Skin Tightening 101

Many people seek surgical procedures for skin tightening and to have a more youthful appearance. More than 123,000 people received a facelift in 2019, making it the fifth most popular cosmetic surgical procedure.

Other than facelifts, there are many non-invasive skin tightening procedures available to address skin tightening. Shave years off your age by improving the quality of your skin without having to go through a surgical procedure.

To find out information on non-surgical skin tightening procedures and how they can benefit you, read on for more information.

What to Look for in a Plastic Surgeon

Before you figure out what type of procedure you want, finding a plastic surgeon that is qualified and you trust is essential. There are a few things to keep in mind when researching plastic surgeons:

Find a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

Don’t depend only on state medical boards to find a qualified plastic surgeon. The government doesn’t require that a plastic surgeon receive training in the procedures their practice offers. Find a plastic surgeon that has been certified by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery.

Look Into Their Background 

Each aspect of cosmetic surgery requires a different set of skills. Find a plastic surgeon that has experience in the area you want to have your procedure. Ask them where they received their training and how many times they’ve performed that type of procedure.

Ask to See Reference Photos 

In order to see if a plastic surgeon’s aesthetic matches what you’re looking for, ask them for before and after photos. Look for patients that have similar physical qualities to yours and if their results match what you want. See if their results are consistent through all the examples you look at.

Types of Skin Tightening Procedures

There are a variety of non-surgical procedures that can tighten your skin, giving it a fresher and more youthful quality. Each of them has its own benefits, depending upon what you’re looking for and your comfort level. Our staff will work with you to figure out what is best for the results you want to achieve.

Ultherapy®

Ultherapy is a single treatment procedure that lifts your skin without surgery. It’s the only procedure that’s cleared by the FDA to lift the brow and neck without surgery. Ultherapy is the closest thing a patient can get to a face or neck lift.

It utilizes safe, time-tested ultrasound energy to tighten and lift the skin naturally. It’s also effective for treating wrinkles on the decolletage and chest.

You should look into Ultherapy if you want to lift the skin under the chin, on your neck, and around your eyebrows. Our trained staff will evaluate you before any procedure to see if Ultherapy is a good fit.

Ultherapy works by stimulating collagen production. It focuses ultrasound energy on the dermis of the skin and on the foundation layer that lies underneath. The ultrasound energy will trigger a natural response under the skin, kickstarting the regenerative processes of the skin.

This process will produce new and fresh collagen, resulting in the tightening and lifting of the tissue. There is no cutting involved with Ultherapy, making it safe for all skin types. It is the only procedure that uses ultrasound imaging.

One major benefit is there is no downtime after Ultherapy. With no post-treatment requirements or restrictions, you can return to your day-to-day activities immediately after. Your skin may appear flushed afterward but should disappear within a couple of hours.

You could see results immediately with Ultherapy with continued improvement happening in the days after the procedure.

Microneedling

A minimally invasive option is microneedling. It rejuvenates your skin, stimulating collagen production and promoting healing. There is less downtime with microneedling in comparison to other laser treatments.

Microneedling also creates small channels in the skin that deliver 80% more nutrients to underlying cells. For additional moisturization and growth factors, hyaluronic acid can be applied. Microneedling tightens the skin, improves scars, and smoothes wrinkles and fine lines.

If you have any of the following issues, you may want to consider microneedling:

• Wrinkles
• Stretch marks
• Fine lines
• Loose skin
• Scars
• Large pores
• Skin texture and tone issues
• Hyperpigmentation
• Sunspots

Microneedling utilizes very fine needles to add a series of punctures to your skin. Depending upon the results you want, the needles can be added at varying depths. The punctures help stimulate collagen production, allowing nutrients to flow into the skin.

Topical anesthesia is required for microneedling. The procedures are done in a series set four to six weeks apart.

There is no downtime for microneedling but you may experience some redness for up to 24 hours. You’ll see results immediately after the first treatment, with more long-lasting effects after you’ve done multiple treatments. You will continue to see improvements for six to 12 months.

 SculpSure®

SculpSure will remove up to 24% of your body’s fat in one treatment. It targets the problem areas of your body, reducing fat and tightening the skin. It is a non-surgical body-shaping procedure with no downtime or recovery needed.

If you struggle to get rid of stubborn fat even with diet and exercise, SculpSure is a great option. Over the course of 25 minutes, it can eliminate fat cells and contour your body, all without going under the knife.

The technology targets laser energy at your fat cells, heating them up and damaging the structural integrity. Over the next 12 weeks, the fat cells that have been damaged are then processed and eliminated naturally through your body’s lymphatic system. The targeted fat cells will not regenerate and are permanently removed.

