Can Nonsurgical Cosmetic Treatments Really “Lift?”

Many people’s main purpose in seeking out cosmetic medical procedures  is to achieve lifting- they notice one or other of their facial features is sagging or dropping, whether it’s eyelids, brows, the corners of their mouth or their jaw. But can we really achieve lifting without the knife? The short answer is yes, but with some qualifiers.

5 Lifting Procedures That Don’t Require Surgery

1. 1. Nonsurgical Brow Lift

When we weaken muscles that pull our brow down by using dynamic wrinkle injectables like BOTOX® Cosmetic or XEOMIN®, we allow patients’ own up-pulling muscles to do the work, and elevate the brow. This is a subtle effect, but nonetheless pleasing. Further brow lifting can sometimes be achieved by injecting a small amount of dermal filler at the under side of the tail of the brow. Finally, Ultherapy®, a noninvasive ultrasound treatment, can also cause tightening of forehead skin and lifting of the brow.

1. 2. Eyelid Lift

When small amounts of dynamic wrinkle injections like BOTOX or XEOMIN are injected on the eyelid this can sometimes lift it slightly, making for a wider-eyed look.

1. 3. Lifting the Corners of the Mouth

By injecting small amounts of BOTOX or XEOMIN to weaken the depressor Angulus Ori, a muscle that tends to progressively pull the mouth down at the corners, one can cause the mouth to turn up. Treating marionette lines with dermal filler can augment this effect.

1. 4. Lifting a Sagging Jaw

Dermal filling products can improve the jaw. Now that we have very thick, stiff dermal fillers like JUVÉDERM® Volux, we can re-shape both the chin and jaw area to give a more prominent chin and straighter jawline. This can give the illusion of lifting a sagging jaw, and when dermal filler is also placed high in the cheek and back near the ear, it can also lift the skin along the jaw slightly as well.

Ultherapy is again useful in this regard. Targeting the deep connective tissue of the face with focused ultrasound stimulates a healing reaction, with collagen deposition, and some tightening of facial skin, which can achieve subtle lifting in the jaw area.

1. 5. Lifting a Double Chin and Saggy Neck

One of the most difficult areas to improve without surgery is the a double chin, jowls, and sagging neck. While these problems are often best addressed with lower facelift and neck lift surgery together with liposuction, there are nonsurgical options that can make some modest improvements. 

A tiny amount of BOTOX or other dynamic wrinkle injectable along the jaw can sometimes appear to shrink the jowl, because it shrinks a salivary gland that sits in this location. Double chin and jowl fat can also be injected with a fat-busting product, BELKYRA™, that dissolves the fat over several treatments. This too can give the illusion of lifting, but the best candidates are those people who have reasonably taught skin, as BELKYRA will shrink fat, but will not really tighten overlying lax skin to a great degree. When the skin itself is quite loose, Ultherapy once again can come to the rescue, and offer some modest skin tightening in the chin, jowl and neck area.

Next Steps

If you are interested in nonsurgical “lifting,” come in for a consultation. Contact us at (905) 273-3045 or request a consultation online to book your appointment.