Are you noticing fine lines when you smile, a softer jawline than you remember, or skin that’s lost its youthful glow? You’re not alone.
Orange County residents increasingly seek anti-aging solutions that deliver natural-looking results without compromising their unique beauty. Whether you’re just beginning to explore options or ready to take the next step, understanding the full spectrum of available treatments empowers you to make the right choice for your goals.
Understanding the Aging Process: Why It Happens
Before exploring solutions, it helps to understand what’s happening beneath the surface.
As Dr. Peter Lee, Wave’s founder and Chief Surgeon, explains: “(The) aging process is very complicated, and it affects us at many different levels. There’s changes in skin. There’s changes in fat. There’s changes in soft tissue, muscle, and bone.”
As we move through our 30s, 40s, and beyond, several changes occur simultaneously. Collagen and elastin production slow, causing skin to lose its firmness and bounce. Facial fat pads that once provided youthful volume begin to shift downward, creating hollows in areas like the temples and under-eyes. Bone resorption subtly alters facial contours, while repeated muscle movements etch dynamic lines into static wrinkles.
Dr. Lee notes a particularly common concern: “As we get older, we lose volume in our face. We gain fat in our body, but we lose volume in our face, especially above and below the cheek.” This explains why your cheekbones may appear more prominent with age—not because they’ve grown, but because the surrounding volume has diminished. Sun exposure, genetics, lifestyle factors, and environmental stressors compound these natural processes.
The good news? Modern anti-aging treatments address each of these layers, offering customized solutions whether you’re seeking preventative maintenance or more dramatic rejuvenation.
Non-Surgical Anti-Aging Treatments: Where Most Journeys Begin
For many Orange County patients, non-surgical treatments provide an excellent entry point into aesthetic enhancement. These procedures typically require minimal downtime, offer gradual improvements, and can be strategically layered for comprehensive results.
Injectable Neuromodulators: Preventing and Smoothing Dynamic Wrinkles
Neuromodulators remain one of the most trusted anti-aging treatments, with innovative injection techniques emerging each year, including “Baby Botox” approaches that use smaller doses for natural movement. These treatments temporarily relax the facial muscles responsible for expression lines, preventing existing wrinkles from deepening while smoothing visible lines.
One of the most common concerns patients express about neuromodulators is the fear of looking “frozen” or unnatural.
Dr. Peter Lee addresses this directly: “The goal is always to soften the lines. It’s not to try to get rid of the lines. Because if you get rid of the lines, then you look more like a mannequin or a frozen look.” This philosophy guides Wave’s approach to injectable treatments—enhancing your natural beauty rather than creating an artificial appearance.
Wave Plastic Surgery offers several FDA-approved neuromodulators, including Botox, Dysport, Xeomin, and Jeuveau. Each formula has unique characteristics, and our expert injectors can recommend the optimal choice for your facial anatomy and aesthetic goals.
Common treatment areas include forehead lines, crow’s feet around the eyes, frown lines between the brows, and even subtle neck banding. Results typically appear within 3-7 days and last 3-4 months, making this an excellent maintenance treatment.
Dermal Fillers: Restoring Lost Volume and Sculpting Contours
While neuromodulators address muscle movement, dermal fillers replace lost volume and enhance facial contours. Modern hyaluronic acid-based fillers have revolutionized facial rejuvenation by providing immediate, natural-looking results.
Strategic filler placement can address multiple concerns: softening nasolabial folds (smile lines), restoring cheek volume for a lifted appearance, enhancing jawline definition, filling under-eye hollows, and adding subtle fullness to lips. Wave’s approach to treating nasolabial folds exemplifies this strategic thinking.
As Dr. Lee explains: “For most patients, when we treat the nasolabial fold, we don’t treat just the nasolabial fold. We actually treat the cheek area because a lot of times it’s the cheek that fell. And therefore, by filling that area, we help lift up the cheek naturally and fill in the nasolabial fold more naturally.”
This holistic approach addresses the root cause of aging rather than simply masking symptoms, resulting in more natural, harmonious results. Wave’s Pyramid Rejuvenation philosophy strategically treats the face from top to bottom, addressing volume loss in the temples, mid-face, and lower face for balanced, age-appropriate enhancement.
Popular filler options include Juvéderm, Restylane, Radiesse, and Sculptra—a collagen biostimulator that works gradually over several months to restore facial volume while stimulating your body’s natural collagen production.
