Volume Loss and Skin Laxity

Facial Volume Loss

 

Youthful faces are characterized by rounded features; smooth, tight skin, and a healthy fullness. As we age, volume decreases, often unevenly—somewhat like a grape turning into a raisin. This process is called soft-tissue atrophy and results in skin laxity, wrinkling, and hollowing.  

​

Facial volume loss and aging is a dynamic process involving loss of bone, loss of facial fat (creating structural changes), and decreased collagen production. It is hastened by UV rays, hormonal changes, smoking, stress, extreme weight loss, injury, and severe illness.  

 

Facial Volume loss may appear as: 

​

• Wrinkles

• Hollowing around the eyes

• Flattened and sagging cheeks

• Loose skin around the jawline (jowls)

• Thinner lips with less definition

• Drier, thinner-looking skin with less elasticity

• Nasolabial folds from the nose to the corners of the mouth, marionette lines from the corner of the mouth to chin and oral commissures at the corners of the mouth 

• More square-looking face

​

We offer a range of volume loss treatments including Hyaluronic Acid fillers, Sculptra® treatments, and Thread Lifting.

​

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) Fillers

 

Hyaluronic Acid (HA) fillers are comprised of a molecule that is endogenously produced by the body that helps to retain moisture in the skin. Hyaluronic acid fillers can help restore volume loss in certain areas of the face and help provide long-lasting, natural-looking results. 

 

HA fillers are not permanent, and subsequent treatments are necessary to maintain your results, with optimal intervals depending on the area treated and type of filler used. 

 

What to Expect

 

Soft tissue fillers are typically infused with a numbing agent, and most patients experience mild to moderate discomfort during the procedures. With lip injections, a nerve block may be administered prior to the treatment as this area tends to be more sensitive.  

 

After the procedure, you can return to work and normal routine. You may experience mild bruising, swelling, and tenderness. These symptoms typically resolve within 1–2 weeks. Most patients find the bruising and swelling are mild enough to conceal with makeup. Bruising can be treated with our Pulsed Dye Laser to aid in quicker healing time.

 

Sculptra® 

​

Sculptra® is an FDA approved poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) collagen stimulator (different than Hyaluronic Acid filler). It is a gel-like substance made with biocompatible, biodegradable, synthetic material called poly-L-lactic acid, which is gradually absorbed by the body and helps to rebuild lost collagen through a series of treatments.

 

Sculptra® is injected at a cutaneous plane where strands of collagen support the structure of the skin. Over time, this treatment helps the body reproduce lost collagen.

​

What to Expect

​

The number of injection sessions and the number of injections per appointment vary from person to person, depending on how much collagen has been lost and which areas are being treated. On average, three initial sessions are administered over a period of a few months. After the initial series of treatments, maintenance treatments are necessary to maintain effectiveness. 

​

After the procedure, you can return to work and normal routine. You may experience mild bruising, swelling, and tenderness. These symptoms typically resolve within one week. Most patients find the bruising and swelling are mild enough to conceal with makeup. Bruising can be treated with our Pulsed Dye Laser (Vbeam®) to aid in quicker healing time.

​

Thread Lifting

 

Thread lifting uses small needles to insert fine threads under the skin. These threads are especially designed to anchor the sagging skin and lift it upwards. The threads also stimulate collagen production, which further diminishes the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.

​

The threads used are medical grade absorbable threads that lift and tighten sagging skin tissues. These threads are implanted into the subcutaneous layer of the skin using small needles or cannulas. Once the threads are inserted, the skin looks rejuvenated, filled, and lifted.

 

Common areas that are treated with thread lifting are brows/forehead, cheeks, jaw line, jowl area, and the neck. 

What to Expect​

​

Due to the procedure being a minimally invasive procedure, the recovery time is quick. Most patients are able to return to their normal activities after a day. Minor inflammation, soreness, and bruising may occur in the first few days and settle within a week. Threads will naturally dissolve after 6–9 months, results can last up to 1–2 years depending on the area treated due to collagen remodeling that occurs around the threads.