I am wondering whether I can achieve anywhere near surgery-like results from a liquid facelift? Would the results be temporary or permanent?

The term liquid facelift refers to a procedure designed to lift specific areas of the face with filler material to provide a more youthful appearance. Essentially, studies have shown that over time we lose volume in the face. As well as losing volume, tissues descend. Surgical procedures such as a mid facelift and a facelift are designed to reposition these tissues, thus providing a more youthful result.

Some individuals, however, are interested in non-surgical alternatives. Included in the category of non-surgical alternatives is the “liquid facelift.” Depending upon the material used, one may achieve a temporary or permanent result.

I choose to use injectable fillers such as hyaluronic acids like Juvederm or calcium hydroxylapatite like Radiesse. I find that these injectable fillers can provide a very nice natural result with minimal downtime. This is an in-office procedure. I use a combination of Radiesse and Juvederm depending upon the individual’s needs to lift the cheeks, fill in the smile lines and fill in the areas of the jaw line to restore youthful volume in the face. Additionally, I perform fat injections to the face to provide more volume. During the fat transfer procedure, we take fat from the abdomen and re-inject it into areas of the face to provide a more youthful appearance. We also isolate and harness the stem cells within the collection of cells obtained from the fat. Some studies have shown stem cells increase collagen production, thus providing skin tightening as well as volume, to further enhance a more youthful appearance. There is great debate as to how long fat injections in the face last. However, it is generally accepted that the fat injections can last beyond one year.