With the passage of years, our skin tends to lose its natural elasticity and firmness due to a decrease in the levels of collagen and elastin in the skin. However, this process is hard to avoid dermal procedures that have developed numerous ways to achieve smoother and tighter skin. Whether you are after a natural look or prefer more dramatic changes, there are methods available that cater to all levels of comfort. Here’s a comprehensive comparison on skin tightening methods focusing on surgery and non-surgical methods.
Identifying Skin Laxity And Its Causes
Skin laxity is sometimes referred to the ‘loosening’ of the skin which is generally a result of the following causes such as:
• Aging and loss of collagen content.
• Weight loss that is extreme.
• Being exposed to certain environmental conditions such as sunlight.
• Genetics.
Sometimes it is important to protect the skin from the sunlight and other aspects to prevent laxity, however, once it sets in, it is best to treat it with the right type of treatment.
The Best Non Surgical Options For Skin Tightening
For people who do not wish to be out of action for too long and are looking for gradual results, non-surgical options work best. Collagen production is stimulated and the skin is rejuvenated with the energy based technologies that these treatment methods employ.
1. Treatments using Radiofrequency
Waves that are radio frequency cause energy to enter the skin and heat the deeper lying tissues which causes the collagen to produce more.
Thermage, Exilis, Profound RF.
Most Suited For:
• People who require treat mild or medium severity of loose skin
• The neck, head, and stomach are areas that require treatment.
2. Ultrasound Treatment
Ultrasound Therapy uses ultrasound technology to stimulate deeper levels of the skin in order to collaginate and lift the tissue.
Popular Treatment: Ultherapy.
Best for:
• People suffering from excessive skin around their jawline, neck and in their brows.
• A treatment that provides subtle results for a longer period or time.
3. Laser Skin Tightening
Lasers helps to shrink collagen in the dermal layer’s skin which helps the collagen grow. These lasers include heat in them as well as provide mild stimulation.
Popular Treatments: Titan, Fraxel.
Best For:
• Fine lines and wrinkles along with aging which causes these.
• Lifting of sagging skin on the face and wrinkles.
4. Microneedling RF
RF combined along with microneedling provides better tightening on skin as well as helps to build deeper level of collagen. The microneedles allow better penetration in RF parts.
Popular Treatments: Vivace, Morpheus8.
Best For:
• Reducing uneven skin tones, acne scars and providing better texture to skin.
• Laxative skin on face in deeper parts and texture on the surface.
5. Chemical Peels
They consist of skin textures which help to improve the damaged tone of the skin. Although they relax the skin they don’t tighten the skin too much.
Best for:
• Collagen and laxative builds of the skin.
• Reducing fine lines on the surface and giving better tone and texture to the skin.
Surgical Skin Tightening Options
Along with laser options, there so many surgical options for skin tightening too depending on the laxative skin. These options help to get rid of excessive sagging skin and tighten closely to the skin surface.
1. Facelift (Rhytidectomy)
Sagging skin, aging, deep wrinkles on the face and jowls can easily be lifted and tightened through this procedure with the help of surgery.
Ideal For:
• Moderate to Severe facial sagging.
• Long Term rejuvenation.
2. Neck Surgery (Platysmaplasty)
This operation is performed on the loose skin and the muscle bands around the neck for a neater and firmer look.
Suitable For:
• Turkey neck along with an extreme sagging neck.
A tummy tuck is performed to eliminate the additional skin of the stomach, and to tighten the muscles of the mid section. It is common after giving birth to kids or after dieting.
3. Tummy Tuck (Abdominoplasty)
Suitable For:
• Excess skin which has begun to sag specifically in the stomach region.
• Restoration of stronger shape of the stomach area.
4. Arm Lift (Brachioplasty)
The excess skin and fat around the upper arms is removed which helps to tone the upper arms.
Indicated For:
• The upper arms sag significantly after weight loss.
5. Thigh Lift
This method removes excess skin and restructures soft tissue over the thighs for attractive thigh contours.
Indicated For:
• The skin in the inner part and the outer part of the thighs are saggy and loose.
Mixing Procedures for Most Optimal Results
Most patients get the best results when combining surgical and non-surgical treatments such as:
• Doing a RF treatment maintenance after having a facelift.
• Improving the texture of the skin with laser resurfacing post a tummy tuck.
Determining the Best Option for You
Things To Take Into Account Include:
• Skin Laxity Level: If the laxity is less, patients are often able to benefit from non surgical methods but in the case where there is a severe laxity, surgery is the best option.
• Recovery Time: Surgical options involve recovery time while non-surgical options involve no recovery time.
• Cost: Surgical options are more expensive as they offer longer lasting results.
• Expected Outcome: Dramatic changes can be achieved through surgery, whereas gradual and subtle improvements can be expected from non-invasive techniques.
How to Maintain Effects
To help maintain the results of skin tightening procedures, it is important to:
• Apply sunscreen to avoid exposure to harmful UV rays.
• Exercise often and eat a well-balanced diet to maintain good health.
• Have a consistent skin regimen that includes retinol and peptides that stimulate collagen production.
• Receive occasional non-surgical interventions to help with collagen production.
In conclusion to this, weather you opt for a non-invasive technique or go for surgery, the advancements today offer the ability to achieve the goal of tight youthful skin. Speak to a reputable plastic surgeon or dermatologist to get a better understanding of your options for a unique and effective treatment that would best fit your goals and daily life. With a good treatment, getting smoother and tighter skin can be easy.