The term “liquid facelift” has been around for a number of years. It’s usually applied to using a combination of dermal fillers and neuromodulators (such as Botox and Xeomin).

The types of dermal fillers used vary depending on the individual’s facial structure, areas to be corrected, budgetary restrictions, and skin elasticity.

In this procedure, muscle movements will be diminished or temporarily eliminated in the face for almost 3 months, along with reconstruction of the lost facial volume that occurs with age.

The amount of fillers used for volume reconstruction varies and can be as low as 2 syringes in younger individuals and as much as 10-14 syringes in older individuals with skeletonized faces. As a result, this procedure, especially for older individuals, falls in the pricier side of aesthetic treatments.

How long the results last depends on what kind and how much of fillers have been used, and can vary from one area of the face to another, but generally fall between 6-24 months. Fillers that stimulate one’s own collagen regeneration generally last longer, among them Sculptra and Radiesse. Recently, with introduction of Juvederm Voluma to the US market, the lasting changes with the liquid face lift have approached 18-24 months. There is one other dermal filler that has been found to be almost permanent. This filler, called “Artefill” is a combination of collagen and the synthetic material PMMA. In the U.S. market, Artefill has not gained much popularity due to its irreversibility of action and concerns for its unforgiving permanent nature.

We have found that for persons who need higher volumes, instead of using synthetic fillers, it’s better to use their own fat or PRP. Fat injections (harvested from one’s own abdomen or thigh in the same session, called autologous fat transfer) or use of PRP ( one’s own plasma containing high numbers of platelets) work better, last longer, and cost less.

Please consult your health care professional to determine if this is the right choice for you.