Laser Lift Alternative to Plastic Surgery

ATLANTA (FOX 5) -- Susan Soto was tired of looking tired, but she wasn't ready for the drama of plastic surgery.  Soto wanted a procedure to help her look like her old self, but better.

Soto runs a Buckhead salon with her daughter Robin. While Robin styles hair, Susan focuses in on faces -- trying to bring out the best in her clients.

"Now this one needs a little bit more tweaking…feeling good about yourself, that's what we do here, that's what I do for a living," said Susan.

Video: Health Watch: Laser Lift FOX 5's Beth Galvin Reports

Susan wasn't feeling good about how her own face was aging.

"All of a sudden, you're not young. You're not that young eligible thing. You're not attracting the same type of attention. And it's very subtle but all woman know what I'm talking about."

A few months shy of her 59th birthday, Susan decided to give her looks a boost.

Susan's fuller jawline bothered her the most. Atlanta plastic surgeon Theresa Jarmuz said that squaring of the jaw can really change a woman's whole look.

"As we get older gravity pulls everything down and it pulls it to our jawline. So instead of a heart shaped jawline, you end up with a squaring or a fuller jaw. Which looks a little more manly or a little more masculine," said Jarmuz.

Susan was leary of getting a traditional face lift. "I've seen different faces after a procedure and they're on a magazine cover and I think, oh that's so sad. She's pulled too tight!" said Susan

Dr. Jarmuz offered a less invasive option -- something called the "laser lift."

The process begins with a short surgery to liposuction fat under Susan's chin.

Susan looked in a mirror as Doctor Jarmuz explained, "we'll tighten the muscle and then lay everything back down nice and flat."

Additional Resources

FDA: Laser Lift

American Society for Laser Medicine and Surgery

American Academy of Dermatology

"Oh, that will be beautiful," Susan said.

The procedure began. Dr. Jarmuz made a small incision under Susan's chin. The liposuction and tightening of the muscle took about 30 minutes. 

The procedure left Susan a little bruised and some swelling in areas. Three weeks later the bruising and swelling disappeared and there's a noticeable difference in Susan's profile.

"Oh my god my wattle is gone!" Susan said.

Dr. Jarmuz used a new laser called "Refirme" to tighten loose skin left after surgery. She said the laser has an immediate tightening effect and then continues to work over several months.

Susan sat up from her examination. "That's good for now but three weeks from now it will be even better."

By the time Susan had her second laser treatment, her jawline looked dramatically different.

"All of that's gone...other than that that's a great looking jawline," said Susan. "I don't really care if I look like I did when I was 40. I just want to look good now."

After three months, Susan had one surgery, three laser treatments and plenty of time to heal. So what does she think of her new look?

"I look good! I look really good!  don't feel like I'm looking at a stranger. The work is so subtle. It is exactly what I wanted. It's just me looking as good as I can right now, you know?"

For more information on the laser lift, you can visit www.buckheadfacial.com.

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