Advanced Skin Rejuvenation: Treating Texture, Tone, and Quality
Beyond injectables, advanced technologies address skin quality itself—targeting concerns like sun damage, uneven texture, enlarged pores, fine lines, and loss of elasticity.
Regenerative treatments such as PRP therapy are gaining popularity in medical spas, using the body’s platelets to encourage collagen production and rejuvenate skin. Wave offers cutting-edge treatments, including:
- Morpheus8: Combining microneedling with radiofrequency energy, this revolutionary treatment tightens skin, improves texture, and stimulates collagen production at deeper layers than traditional microneedling.
- Ultherapy: Using focused ultrasound energy, Ultherapy lifts and tightens skin on the face, neck, and décolletage without surgery or downtime. Results develop gradually over 2-3 months as new collagen forms.
- Lumecca IPL: This intense pulsed light treatment targets pigmentation, sun damage, and vascular concerns, revealing clearer, more even-toned skin.
- Aquagold and Microneedling: These treatments create microchannels in the skin, allowing customized serums to penetrate deeply for enhanced hydration, texture improvement, and collagen stimulation.
- Medical Grade Facials and Chemical Peels: From gentle monthly maintenance to more intensive resurfacing, these treatments exfoliate dead skin cells, unclog pores, and promote cellular turnover for brighter, smoother skin.
Non-Surgical Body Contouring: Addressing Stubborn Fat Without Surgery
Anti-aging isn’t limited to the face. Wave also offers advanced body contouring solutions, including CoolSculpting for targeted fat reduction, BodyTite for skin tightening and fat reduction, and even Mounjaro for medically supervised weight management.
Minimally Invasive Options: The Middle Ground
For patients seeking more noticeable results than injectables alone but who aren’t ready for surgery, minimally invasive treatments offer an appealing middle ground.
Thread Lifts: Immediate Lifting with Collagen Stimulation
Thread lifting has gained significant traction as a non-surgical facelift alternative, with biodegradable threads that naturally dissolve over time while leaving behind newly formed collagen for prolonged results. Wave offers several thread lift options:
- NewLift: Using dissolvable PDO threads, this treatment provides subtle lifting and skin tightening, particularly effective for the mid-face and jawline.
- Flash Lift: A minimally invasive option designed for those seeking natural-looking rejuvenation with minimal downtime.
- Thread lifts can address mild to moderate sagging in the cheeks, jowls, neck, and brows, with results lasting 12-18 months while your body produces new collagen.
FaceTite: Advanced Skin Tightening Technology
FaceTite uses radiofrequency-assisted lipolysis to tighten skin from beneath the surface. This treatment is particularly effective for addressing skin laxity in the lower face, neck, and jowls without the incisions or recovery time of traditional surgery.
Surgical Anti-Aging Solutions: Comprehensive, Long-Lasting Transformation
When non-surgical options can no longer address the degree of aging present, surgical procedures deliver the most dramatic and longest-lasting results. Orange County’s competitive aesthetic market has driven innovation in surgical techniques, with surgeons offering increasingly natural-looking approaches.
Facelift Surgery: The Gold Standard for Facial Rejuvenation
A facelift addresses multiple signs of aging, including sagging skin, jowls, wrinkles, and loss of definition by tightening underlying tissues and re-draping the skin. Modern facelift techniques have evolved significantly from the “pulled” appearance of decades past. To understand exactly how a facelift addresses aging at multiple levels of facial structure, it helps to recognize that this procedure works on the SMAS layer, skin, and underlying tissues simultaneously.
Wave Plastic Surgery specializes in advanced facelift procedures performed by board-certified surgeons trained at prestigious institutions, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and UCSF. Our surgeons offer multiple approaches tailored to each patient’s unique anatomy and aging patterns:
- Wave Lift™: Wave’s proprietary endoscopic approach minimizes incisions while delivering comprehensive lifting of the deep facial structures.
- High SMAS Face and Neck Lift: This advanced technique addresses the superficial muscular aponeurotic system (SMAS)—the deeper layer of facial tissue—for natural, long-lasting results.
- Endoscopic Facelift: Using small incisions and endoscopic visualization, this technique reduces scarring and recovery time while achieving excellent lifting.
- Cure Lift S™ and Cure Lift XL™: Specialized techniques developed by our surgical team for specific aging concerns and facial anatomy.
