Last fact-checked: 5 October 2020

Aging skin comes to us all and most of us don't welcome the appearance of lines and wrinkles. Fortunately, there are more ways than ever to effectively and safely combat the signs of aging, and you can pick and choose your treatment abroad for a fraction of the cost back home.

Treatments include surgical and non-surgical techniques, and there are new products and methods coming to market frequently. Some of these are suitable if you’re short on time, and others are sought by medical travelers looking to make a trip specifically for some cosmetic work. 

Find out more and discover quality-checked clinics around the world with Medical Departures.

There are so many available there are bound to be some that are suitable for your needs. Many of the facial wrinkle treatments target specific problems or areas, and you will need to do a little research to identify your particular problem(s) and figure out what are the best treatments or combination of treatments that will achieve your goals.

The array of treatments available can be quite baffling, but they can chiefly be divided into surgical and non-surgical techniques - so here’s a brief rundown to get you started.

Surgical procedures on your face are likely to be uncomfortable, and there is a certain amount of downtime as you may not want to be seen out in public either if your face is bruised and swollen.

The biggest surgical procedure for facial wrinkles is a facelift (also known as rhytidectomy). This helps to improve a variety of age-related problems, including jowls, loose skin, creases, wrinkles and fine lines. If you don’t want or need a full facelift, there are other procedures to help improve wrinkles, including:

• Neck lift
• Eyelid surgery to either the upper, lower or both eyelids
• Brow lift (or forehead lift)
• Eye bag removal
• Facial Liposuction

There are plenty of non-surgical facial wrinkle treatment options available – some can be performed in a matter of minutes with virtually no downtime – and others may take several weeks.

Among the most popular non-surgical treatments are the injectable neurotoxins. These include:

• Botox®
• Dysport®
• Xeomin®

The procedure consists of a quick injection into the facial muscles, which temporarily paralyzes them and thereby minimizes wrinkles. It is especially good for expression lines – such as the ‘11’ lines that appear between the eyebrows. Results last for around six months, after which top-ups can be administered to maintain the look.

Dermal Fillers:

Fillers are another popular, quick option and are usually more effective for wrinkles that are known as ‘static’ wrinkles, i.e. they remain regardless of your expression. Fillers have also been developed to target particular areas, including:

• Juvederm® and Restylane®, which are soft fillers designed to replace products in our skin which we lose as we get older and can be used in soft areas such as the lips.
• Radiesse®, which is used when a firmer filler is needed, for example, the lines along the side of the mouth
• Sculptra® helps to stimulate collagen and is most effective on the cheeks and temples and fat grafting using fat from another part of your body can be used to create fuller lips.

Skin Resurfacing Treatments:

These help to stimulate collagen and plump skin. Treatments available at our global partner clinics include:

• Laser and non-laser treatments, such as IPL (intense Pulse Light).
• Dermabrasion and microdermabrasion, which are used to remove the top layer of skin, in turn stimulating new growth to replace the older, damaged skin. Microdermabrasion is not as a deep as dermabrasion and has a much less downtime
• Chemical peels use acid to penetrate the skin to remove the top layer and promote new, smoother skin growth.
• Dermal rollering stimulates collagen production by rolling an instrument studded with fine titanium needles back and forth across the surface of the skin. It promotes collagen growth in the deeper skin layers leaving it plumped and evening out wrinkles. It is also used to allow skin products to penetrate the deeper layers of the skin, where they will be most beneficial.

The recovery time depends on what procedure you have. It should be noted that:

• With injectables, such as Botox, there may be a little redness, swelling and discomfort, but it will only last for a day.
• Many people have Botox in their lunch hour and return to work, so your face won’t look too bad if you are worried about being out in public.
• Other procedures, especially surgery and the skin resurfacing and dermabrasion treatments will take weeks to recover from
• The effects of your treatment will not be fully realized until you have completely healed – which may take several months.

Again, it is dependent upon a number of factors, but most people usually save at least 50% by having their facial wrinkle treatments in Mexico or Thailand compared to countries like the US, the UK and Australia. 

To see some of the latest prices on offer and what kinds of treatments are available, take a look at these recommended partner clinics in top medical travel destinations:

• Meko Clinic (Bangkok, Thailand)
• Gem Clinic - Mid Valley Branch (Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia)
• Seolreim Skin & Plastic Surgery (Seoul, South Korea)
• Centro Medico Freyag (Playa del Carmen, Mexico)
• Op Dr Sibel Atalay International Clinic (Istanbul, Turkey)

Sources:

Wrinkles. Mayo Clinic. Website accessed: 16 September 2020. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/wrinkles/symptoms-causes/syc-20354927

Nichols, Hannah. Everything you need to know about Botox. 15 August 2017. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/158647.php

Brazier, Yvette. Facelift: What you need to know. Medical News Today. 31 March 2017. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/244066.php

Cosmeceuticals. The Australasian College of Dermatologists. Website accessed: 4 October 2020. https://www.dermcoll.edu.au/atoz/cosmeceutical