SculpSure is FDA approved and can be performed on the love handles, belly, thighs, back, and under the chin. This type of treatment isn’t for those who are obese. This for people who diet and exercise, but struggle to get rid of fat in certain areas.

During your treatment, you will be comfortable seating while one of our staff members puts up to four pads on the targeted areas. You’ll feel a cooling sensation during the entire treatment, but some people feel warmth or tingling intermittently through the procedure.

The side effects of SculpSure are mild, with tenderness being the most commonly reported. There is no downtime after and can be completely customized to your treatment needs. You should notice results as soon as six weeks with optimal results happening at 12 weeks.

SkinWave Hydra Facial

The benefits of a SkinWave hydra facial are endless. It will exfoliate, cleanse your skin, control acne and oil, brighten and tighten, and hydrate. It uses the facial technology from hydrogen therapy to help increase the moisture in your skin, approving aging and skin dryness.

SkinWave only takes 20 minutes and is perfect for adult women and men of all skin types. It begins with a Hydrogen-enriched water infusion that provides moisturization and antioxidant benefits, reducing inflammation.

The electrical pulse hand-held device will temporarily open your pores to help the solution absorb into your skin. It uses blue and red LED tights for targeted treatments. It also provides muscle relaxation and activates lymphatic circulation, which results in skin tightening and lifting.

There is no downtime after a SkinWave facial. It can be customized depending upon what your intended results are. One of our staff members will discuss the procedure with you, figuring out the best solutions for you to achieve your goals.

Vivace Radio Frequency Microneedle

Vivace Radio Frequency Microneedle is one of the latest procedures available in skincare technology. It works to contour a patient’s neck, face, body, and hands. It stimulates elastin and collagen, reducing swelling, redness, and discomfort.

With the Vivace procedure, 36 small and insulated needles are inserted into the skin. This process is painless. It stimulates collagen, resulting in tighter skin.

There are 31 adjustments available with Vivace, increasing in small amounts to adjust to the patient’s skin. It is a great option for all skin types since it is easily able to adjust to each patient’s needs. Speaking with one of our staff members will help you decide if Vivace is right for you.

After the procedure, the microchannels in your skin stay open for at least six hours. This enables our serums to fully penetrate the skin. There may be some minimal swelling and redness after, and you can expect to return to your normal day-to-day activities the following day.

Botox®

If you want to tighten the skin on your forehead and brow, look into Botox. It helps to relax the muscles on your face, smoothing out your skin’s appearance. Botox gives your skin a more youthful appearance while preventing any new creasing.

In a Botox procedure, neurotoxins are injected into the muscles. It binds to the nerve endings that feed into the targeted muscles, preventing any impulse from traveling to the muscles. Botox temporarily eliminates or reduces skin creasing, giving it a smoother appearance.

If you have prominent forehead creasing, brow furrowing, or crow’s feet, Botox will work to eliminate those problems.

During the Botox procedure, the neurotoxins will be injected into certain locations with a fine needle. There may be a small amount of discomfort with the injection. Over the course of a few days, your skin will become wrinkle-free and smooth.

Only the muscles injected with the neurotoxin will be affected. The rest of the muscles on your face will contract normally.

There is no downtime with Botox and you can resume normal activities immediately after. You will begin to see results in the days after your treatment. Results will last three to four months.

Laser Skin Resurfacing

If you want to improve your skin’s texture, look into laser skin resurfacing. The laser beams remove damaged cells, smoothing out the skin and stimulating collagen production. It can also eliminate pre-cancerous growths.

As the skin begins to age and experience sun damage, it will start to have fine lines and wrinkles, in addition to deeper folds and creases. If you experience excessive sun exposure, that may accelerate the process.

Laser skin resurfacing will turn back the clock and get rid of the effects of sun-damaged and aged skin. It can also improve the look of acne scars and remove keratoses, pre-cancerous skin growths.

Laser beams precisely target the upper demise and epidermis of the skin. A local and topical anesthetic is used for small treatments. If you have a longer treatment, you may also receive an IV sedation.

Treatments can take between 15 to 45 minutes. Your skin will heal in three to seven days, with it having the appearance of a mild sunburn. Skin will become tighter and smoother with laser skin resurfacing.

Schedule a Skin Tightening Treatment Today

If you want to improve the quality of your skin but don’t want to have a surgical procedure, don’t worry. There are many skin tightening treatments out there that are non-invasive with minimal downtown afterward. Whether you want a facial or something more long-term, our staff at Atlanta Face & Body can help you find a suitable treatment.

We are happy to have a convenient way for our patients to speak with a consultant at our facility. Our telemedicine technology enables you to talk with a representative on your mobile device, laptop, or desktop.

Contact us today to schedule your free consultation.