Move over, scalpel. There’s a kinder, gentler facelift in town—and all it takes is
a few minutes and a few strategic injections of muscle relaxers and fillers.
“If surgery provides a 90-percent improvement, you’ll likely see a 30-percent improvement
with a ‘liquid lift,’ but in only 30 minutes, for a fraction of the price, and with
no downtime,” says cosmetic surgeon George Bitar, who has performed thousands of liquid
lifts in his two Northern Virginia offices.
For many—especially people in their thirties and forties—the results are more than
good enough. Artfully administered injections can smooth skin, fill in lines and wrinkles,
and provide some lift. Just don’t expect to reposition muscles or remove heavy sagging
in the jowls or neck. (Surgery is still the best option for that.)
The rub? If you stick to a once-a-year regimen of liquid lifts, the cost—$2,000 to
$5,000 a pop—will add up to that of a facelift or more in the long run.
“This isn’t a one-size-fits-all treatment,” says Bitar. “It varies from person to
person, so the key is finding a practitioner who understands facial anatomy and can
tell you if surgery makes more sense for you.”
