Q: I am in my mid-40s with kids and try to live a healthy lifestyle. I am bothered by some sagging and crepiness in areas that are resistant to exercise. I do not feel I need surgery, but am wondering what non-surgical fixes there may be to tighten skin, especially in my extremities.
A: Non-invasive skin tightening procedures are ideal for patients with early skin laxity. Depending on the degree of skin laxity, a combination of treatments may be needed to stimulate your body’s own collagen formation, which is key in restoring a tighter, smoother, lifted appearance to your skin. Biostimulating injectables such as Radiesse® and Sculptra® can stimulate your body’s own collagen production when injected underneath the skin. Originally indicated for facial volumization, Radiesse® and Sculptra® can be hyperdiluted (mixed with saline and numbing medication), which evokes collagen stimulation, resulting in smoother, tighter skin quality. These injection treatments are performed in stages, generally 6-8 weeks apart, to allow your body time to produce collagen. To meet your goals, your provider may recommend a series of treatments. Once you achieve your treatment endpoint, yearly maintenance, typically with less product than the initial series of treatments, will maintain your results.
Topical collagen stimulation with Alastin® Body Transform is often paired with injectable treatment to enhance and maintain the results. Transform can be started a month before the injections to pre-treat the skin and prime it for collagen production. It can then be used after the procedure as a daily maintenance body lotion.
If you have moderate to severe skin laxity, your provider may recommend an additional skin tightening procedure to enhance your results. Sofwave®, an ultrasound-based energy treatment, stimulates collagen production by applying a quick pulse of heat to the skin. The injectables and energy-based devices work synergistically, targeting skin tightening in different ways. Your provider will explain the various modalities we have to treat skin laxity, and together, you can choose the right treatment method for you.
Our Aesthetic Nurse Injectors and I provide these services for patients looking to correct sagging and crepiness in their arms, legs, abdomen, and neck areas. Please call our office for a consultation to learn more about these treatments.
– Cindy Wu, MD, FACS
If you have questions you would like Dr. Wu to answer, please email them to info@cynthiagreggmd.com, and we will include them in a future Ask The Surgeon Column.