If you are looking for a treatment that turns back the clock and reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines on your face, you will have to make a choice between a facelift vs. Botox. Both of these cosmetic treatments can revitalize your facial appearance, and deciding which treatment is best for you can be a difficult choice. Both treatments have benefits and drawbacks, so it is important to get all of the information you need so that you can make an educated decision.

If you are not sure whether Botox or a facelift is the right treatment for you, Dr. Leo Lapuerta can help you decide. Dr. Lapuerta has been administering Botox injections and performing facelift surgeries in Houston, Katy, and Pearland, Texas, for over 20 years, and can help determine which treatment will let you most effectively meet your aesthetic goals. Below, he breaks down the difference between a facelift vs. Botox to help you make the right decision. 

What Is a Facelift?

A facelift is a surgical procedure that aims to tighten the skin, facial muscles, and tissues on your face. It will improve the mid-face, jowls and mostly the neck area. The procedure pulls the skin on your face to tighten it, and then trims away any excess skin. By doing so, a facelift reduces the appearance of sagging skin, wrinkles, and fine lines, resulting in a more youthful appearance.

What Is Botox?

Botox is a nonsurgical injectable treatment that relaxes the underlying muscles and nerve endings on your face. By doing so, you can quickly and easily reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines, as well as help prevent further wrinkles from forming.

Facelift vs. Botox 

There are a few key factors to consider when comparing the benefits and drawbacks of a facelift vs. Botox. 

• How Invasive Is the Procedure?

It is important to consider the invasiveness of a facelift vs. Botox. Most people would prefer a minimally invasive procedure over surgery, but some procedures may not obtain the best overall results. 

Between Botox and facelifts, Botox is the less invasive procedure and is classified as a minimally invasive procedure overall, requiring only a light injection into the designated target area. The whole procedure usually takes about 15 minutes from start to finish, with patients walking out of the treatment with little to no side effects.

A facelift is a surgical procedure, requiring the patient to undergo anesthesia and a 3-4 hour procedure. While the surgery is generally considered an outpatient procedure, it is more invasive and will come with more side effects and a longer recovery process.

• How Long Is the Recovery Process?

As stated above, Botox is a minimally invasive procedure with very little recovery time. Some patients may experience slight bruising, redness, or swelling at the injection sites, but this should subside after a few days. Patients are also asked to avoid vigorous physical activity for at least 24 hours following Botox injections. 

A facelift has a longer recovery process. Facelifts are usually performed in an outpatient facility or hospital with the option of an overnight stay. After surgery, patients will have bruised and swollen faces and will feel tightness around the face and neck. While this will gradually improve over the course of a few days, the recovery process should take around two weeks to complete. After two weeks, patients can usually return to work and their everyday lives, although they are usually advised to avoid vigorous physical activity for up to a month. 

• What Issues Can They Treat?

There is typically a correlation between how invasive a procedure is and how drastic the results can be, and that is certainly the case when comparing a facelift vs. Botox. Botox is a minimally invasive injection, and as such, there are limitations to what it can successfully treat and correct. While Botox does a good job of addressing wrinkles and fine lines, it cannot correct sagging skin or other more significant issues.

A facelift, however, can address sagging skin, deep-set wrinkles, and creases between the cheeks and lips. If you have a variety of imperfections on your face that you would like to address, a facelift may be needed to meet your goals. Not only that, but the results are more drastic, meaning that wrinkles and fine lines will be even less visible following a facelift than they would be after Botox injections.

• How Long Do the Results Last?

While the results of both a facelift and Botox will not last forever, a facelift will last for a significantly longer amount of time. The results of a Botox injection tend to fade after around three to four months, meaning you will need to come back into your plastic surgeon’s office for another round of Botox injections. On the other hand, the results of a facelift can last for over a decade, making it a much more long-term investment and treatment.

• The Cost of a Facelift vs. Botox

A final factor to consider is the cost of a facelift vs. Botox. While the cost of both treatments can vary depending on the needs of the patient, Botox is significantly less expensive than a facelift. Depending on how many units of Botox is needed to achieve your desired results, patients can expect to pay somewhere between $150 and $600 for a series of Botox injections. Keep in mind that to maximize the effectiveness of Botox, you will need to come into the office for injections 3-4 times a year.

Even factoring in multiple visits a year, a facelift is still more expensive than Botox. A facelift generally costs between $8,000 and $14,000, with the average facelift costing around $12,000. The final cost of your facelift will depend on your doctor’s surgical approach and your desired results. Regardless of the treatment method, the cost of a facelift far exceeds the cost of Botox.

Decide Between a Facelift vs. Botox During a Surgical Consultation

If you are unhappy with your appearance and want to eradicate signs of aging, a facelift and Botox are two excellent options. In order to decide between a facelift vs. Botox, you need to be knowledgeable enough to successfully weigh a variety of different factors. If you are having trouble deciding between the two treatments, the best way to aid your decision-making process is to request a surgical consultation with Dr. Leo Lapuerta.

During the consultation, Dr. Lapuerta will partner with you to determine which treatment method will best help you reach your goals. Dr. Lapuerta has performed over 20,000 cosmetic procedures, and with that experience comes the wisdom to help you make the right decision between a facelift vs. Botox. If you are interested in learning more about facelifts and Botox, request a consultation with Dr. Lapuerta today by calling (713) 489-0169.