Last updated: 11/24/2009

Isometric exercises are recommended as non-surgical alternatives to face-lift procedures.

Injections of Botox (botulinum toxin) have been used to achieve the same results as a face lift. Botulinum toxin is a compound produced by the spores and growing cells of the organism that causes botulism, Clostridium botulinum. The toxin causes muscle paralysis. It was first used clinically in the 1960s to treat neurological disorders but also proved to be effective in paralyzing the facial muscles that cause "crow's feet" and frown wrinkles. Botulinum toxin, or Botox, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in April 2002 as a treatment for facial lines and wrinkles. Botox treatments must be repeated in approximately six months.

Coherent ultrapulse carbon dioxide laser treatment is a promising new treatment alternative to traditional face lift procedures. As of 2003, this equipment has been used by a few major institutions.

Some plastic surgeons have used a procedure called fat rebalancing to achieve outcomes similar to a traditional face lift procedure. Fat rebalancing involves relocation of fatty tissue from distant sites on the body to the face.