As people age, the body goes through several changes; from decreased hormones to loss of skin elasticity. A decrease in hormones and skin laxity are among the most frustrating for a lot of people because they show the most noticeable signs of aging. Cosmetic procedures like Ultherapy skin tightening treatment for non-invasive treatment and surgical facelifts and eyelifts offer remedies for these common aging issues.
What’s the difference between Ultherapy and a surgical eye lift?
If what you wish to correct is your drooping skin around the eyebrows and eyelids, and you can’t decide between Ultherapy and surgical eye lift, here are a few differentiating factors that might help you decide: In general, Ulthera is best for patients who have mild issues and laxity whereas surgery is best suited for severe skin laxity, droopiness, and excess.
Approach/procedure
First off, both types of treatments can effectively correct drooping eyebrows and eyelids. However, one uses focused sound waves to deliver energy onto the target areas while the other requires an incision above the eyelid and remove excess skin from the upper eyelids.
Ultherapy stimulates collagen production to ‘spur’ the body to create new tissue to give the skin a natural-looking lift.
The choice really falls on the procedure itself; how it is administered. In other words, you would have to decide whether or not to undergo surgery to correct your skin laxity issues. If you’re comfortable with either a non-invasive treatment or a surgical procedure, then this is the time when you have to delve deeper into the differences between Ultherapy and surgical eyelift.
Cost
A surgical eye lift, also known as blepharoplasty, is more expensive than an Ultherapy eye lift treatment for a number of reasons. First, the professional fee alone of the surgeon is already more expensive than that of the licensed physician specializing in non-invasive cosmetic procedures.
Secondly, the surgical procedure itself is also more expensive because it requires more “materials;” local anesthesia, oral or IV sedation, and surgery equipment. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, an eyelid surgery costs about $3,163, and that’s just the average cost of the actual procedure. It doesn’t include the local anesthesia, operating room expenses, and other fees.
Ultherapy on the other hand, costs just a fraction of what you should expect to pay for a surgical eyelift.
Post-treatment
Another major consideration to think of is the post-treatment period. With a surgical procedure, you will need time to recover, which could mean time off from work; and which could again mean that you will have to wait until your leave is approved before undergoing treatment. You will also need to limit your physical activities while you heal. Finally, the doctor may recommend medication for the pain.
With Ultherapy, you won’t have to deal with any of the above. You can schedule to have it during your lunch break (the procedure takes about 60 to 90 minutes) and immediately go back to work as if nothing happened. No downtime and no recovery period to think of.
Contact Rejuvé at (408) 740-5320 to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. John Tang, MD.