As a leading plastic surgeon practicing in the UK, Dr De Silva is proud to offer his patients an extensive range of procedures. He understands that having work done is a big decision, and that no two patients’ conditions are exactly the same. When deciding between a liquid and traditional facelift, for example, Dr De Silva makes sure that his patients have a clear understanding as to exactly what each treatment entails, so as to make a more informed decision when choosing which route to take. Both treatments are designed to target facial wrinkling and are directed at tightening the overall look of the face to achieve a younger, rejuvenated look, but each takes a different approach to achieving that goal.
One of the main differences between the two options is that a liquid facelift is a non-surgical alternative to the traditional facelift procedure. While a traditional facelift requires an incision, the use of either general or local anesthesia, and involves a more intensive recovery period, the results of a liquid facelift are nearly immediate and require no downtime. A liquid facelift, as performed in our office, is a broad term that generally includes injectable fillers, like wrinkle reducing treatments and Juvederm. A liquid facelift will leave no signs of scarring, can visibly restore lost facial volume, and is a good option for those who are hoping to achieve a younger, more refreshed look but who are afraid of or otherwise unwilling to undergo surgery. Whereas a traditional facelift can take up to two hours to perform and requires you to take about a week off from work, your liquid facelift will be complete in 15 minutes. You will be in and out of the office without having to sacrifice your daily routine to devote to a proper recovery and can literally have the treatment done during a lunch break from work.
Still, this shorter process is directly reflected in the results that the respective procedures yield. Perhaps the most important difference when evaluating the liquid vs. traditional facelift is that the results of the traditional facelift are more dramatic and long-lasting. A traditional facelift has the ability to make you look up to 15 years younger, and is generally sought after by relatively older patients whose skin has loosened as a result of ageing, exposure to the sun, or the body’s natural decrease in the skin’s collagen supply. During a traditional facelift, Dr De Silva will essentially “lift” the saggy skin that has accumulated around your face. This approach is meant as a solution for a more pronounced condition, where the patient demonstrates considerable skin laxity and looseness. As expected, a surgery will yield much more dramatic results than that of a liquid facelift and since underlying muscles are put back to their original location and excess skin is removed, patients will look younger than their age even 10 or 20 years after their facelift surgery. Traditional facelift is recommended for patients who are between the ages of 45-70, while the liquid facelift is more popular among younger patients who are not experiencing as much wrinkling, sagging, and skin laxity.
Dr De Silva is experienced with variations of facelift surgery, such as neck lift that targets double chin, fat and wrinkles in the neck area and along the jawline; mid facelift that mainly targets the middle facial area around the cheeks; mini facelift for younger patients with smaller scar; and other facelift techniques. He will advise you as to the best facelift surgery for you as part of your consultation.
Dr De Silva will more thoroughly explain the pros and cons of both options upon your initial consultation visit so that you can choose the route that works best for your specific needs. As always, Dr De Silva is devoted to giving you the most natural results so that you can feel confident that your treatment does not look overdone or fake. Whichever route you choose to pursue, liquid or traditional, you can rest assured that you are under the care of one of the most trusted surgeons in London and that your new face will look considerably less aged and tired.
