The quest for a well-defined chin or more sculpted cheekbones – face contouring with makeup can go a long way. That being said, if you are seeking more dramatic and long-lasting results, there are a number of minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures available today.
These procedures can go a long way towards subtly changing and reshaping the contours of your face. While most of these treatments are most often associated with smoothing out wrinkles and fine lines. However, injectable neurotoxins like Botox and fillers offer an easy and quick solution. But they are not the only choices available.
You can talk to your certified cosmetic dermatologist and find out the best procedure. Here we discuss a few of the most effective facial contouring treatments.
Fillers for Face Contouring
Arguably the most popular option for non-invasive facial contouring is fillers. There are a plethora of different fillers in the market, and there are different ways to use them.
Your doctor can inject them into the wrinkles, folds, and hollows of the face. Thus creating a smoother, fuller, and more contoured facial shape. More specifically, your therapist will add filler to cheekbones for a lifted appearance. If added to your cheek, it elongates the chin to create a more oval or heart-shaped face.
In addition, other filler treatments include non-invasively defining the jawline, making your nose bridge higher, inverting downturned lips, or even correcting any facial asymmetries.
Different Types of Fillers for Face Contouring
There are hyaluronic acid fillers in the market – common brands include Voluma and Juvederm. Which when applied, work by absorbing water to create fullness or plumpness to your face. Of these fillers, there are both thicker and thinner versions. These versions are based on how the hyaluronic acid molecules are linked together.
Different versions of the fillers cater to different skin types and face contouring requirements. These differing consistencies of the fillers make them better suited for different contouring spots on your face. Your therapist will use thick fillers to go into areas where you need structural support, specially the temple area, jawline, cheekbones, and chin.
In contrast, your therapist will use thinner fillers in the lips, nasolabial folds that run down from the nose to mouth. They are also applied to the marionette lines that happen around your chin area. Your doctor might also suggest hyaluronic acid fillers for what is known as a liquid rhinoplasty or nose job. This procedure can alter the shape of your nose.
Other fillers, such as Sculptra and Radiesse, work by stimulating the production of new collagen over a few weeks. They are also popularly used as they yield successful results when it comes to volumizing the face.
Pros and Cons of Fillers for Face Contouring
Pros of fillers include their versatility, ease, and ability to be used all over the face. Also, the procedure is fairly simple, painless, and cost-effective when compared to other, more invasive options for your face.
The downtime and side effects are also fairly minimal: However, at times, there is a risk of swelling, redness, bruising, and tenderness with filler injections. This condition typically resolves over the course of one to two weeks.
The cons? Filler results are not permanent. Fillers usually last anywhere from three months to five years. The results solely depend on the exact filler used and wherein the face it was injected.
Botox for Face Contouring
The fan-favorite wrinkle fighter Botox treatment can also be used to narrow your jawline. By injecting Botox into your masseter muscle, the shape of the big chewing muscle in your jaw can be changed.
The Botox treatment causes these muscles to atrophy over time and can help change a square-shaped jaw into more of a heart-shaped jaw. The primary use of Botox – it is often injected in this area for medical reasons, generally to address TMJ, but can also be used for cosmetic reasons.
Botox can also be injected into your chin muscle to reduce wrinkling and give it an elongated look from a frontal view. As with most fillers, the results are not permanent. Hence you should plan on repeating the Botox injection approximately every six months.
However, with repeated use of the Botox Dubai injection, the muscle activity stays suppressed, so the muscle shrinks long-term. This effect allows for a dramatic jawline narrowing leading to a successful face contouring. The downtime is minimal, and it is still fairly affordable. But more units are generally needed for face contouring than for wrinkle-smoothing facial injections.
CoolSculpting for Face Contouring
This is another famous face contouring treatment that can be used to treat a double chin. The treatment can also define your lower face and neck. Also known as cryolipolysis, Coolsculpting works by selectively freezing and destroying fat cells in the treatment area.
On average, the treatment yields about a 20 percent fat reduction in the treated area. The procedure time for the chin area is usually about 45 mins. However, possible side effects include temporary swelling, redness, numbness, and tingling. While most of the results are permanent, keep in mind that they are by no means instantaneous: meaning it might even take up to four months after a single treatment to see the final results.
Radio Frequency for Face Contouring
Have you heard about treatments such as Thermage that utilize radio frequency, where electrical energy generates heat that triggers skin-tightening treatments? The process works – as the heat produces higher temperatures, that melts the fat.
The heat-related damage to your skin is done in a controlled fashion, resulting in the creation of new collagen. This, in turn, results in tighter and plumper skin. However, there are a variety of different ways to administer radiofrequency energy.
Your therapist can choose both non-invasive methods where topical paddles are applied to the skin. This method comes with minimal downtime. In contrast, the invasive method involves micro-needling or small tubes under the skin. But you might require one to seven days of recovery time depending on the particular area being treated.
However, in both these methods, you would not see the effects for at least six months. Also, note that they are not permanent. Your skin will tighten initially but then loosen up again as time passes. Any person who gets radio frequency will often need multiple rounds over their lifetime.
The pros? The risks involved are usually minimal, and the treatment is well-tolerated. The main advantage is that it can be especially beneficial for tightening and reshaping the lower section of the face and neck.
Fat Grafting for Face Contouring
Just like plastic surgeons, we all have these synthetic materials at our disposal. In addition, we also have the natural stuff. What is it? These are fat tissues.
Rather than using fillers, your therapist can take your fat and place it into the same areas as you would add fillers. Fat tissues are especially good for volumizing cheeks, defining the jawline, and filling in hollows under the tear trough.
It is true that it is the most invasive option on the list. During the procedure, the fat will first have to be retrieved from other parts of the body. Your surgeon might use liposuction to extract the fat, before it can be injected into your face.
The fat grafting procedure is essentially permanent and generally very effective. About 50 to 80 percent of the fat cells that your surgeon will transfer from one part of the body to the other will survive; and start behaving like your own cells for life.
Possible Risks and Complications
The majority of face contouring surgeries involve incisions, especially if you are looking for long-term solutions. Surgeries often place a person at risk of scarring including scar tissue growth and keloid scarring, bleeding, and infection.
Facial infection tends to be more common among individuals who undergo implant surgery or fat removal procedure. Scar tissue is a more serious risk associated with facial implants. The facial scar is usually formed due to abnormal immune system response.
As a result, which might cause it to grow and constrict around the implant. If any such condition happens, the shape of the implants will change, which can have a negative effect. It might also affect the results of the face contouring procedure.
However, it is also typical for patients to experience bruising, swelling, and numbness, which may take some time to subside.
Bottomline
Your face is a symbol of your identity. You should be able to convey emotions and express your personality. Face contouring procedures may be the right choice when your face does not match how you envision yourself!
Whether you are trying to minimize the effects of time or have disliked the shape of your nose, these face contouring procedures can help you reach your aesthetic goals.
There is a wide range of facial contouring procedures available today that can improve your self-image and appearance. These treatments include brow lifts, facelifts, eyelid lifts, neck lifts, rhinoplasty, and the list goes on and on.
If you are looking to improve the appearance of your cheekbones or jawline or want a chin implant, chin augmentation or cheek implants, talk to your doctor today.
