MYTH BUSTER: Facelift vs. Injectables: Why It’s Not Either/Or

MYTH BUSTER The facelift fixes it all.

I love a good facelift. Truly. When it is the right move for the right person it can be transformative. A skilled surgeon can lift sagging tissue and restore a face in a way no syringe can replace.

But here is the myth I hear all the time.

"Once I get a facelift I will never need Botox or filler again."

I wish it worked that way. It would make my job a lot quieter.

A facelift lifts. 

It repositions tissue. 

It does not replace lost volume. 

It does not rebuild collagen. 

It does not erase fine wrinkles. 

And it does not resurface the skin.

Think of it like having your pants tailored when you lose weight. The pants fit better, but they still need to be washed and ironed.

After a facelift most people still benefit from neuromodulators to soften expression lines.

They often still need strategic filler or biostimulators to restore volume that surgery does not replace. And the skin still needs resurfacing treatments to improve texture and sun damage.

Surgery and injectables are not competitors.

They are teammates.

Some people are told they must dissolve or avoid surgery because of past fillers or biostimulators. In reality, experienced facial plastic surgeons plan for injectable history every day. It is part of modern aesthetic medicine.

Choosing a surgeon who understands that, makes all the difference.

My job is to help you understand when lifting is the right step, or when building a better foundation is the right step, and how to combine both so you look refreshed instead of overdone.

Laurie Peterson, RN, CANS

Aesthetic Nurse Injector | Carlsbad, California