As a Portland facial plastic surgeon specializing in deep plane facelifts, I’ve had a front-row seat to the entire spectrum of aesthetic treatments, from temporary, minimally invasive procedures to transformative surgical facial rejuvenation.
Over the years, the market has exploded with nonsurgical devices: radiofrequency tightening, ultrasound-based lifting, laser platforms, threads, and more. Like many of my patients, I was hopeful these technologies could provide meaningful results with minimal downtime.
But after years of careful observation and direct patient experience, I’ve made a clear decision: I no longer offer nonsurgical facial tightening and lifting devices in my practice.
Here’s why:
1. The Results Just Aren’t Predictable or Impressive
Patients seek me out for procedures that deliver natural, long-lasting, and noticeable results. Unfortunately, nonsurgical devices often overpromise and underdeliver. While the right candidate may see some temporary tightening, results are usually subtle, inconsistent, and short-lived.
By contrast, a preservation deep plane facelift, the most advanced facelift technique, restores facial tissues to their natural position rather than attempting to shrink them with energy. The result is a reliable, natural-looking, and long-lasting rejuvenation.
When patients invest their time, money, and trust, they deserve more than a minimal or unpredictable outcome.
2. Cumulative Cost Without Cumulative Benefit
Nonsurgical facelift alternatives are often marketed as cost-effective, but the reality tells a different story. By the time a patient has completed a series of device-based treatments (often repeated or done in series), they’ve often spent thousands of dollars, approaching the cost of a surgical facelift, without achieving comparable results.
There’s also the hidden opportunity cost:
- Each session requires recovery time.
- When done in series, the downtime can add up to more than a single surgical procedure.
- Patients often return later feeling dissatisfied, older, and with more laxity to correct.
3. Skin and Tissue Quality Can Suffer
Despite being marketed as “gentle” or “noninvasive,” energy-based devices often work by heating and shrinking soft tissue. Over time, this can lead to long-term damage.
I’ve seen patients present with:
- Fat atrophy
- Fibrosis
- Skin texture changes
These issues can make future facelift surgery more challenging or compromise the final aesthetic outcome.
4. Privacy Still Matters
While social media has helped normalize facelifts, and some patients are comfortable sharing their experience, I’ve found that many of my private practice patients prefer discretion.
My deep plane facelift patients consistently tell me they don’t want to look “done.” They want to look refreshed, natural, and authentically themselves, without anyone knowing they’ve had surgery.
Thanks to advanced surgical techniques, patients no longer need to choose between discretion and results. They can feel confident opting for a surgical solution instead of settling for nonsurgical treatments, knowing they’ll achieve natural, long-lasting results while maintaining the privacy they value.
5. Focus Yields Excellence
There’s a surgical principle: you get good at what you focus on.
By stepping away from nonsurgical devices, I’ve chosen to concentrate exclusively on facial rejuvenation surgery, particularly the deep plane facelift and neck lift.
Every consultation, every procedure, and every follow-up revolves around this craft. That focus allows me to deliver refined, natural results that nonsurgical devices simply cannot match.
Final Thoughts
It’s natural to want a “quick, noninvasive” solution. But the reality is that nonsurgical facelift devices rarely deliver the transformative results patients hope for.
A deep plane facelift, performed with surgical precision, remains the gold standard for lasting, natural facial rejuvenation.
For that reason, I’ve dedicated my practice exclusively to procedures that deliver undeniable, high-value outcomes. My patients deserve nothing less.
If you’re researching facelift options in Portland and are considering whether to invest in nonsurgical treatments or surgery, know this: the most reliable, natural, and long-lasting results come from a deep plane facelift performed by an experienced facial plastic surgeon.
Final Thoughts
It’s natural to want a “quick, noninvasive” solution. But in my experience, nonsurgical facelift devices rarely deliver the transformative results patients hope for.
That said, I also recognize that I have some inherent selection bias as a surgeon: patients often come to see me after these devices have failed, underperformed, or simply didn’t meet their goals. I’m sure these treatments work well for some people—but I rarely see those success stories in my practice precisely because those patients don’t end up needing or seeking surgery.
For patients who are ready for a lasting, meaningful change, a deep plane facelift—performed with surgical precision—remains the gold standard for natural and enduring facial rejuvenation.
For that reason, I’ve dedicated my practice exclusively to procedures that deliver undeniable, high-value outcomes. My patients deserve nothing less.
If you’re researching facelift options in Portland and deciding between nonsurgical treatments or surgery, know this: the most reliable, natural, and long-lasting results come from a deep plane facelift performed by an experienced facial plastic surgeon.