We all want to look our best. As we continue to age, our skin can make us appear old. Before you consider having an operation, you should check out your other options. Here are some of the best non surgical skin tightening procedures that could be the answer to your problem.
What Is Non Surgical Skin Tightening?
You are probably wondering what you can do to improve the appearance of your loose or saggy skin without going under the knife. Day to day wear and tear and pregnancy can make your skin look stretched out and old. Perhaps you have tried several skin creams or hide your skin with high-neck shirts with long sleeves. Are you thinking about getting a tummy tuck but don’t have the cash?
Non surgical skin tightening can involve various methods to stimulate the production of proteins (collagen and elastin) that keep the skin looking smooth and wrinkle-free. These treatments are typically a much cheaper option than surgery without the recovery time. They are usually done in-office, but some types can be done at home.
How This Technology Can Help You
Non surgical skin tightening procedures can be used to effectively improve the appearance of:
- Facial wrinkles, fine lines, and crow’s feet
- Saggy or loose skin on upper arms and thighs
- Bra lines
- Belly bulges
- Stretch marks and cellulite (especially from pregnancy)
Here’s What’s Available
These are three of the most commonly used non surgical skin tightening procedures. They are performed “in-office” by a skincare professional, typically a cosmetic surgeon or a dermatologist. The particular treatment regimen used will depend on your skin’s condition and the area of your body to be treated. This is often determined and discussed with your during an initial skin care consultation, along with the associated recovery time and treatment cost.
Ultrasound (Ultherapy®)
Ultrasound, which consists of sound waves above the range of human hearing, is one of the most common skin tightening procedures. Ultrasound firms up the skin by heating the skin at specific depths to induce the production of collagen. It works best in the early stages of skin aging. Ultrasound treatments may cause some temporary redness, numbness, and bruising. It can take 2 to 3 months to begin to see results.
Radiofrequency (Thermage®, THERMI RF®, and Exilis®)
Radiofrequency (RF) energy works similar to ultrasound but delivers heat to the epidermal layers of skin. Radiofrequency may require more treatments than ultrasound to see results over a period of several months gradually. It is sometimes combined with intense pulsed light therapy to make it more adaptable and effective for specific skin problems.
Combined Intense Pulsed Light & RF (VelaShape® and Refirme®)
In this treatment modality, intense pulsed light (IPL) and radiofrequency (RF) energy are combined to heat a deeper and a wider range of skin layers than ultrasound. The pulsed light allows the radiofrequency energy to be more effective. Pulsed light may not be as effective for people with darker skin. This technology has also been used to reduce the size of fat deposits under the skin.
Treatment Costs
The cost of non surgical skin tightening procedures will depend on the type of treatment technology you require, the overall condition of your skin, and the number of treatments you need. There are a variety of costs that may need to be considered.
- Medical testing before the procedure
- The skincare professional’s (typically cosmetic surgeon or dermatologist) procedure fee
- Outpatient facility cost
- Specific procedure costs
- Anesthesia fees for some types of treatment regimens
- Prescription medications, in some cases
Average total treatment costs can range from as little as three or four hundred dollars to as much as two to three thousand dollars. The best bet is to shop around for certified skincare professionals with excellent patient reviews or testimonials and compare pricing and payment plan options. Don’t expect your medical insurance to pick up any part of the treatment cost.
Treatment Benefits
If you think that the number one benefit is the chance to avoid surgery and save some money in the process, then you are absolutely correct. Who wouldn’t want the opportunity to keep their skin looking young with just a little routine scheduled maintenance? “Father Time” can be a cruel adversary, so why not stack the deck in your favor.
There are several other benefits to non surgical skin tightening.
- Convenient treatments can be performed in-office in about one hour or less
- There is minimal or no discomfort
- It is a more “natural process” than surgery
- Recovery time is minimal, if any
- Can slow the aging process by increasing the production of collagen
- Improves skin elasticity by increasing the production of elastin
- Fewer complications, without the risk of infection or scarring
- Long-lasting results, a completed treatment regimen can last for several years
- Typically less costly than surgery
These treatments can provide a noticeable tightening and lift for mild to moderately loose skin on the face, neck, and other areas of the body. You might be surprised at how much younger non surgical skin rejuvenation procedures can make you look.
Limitations And Adverse Reactions
Like all good things, these treatments can have a downside, so here are some things you should be aware of and factor in your treatment decision.
These treatments tend to be most effective during the early to moderate stages of skin loosening. As with any non-surgical treatment, the results are not as pronounced and don’t last as long as with getting a cosmetic surgical procedure. It can take multiple treatments over several weeks or months to notice a difference, and the results may only last from 6 to 12 months before treatment need to be resumed. Older individuals with thinner skin may require more treatments and have less obvious improvement.
