Face Skin Tightening: Best Treatment Guide

Saggy skin is when the skin begins to lose its firmness and elasticity. The condition is also referred to as loose skin. It can occur in various areas of the body and not just the facial area. The most commonly occurring saggy skin areas include the cheek, neck, jowls, upper arms, abdomen, and thighs.

The factors contributing to saggy skin are not age-related alone, but a combination of factors including lifestyle, genetics, smoking, sun damage, and a sagging face after weight loss. There are many face tightening treatments available that tighten loose skin.

What’s the Best Way to Tighten Face Skin With Lifestyle Habits?

There are several things you can do to prompt face skin tightening and elasticity with lifestyle habits:

Maintain a Healthy Diet: Eat a well-balanced diet rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals to support skin health. Foods containing collagen-boosting nutrients, such as vitamin C, can contribute to the skin's firmness.
Stay Hydrated: Research tells us that men should drink around 3.7 litres of water per day and women should drink approximately 2.7 litres of water daily. Hydration protects your skin from becoming dehydrated and losing elasticity to improve face skin tightening.
Regular Exercise: Engage in physical activity regularly as it helps tone and firm the muscles beneath the skin. Strength training exercises, in particular, can improve muscle tone and support, reducing the appearance of saggy skin.
Gradual Weight Loss: If weight loss is your goal, aim for a steady pace rather than rapid weight loss. This allows your skin to adapt to changes and reduces the chances of sagging.
Moisturize: Apply moisturizers and creams that contain ingredients like hyaluronic acid to maintain skin hydration and plumpness. You can also use firming creams and firming facials.
Avoid Smoking: Smoking accelerates the ageing process and reduces collagen production, leading to saggy skin. Quitting smoking can contribute to improved skin health and overall well-being.
Oral Supplements: Supplements containing collagen support your skin health from the inside out. It is recommended to consult with a healthcare professional before adding supplements to your routine.
Topical Ointments: Retinoids, such as retinol, can promote collagen synthesis and improve skin texture. It is recommended to consult with a dermatologist before incorporating these products into your skincare routine.

What Are the Best Non-Surgical Skin Tightening Treatments?

If you want a definitive solution for face firming there are various treatments with little to no downtime.

Injectables

Dermal Fillers

Dermal fillers are typically used to target skin tightening indirectly by restoring volume, refining contours and filling in lines and wrinkles by adding substance beneath the skin. These areas could include around the lips, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and cheeks. Some dermal fillers also stimulate collagen which can also modestly contribute to skin face tightening; typically used in combination with other face tightening treatments.

Anti Ageing Injectables

Botox is an anti-ageing injectable that relaxes specific facial muscles, smoothing out wrinkles and preventing further sagging and wrinkle formation. Key areas include forehead lines, frown lines and crows feet.

Lift and Face Tightening Procedures

Thread Lifts

This non-surgical facelift procedure uses dissolvable threads to lift and tighten sagging skin, stimulating collagen production for a natural-looking result.

Non-Surgical RF Treatments

RF technology heats the skin's deeper layers, promoting collagen production and improving facial skin tightness. Examples include Thermage and Venus Freeze. Morpheus 8 face treatment is one of the most popular RF treatments as it combines microneedling with radiofrequency (RF) technology. This is effective at heating the skin's deeper layers to promote collagen production and face skin tightening. The micro-needling aspect stimulates the body's self-healing process and collagen production, while the RF waves penetrate deep into the skin, providing a dual impact that results in improved skin texture and face tightening.

Ultrasound Therapy (Ultherapy)

This microfocused ultrasound procedure is similar to ultrasound therapy, utilising focused ultrasound energy to lift and tighten the skin on the face and neck.

Skin Resurfacing and Rejuvenation

Cryolipolysis (CoolSculpting)

While initially designed for fat reduction, CoolSculpting has shown some effectiveness in skin tightening by promoting collagen production.

Chemical Peels

These non-invasive treatments involve the application of a chemical solution to exfoliate the skin to stimulate collagen and improve overall skin texture.

Microdermabrasion

A mechanical exfoliation technique that removes the outer layer of the skin, promoting cell turnover and stimulating collagen production.

Fractional Laser Resurfacing

Fractional lasers create controlled micro-injuries in the skin, increasing collagen production and improving skin texture.

Microneedling

Involves the use of a device with fine needles that create micro-injuries in the skin, promoting collagen and elastin production for improved skin texture and tone.

