A traditional facelift is quite effective in removing excess skin and fat and tightening the underlying facial tissue to give a patient a more youthful facial appearance. However, it does nothing to improve the quality or texture of the skin. Therefore, although a traditional facelift will improve your facial appearance, it may not leave your facial skin looking as young, full, and vibrant as it looked when you were younger.
For this reason, researchers and cosmetic surgeons have been trying to come up with facelift methods that should not only lift and tighten the facial skin and tissue but also give patients a more vibrant facial appearance. Cell-enhanced facelift is one of the most successful solutions that has been developed to this end. Here is a discussion about what cell-enhanced facelift is and how it differs from traditional facelift surgery.
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What Is a Cell-Enhanced Facelift?
Cell-enhanced facelift, also known as stem cell facelift, is an advanced facial rejuvenation technique. The procedure is minimally invasive since it makes use of stem cell technology to enhance the production of collagen. It also effectively fills your facial tissues with healthy blood flow. In a nutshell, the procedure harnesses the regenerative power of your body’s stem cells to give you a glowing, youthful facial appearance.
How Does Stem Cell Facelift Work?
The procedure is usually done under local anesthesia. Once the anesthesia medication has been administered, your doctor will obtain fatty tissues for the thigh or abdomen area. This area is preferred because the adipose tissue found there has the highest concentration of stem cells. The stem cells are then extracted from the fatty tissue and mixed with growth factors. The solution is then injected into the face. Injecting the stem cells into the face prompts the existing facial cells to regrow, which effectively corrects the issue of lost volume. The treatment also stimulates the production of collagen, which tightens the skin naturally.
Stem Cell Facelift Vs Traditional Facelift
A traditional facelift and a stem cell facelift differ in several ways. For example, while a traditional facelift seeks to lift the face by removing the excess, sagging skin caused by aging, a stem cell facelift will address the primary cause of aging- the loss of volume- by stimulating the growth of cells to fill the facial areas affected by lost volume.
Besides, instead of tightening the skin by pulling it with sutures like it is done in the traditional facelift, stem cell facelift tightens the skin by boosting the production of collagen, which tightens the skin naturally. Lastly, a traditional facelift is a major surgical procedure that will need general anesthesia or IV sedation, while a stem cell facelift is a minimally invasive procedure that can be done under local anesthesia.
Advantages of Stem Cell Facelift
There are several benefits associated with a stem cell facelift vs traditional facelift surgery. For instance, since stem cell facelift is minimally invasive, it requires little to no downtime. Besides, unlike traditional facelift surgery, stem cell facelift is unlikely to cause scarring since it does not involve incisions.
Stem Cell Facelift FAQs
Is Stem Cell Facelift Safe?
A stem cell facelift is generally safe. In any case, it will involve transferring your own stem cells from one part of the body to another, meaning that the risk of an allergic reaction is minimal. Besides, since the procedure will not require general anesthesia or IV sedation, anesthesia risks are also minimized. Lastly, since the procedure does not require any incisions, you will not have to worry about the risks of blood clots, nerve damage, and scarring. Therefore, although the procedure is not without some risks, it is much safer compared to traditional facelift surgery.
Is Stem Cell Painful?
You may feel mild pressure during the injection. Local anesthesia is used to ensure that you don’t feel any pain. However, in the early days of the recovery period, you may experience mild discomfort at the injection site, but you won’t need any pain medication.
How Much Does Stem Cell Facelift Cost?
The cost of a stem cell-enhanced facelift will obviously vary from one case to another depending on who is performing the procedure and the finer details of a given treatment plan. The cost generally ranges between $5,000 and 15,000. You need to discuss the cost with your provider to know the exact amount you will need for the procedure. However, it is important to note that since the procedure is elective, it will not be covered by your medical insurance.
How Soon Can I Expect to See the Results?
Unfortunately, the results of stem cells facelift are not immediate. Indeed, it will take you a couple of weeks before you can see the difference. The beauty of the procedure is that the results will continue to improve as more cells and collagen are produced.
