Last updated September 2023

What is facial rejuvenation?

Non-surgical facial rejuvenation is an umbrella term that refers to cosmetic treatment that addresses all the aspects of the ageing process without surgical methods. It aims to treat lost volume, loose skin, frown lines and wrinkles.

Your proposed treatment plan may focus on utilising a single method over a period of time, or may incorporate a combination of treatment options to cover all of your specific skin requirements.

The most common procedures performed for facial rejuvenation are anti-wrinkle injections, dermal filler, bio-stimulators, bio-remodelling injections and laser skin treatments.

What skin concerns can facial rejuvenation address?

Facial rejuvenation is capable of addressing numerous skin concerns, whether they are caused by age, sun damage, or other forms of environmental damage. The most common effects of ageing on the face that facial rejuvenation treatments address include:

Who is a suitable candidate for facial rejuvenation treatment?

A suitable candidate for seeking out treatment are those who:

  • Have overall good physical health and do not have health problems like high blood pressure or cardiac disease
  • Are committed to maintaining their facial rejuvenation by changing their lifestyle and not just looking for a quick fix; reducing time in the sun, using sunscreen daily, quitting smoking, etc
  • Have realistic goals in mind for the improvement of their appearance
  • Are looking minimise the signs of ageing
  • Want to improve their skin prior to an important event

Facial rejuvenation treatments

The skin of your face naturally ages with time, which is why it is integral that you take good care of it and prevent any damage from occurring.

There are many different treatment options available to rejuvenate your facial skin, with each method focusing on different concerns.

Anti wrinkle injections

Fine lines and wrinkles are a part of the ageing process, often shaped and deepened further by the facial expressions you make. The appearance of cheek, mouth, eye and forehead lines can be treated through anti-wrinkle injections.

This treatment is effective, requiring only a few injections to sites with an abundance of muscle movement to relax the area and prevent further wrinkling. Very little downtime is needed after the botulinum toxin is injected, meaning you can get back to do your daily activities not too long after getting the treatment.

Dermal fillers

Volume loss in the face is one of the first signs of ageing, regularly occurring in areas such as the cheeks, around the eyes, brows, and lips. It is not uncommon to want to reverse this prominent sign of ageing, which can be achieved with the use of dermal fillers.

Using dermal filler treatment, it is possible to replace the volume that has naturally been lost with time and shape it into a new image. They can even smooth transitions between adjacent areas of the face, achieving effects on the jawline or enhanced cheeks. This is done by injecting fillers into the treatment area, which can be dissolved if desired.

Bio stimulator injections

Focusing on stimulating collagen production, skin tightening, and the reduction of fine lines and wrinkles, bio stimulator injections are a type of facial rejuvenation that improves the overall appearance of your skin. Once injected into the skin, the treatment triggers the body’s collagen production to create smoother and firmer and looking skin.

Facial areas such as the cheeks, temple, jawline, and nasolabial folds can be injected to promote collagen production.

Bio remodelling

Much like bio stimulator injections, bio remodelling focuses on improving the skin’s overall quality, including its appearance and elasticity. This method stimulates collagen production within the skin, but also encourages elastin production to provide a support network for the skin’s surface layers.

Unlike dermal fillers, they do not fill up the face. Instead, the facial areas are encouraged to recover in their own time after a short 30 minute treatment session that is usually repeated 2-3 times for optimal results.

Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Skin Rejuvenation

IPL skin rejuvenation targets many skin concerns that arise due to ageing and environmental factors alike. By directing IPL light energy into the targeted area, the skin is encouraged to produce more collagen and elastin. This reduces the appearance of wrinkles, as well as unwanted pigmentation, or redness. It can also provide firmer skin and brighten your complexion, depending on the skin concern you are targeting.

Laser

There are multiple types of laser resurfacing and skin rejuvenation treatments available to choose from, each providing different results depending on the issue you wish to have addressed. Your practitioner can advise you on which option is most suited for your skin and desired results.

Co2 Laser

The carbon dioxide laser can be used to help tighten the skin and improve its overall texture, including acne scarring with deep treatment.

