Liquid Facelift in Santa Cruz, CA

Aging, gravity, and other factors can cause our faces to lose volume and contour, making us appear tired or older than we feel. If you want to restore a more youthful, refreshed look without surgery, a liquid facelift with dermal fillers and injectables may be the solution. A liquid facelift utilizes injectable fillers to add volume and lift to facial features for smoother skin and a slimmer profile. We’ll explore what a liquid facelift is, how it works, benefits over surgery, what to expect, and why Rebecca Small, MD at RSMD Medical Aesthetics is the provider to trust for natural-looking liquid facelift results.

What is a Liquid Facelift?

A liquid facelift is a non-surgical technique that uses injectable products to restore facial volume, diminish lines and wrinkles, and even lift the skin. It combines both botulinum toxin injectables and dermal fillers to produce a more youthful appearance. This non-surgical facelift alternative involves no scarring or downtime, as it’s a minimally-invasive procedure. While it cannot remove or reposition excess skin like a facelift, a liquid facelift can be an excellent alternative for patients seeking natural-looking facial rejuvenation without surgery or downtime. It can treat a variety of areas and cosmetic concerns, including:

Forehead lines and wrinkles
Cheek sagging or volume loss
Nasolabial folds
Under the eyes (tear troughs and dark circles)
Lip lines or volume loss
Jowls
Chin and jawline

What are the Benefits of a Liquid Facelift?

The primary benefit of a liquid facelift is that it can provide dramatic facial rejuvenation without surgery, making it a popular alternative to the traditional facelift procedure. Additionally, patients may want to consider a liquid facelift for benefits that include:

Little to no downtime
No general anesthesia required
Lower cost
Minimal discomfort during and after
Natural-looking results
No scarring or need for incisions

What Injectables are Used for a Liquid Facelift?

The liquid facelift procedure may use a combination of botulinum toxin injectables and dermal filler products, depending on the patient’s cosmetic goals. At RSMD, we’ll develop a customized treatment plan for your liquid facelift based on your unique facial anatomy and your desired results. To accomplish these goals, we may use the following injectable products:

Botulinum Toxin (Neurotoxin) Injectables

Botulinum toxin is a natural, purified protein used to relax facial muscles. As the facial muscles relax, lines and wrinkles in the treatment area diminish. This can also temporarily prevent lines and wrinkles from worsening. At RSMD, we are experts in using the following botulinum toxin products:

Botox® Cosmetic: The first botulinum toxin neuromodulator, it is the most well-known and most commonly used for aesthetics. It produces results that last 3-4 months.
Dysport®: This formula is uniquely made with smaller molecules, allowing it to spread farther for a more even distribution. Results last 3-4 months.
Jeuveau®: The Jeuveau formula offers a higher concentration of botulinum toxin, which typically results in a faster onset. It produces results in 2-3 days and typically lasts for 3 months.
Xeomin®: The Xeomin formula doesn’t contain any unnecessary proteins, which makes it a good fit for patients who have developed a resistance to other botulinum toxin injectables. Lasts 3-4 months.
Daxxify®: The newest neuromodulator on the market, Daxxify offers longer-lasting results than other botulinum toxin products. Results last up to 6 months.

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are injectable products designed to restore natural-looking volume to the skin. These treatments can replenish volume lost during the aging process, or can augment facial volume to enhance the lift and contour of the face. These FDA-approved products deliver safe and immediate results. At RSMD, we are experts in using the following dermal filler products:

Juvéderm®: The Juvéderm collection of hyaluronic acid fillers includes various formulas designed to smooth different wrinkles and folds as well as plump lips and lift sagging facial areas. Each formula is specialized for a specific area of the face. Results last 1-2 years, depending on the formula.
Restylane®: The Restylane® line features hyaluronic acid products specifically formulated to treat wrinkles in different facial areas. Restylane adds volume for subtle lift and smoothing for 6-18 months depending on the formula.
RHA®: The RHA collection represents the latest generation of hyaluronic acid fillers, uniquely processed for advanced flexibility and resilience. RHA fillers provide precise shaping and correction for up to 15 months.
Radiesse®: Radiesse differs from hyaluronic acid fillers. It contains microspheres in a smooth gel, which stimulates the body’s natural collagen production as its absorbed. It adds instant volume while also stimulating collagen production for long-term results that last 15 months or more.

Before & After

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Frequently asked questions

Liquid Facelift vs. Surgical Facelift

While liquid facelifts and surgical facelifts both aim to rejuvenate the face, there are some notable differences between the two treatments. Liquid facelifts utilize injectables and dermal fillers to add volume and lift, with no incisions or anesthesia required. This means liquid facelifts have no downtime and are significantly less expensive. However, results may only last one year on average. Surgical facelifts involve more invasive techniques to reposition and remove excess facial skin and tissues. This means surgical facelifts produce longer lasting results, but it does require a surgical procedure with general anesthesia and several weeks of recovery time. There are also risks associated with surgery and scarring from incisions. Patients who are seeking dramatic, long-lasting facial rejuvenation may prefer a surgical facelift, while patients looking for more subtle, natural-looking results, without undergoing surgery, may find that a liquid facelift is a preferable alternative.

