Who Is a Good Candidate for Skin Tightening?

Skin tightening treatments can have a great impact on the overall appearance of your skin. Whether you prefer a laser treatment on an energy-based treatment using radiofrequency, you can achieve exceptional anti-aging results with treatments that tighten, lift, and firm the skin. At Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery in Bethesda, MD, we offer several treatments for reversing the visible appearance of skin laxity, wrinkles, and fine lines. But before you call to schedule your initial appointment, learn more about these treatments. From how skin tightening treatments work to who the best candidates for these treatments are, we have all the information you need to know about aesthetic treatments in Bethesda.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Skin Tightening?

This is generally the biggest question that needs to be answered: are you a good candidate for a skin tightening treatment? In general, there are a few eligibility requirements patients must meet to be considered a candidate for any treatment to tighten the skin. For one thing, your skin condition must have moderate to mild skin laxity, as severe skin laxity cannot usually be corrected with non-invasive tightening treatments. For another, patients who want to tighten skin on their body must also have stable body weight, as any weight gain will undo the results of the treatment. Patients should also not be currently pregnant for the same reason. Other qualifications for certain treatment may include: Fair to medium skin tones (some treatments can be used on darker skin) No history of hyperpigmentation No skin conditions, such as sunburn or eczema, on the appointment date Mild unwanted fat for certain treatments During your consultation, your skin expert will also go over certain information about you, such as your medical history, your current medications and supplements, and your aesthetic goals. A consultation is the best way to determine your eligibility for any treatment.

What Is the Best Age for Treatment?

All skin ages at slightly different rates depending on your genetics, environmental factors, and your skincare habits. For that reason, there is no "best" age for treatment since skin laxity may happen at any time between the ages of 30 and 50. Ultimately, the best age to have a treatment to tighten your skin will be determined by the quality of your skin at any given age. Some people who have early visible signs of aging may consider starting treatments in their 30s; this is more common for patients who have fair skin, sun damage, or high-stress lifestyles. For others, skin aging may take several more years to become visible, particularly for people who have medium to dark skin tones that are more naturally resilient to visible aging. If you aren't sure your visible aging is appropriate for these treatments, please speak with one of our skin experts.

What Is the Best Time for Treatment?

Most treatments to tighten skin are energy-based, which means it may be a good idea to time your treatments in a way that will help you avoid sun exposure. After any energy-based treatment, you will be advised to avoid direct sunlight for at least one to two weeks to avoid hyperpigmentation. Because you will likely need several treatments to achieve your aesthetic goals, you may want to schedule your initial treatment appointments during the fall and winter months when accidental sun exposure is less likely. Additionally, if you are seeking these treatments to prepare for a special occasion, you may want to schedule your first treatment appointment at least six months in advance. This will give your skin enough time to create natural collagen to correct skin laxity, fine lines, and wrinkles. We can go over the best timing for your treatments during your consultation.

Other Frequently Asked Questions

1. What Treatment Options Do You Have?

At our clinic, we offer several skin tightening treatments. The specific treatment used for your concerns will depend on the degree of your skin laxity, the areas you want to treat, and if you have additional concerns, such as pigmentation concerns. The treatment you choose may also depend on whether or not you plan to incorporate other treatments to achieve your aesthetic goals, such as Photofacial or injectable treatments. SkinTyte SkinTyte is a non-invasive treatment built around broadband light, which stimulates the production of collagen deep within the sub-dermal layers of the skin. This treatment is ideal for subtly improving the overall tone, firmness, and appearance of the skin, particularly because it can be used on the body and can also be combined with other aesthetic treatments. Radiofrequency Radiofrequency treatments are highly effective at simultaneously remodeling the layer of fat beneath the skin while also increasing the natural collagen production in the skin layers. This treatment can be used on the neck, cheeks, and jowls, and may produce results that are similar to a facelift or a mini lift. Some radiofrequency treatments, such as Morpheus8, can also be used to correct superficial concerns like blemishes, melasma, and scarring. Viora Reaction Viora Reaction is a unique treatment that uses advanced channel-optimized radiofrequency energy (CORE) to contour the body and tighten the skin at one time. This treatment is incredibly effective at restoring the youthful appearance of the skin, smoothing away cellulite, and shrinking fat cell volume. As an all-in-one treatment option, you can use this system on virtually all areas of the face and body, including the buttocks, abdomen, hips, thighs, arms, neck, jowls, cheeks, and even the delicate eye area.

2. What Is Recovery Like?

Whether you will need one treatment or a series of three to six treatments to achieve your ideal results, you can always look forward to an easy recovery period after energy-based treatments to tighten the skin. Most people immediately return to work or other daily activities after their treatment. That said, some simple post-treatment instructions should be followed: Avoid sunlight Drink water Keep skin moisturized Avoid hot water and steam Avoid excessive sweating Do not use chemical exfoliants Some of these instructions should only be followed for 24 hours, such as avoiding hot water and steam. Other instructions, like avoiding chemical exfoliants and sunlight, may need to be followed for three to five days or longer, depending on the sensitivity of your skin. Keeping your skin moisturized will promote better results.

3. Do These Treatments Hurt?

No, skin tightening treatments with any of our systems are not painful. In fact, many of these systems have built-in cooling factors that will keep the skin comfortable during the treatment. Of course, at the patient's request, we can always administer topical numbing agents to keep the treatment process more comfortable. We also offer Pro-Nox to ease anxiety and discomfort. Please discuss with us your comfort options during your consultation.

4. When Will You See Results?

Some treatments will only require one session to produce results, which will usually be visible in about two to four weeks after the appointment. Other treatments may require a series of appointments to achieve optimal results; it's common to need at least three to six treatments spaced a month apart before you will see the desired results. Usually, the final results of any treatment will be visible about four to six weeks after your last treatment.

5. How Long Will Results Last?

Although these treatments are powerful, it's important to remember that they are temporary. Energy-based treatments to tighten the skin only pause the aging process, but eventually, the new collagen produced by these treatments will break down and skin laxity will return. Most people will be able to enjoy flawless results for about one year before a new treatment is necessary. The best way to maintain your results is with annual treatments.

Love the Skin You're In

The aging process inevitably means that your skin will loosen as collagen production declines. The good news is that there are several treatment options for you to explore so you can tighten your skin and look younger again. Energy-based skin tightening treatments are non-invasive and have virtually zero downtime. Contact us at Chevy Chase Facial Plastic Surgery in Bethesda, MD to schedule your consultation today.