Non-Surgical Facelifts

Everywhere you go, ads tout a "non-surgical face lift." True? No facelift surgery, just treatments of:

• Thermage
• Restylane
• Radiance

Do these facelift alternatives work? Sure. And you can be a model or just look like one. Not so fast, cynical unbeliever. For thousands of people, yes, non-surgical treatments work. "Fillers" are supposed to restore the fullness in your face, and microdermabrasion promotes collagen growth--some beauty experts recommend against collagen injections.

But some patients are wary of new methods, so if you want to experience a non-surgical facelift, you can try a thread lift. A surgeon inserts tiny threads under the skin while you chill thanks to local anesthetics. A thread face lift is ideal if gravity weighs on your brows, cheeks, jowls and/or neck. Surgeons tout the advantages of this mini face lift: immediate results with minimal results and swelling, little recovery time.

If you need more intense facelift surgery, a thread face lift isn't for you. Consult your doctor, and ask about the other facelift surgery alternatives available. But if your doctor says, "You can be a model or just look like one," change specialists. Some disbelief is healthy.