Facelift surgery typically addresses the lower two-thirds of the face and neck, with results lasting 10-15 years. Many patients find this one-time investment provides better value than years of temporary treatments.
Eyelid Surgery: Brightening and Opening the Eyes
The eyes are often the first area to show age, with heavy upper lids, under-eye bags, and crow’s feet creating a tired appearance even when you’re well-rested.
Upper Eyelid Surgery removes excess skin that hangs over the lashes, creating a more alert, refreshed appearance.
The key to successful aging eyelid surgery, according to Dr. Lee, is maintaining naturalness: “Keeping the double eyelid nice and slim but clean, that’s the hallmark of naturalness and youthfulness.”
For patients with Asian eye anatomy, Wave specializes in Asian Eyelid Surgery and Double Eyelid Surgery, creating or enhancing the eyelid crease while maintaining ethnic identity and natural appearance.
Lower Eyelid Surgery addresses under-eye bags, dark circles, and loose skin through careful fat repositioning and skin tightening—not simply removal.
Ptosis Repair lifts drooping eyelids caused by weakened levator muscles, improving both appearance and vision in some cases.
Eyelid surgery typically requires 1-2 weeks of recovery, with final results visible once swelling resolves. The transformation can be dramatic, often taking 10-15 years off your appearance.
Brow Lift: Reversing Forehead Descent
A descended brow can create a heavy, tired, or even angry appearance. Brow lift surgery elevates the eyebrows to a more youthful position while smoothing forehead wrinkles.
Wave’s Endoscopic Brow Lift uses small incisions hidden in the hairline, offering a shorter recovery than traditional approaches. This technique is particularly effective when combined with upper eyelid surgery for comprehensive upper facial rejuvenation.
Fat Transfer: Natural Volume Restoration
As facial fat pads descend and deflate with age, strategic volume restoration creates a more youthful appearance. Fat transfer uses your body’s own fat, harvested from areas like the abdomen or thighs, purified, and carefully re-injected into the face.
Wave’s Double Pure Fat Grafting technique achieves high graft survival rates, providing long-lasting volume restoration to areas like the cheeks, temples, under-eyes, and lips. Unlike temporary fillers, transferred fat that successfully incorporates becomes a permanent part of your facial structure.
Creating Your Personalized Anti-Aging Plan
With such a comprehensive range of options, where do you begin? The key is understanding that anti-aging isn’t one-size-fits-all—it’s a personalized journey that evolves with your needs.
Age-Based Considerations
In Your 30s: Focus on prevention with regular sunscreen use, medical-grade skincare, and preventative neuromodulators. Treatments like Botox, light chemical peels, and laser therapies help maintain your current appearance while preventing deeper aging signs.
In Your 40s: Many patients begin layering treatments, combining neuromodulators with dermal fillers to address both dynamic wrinkles and volume loss. Skin tightening treatments like Morpheus8 or Ultherapy address textural concerns. Some may consider their first minimally invasive procedures like thread lifts.
In Your 50s and Beyond: This is when surgical options often become most appropriate. Facelifts, eyelid surgery, and fat transfer provide comprehensive rejuvenation that non-surgical treatments can no longer achieve. Many patients maintain surgical results with periodic injectable treatments.
The Consultation: Your First Step
Your anti-aging journey begins with a thorough consultation. Wave Plastic Surgery’s experienced surgeons and providers will:
- Analyze your facial anatomy and aging patterns
- Discuss your aesthetic goals and concerns
- Review your medical history and lifestyle factors
- Explain which treatments best address your specific needs
- Create a customized treatment plan with realistic expectations
- Answer all your questions about procedures, recovery, and costs
Some patients achieve their goals with a single treatment. Others benefit from a phased approach, starting with non-surgical options and potentially progressing to surgical solutions as aging advances. There’s no pressure—only honest guidance about what will deliver the results you’re seeking.
Why Orange County Patients Choose Wave Plastic Surgery
Orange County offers no shortage of aesthetic providers, but Wave Plastic Surgery has earned its reputation as a premier anti-aging destination through several key differentiators:
World-Renowned Surgical Expertise: Wave’s board-certified plastic surgeons are trained at some of the most prestigious institutions in the country, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Duke, and UCSF. With over 30,000 successful procedures and decades of combined experience, they’re recognized leaders in both surgical and non-surgical facial rejuvenation.