The heat energy imparted on the skin by this laser causes contraction of the collagen fibres, which leads to skin tightening or skin ‘shrinkage’. This is particularly evident in the eyelid skin (upper and lower), where an improvement in upper eyelid droop, and a general tightening of the lower eyelid is seen after treatment.

The results of a Co2 laser treatment work to remove concerns like fine lines and brown marks, and may be better suited to those who want to opt for a non-surgical treatment. This is done by the laser removing a very fine layer of the skin, which encourages it to regenerate with fewer wrinkles.

Erbium Laser

A milder laser treatment option than Co2 laser, better suited to those who want less downtime after a procedure, the Erbium laser exfoliates the topmost layers of your facial skin. By removing only the top layers, skin concerns like dead skin cells, sun damage and pigmentation are minimised, revealing a smoother and more evenly toned skin.

When used in conjunction with the Co2 laser, lines and wrinkles can also be reduced in appearance. Treatment with the Erbium laser requires 30 minutes per area and peeling will begin within the next few days. After the peeling has finished, the newer and healthier skin will show through.

Piqo4 Laser

The Piqo4 laser is suited for reducing the appearance of both deep and superficial pigmentation, as well as tattoos. When used at a lower setting it provides complete skin rejuvenation with no significant downtime.

The short pulses of light, breakdown pigmentation particles, which are later removed by the body’s immune system.

Ruby Laser

The reduction of skin pigmentation is the main focus of the Ruby laser, with sun damage, freckles, melasma, and more being broken down and removed from the body through short light pulses. Particular colours within the skin attract different wavelengths of the laser, allowing for very specific areas to be targeted for treatment.

Gemini Laser

The Gemini Laser is versatile in its use in rejuvenating skin that is dealing with both vascular and pigmentary skin concerns. Broken capillaries, rosacea and port wine stains located on the face can be broken down through laser targeting, removing redness from the skin and leaving the complexion clearer. Pigmentation concerns like freckles and dark spots can also be addressed with the Gemini laser, while uneven skin texture and raised spots are simultaneously smoothed out.

Fraxel Laser

The Fraxel laser 1927 nm wavelength is also an excellent laser treatment to improve skin tone and texture, with approximately 7 to 10 days of downtime. The laser’s light can target scarring on the face, especially those caused by acne, while also addressing skin pigmentation and wrinkles.

New collagen and elastin production is stimulated once the laser penetrates the deeper layers of the skin, encouraging new growth with minimal downtime and without damaging the topmost layers of skin.

Ultherapy

Skin tends to lose its elasticity, and become laxer with time. Traditionally, this has been addressed with surgical procedures such as face lifting, brow lifting, or eyelid reduction surgery. Although the results are more subtle than surgical methods, facial skin sag can also be addressed non-surgically through Ultherapy.

This method utilises focused ultrasound to heat and tighten the skin of the face at various depths, creating skin lift without the need of surgery. It also stimulates collagen growth under the skin to avoid harming its surface, which makes this particular treatment have minimal visual downtime after its completion.

Medical grade skincare

Whilst clinical treatment provides results for your ageing skin, supporting these methods through less invasive methods, such as medical grade skin care, can help with the longevity and success of each treatment’s results.

From daily application of sunscreens to protect the skin from damaging UV rays, to Vitamin C skincare, including Vitamin C serums can assist with reducing redness and pigmentation on the face. There is a wide range of medical grade skincare products that can help target skin concerns you may have, especially when used in conjunction with non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedures.

Including topical  retinoids, pigmentation skincare and Vitamin A serums in your daily skincare routine can help support the effectiveness of facial rejuvenation treatments. Namely due to their focus on clearing your complexion and giving you smoother, tighter skin. However, direct support can also come from post-treatment products. These skincare products support new growth after rejuvenation treatments, while simultaneously soothing the lingering effects of your treatment of choice when paired correctly with your concerns.

Non surgical facial rejuvenation case studies

Total facial rejuvenation case study

This fit and healthy 57 year old female presented to the Victorian Cosmetic Institute for total facial rejuvenation. There is one month between the before and after photo shown below.

