Non-Surgical and Surgical Options to Help You Look Refreshed and Lifted
As we age, it’s natural for our skin to lose firmness, elasticity, and volume. If you’re noticing sagging skin, fine lines, or loss of definition in your jawline or cheeks, facial skin tightening treatments can help restore a more youthful, lifted appearance—without always needing surgery.
Depending on your goals and how much skin laxity you have, there are a variety of options ranging from gentle, no-downtime treatments to longer-lasting surgical procedures.
Non-Surgical Skin Tightening Options
Non-surgical treatments are great if you’re looking for improvement without incisions or a long recovery. These options stimulate your body’s own collagen production to firm and rejuvenate your skin over time.
Treatments That Work on the Surface
These treatments target the outer layers of the skin (epidermis and upper dermis), improving tone, texture, and early signs of sagging:
Laser skin resurfacing (non-ablative) like ClearLift or Nd:YAG lasers help smooth fine lines, brighten skin tone, and gently tighten the skin.
Light RF treatments such as TempSure or Exilis use radiofrequency energy to gently heat the skin and boost collagen for a subtle firming effect.
These treatments are comfortable, have little to no downtime, and are ideal for early prevention and maintenance.
Treatments That Go Deeper
For deeper firming and lifting, these options target the skin’s middle and lower layers, and in some cases, even your facial muscles:
Thermage uses radiofrequency energy to heat deeper layers of the skin, helping to tighten and lift over time.
Ultherapy delivers ultrasound energy to the deeper layers (including the same tissue lifted in a facelift) to gently lift the brow, cheeks, or jawline.
RF microneedling with devices like Morpheus8 or Potenza combines tiny needles and heat to firm the skin, smooth texture, and stimulate collagen from the inside out.
Fractional laser treatments like Fraxel or CO₂ lasers create micro-injuries in the skin to trigger a natural healing response, improving texture, wrinkles, and firmness.
These options typically require a few sessions and have mild downtime, such as redness or flaking for a few days.
Lifting Muscles and Rejuvenating the Face
TriLift is a next-generation treatment that uses three technologies in one session: dynamic muscle stimulation (to tone facial muscles), radiofrequency (to tighten skin), and RF microneedling (to smooth and resurface). It’s a non-invasive way to achieve a lifted, sculpted look without surgery.
PDO threads are absorbable sutures placed under the skin to gently lift sagging areas like the cheeks or jawline. They also stimulate your body’s collagen to firm the skin from within. This is a minimally invasive procedure that offers visible lift with about a week of recovery.
Injectable Collagen Stimulators
Sculptra and Radiesse are injectable treatments that help your skin build collagen gradually over time. They improve skin thickness and firmness while also restoring some volume.
Minimally Invasive and Surgical Options
For more advanced sagging or longer-lasting results, you may benefit from procedures that go deeper—but still involve small incisions or controlled tissue tightening.
Subdermal Energy Treatments
Renuvion (J-Plasma) uses a special combination of radiofrequency and helium plasma beneath the skin to instantly tighten tissue. It’s often combined with liposuction to enhance jawline and neck contours.
FaceTite or AccuTite are radiofrequency treatments performed under the skin to melt small areas of fat and contract tissue for smoother, tighter contours.
These procedures offer more significant improvements than surface treatments, with about 5–10 days of recovery.
Skin Coring for Laxity Without Surgery
Ellacor® is a micro-coring device that removes tiny columns of skin (without laser or heat) to help the skin contract and tighten naturally. It’s great for moderate laxity and has mild to moderate downtime.
Traditional Surgical Facelift
For deeper wrinkles and more pronounced sagging, a facelift may be the most effective solution. This procedure repositions deeper tissues, removes excess skin, and tightens facial contours for dramatic, long-lasting results.
Which Treatment Is Right for You?
Choosing the right treatment depends on your goals, skin condition, and how much downtime you’re comfortable with. Many people benefit from a combination approach—using collagen-stimulating treatments to improve skin quality while lifting or contouring other areas.
At Dr. Yuan Cosmetic Surgery, we’ll evaluate your needs and help design a personalized plan that may include non-surgical options, minimally invasive procedures, or surgery—depending on what’s best for you.
Ready to get started?
Schedule a consultation to learn which facial skin tightening treatment is right for you.
