If you’re unhappy with saggy, droopy skin when you look in the mirror, there’s good news. Thanks to advancements in aesthetic technology, there are more ways than ever to tighten and smooth your skin.
Aesthetic specialist Leslie Forrester, APRN, and the care team at Wrinkle Fairy in the Greater Chicago area specialize in addressing the visible signs of aging, like deep wrinkles and folds and saggy skin.
One of Leslie’s favorite treatments is nonsurgical laser skin resurfacing. Our practice uses both the LaseMD™ and Fractora® laser systems to help tighten loose, saggy skin and smooth away other signs of aging.
Leslie and the team also know that laser skin tightening isn’t the right choice for everyone. In some cases, a surgical facelift could be a better option. Here’s what you need to know.
If you’re hoping to tighten sagging skin and reduce other visible signs of aging, FDA-approved laser resurfacing might be the solution you need. This treatment works using heat energy to trigger the body's natural production of collagen.
Our team uses both the LaseMD and Fractora laser systems to help improve the appearance of aging skin, but Fractora’s advanced fractional radio frequency (RF) technology offers one of the most effective ways to tighten saggy skin without surgical intervention.
Fractora stimulates targeted areas under your skin using gentle RF heat. The heat makes micro-wounds in the deeper layers of your skin, triggering your body’s healing response and increasing key skin proteins, like collagen and elastin.
These new fibers are tighter and have more integrity than the old skin fibers, so as your skin regenerates, the new skin is firmer, more youthful, and has less sagging. You can leave immediately after your treatment, and most people are back to their normal activities in a few days.
You won’t see noticeable results right away, since laser skin tightening relies on your body’s natural healing processes and collagen production. In the weeks following your therapy, however, you’ll see noticeable improvements with final results after about six weeks.
Leslie provides detailed post-treatment instructions, and if you follow them and care for your skin by wearing sunscreen and using high-quality anti-aging products, your results can last for years.
Although laser skin tightening with Fractora can work wonders on your skin, it isn’t right for everyone. This treatment isn’t ideal for people with severe or excessive age-related skin laxity, significant sun damage with loss of elasticity, or excessive saggy skin because of extreme weight loss.
In these cases, a surgical facelift may be a better option. A surgical facelift repositions your skin and muscles to give you a more youthful appearance and remove any excess skin. Results can last for years, but there’s a lengthy recovery period (several weeks minimum), and the risks are higher, including:
You can minimize your risks by following all pre- and post-operative instructions and selecting your facelift surgeon with care.
The best way to learn if a facelift or laser skin tightening is right for you is by meeting with an expert who specializes in anti-aging aesthetics, like the team at Wrinkle Fairy. Leslie and our providers evaluate your skin and talk to you about your aesthetic goals to recommend the best treatments for your needs.
Your personalized anti-aging treatment plan may include multiple therapies to help you avoid surgery, if that’s your wish. In addition to our laser skin resurfacing and tightening therapy, some of our other options include:
Learn more about your skin-tightening options by scheduling a consultation with Leslie at the Wrinkle Fairy location nearest you in Chicago, Oakbrook Terrace, Arlington Heights, or Naperville, Illinois.
