4 Non-Surgical Treatments For Sagging, Wrinkles and Big Pores

You’ve probably nailed your anti-ageing skincare routine, and own a small fortune in creams and masks. You may even have a regular facial at your favourite beauty salon. But if you see sagging, fine lines and large pores — all signs of collagen loss and ageing — your skin may need a little more help.

It may be time to consider non-surgical anti-ageing treatments. You’ve got a lot of options – each with their own benefits, downtime and costs.

Fractional CO2 Laser Skin Resurfacing

Lasers have long been used to treat lines and scars, but they used to be painful and had a longer recovery time. The newer “fractional” lasers are much more comfortable and gentle on the skin.   That’s because they have a longer wavelength, that penetrates into your inner skin layers without damaging your skin surface. There are less pain and less peeling!

Fractional laser resurfacing stimulates collagen production on your face, neck, chest and hands. It evens out your skin texture and tightens your skin. These can even be used to treat deeper wrinkles, and more severe acne scars and surgical scars. It is sometimes used to firm up saggy eyelids, as a non-surgical alternative to blepharoplasty.

Expect skin to be red and tender after the treatment. It’s similar to the feeling of having a mild sunburn. The discomfort lasts a few hours, but it may take a few days for the redness to subside.  Use cold compresses and avoid any sun exposure. You can’t wear makeup while your skin heals, so you may want to do this treatment before the weekend or take 1 to 2 days off work.  

Ultherapy

Ultherapy uses ultrasound technology to tighten loose skin on the face and neck. The sonic waves tighten existing collagen and encourages the growth of new collagen. This lifts the skin and voila –  the cheekbones and facial definition that you lost over the years has returned.

Utherapy isn’t painful. Some patients describe the feeling of the sonic waves as “startling” but you soon get used to the vibrations and sometimes not even feel them at all. As for side effects, there may be some swelling, inflammation and mild tenderness.

Generally, Ultherapy has a faster recovery time than laser resurfacing. It has less visible side effects, and any bruising and swelling goes away in a few hours.

However, Ultherapy is better for firming the skin, but can’t do much for the texture of the skin. Lasers are still better for resurfacing — or improving the external appearance, whether it’s pores or scars.

Microneedling

 This is one of the best aesthetic treatments if you’re really concerned about skin texture. Very tiny needles puncture the skin to encourage collagen production. This helps firm the skin but can also treat large pores and acne scars. Your skin will also look firmer, feel softer and even absorb your skincare products better. It’s like your skin’s been reborn.

The idea of a hundred needles on your skin may sound scary, but after the numbing cream’s applied, you won’t actually feel much. And while lasers can also firm the skin and improve texture, microneedling has less downtime. Aside from redness and some pinpoint bleeding, you can go right back to your regular life by the next day.

But microneedling will still focus on the skin surface. Deeper wrinkles may be better addressed by lasers that can penetrate the deeper skin layers.

Fillers

Fillers can help you troubleshoot a particular area. Depending on where it’s injected or what kind of fillers your doctors use, it can fill in lines and wrinkles, relax the muscle under the wrinkles, or create volume in sagging areas like cheeks, jawline, temples and hands.

Now, for some of the most popular facial fillers. The first is hyaluronic acid, which reduces lines and wrinkles and can boost collagen production. You may recognize them from big brand names like Restylane and Juvederm.

Synthetic wrinkle fillers use special substances manufactured in labs. They’re FDA-cleared and safe to use and tend to last longer. But they can have side effects especially if they’re not injected properly, so be sure to go to an aesthetic doctor who’s experienced in this type of filler. Some examples are Bellafille, Radiesse, Sculptra and Silicone.

There are also collagen fillers made from processed or synthetic collagen, such as Cosmoderm, Evolence, Zyderm, Zyplast and more.

Talk to your aesthetic doctor about the different kinds of fillers and what he or she recommends for your skin concern and what results you want to achieve.

Get a Personal Consultation from a Singapore Aesthetic Doctor

This article gives a general idea of anti-ageing treatments in Singapore. But the best advice will always be in a personal consultation with an experienced, certified Singapore aesthetic doctor. To find more about each treatment – as well as the benefits, costs, and expected results – do schedule an appointment.

To find a Singapore aesthetic clinic near you, check Beauty Insider’s clinic directory.