Light and Energy Therapies

LED Light Therapy

Different wavelengths of light are used to stimulate collagen production, improve skin tone, and contribute to a subtle face skin tightening effect.

Platelet-Rich Plasma (PRP) Therapy

PRP, also referred to as Vampire facial, derived from the patient's blood, is injected into the skin to stimulate collagen production and promote tissue regeneration.

Morpheus face treatments are considered among the best non invasive way to tighten your face. It is an enhanced form of microneedling combined with RF treatment. The micro-needling aspect stimulates the body's self-healing process and collagen production, while the RF waves penetrate deep into the skin, providing a dual impact that results in improved skin texture and face tightening.

Surgical Skin Tightening Procedures for Face?

Surgical treatments are considered the best skin treatment options for the face for dramatic results as they provide effective and long-lasting solutions.

Facelift (Rhytidectomy)

A facelift is typically conducted under general anaesthesia and lasts around 1 to 3 hours. It aims to rejuvenate the facial area by tightening both the skin and underlying platysma muscle, removing excess skin around the ears. It is regarded as the best face tightening treatment among the surgical options as it provides longer-lasting results. Mini Face Lift or Micro Face Lift are good surgical options for less developed cases.

Brow Lift

The Brow Lifts is a surgical treatment targeting age-related dropping and flattening of the brow due to reduced skin elasticity. Brow lift uses various techniques, and involves removing excess skin, tightening underlying tissue, and redraping the skin for a lifted and tightened brow. Besides cosmetic enhancements, brow lifts also address ptosis caused by illness or injury, improving vision and alleviating headaches.

Eyelid Surgery (Blepharoplasty)

It is a surgical solution that effectively addresses ageing-related concerns around the eyes by removing excess fat and skin, providing a rejuvenated appearance and, in severe cases, improving vision.

Neck Lift

A neck lift removes excess fat and tightens the delicate neck skin. It targets the loss of tone and elasticity that commonly occurs with age and weight fluctuations. Neck lifts can also rejuvenate the jawline, defining and sharpening it, resulting in a slender neck appearance and face tightening.

Cheek Augmentation

Cheek augmentation, a cosmetic procedure, enhances facial contours by adding volume to the cheeks through the use of dermal fillers or implants, providing a lifted and more sculpted appearance for effective face skin tightening.

Chin Augmentation

Chin augmentation, also known as genioplasty, is a surgical procedure that enhances the chin's shape and prominence, addressing concerns such as a weak or recessed chin. This procedure involves reshaping the chin bone or using implants to achieve a more balanced and defined facial profile by achieving lower face tightening.

Fat Transfer to Face

This procedure takes some of your body's fat, usually from areas like your belly or thighs, and puts it into your face. This helps to add volume to your skin and improve sagging.

Thread Lift

A thread lift is a versatile face skin tightening procedure for the face that lifts and tightens sagging skin on the face using dissolvable threads. It's unique because it can be both surgical and non-surgical. In the non-surgical version, threads with tiny cones are inserted under the skin to lift and stimulate collagen production, resulting in a natural-looking lift. This is suitable for those looking for a less invasive option with minimal downtime. The surgical thread lift involves a more intricate procedure where permanent sutures are used to lift the deeper layers of facial tissue. This is typically recommended for individuals with more advanced sagging and who prefer a longer-lasting solution, although it may involve longer recovery times compared to the non-surgical approach. Choosing between the two depends on individual preferences, the degree of sagging, and desired results.

What Are the Best Skin Tightening Treatments for Face?

The choice between non-surgical and surgical skin tightening procedures for the face depends on individual preferences, such as how much the skin sags and the desired outcomes you want to achieve.

Non-surgical treatments tighten the face with less discomfort and downtime compared to surgical procedures. However, they’re not permanent and require regular visits to maintain the results.

Surgical procedures offer comprehensive and long-lasting transformations for those seeking more significant changes. Surgical procedures are more invasive and provide more drastic results that last longer.

Consult with one of our expert surgeons to determine the most suitable approach for skin tightening treatments for the face based on your specific circumstances.

Treatments mentioned in this article

Skin Rejuvenation

Microneedling (Dermapen)

Microneedling lightly promotes the growth of fresh skin cells and collagen for a youthful glow.

Face & Eyes

Mini-Facelift

A mini facelift targets the lower face, jawline, and neck for slightly less invasive rejuvenation.

Face & Eyes

Face Lift (Rhytidectomy)

A facelift surgically lifts loose, sagging, and ageing skin for a more youthful appearance.

Skin Rejuvenation

Morpheus8 Treatment