STARS Plastic Surgery
8042 Wurzbach Road, Suite 130 San Antonio, TX 78229
210-201-2806
Non-Surgical Skin Tightening

Laser Skin Tightening in San Antonio, TX

33 Procedures ( View All )

Overview

With advanced technology, a facelift isn’t the only way to drastically transform the face and reduce the signs of aging thanks to nonsurgical skin tightening. This safe and effective treatment uses laser technology to penetrate the deep layers of the skin to stimulate collagen to produce tighter, firmer skin with diminished lines and wrinkles. Dr. Chan uses the Lumenis laser since it’s safe, effective and produces immediately noticeable results. The number of treatments needed depends on the patient’s condition with some patients seeing dramatic results after only one treatment.

Type of Skin Tightening

Nonsurgical skin tightening can be performed with ultrasound, radiofrequency or intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment systems. Each method uses specific energies to target and heat the deep skin layers and to make the body turn on its natural wound healing process. This stimulates the natural production of collagen and in the absence of a real injury, will improve the health of the skin, including increasing the elasticity and thickness of the skin.

  • Radiofrequency skin tightening treatments (also known as Thermage, Accent, and Pelleve) take about 45 – 90 minutes and can be used on the face and body. Depending on the needs of the patient, 1 or several treatments may be needed to achieve their best results.
  • Intense pulsed light (IPL) treatments (also known as Titan, Sciton’s St., and Velashape) requires protective eyewear and usually shows the best results with 1 – 4 treatment sessions.
  • Ultrasound skin tightening treatments use safe ultrasound energy to affect 3 different layers of the skin at once. Treatments are usually 30 – 90 minutes and most patients will need multiple sessions to get their best results.

During/After the Procedure

The doctor or technician will begin the nonsurgical skin tightening treatments by cleaning the skin in the area to be treated to eliminate dirt, oils, makeup, and other products. While the doctor may administer local anesthesia or pain medication at their discretion, most patients find the mild pain and discomfort during treatment to be tolerable. Patients may spend 30 – 90 minutes being treated, depending on the technology being used and the size of the area being treated. After a very short recovery and observation period, the patient is able to leave and resume their day with no restrictions to their diet or activity level. The doctor will give the patient careful aftercare instructions and discuss scheduling any more treatments. Patients should not expect to see results immediately since the effects of the increased collagen production may take 2 – 6 months to become visible.

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Skin Tightening FAQs

Skin Elasticity?

Young skin is like a new rubber band: it stretches as needed and bounces back when needed. Over time, the skin becomes less elastic and starts to become loose and saggy. Higher skin elasticity means the skin is healthier, thicker, and more flexible. Low elasticity skin causes drooping and hanging skin folds.

What is Collagen?

Collagen is a protein found naturally in the skin tissue to improve the strength and elasticity of the skin. The body naturally slows collagen production with age, which contributes to lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin. Nonsurgical skin tightening treatments improve the elasticity of the skin for thicker, healthier skin.

Safety?

We take several steps to ensure our patient’s safety during all of their treatments, including the proper use of technology that is approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for skin tightening. During the treatment, the technician or doctor will monitor your vitals, such as pulse and blood pressure, that let us know if the procedure is causing any unusual effects. During their initial consultation, it is important that patients tell their doctor about their full medical history, especially any current medications and supplements.

Aftercare Tips?

We give our patients careful aftercare instructions to help them recovery fast and properly. Patients should drink plenty of water for at least a day after their treatment and if possible, avoid heavy exercise. Patients may notice redness, swelling, or numbness after their treatment, but this is temporary and shouldn’t last more than 1 week. Nonsurgical skin tightening does not provide instant results; patients will have to be patient and wait for the increased collagen production to slowly, but naturally improve their skin up 6 months after the treatment session.

*Individual results are not guaranteed and may vary from person to person. Images may contain models.