How Do You Lift and Tighten Your Skin Without Surgery?

A facelift can make you look years younger by removing excess skin that causes jowls and skin folds. Due to normal aging, collagen and other components that your skin needs to stay strong and thick are depleted, so the organ typically becomes weaker over time. Gravity, sun exposure, hormonal changes, and other stressors constantly impact the skin. Of course, many people may be looking for a way to make their face look more youthful, even after they’ve had plastic surgery, or they’re not ready to pursue a facelift yet. Philadelphia area-based plastic surgery Dr. Timothy Greco and his team see many patients who fall into this category, and they can recommend other strategies that, while not as effective as a facelift would be, can brighten up the face and reduce prominent signs of aging.

If you’re hoping to improve the quality of your skin or look of your facial contours and proportions, but aren’t prepared to have surgery, the following alternatives could be beneficial.

Have Your Eyebrows Lifted

Are your eyes making you look older? Sagging, heavy eyebrows and excess eyelid skin are due to weakened or overworked muscles make you look more tired, angry, and unhappy. Botulinum toxin type A wrinkle relaxers like BOTOX® will reduce the sagging, almost instantly opening up the eyes and making your face look more perked up without much discomfort or downtime. This is called a BOTOX® brow lift. The injectable can also be used on the forehead to make it look smoother and less lined.

Shield Your Skin from Sun Damage

Even if you’ve never really used sunscreen or haven’t been remembering to use it recently, it’s never too late to start protecting your skin from UV rays. Ultraviolet radiation from sunlight penetrates your skin and damages the collagen, causing loose, sagging areas to develop. It’s common for sun damage to occur on areas such as the cheeks, on the neck, and around the mouth.

Wearing sunscreen each day, even if you spend a lot of time indoors, is a must. But to truly reap the benefits from it, you need to use one that’s broad-spectrum, SPF 30 or greater, and water-resistant. Other than sunscreen, make an effort to limit the amount of time you spend exposed to sunlight—especially during the hours when the sun is at its brightest—cover up with sunglasses and other protective clothing, and avoid tanning beds or lamps.

Get Fuller, Higher Cheeks

The cheeks are one of the areas where volume loss can be most noticeable as young people usually have rounder cheeks leading down to a defined jaw area (the heart shaped face.) Over time, the face can become gaunt and when the structure is lost, skin begins to sag around the lower face. Aside from having a facelift, patients can also use hyaluronic acid fillers to temporarily fill the cheeks and contour the jawline.

Invest in Skin Products with Powerful Ingredients

Even though aesthetic procedures give your skin a renewed glow, you still need to maintain your complexion with good skin care practices. Look for skin-restoring products containing retinol (vitamin A), as it is one of the most effective ingredients for promoting the production of collagen and elastin—the proteins that keep the skin firm. Vitamin C and peptides also are known to boost collagen. Caffeine enhances blood circulation, and hyaluronic acid pulls in moisture to plump and tighten the skin.

Discover what’s possible with a facelift or other cosmetic procedures available from Dr. Timothy Greco’s plastic surgery office, where you can get answers to questions about the techniques used to make your face look younger and rejuvenated. If you’re interested in booking a consultation, call them at (610) 664-8830 or submit a contact form to start planning your treatment.