Comprehensive, Layered Approach: Rather than recommending a single treatment, Wave’s providers understand how to strategically layer procedures for optimal results. Whether you need a conservative refresh or a comprehensive transformation, they’ll design a plan that addresses all aspects of facial aging.
Advanced Proprietary Techniques: Wave has developed exclusive procedures like the Wave Lift™ and Double Pure Fat Grafting that aren’t available elsewhere, reflecting their commitment to innovation and superior outcomes.
Fully Accredited Facilities: Wave’s five locations are fully accredited by the American Association for Ambulatory Health Care (AAAHC), meeting the highest standards for patient safety and care quality.
Natural-Looking Results: The goal isn’t to look “done”—it’s to look like a refreshed, revitalized version of yourself. Wave’s surgeons are known for results that turn back the clock without appearing artificial or overdone.
Convenient Orange County Location: Wave’s Costa Mesa facility provides easy access for Orange County residents, with additional locations throughout Southern California.
Get Your Consultation Today
Give us a call today to schedule your consultation with one of our plastic surgeons at Wave Plastic Surgery.
Understanding Investment and Value
Anti-aging treatments represent an investment in yourself—one that pays dividends in confidence, appearance, and how you feel facing each day. Costs vary significantly based on treatment type, with non-surgical options ranging from a few hundred to several thousand dollars, while surgical procedures require a larger initial investment but provide longer-lasting results.
Wave offers flexible financing options through PatientFi, making treatments accessible with convenient monthly payment plans. Many patients find that one surgical procedure provides better value than years of temporary treatments, though others prefer the gradual, maintenance-based approach of non-surgical options.
During your consultation, you’ll receive transparent pricing information with no hidden fees. Wave also offers a price match guarantee—if you find a better price from a qualified, board-certified provider in California, they’ll match it.
Real Patient Results
Nothing speaks more powerfully than before-and-after transformations. Wave’s extensive transformation gallery showcases real patient results across all treatment types. Browse facial procedures, non-surgical treatments, and body contouring results to visualize what’s possible.
You’ll also find numerous patient testimonials on Wave’s reviews page, offering insights into the entire experience from consultation through recovery and final results.
Taking the First Step
Choosing to pursue anti-aging treatments is a personal decision—one that should be made with confidence, complete information, and trust in your provider. Whether you’re just beginning to notice the first signs of aging or you’re ready for comprehensive facial rejuvenation, Wave Plastic Surgery offers the expertise, technology, and personalized care to help you achieve your goals.
The Orange County aesthetic market demands excellence, and Wave has consistently delivered results that exceed expectations. With five convenient Southern California locations, a team of world-renowned surgeons, and a comprehensive menu of both surgical and non-surgical options, Wave provides everything you need under one roof.
Schedule Your Personalized Consultation
Ready to explore which anti-aging treatments are right for you? The first step is a consultation with one of Wave Plastic Surgery’s expert providers. During this comprehensive appointment, you’ll receive:
- A detailed facial analysis identifying your specific aging concerns
- Professional recommendations tailored to your goals and anatomy
- Clear explanations of recommended procedures and what to expect
- Transparent pricing information and financing options
- Answers to all your questions in a pressure-free environment
Call Wave Plastic Surgery at (888) 674-3001 or schedule your consultation online today. Your journey to a more confident, rejuvenated you begins here.
Get Your Consultation Today
Give us a call today to schedule your personalized consultation with one of our plastic surgeons at Wave Plastic Surgery.
Frequently Asked Questions
The best time to start is when you first notice concerns—whether that’s fine lines in your 30s or more significant sagging in your 50s. Prevention is easier than correction, so many patients begin with conservative treatments like Botox in their early 30s to prevent deep wrinkles from forming. However, it’s never too late to start. Wave’s surgeons regularly work with patients in their 60s, 70s, and beyond who achieve dramatic rejuvenation.
During your consultation, Wave’s providers will assess your degree of aging, skin quality, and aesthetic goals. Generally, if you have significant skin laxity (loose, sagging skin that doesn’t bounce back), jowls, or deep folds, surgical options provide better results. If your concerns are primarily wrinkles, volume loss, or skin texture without significant sagging, non-surgical treatments may be sufficient. Many patients start with non-surgical options and progress to surgery as aging advances.
