Skipping the Scalpel: Updates On Non-Invasive Skin Tightening
Abstract
The cosmetic consult is often the initial step in a patient’s positive aging journey. It is a moment where the patient may feel at their most vulnerable, stripped of the usual makeup they might use to make themselves feel better, or commonly, to hide perceived imperfections. The patient may be excited, nervous, or hopeful that in your hands their aesthetic goals will be reached. Patients may arrive informed, they may have “no idea where to start” or may want the “same thing” that a friend of a friend achieved under your care. It is the physician’s expertise that will guide both the discussion and the recommendations that are made. The initial consult helps to establish patient goals and expectations and is a foundation for a successful treatment plan. Observing the patient as they discuss their area(s) of concern is often accompanied by their self-analysis in the mirror, words they associate with how they feel, or occasionally, to the exact physical goals they hope to achieve. “I just wish I could get a little lift”, the patient might say as they pull along their zygomatic arch and jawline. It comes as no surprise to experienced clinicians that discussions around the concepts of “lifting” and “tightening” frequently permeate the cosmetic consultation.
References
Dayan E, Burns AJ, Rohrich RJ, Theodorou S. The Use of Radiofrequency in Aesthetic Surgery. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2020;8(8):e2861. Published 2020 Aug 17.
Streker M, Reuther T, Krueger N, Kerscher M. Stabilized hyaluronic acid-based gel of non-animal origin for skin rejuvenation: face, hand and decolletage. J Drugs Dermatol. 2013;12:990-4.
Berlin A, Cohen JL, Goldberg DJ. Calcium hydroxylapatite for facial rejuvenation. Semin Cutan Med Surg. 2006;25:132-7.
Goldie K, Peeters W, Alghoul M, et al. Global Consensus Guidelines for the Injection of Diluted and Hyperdiluted Calcium Hydroxylapatite for Skin Tightening [published correction appears in Dermatol Surg. 2019 Feb;45(2):327]. Dermatol Surg. 2018;44 Suppl 1:S32-S41.
Radiesse® Infographic, Merz Aesthetics. 2017.
Logehm JV, Yutskovskaya YA, Weschler W. Calcium hydroxylapatite over a decade of experience. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2015;8:38-49.
Lorenc ZP, Fitzgerald R, Vleggar D, Butterwick KJ, et al. Consensus recommendations on the use of injectable poly-L-lactic acid for facial and non facial volumization. J Drugs Dermatol 2014;13(4 Suppl):s44-51.
Sculptra® Infographic, Dermik Laboratories.
Butterwick K, Lowe NJ. Injectable poly-L-lactic acid for cosmetic enhancement: learning from the European experience. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2009;61(2):281-293.
Vleggaar D, Fitzgerald R, Lorenc ZP, et al. Consensus recommendations on the use of injectable poly-L-lactic acid for facial and nonfacial volumization. J Drugs Dermatol. 2014;13(4 Suppl):s44-s51.
Ultherapy Infographic, Merz Aesthetics.
Fabi SG, Massaki A, Eimpunth S, Pogoda J, Goldman MP. Evaluation of microfocused ultrasound with visualization for lifting, tightening, and wrinkle reduction of the décolletage. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2013;69(6):965-971.
Greene RM, Green JB. Skin tightening technologies. Facial Plast Surg. 2014;30:62-67.
Weiner SF (2013). A Review of Radio Frequency for Skin Tightening by Dr. Steven Weiner (Finally! A Radiofrequency System That Makes Sense: The Infini From Lutronic).
