofrequency liposuction treatment in combination with a few permanent threads being inserted under the skin. The liposuction treatment removes any excess fat from the area you wish to lift, and the threats lift and tighten the skin once the fat has been removed. This option, when combined together, is comparable to the longevity of a full surgical face lift: five years.

We also offer the PDO Thread Face Lift option. PDO Thread treatments use dissolvable threads under the skin to lift and tighten the skin around your face and neck. This treatment typically lasts for about twelve to fifteen months.

Finally, Luxe Skin offers the Spring Thread Face Lift, also known as the one stitch facelift. This is a permanent thread that is anchored under the skin to lift and tighten the skin. This non-surgical face lift method lasts for three years, making it a good choice for those who want a more permanent face lift solution without the process of a full surgical facelift.

If you’re interested in a non-surgical face lift procedure with Luxe Skin, contact us today to schedule a consultation appointment!