Small Changes, Big Impact: Understanding Minimally Invasive Aesthetic Procedures

Over the last decade, the beauty world has transformed dramatically. Once it was all about the big, big, big surgeries. Now, people are increasingly interested in things that make a difference but don't require long recovery times (or big, giant interventions). These minimally invasive procedures provide an opportunity for people to get what they want to correct without having to go under the knife, or at least not yet.

What are Minimally Invasive Procedures?

It's a term widely used but not always defined. Generally, it's applied to those things that need little cutting, micro-incisions, or sub-dermal penetration and adjustments that don't go beyond major tissue adjustment. Think injections (and fillers), lasers, radiofrequency devices, and micro-lift devices.

The feasibility is simple. Anyone can be back up and running in a matter of days, sometimes hours; swelling is diminished, and in many cases non-existent, and there's no general anesthesia complication. For anyone looking for either surgical or minimally invasive options, consult a board-certified plastic surgeon like those at Banobagi Plastic Surgery who know the industry and professional options from both ends.

What Are Common Minimally Invasive Procedures?

The most requested category, according to recent statistics, is injections. Botulinum toxin treatments reduce dynamic wrinkles (the lines we see when we contract our muscles). They typically last for three to four months and take all of fifteen minutes to apply. Dermal fillers inject volume into areas that lost volume due to aging or into areas that need volume for structural adjustments (think cheeks and lips).

But here's the caveat: fillers give immediate results but are even shorter lived than Botox. Depending on what kind of filler is used, dosage and area placement determines if retreatment is needed in three months or two years.

Lasers and energy-based devices are becoming more sophisticated with time. Fractional lasers create micro-columns of treatment which trigger collagen production while leaving non-treated tissue around intact; recovery is substantially lower than ablative laser treatments of yesteryear which treated whole areas. 

Radiofrequency and ultrasound devices heat up skin from beneath, triggering the body's innate response for healing. With new collagen build-up over three months, tightening occurs from within. These also take multiple sessions over weeks to see results, but the beauty of that is the subtleness, it's less drastic than all-at-once results.

IPL (intense pulsed light) devices treat pigmentation issues, broken capillaries and tone, great for sun damage but not good for those with darker complexions who could end up with hyperpigmentation if not careful.

The Slightly More Surgical Option:

Some procedures exist in the in between realm, they're surgical, yet non-surgical to an extent. Thread lifts use dissolvable threads with small cones/barbs to lift skin; they dissolve after time, allowing the skin to maintain the new structure while simultaneously stimulating collagen growth. 

Blepharoplasty, a form of eyelid surgery, can be done with a smaller incision (upper lid) to save recovery time; results take years off one's face from drooping and puffing; minimum incision blepharoplasty is much shorter recovery than full face procedures. Fat transfer takes fat from one part of the body and uses it for another (facial volume restoration, hand rejuvenation). It minimizes the ability for allergic reaction since it's coming from the same body (although not all transferred fat stays forever).

What Should Someone Realistically Expect?

The number one misconception is that "minimally invasive" equals "no downtime." This is false. While recovery time is significantly less than regular procedures, there is still a recovery time. Injectables could leave a bruise for a day or two; lasers could make skin red and flaky for days; thread lifts might hurt for a day or two and have visible dimpling until everything settles.

Additionally, the cost of these procedures is sometimes morphed into one flat fee for one recovery procedure but that's not entirely accurate either. Sometimes a single syringe of filler costs $600 but maintenance is required every few months, which adds up annually. Sometimes laser packages run thousands of dollars over time, which is much more than anticipated from one package when it's really multiple sessions needed over time.

When Is It Too Much?

There are limits to what minimally invasive procedures can do. Someone who's lost significant elasticity and muscle from tissue won't benefit from thread lifts, or they won't receive the same results as if they had facelift surgery. Someone who's losing significant facial volume won't benefit over time if they continue to inject fillers; they just become over-filled over time instead of getting proper procedures right away.

This is where problems ensue; people think that layers upon layers of minimally invasive procedures will save them from long-term surgery but that's not true, in time, more money gets spent for subpar results instead of going through proper assessment routes first. Sometimes it's better to bite the bullet (financially and physically) to achieve what you want once and have it last longer than half-ass it now for cheaper if it means throwing more money after bad over time later on down the line.

How To Determine What's Best Moving Forward?

Focus on specific areas of concern instead of generalized "I want to look younger." Is it hollowness under eye? Is it jowls? Is it a deep forehead line? Each issue has its respective treatment and sometimes what's wonderful for one isn't good for another so it makes no sense to toss good procedures out because there's hope down the line from another approach naturally.

Ultimately, research plays a role but so does getting confirmed assessments by properly certified professionals who can confirm anatomical determinations based on skin quality; what works on someone won't work exactly the same as on someone else (skin thickness, bone structure per person, fat levels); each procedure must be adjusted accordingly.

Lastly, be honest with yourself concerning what you can commit to maintaining. Minimally invasive approaches are highly beneficial, but they're not magic without some upkeep on your end, creating realistic expectations coming in as well as what's truly possible without trying to become someone else or achieve someone else's dreams via min invasive procedures keeps stress low when expectations are high from concerns yet unmet initially.