Is a Liquid Facelift Right for Me?

If you are experiencing signs of aging and would like to restore facial volume and/or diminish wrinkles and lines without surgery, you may be a good candidate for a liquid facelift. At RSMD Medical Aesthetics, Dr. Small will evaluate your facial anatomy during a consultation, assessing your facial volume, skin laxity, and overall treatment goals. With her expertise, she can help you evaluate whether the liquid facelift is a good treatment option for you. If the liquid facelift is a good fit, Dr. Small will develop a customized treatment plan to produce your desired goals.

What is a Liquid Facelift Treatment Like?

Liquid facelift treatments are performed using a variety of injectable products during a 60-90 minute in-office procedure. There is no anesthesia required thanks to the minimally-invasive approach of injectable products. Instead, we’ll apply a topical anesthetic cream to the treatment area immediately before your treatment. Once the skin is numbed, we’ll administer the dermal filler and injectable products to the appropriate treatment areas with minimal discomfort. The exact products, number of injections, and volume of injections administered will depend on your personalized treatment plan, as we adjust the treatment to your unique facial anatomy and cosmetic goals.

How Long is the Liquid Facelift Recovery Time?

One of the significant advantages of a liquid facelift is that there is no required downtime or recovery period. Patients can typically resume normal activities immediately after treatment. However, some temporary side effects like swelling, tenderness, redness and bruising can occur after injections. These side effects usually peak in severity 1-2 days after treatment before gradually resolving over the next 7-14 days. No strenuous activities need to be avoided, though we recommend taking it easy for the first 1-2 days. This includes temporarily postponing exercise. Most patients feel comfortable returning to work or social engagements the next day, as any swelling or redness can be concealed with makeup.

How Long Does a Liquid Facelift Last?

You’ll begin noticing results from your liquid facelift immediately upon injection. Dermal filler products provide an immediate boost in skin volume, smoothing out lines and wrinkles and lifting the skin. Botulinum toxin injectables will take a few days to take effect and produce visible results, with most patients noticing relaxed wrinkles and lines within one week of treatment. These results will become increasingly visible as any side effects fade.

You can expect your liquid facelift results to last up to 12 months, although the exact duration of your results will vary depending on the dermal filler and injectable products used for your procedure. As the effects begin to wear off, you’ll notice that lines and wrinkles gradually reappear while facial volume gradually decreases. Fortunately, your liquid facelift results can be easily prolonged with touch-up treatments. We recommend that patients schedule a maintenance treatment when they begin to notice their results fade.

How Much Does a Liquid Facelift Cost?

At RSMD, we have implemented a fixed syringe pricing model for all of our injectable procedures, including our liquid facelift. Unlike many other med spas and aesthetic providers who price injectables by product, we believe that paying for aesthetic procedures by the amount or type of product used is not an accurate reflection of the provider’s skill, knowledge, and training. Our fixed syringe pricing ensures that the focus is on achieving the best outcome possible for our patients without any surprises. We establish the procedure costs upfront, so you know exactly what to expect before we even start. This means you can expect transparent pricing for your liquid facelift procedure regardless of how many injections you need.

At RSMD, our fixed pricing model includes several extras that very few providers have the confidence to include with their injection procedures, maximizing your outcome and maintaining longer-term patient satisfaction. We offer complimentary two-week follow-ups to check your results and provide a complimentary touch-up if needed. We also provide specialized camouflaging makeup to minimize the impact of any bruising that may occur after your appointment. In some cases, we even provide complementary laser treatments that significantly shorten the appearance of a bruise.

At RSMD, we believe that fixed pricing is the best way to focus on the best possible patient aesthetic outcomes. We are committed to providing the highest level of care to our patients and achieving the best possible results, and our fixed syringe pricing model is just one of the many ways we achieve that goal.

Why Choose RSMD for Your Liquid Facelift?

Rebecca Small, MD is a leading authority in non-surgical medical aesthetics and can help you achieve a rejuvenated facial profile with a liquid facelift. She has refined her injection technique over decades of experience, ensuring precise placement and even distribution for optimal results. Dr. Small customizes liquid facelift treatment plans to meet each patient’s unique goals and needs for non-surgical facial rejuvenation.

We invite you to schedule a liquid facelift consultation and take the first step towards the youthful appearance you desire. Call today and discover why patients trust RSMD for their cosmetic goals.