The simple reason why you haven't noticed results—yet.

not seeing results blog

We've seen it—and experienced it ourselves. You've opted to get a non-invasive skin rejuvenation or body sculpting treatment and you simply can't wait to see the results. But when you look in the mirror the next day, you don't see much difference from the day before. Or maybe you see a slight difference, but it's not as much as you anticipated. It's easy and natural to be excited about when you'll be able to see a change in your appearance, but before you get disappointed there are some important things to remember when it comes to non-invasive cosmetic procedures that will reassure you about their impressive (yet gradual) results.

First, we want to point out that non-invasive procedures are our preferred way to rejuvenate your looks if you're looking for natural but impactful results. It's a common misconception that invasive surgical techniques are more effective and results-oriented, but the reality is that some of them just work faster. And if a faster result is what you're looking for, it will typically come with trade offs such as increased discomfort, contraindications, and significant downtime. It may even require general anesthesia and pain medication, which is not an option for some patients as they get older. Here's why non-invasive procedures may take more than a day for results, and why you're better off being patient.

Ultherapy vs Facelift

Ultherapy in West Palm Beach | Supriya MDImagine having a facelift that didn't snatch back and stretch at your face in order to lift and tighten overnight. And imagine that instead of looking like you've had work done, your face slowly regressed to how it looked 10 years ago. That's what you can expect from Ultherapy, but it won't happen overnight and we promise that's a good thing.

The reason Ultherapy takes up to 3 months for results to show is because it's helping your face naturally repair itself instead of forcing the process immediately. Stimulating collagen and elastin production, your body will create its own results slowly over a few months, meaning people generally won't notice you've had anything done until one day they look at you and say, "Wow, you look great!". Ultherapy is what's known as a pan treatment, meaning it treats an entire general area and gradually improves skin quality while it lifts and tightens. So if you're looking for a completely natural-looking lift with no downtime, no potential surgical complications, and no sudden drastic change in your appearance, Ultherapy is highly recommended.

Thread Lift vs Surgical Face Lift

Are you looking for a faster non-invasive option than Ultherapy? Thread Lifts are quickly gaining popularity for their quick lifting abilities, shorter downtime, and customized look. And unlike Ultherapy's pan treatment, thread lifts are considered vector treatments, which means they will treat very specific areas of the face by moving and lifting tissue exactly where you want it. Thread lifts come with the advantage of the patient being awake during the procedure, and you can actually see your lift happening in real time and customize how much of a lift you'd like (something you could never dream of doing with a surgical facelift). But you should schedule a consultation first because not everyone is a candidate for thread lifts, however, nearly everyone is a candidate for Ultherapy.

Kybella vs Liposuction

A double chin can dramatically change your appearance, and getting rid of it is accomplished through one of three ways: lifestyle changes (diet and exercise), liposuction, or non-invasive procedures (Kybella or CoolSculpting). Since exercising your chin is not an easy task and diet can take many months to produce noticeable change, most people initially jump to liposuction. The result is quicker than any other method, but comes along with significant swelling, discomfort, bruising, and a compression garment that wraps around your head, neck, and chin area. It is also the most expensive option, starting at $2,500-$3,500 and will likely go up depending on where you have the operation performed and the surgeon you choose. 

With Kybella, the first 12-24 hours may come with some mild discomfort that can be resolved with Tylenol, and results slowly appear over 6-8 weeks. The first few days come with moderate swelling that lasts for a week at most. After that, your chin goes back to its baseline appearance before your body slowly metabolizes the destroyed fat cells and removes them from your system. Since Kybella is administered through a series of injections, there is no potential for scarring or other common contraindications that may come with surgery. But the main reason we prefer this method is because even if a repeat treatment is needed, it's still the most cost effective option and you have more control over your final result. 

Emsculpt Neo vs Surgical Butt Lifts or Lipo

Looking to get rid of fat and get a more toned appearance? As dramatic as liposuction or Brazilian butt lifts are, they won't tone your body or build muscle at all. In fact, they might even make you lose muscle because the downtime for both is significant enough that you should expect to be out of the gym for at least 4-6 weeks. With Emsculpt Neo, you can expect up to 30% of the fat in the treated area to be gone, and a 25% increase in muscle mass. And the more muscle you have, the more fat your body will burn. The toned muscle will be felt within 1-2 sessions, however, fat reduction takes 1-3 months. The reason for this is because Emsculpt Neo causes fat cell death, a slower process that involves your body slowly flushing them out over a few months. So while the fat reduction is permanent, it is a slower process than liposuction. And for any areas that can't be treated by Emsculpt Neo, such as bra fat, CoolSculpting is a great option that requires almost no downtime at all and removes up to 23% of fat in the area.
One important difference with Emsculpt Neo butt lifts: the protocol is slightly different for an Emsculpt Neo butt lift, and building muscle is the primary goal of this targeted area, not fat loss. So you shouldn't be worried about losing fat in that area.

Some things to remember about non-surgical procedures...

Before you get anxious about what type of results you want and how long you're willing to wait, it's important to remember that a little patience can save you a lot of time, money, and discomfort long term. However, a non surgical approach also focuses on giving you impactful results that are still natural-looking. If you're interested in seeing the results from a non-surgical procedure, check out our Before & After gallery and schedule an appointment with us today by calling 561.805.9399 or emailing info@supriyamd.com.

Posted by Sarah Kubrick | Supriya Dermatology