Ask Dr. LeRoy: Will I Still Need Botox® and Facial Fillers after a Facelift?

There’s nothing quite like looking into a mirror one day and noticing that first wrinkle. Some people think little of it, but many are bothered by seeing the aging process begin, especially when it happens earlier than they expected. For those who choose to fight back against fine lines and wrinkles, cosmetic facial injectables (like facial fillers and Botox® or Dysport®) are often the first place they turn, because the treatments are quick and easy, they require little or no downtime, and they can produce beautiful, natural-looking results. But as the aging process continues, patients require more significant procedures in order to achieve the results they want, and when they reach a point when a facelift or a Band Aid Mini Facelift is their ideal choice, many patients ask: how do injectables fit in?

There are two general categories of injectables. Botox® and Dysport® target lines around the eyes, forehead, and eyebrows (like crow’s feet and frown lines). These wrinkles are caused largely by tension in the underlying facial muscles and repeated facial expressions. When Botox® or Dysport® is injected into the targeted muscles, it blocks the signals that cause them to contract. This smooths the muscles and minimizes the fine lines and wrinkles they were causing. Facial fillers, on the other hand (like Restylane®, Juvéderm®, and more), address wrinkles around the mouth and nose, like smile lines (“parentheses”) and marionette lines, which are caused by a breakdown in the skin and repetitive facial movements. Fillers tackle this problem by “filling in” the wrinkles with youthful volume, and they can also be used to give the cheeks and the lips a fuller, younger look. Both types of injectables are temporary – based on how quickly your body metabolizes them, Botox® and Dysport® typically last around 3-4 months, while fillers can last between 6 months and 2 years (depending on the type of solution that is used).

Ultimately, injectables can be a great way to smooth specific fine lines and wrinkles for a younger but natural-looking appearance. However, they cannot be used to treat the sagging skin that aging eventually causes (like jowls and neck folds). When a patient has developed skin laxity, cosmetic surgery in the form of a facelift or a Band Aid Mini Facelift is typically the best option. Both of these procedures can remove excess skin, restore firmness to the facial skin, and reposition the underlying tissue for a more lifted, youthful look, but the Band Aid Mini Facelift is a minimally invasive option performed in-office with gentle numbing and smaller incisions for limited recovery time.

So, does a facelift eliminate the need for injectables? While it is fully a patient’s choice whether or not to continue their treatments, most face lift patients are happier with their results if they keep up with regular injectables (though they often need less than they did before). Plastic surgery does not get rid of every fine like and wrinkle – if it did, the results would look far too “tight” and unnatural. Throughout over twenty years as a double board-certified plastic surgeon who specializes in facial rejuvenation, I have found that patients typically want to look like a younger version of themselves, and strategies like this can repair existing signs of aging while reducing the new ones as they arise, creating an ongoing youthfulness.

A combination of surgical and non-surgical procedures has helped countless patients continue to be their most confident and beautiful selves for decades to come. But there is no “one size fits all” solution, so it’s important to work with a board-certified plastic surgeon who can evaluate your needs and design a plan that is designed around you. To get started, schedule a consultation with me, Dr. John LeRoy. Or, for more plastic surgery tips, our latest special offers, and more, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.