How much can skin sagging improve with procedures?

Thread lifting can be considered from moderate sagging onward, when you feel that lifting procedures do not provide enough of a pulling effect. Specifically, this is the stage when marionette lines (sagging flesh at the corners of the mouth) become noticeable and the difference between pulling the skin up with your hand and releasing it feels significant. Thread lifting physically pulls and fixes sagging tissue, so it can provide a more immediate lifting sensation than energy-based procedures.

Surgical lifting is considered when there is a lot of excess skin and even threads cannot provide adequate support. In general, for severe sagging, surgical lifting is a more definitive and longer-lasting method, but it involves recovery time and the burden of scarring. Whether nonsurgical options can go far enough, or whether surgery is needed, must be judged based on the condition of the tissues across the entire face, so a specialist's diagnosis is essential.

Yes, the response to procedures differs depending on the cause of the sagging. Sagging caused by reduced elasticity of the skin and fascia responds well to energy-based lifting that regenerates collagen. On the other hand, sagging with a large structural component, such as bone resorption due to aging or atrophy and descent of the deep fat layer, cannot be resolved by tightening the skin alone and requires volume replacement or repositioning as well.

Another variable is the amount of excess skin. If a lot of skin has already stretched out, no matter how much collagen is regenerated, the excess skin cannot be eliminated. In summary, 'elasticity-loss-type sagging' has greater room for improvement with procedures, while 'structural-change and excess-skin-type sagging' should be planned with volume procedures in combination or with a surgical approach kept open.

Yes, preventive lifting before sagging becomes pronounced can be helpful. Collagen is known to gradually decrease by about 1% per year after the mid-20s, and stimulating collagen regeneration while elasticity remains can be expected to slow the progression of sagging. Maintaining it is generally less burdensome in terms of procedure intensity and cost than trying to reverse sagging after it has progressed.

However, even for preventive purposes, there is no need to repeat high-intensity procedures from an early age. Around your 30s, it is reasonable to start with low-intensity energy procedures or a Skin Booster level and gradually increase the intensity according to changes in your skin condition. A preventive plan suited to your own rate of aging is advisable to adjust through regular check-ups.

In general, the sequence of lifting the tissue back into place with lifting and then filling in the deficient volume is commonly used. This is because filling volume while the tissue is sagging can add weight and make the sagging look worse, and once the facial contour is organized after lifting, the actual amount of volume needed can be assessed more accurately. A representative combination is ultrasound or RF Lifting followed by HA Filler, or collagen boosters such as Sculptra and JUVELOOK Volume to supplement volume.

However, the order is not absolute. If volume loss is more prominent than sagging in your face, filling volume first may be better. In complex aging where sagging and hollowing occur together, the procedure design determines the outcome, so we recommend a consultation in which the entire face is assessed and priorities are set.