Costs vary significantly by treatment type. In Orange County, Botox typically costs $300-$600 per area, dermal fillers range from $600-$1,500 per syringe, and surgical facelifts generally run $12,000-$30,000. According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, the national average for a facelift is $11,395, though California prices tend to be higher.
Higher pricing typically reflects surgeon experience, board certification, and facility accreditation—factors that significantly impact your results and safety. A facelift lasting 10-15 years often provides better value than repeated filler treatments. Wave offers transparent pricing during consultations and flexible financing through PatientFi.
Wave’s philosophy prioritizes natural results that enhance your inherent beauty rather than creating an artificial appearance. As Dr. Lee emphasizes, the goal is to “soften” signs of aging, not eliminate every line or create a “frozen” look. Modern techniques, proper dosing, and artistic placement ensure you look like a refreshed, well-rested version of yourself. Most patients find that people notice they look great, but can’t pinpoint exactly what changed.
Recovery varies by procedure. Eyelid surgery typically requires 1-2 weeks before you feel comfortable in public with makeup. Facelifts generally need 2-3 weeks for about 80% of swelling to resolve, though complete healing takes several months. Thread lifts and minimally invasive options offer quicker recovery (3-7 days). Wave’s surgeons use advanced techniques that minimize bruising and accelerate healing compared to traditional methods.
Absolutely—combining treatments often produces superior results. Many patients undergo facelift surgery with eyelid surgery and fat transfer in a single session. Non-surgical patients frequently layer Botox with dermal fillers and skin rejuvenation treatments. During your consultation, Wave’s providers will design a customized treatment plan that addresses all your concerns efficiently, whether that means combining procedures or staging them strategically.
Results duration depends on treatment type: neuromodulators last 3-4 months, hyaluronic acid fillers last 6-18 months, Sculptra lasts 2-5 years, thread lifts last 12-18 months, and surgical procedures like facelifts last 10-15 years. Your individual metabolism, lifestyle factors, and continued aging affect longevity. Many patients maintain surgical results with periodic non-surgical treatments for optimal, long-term appearance.
Wave stands out through several key factors: board-certified surgeons trained at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and UCSF with decades of combined experience; proprietary techniques like the Wave Lift™ not available elsewhere; fully AAAHC-accredited facilities meeting the highest safety standards; comprehensive offerings under one roof (surgical, non-surgical, and advanced skin treatments); and a philosophy emphasizing natural results and personalized care over one-size-fits-all approaches.
When performed by qualified, board-certified surgeons and experienced injectors, anti-aging treatments are very safe. Wave’s AAAHC accreditation confirms adherence to rigorous safety protocols. Non-surgical treatments like Botox and fillers have excellent safety profiles with minimal risks. Surgical procedures carry inherent risks, which your surgeon will discuss thoroughly during consultation. Choosing an experienced provider in an accredited facility minimizes complications significantly.
Come prepared with photos of results you like (and don’t like), a list of concerns you want to address, your medical history, including current medications and supplements, and honest questions about procedures, recovery, and costs. Consider your budget and timeline. If possible, arrive makeup-free so providers can assess your skin accurately. Most importantly, come with realistic expectations and openness to professional recommendations tailored to your unique anatomy.
References
- American Society of Plastic Surgeons – Facelift Procedure Information – https://www.plasticsurgery.org/cosmetic-procedures/facelift
- American Board of Plastic Surgery – Choosing a Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon – https://www.abplasticsurgery.org/
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration – Dermal Fillers (Soft Tissue Fillers) – https://www.fda.gov/medical-devices/cosmetic-devices/dermal-fillers-soft-tissue-fillers
- American Academy of Dermatology – Botulinum Toxin Therapy – https://www.aad.org/public/cosmetic/age-spots-marks/botulinum-toxin-overview
Quick Take Aways:
- Most people start with non-surgical options like Botox and dermal fillers—these require minimal downtime (usually none) and cost significantly less than surgery while delivering noticeable rejuvenation.
- The key to natural results is proper technique and conservative dosing—Wave's philosophy focuses on softening signs of aging while maintaining your natural expressions, not creating a "frozen" or overdone look.
- Surgical facelifts become the better option when you have significant skin sagging, jowls, or deep folds that fillers can't address—results last 10-15 years versus 3-6 months for injectables.
- Wave's board-certified surgeons trained at Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and UCSF offer proprietary techniques like the Wave Lift™ not available at other Orange County practices, with over 30,000 successful procedures performed.
