People who want to look younger often have three concerns:
- Getting a refreshed, natural, younger look
- Experiencing the least amount of pain and downtime needed to achieve their goals
- Finding an effective treatment they can afford
This is understandable. Looking younger and more attractive brings many benefits, including greater happiness and confidence, increased attention from the opposite sex, greater influence on others and, in many cases, better job security and pay.
Which solutions are the most cost-effective? The answer often depends on how much improvement a person needs to achieve their goals.
Fillers
Fillers like Juvéderm® XC use a substance naturally present in the body, Hyaluronic Acid, to fill in hollows and minor lines. Juvéderm® Voluma can actually restore contours to the face and fill deep folds in checks. This provides a specific improvement that even facelifts cannot deliver. Facial plastic surgeons may recommend adding a filler to a facelift to maximize results.
Fillers are a temporary solution. They must be repeated every year or their benefits will eventually fade away. Used alone, they can be great if you have specific facial concerns and only want to spend a little at a time.
Costs can average $500 to $800 per syringe – 2 to 3 syringes are usually needed. That often amounts to $1,000-$2,400 a year.
Radio Frequency (RF) Devices
RF devices, like Thermage and newer technologies, can actually do minor face and neck lifting and skin tightening. They focus radio waves on problem areas, heating lower skin layers. This stimulates the body to produce collagen, which fills in wrinkles and surface lines. Some RF treatments utilize microneedles to tighten skin.
It is important to recognize that results shown in photos are often the best available and are not necessarily typical results most patients will achieve. RF treatments must be done every year or two to maintain a younger look. Home devices available on the market are underpowered and unlikely to give patients the outcome they desire.
Patients have reported costs ranging from $1,150 to $3,500 per treatment, according to RealSelf.com. Depending on how long individual results last, the 6 year total can be as low as $3,450 or as high as $10,500 or more.
The Ulthera process focuses ultrasound energy on the skin’s foundational layer. It stimulates collagen production without cutting or disturbing the surface layers. It is a one-time treatment, but no one is yet sure how long it lasts. The Dermatology Reviewstates, “The cost of Ultherapy is between $3000-$5000 and most people need 3 treatments.”
Surgical Solutions can make the biggest, longest-lasting difference in rejuvenating the face and neck. Once aging has caused skin to sag beyond a certain point, a face or neck lift is clearly the most cost-effective way to correct it. Facelifts and neck lifts, particularly those performed under safer local anesthesia, range from $5,000 to $12,000, depending on the patient’s needs. Financing is available.
What’s right for you? A consultation with a qualified doctor is the best way to know for sure. Board-certified facial plastic surgeons or dermatologists who have performed many facial rejuvenation procedures have the knowledge and experience to give you an accurate diagnosis and the best treatment options. If your physician consultation leaves you unsure, get a second opinion.
The key to a cost-effective solution is getting the refreshed, natural, attractive new look you want at a price you can afford. Consider, not just at the rate per treatment, but the total cost needed to achieve your goals. Any money spent on therapies whose results fall short of what you need is money wasted. Getting the look you want at an affordable price is true cost-effectiveness.
Dr. Brian Machida is a double board certified facial plastic surgeon. He served for years as a clinical professor at the University of Southern California’s Keck School of Medicine. Dr. Machida has performed more than 5,000 facial rejuvenation procedures in his career, giving him an exceptional level of experience. You can contact Dr. Machida with a question or for a personal consultation at Second to Creation, his Ontario, California facial rejuvenation practice.