These procedures are essentially painless or just mildly uncomfortable and do not leave scarring, although you may notice warming or mildly irritating effect, redness, bruising, or numbness. Adverse reactions from these procedures are generally very low, and recovery time is not usually required.
Doing Skin Tightening Procedures At Home
There are non surgical skin tightening procedures that lend themselves to home use with good results. Two of the most popular ones that work well with continued use are high frequency wand therapy and red light therapy. Both these procedures can be done in-office, at home, or as in-office and at home combo treatment. The purchase cost of these devices is relatively affordable, although it’s important to choose a device that is designed to do the job adequately.
High Frequency Wand Therapy (NuDerma®)
High frequency skin care therapy is a treatment that is easy and cost-effective to do at home. It uses a device that passes a high frequency electrical current through a glass wand filled with neon or argon gas to cause the wand to vibrate and transmit energy to the skin’s surface.
In addition to tightening the skin by increasing the production of collagen and elastin, makers of high frequency wands typically claim that this technology can also help:
- Decrease cellular inflammation
- Increase cellular division
- Nourish hair follicles to decrease hair loss
- Decrease healing time of skin blemishes and breakouts
- Improve acne by killing bacteria and decreasing sebaceous fluid production
- Improve skin oxygenation
- Promote lymphatic drainage to decrease skin puffiness
- Shrink enlarged skin pores and decrease blackhead formation
- Increase the absorption of skincare products
Here is a video from LMents Of Style that discusses some of the pros and cons of high frequency skin care and reviews a NuDerma skincare device.
If you would like to try high frequency skin care at home, then the number one product I recommend is the Pure NuDerma Clinical Skin Therapy Wand. This device has 6 “fusion” applicators with neon wands for skin tightening and texturing as well as argon wands, which are especially effective for acne. The combination of neon and argon wands work together synergistically to provide a complete spectrum of skincare and shorten the therapy’s effective time duration. It has specialized applicator shapes for different body areas and the scalp.
Red Light Therapy (NovoTHOR®, truedark®, and Joovv Elite®)
Red light therapy uses light in the red and near-infrared spectrum to energize mitochondria, the “power plants” inside your cells, to rejuvenate and tighten your skin. This therapy is among the simplest and most cost-effective to implement, but its cosmetic results are not extensively backed by scientific research studies. It is performed by some skin scare professionals in-office but is gaining increasing popularity as a home treatment for skin tightening and routine maintenance. For specific information on what this therapy can do for you, see Red Light Health Benefits – The New Fountain Of Youth!
Final Thoughts
Non surgical skin procedures are an important category of “aesthetic medicine.” Various procedures can give effective results if implemented when your skin loosening is mild to moderate in severity. Skin care professionals do the most effective treatments in-office. There is not really one best non invasive skin tightening procedure.
Non surgical skin tightening procedures are typically considered cosmetic treatment are, therefore, not covered by medical insurance. The average cost per treatment can vary widely, but it is still a cost-effective and minimal risk alternative to cosmetic surgery. Many skin care professionals will allow you to set up payment installments that can fit into your budget.
Home therapies are best used for skin tightening maintenance after professional care, but many people claim to get beneficial results from the exclusive use of home treatments.
Always check with your general health care provider before beginning non surgical skin tightening procedures.
For other ways to make yourself look great see 5 Hot Tips On Aging Gracefully – Look 5 Years Younger Today!
Tell Us What You Think
Please let us know what’s on your mind in the comment section, or if I can help you with anything.
- Do you have any additional tips or suggestions?
- Are you currently doing non surgical skin tightening, professionally or at home?
- How has non surgical skin tightening been most helpful to you?
This has been a very educational read for me, I’m 52 and just starting to get crows feet and sagging skin. I had not heard of any of these procedures before, so I have no experience with the topic, However i’m very interested in finding out more about the clinical skin therapy wand. I’m not into surgical procedures and enhancing my body. This wand sounds like a brilliant solution. I’m going to give it some more research. Thanks for the great information.
Hi Lisa,
Thank You for your great comments!
I’m glad to found some value in my article. A high-frequency wand is an excellent option and it is reasonably priced. These treatments can be done professionally as well as at home or a combination of both. The other thing I would look into is red light therapy. You could do them both on alternating schedules since it is not generally recommended that you do the high-frequency treatments on a daily basis to avoid skin dryness.
Frank
Hello there!, This is really educational I am glad to have come in contact with this. As it helps to heal sagging skin. I had not heard of any of these procedures before, so I have no experience with the topic, However i’m very interested in finding out more about the clinical skin therapy. I have people who would love this and i also would try this out. Thanks for sharing this with us.
Hi Maureen,
Thank You for your comments!
If you are having problems with sagging skin then the sooner you begin treatment the easier it will be to reverse the process. The NuDerma Clinical high-frequency wand product may be an excellent starting point, assuming you don’t have advanced skin issues, in which case you may want to begin with a professional consultation.
Frank