While you could wonder if whoever named the procedure was a graduate of “Hooked on Phonics,” there’s no disputing that FaceTite™ is a great procedure. After all, we all want firmer, tighter skin on our face, just as in our younger days. But sun damage, declining collagen production, and the general slackening of our tissues that comes with age all gang up to give us flattened cheeks and sagging across our entire mid to lower face. And don’t forget the jowls!

But Dr. Smith likes FaceTite™ for our patients from all across coastal Carolina. It delivers results that are comparable to a facelift without the surgery. Not to equate FaceTite™ with an actual facelift (which Dr. Smith has performed for decades), but it does deliver dramatic improvement in skin laxity on the face and neck.

What is FaceTite?

The FaceTite™ system uses a cannula with an internal electrode that is inserted through a tiny incision. Attached to the cannula, but resting atop the skin, is a metal wand that features an external electrode. This is the same patented radiofrequency-assisted liposuction technology that debuted with BodyTite™. The radiofrequency energy passes from the internal electrode to the external electrode, heating the fat and surrounding tissues without damaging those tissues. The liquefied fat is then suctioned away through the cannula. The RF energy that has heated the dermis layer of the skin causes the skin to contract and tighten, firming the area.

How does FaceTite work?

Prior to your FaceTite™ procedure at Smith Plastic Surgery, we usually give patients a sedative to help them relax during the procedure.

The procedure is performed with only local anesthesia to numb the areas where tiny incisions are created for the insertion of the cannula. The cannula itself is very thin, about the size of a knitting needle. Dr. Smith injects the treatment areas with a tumescent solution common to modern liposuction. The solution consists of saline, epinephrine, and Lidocaine. This numbs the area, makes the fat easier to remove, and constricts the blood vessels for less bleeding and subsequent bruising. Then the FaceTite™ handpiece cannula is inserted. On the tip of the cannula is an internal electrode that delivers the radiofrequency energy below the skin to liquefy the fat. Above the skin on the surface rests the other portion of the handpiece, a metal wand that serves as the external electrode. This is important because it gives the RF energy a pathway upward through the skin from the internal electrode to the external electrode. This provides the skin tightening typical to RF treatments.

While the thin cannula is delivering the RF energy below the skin to liquefy and then suction out unwanted fat, the RF energy is also pulsing upward through the skin. This is the dual benefit of FaceTite™.

Interested in tightening your facial skin without surgery? Call Dr. Smith at (843) 823-6913 and ask about FaceTite™.