By Dr Davin Lim | Procedural Dermatologist | Cutis Dermatology, Brisbane.
We have tightened your skin, in turn improving laxity & skin tone. This page will guide you as to how to best upkeep your skin’s turgor & how to make it last! The combination of collagen stimulating devices & skin care is the key to lasting results.
How do I upkeep my results?
Over time, skin laxity will increase; it is inevitable. The aim of this guide is to empower you with knowledge as to how to prong your skin tightening results. You will be allocated your own personal nurse who will guide you through treatments based upon your age, degree of laxity or correction, ethnicity & goals.
What are 3 ways we upkeep your results from previous procedures?
Our three signature treatments for up keeping skin turgor & firmness include-
- Radiofrequency or RF low heating of the dermis: either with Tempsure/Pelleve or NuEra. These cost-effective treatments should be performed between 2-4 times per year. They are comfortable with little or no downtime.
- Collagen stimulating fillers in the dermis. These fillers are different to Hyaluronic acid fillers (HA fillers are great for structure), whilst PLLA fillers stimulate your own collagen. These fillers are placed in the deep dermis & hypodermis using a cannula. They work over a period of 2-4 months & typically last 3+ years.
- PDO threads in combination with the above is one of the most powerful methods of skin tightening. Our unique placement of threads ensures that patients will get the best possible results. The most common time frame is every 8 to 14 months.
How long does skin tightening last for?
Skin tightening procedures last between 4-48 months. Why the huge variation? It is because aging occurs in cycles of 2-4 years, lasting 6-12 months. This means if you land on the natural cycle of aging, skin laxity will be increased for that cycle. It is not all bad news as after that cycle, chances are you’ll be fine for another 2-4 years.
Longevity also depends largely on genetics & ethnicity.
Why is our integrated method of treating skin laxity unique?
We approach each patient as an individual, factoring in age, ethnicity, dermal thickness, fat layers, background sun damage, previous treatment & clinical anatomy.
If you are a suitable candidate for skin tightening, we approach this with a layered program.
- Dermal collagen contraction: Lasers, RF, RFM, HIFU, dermal fillers
- Hypodermis & firboseptal network: RF, HIFU, threads, PLLA or Ca Oh fillers
- SMAS & deeper layers: HIFU, RF
The exact combination of treatments depends on the aforementioned factors.
What is a basic but effective treatment program to maintain skin firmness?
A basic but effective program to reduce laxity & maintain skin turgor is as follows-
- Radiofrequency with NuEra or Tempsure twice a year
- One vial of PPLA once a year
- LARI laser resurfacing once a year
What is 3-layer skin tightening, & how do we achieve this?
Our unique methodology of treating all 3 layers provides the best non-surgical tightening possible. We achieve this by:
- Dermal remodelling: with lasers & deep peels
- Lower dermis contraction: with deep radiofrequency & collagen stimulating fillers
- Fibroseptal & SMAS contraction: with RF & HIFU
The timing of these treatments is individually determined, based upon the degree of clinical laxity.
What skin care is best to upkeep the results?
It is important to integrate skin care in a timely manner. Be guided by your nurse, or therapist.
Antioxidants: include ascorbic & ferulic acid. This formulation protects your skin from high level UV that degrades collagen, in turn accelerating aging. Antioxidants should be use under sunscreen as they offer a second layer of protection. Most patients can start 6-8 weeks following laser resurfacing, sooner after RF or HIFU.
Skin Vitamins: start with a good formulation of retinol. You can introduce these 3-6 weeks after resurfacing. The next vitamin is niacinamide or B3, followed by L-ascorbic acid. All other vitamins are elective.
What are the variables for skin tightening longevity?
Apart from natural chronological aging, other factors include-
- Weight: gain or loss plays an important role in tightening
- Genetics: play a huge role in skin tightening procedures
- Ethnicity: darker skin types generally have more collagen
- Lifestyle factors: include poor diet, sleep & smoking
- Stress levels: stress accelerates aging
- Illnesses: hamper your immune system & accelerate laxity & aging
Why don’t I like anchoring threads like Silhouette & Mint?
It is not that threads don’t work; it is about how long they last for & the recovery time following anchoring threads. Anchoring threads cost between $3800 to $5900, they last between 3 to 6 months at most. Recovery takes several days, with the ‘suture knot’ still visible (and palpable) for weeks following thread insertion.
We find PDO threads, inserted correctly, AND provided we add heating to the insertion area, give better outcomes, that last longer, with less cost, & much shorter recovery times.
What is the difference between how we perform threads compared to other clinics?
Our dermatologists have extensive experience in thread lifting, including PDO threads, Mint threads & Silhouette threads. We prefer PDO because of the longevity & efficacy. Our thread lifts differ because of-
- Vector placement
- Super high-density placement
- Additional collagen stimulation of the dermis & fibroseptal network
How do I improve my skin’s texture or quality?
Skin quality can be improved with lasers or peels. Lasers offer a faster solution that is more predictable. Lasers in general are best used to improve skin texture, whilst other energy devices are used to improve skin laxity. As a guide-
Level 1 lasers: include Pico lasers
Level 2 lasers: include Fraxel normal density
Level 3 lasers: include Fraxel or CO2 fractional
Level 4 lasers: a mix of lasers, 1927, 1570 & CO2
Level 5 lasers: are fully ablative lasers that include CO2 or erbium
The level of resurfacing is determined by your clinical findings, ethnicity, lifestyle & goals. Book an appointment with our nurses for a free consultation & assessment. T&C apply.
What are the costs to maintain skin firmness & turgor?
To keep costs down, simple cases are managed by our experienced nursing team. As a guide-
- RF with NuEra – Tempsure – Pelleve: From $490 per area
- PDO vector threads: From $480 per area
- LARI CO2 laser: From $ 690 per area
- Collagen stimulating dermal fillers (20 ml) PLLA: From $990
For a better understanding of what is the best way to stimulate collagen production & improve skin laxity, book an appointment with our nursing team.