This patient had significant potential to achieve an excellent cosmetic outcome with non-surgical procedures. She required treatments to reverse all aspects of the ageing process including facial volume loss, expression lines, and the effects of gravity and UV radiation on her skin. Also having never had cosmetic procedures previously, she was a blank canvas to work on. The patient was given realistic expectations by us and with her easy going nature, she was willing to go through with what was suggested. Firstly laser skin resurfacing was performed, followed by anti-wrinkle injections, and then dermal fillers. The laser skin resurfacing was complicated by a staphylococcal infection that resolved with oral antibiotics, and may account for some of the persistent redness seen in the photos which were taken about 1 month after the laser resurfacing. The anti-wrinkle injections and filler treatments were uncomplicated with no side effects and minimal bruising. The results achieved so far have certainly surpassed both our expectations and the patient’s, showing that non-surgical cosmetic procedures can sometimes achieve results that surgery alone cannot match.

The patient’s goals were;

  • To improve the general quality of skin
  • To achieve a general reduction in her facial wrinkles.
  • To remove a few benign lesions from face (non-pigmented naevi/moles)
  • To reduce expression lines, in particular her frown and forehead lines
  • To replace lost facial volume. She feels her face has lost volume over the past few years, and her cheeks are less full than before
  • and to avoid cosmetic surgery

To achieve her goals we performed the following treatments;

  • Combined carbon dioxide (CO2) and erbium laser resurfacing of the full face – This was done under light sedation and local anaesthetic injections. Firstly treated her face using the Lumenis Ultrapulse CO2 laser. This laser has two handpieces, namely the Active Fx, and the Deep Fx. Both handpieces were used on this patient to achieve the best results. The Active Fx treats a larger percentage of the skin’s surface, but does not penetrate very deep into the skin. It is good for fine surface wrinkles, skin contraction/tightening, pigmentation treatment, and skin texture. The Deep Fx conversely, treats a very low percentage of the skin’s surface, but penetrates much deeper than the Active Fx to achieve deep tissue tightening, deep wrinkle reduction, and acne scar reduction (if applicable).
  • Anti-wrinkle injections – were administered to the forehead, frown, crows feet, upper lip, and lower face to help reduce excessive contractions of muscles that lead to wrinkling.
  • Dermal fillers  – were administered to enhance cheek volume,  enhance lip volume, to enhance the chin projection and to smooth transition lines (e.g in the tear trough, jowls, nasolabial folds, brow)
Pigmentation facial rejuvenation case study

This patient in her thirties presented with concerns initially about the pigmentation on her skin from freckles and sun damage. She underwent Fraxel laser treatment and Gemini laser treatment for her pigmentation. The result is shown in the second picture. After this, she decided to have treatment with anti-wrinkle injections to her forehead, frown, and crows feet as well as dermal filler treatment to her under eye area.

FAQs

Is facial rejuvenation the same as face lift?

Although a face lift is a type of facial rejuvenation, it is a surgical one that usually focuses on a specific aspect of the face you wish to address. In contrast, facial rejuvenation is usually used as an umbrella term for non-surgical treatments and will treat the face as a whole, rather than narrowing down into a particular aspect; balancing your features and enhancing your appearance is the goal of facial rejuvenation.

How long does facial rejuvenation last?

The length of time a facial rejuvenation treatment will last entirely depends on the type of treatment chosen, as well as how well you take care of your skin post-procedure. Your practitioner will inform you of the approximate length of time your treatment will last once you have decided on which treatments you will have.

What does rejuvenation do to your face?

Facial rejuvenation can help with smoothing out your skin and reducing the appearance of pigmentation, redness, and wrinkles. Acne scars, brown spots, crow’s feet, broken capillaries and more can also be addressed.

What age should you start skin rejuvenation?

There is no set age to start skin rejuvenation. It is available to anyone over 18 who feels like they want to enhance their facial appearance without using surgical techniques.

Why choose Victorian Cosmetic Institute as your provider of non-surgical facial rejuvenation?

Victorian Cosmetic Institute provides many non-surgical methods to treat all aspects of the ageing process. Our team of doctors, nurses and skin therapists utilise the latest methods and techniques.

Our Melbourne clinics offer facial rejuvenation treatments, targeting common skin concerns around brown spots, redness, facial expression marks, pigmentation, fine lines and wrinkles, and so much more. Your first consultation with one of our practitioners is just a phone call away at 1300 863 824, or you can simply book online.