Anti-Aging Treatments

Anti-Aging Treatments

Medically reviewed by Dr. Ju-Chan Kim, Medical Director, IBON Plastic Surgery — trained in Plastic Surgery, Dong-A University Hospital; board-certified plastic surgeon.

Restore a more natural, three-dimensional facial contour, tighten sagging skin without surgery, or achieve a simpler wrinkle improvement with firmer skin. IBON Plastic Surgery's anti-aging treatments range from Facial Fat Grafting using purified autologous fat to restore volume to hollow or sunken facial areas and create a fuller, more three-dimensional facial contour, to non-surgical HIFU and RF skin tightening, and Mint Lifting using absorbable PDO threads for wrinkle improvement, lifting of sagging tissue, facial contour improvement, and support of skin elasticity. — with every case personally handled by the Medical Director from consultation through treatment.

What Are IBON's Anti-Aging Treatments?

IBON Plastic Surgery offers three distinct approaches to facial aging under this category, addressing different underlying causes.

Facial Fat Grafting uses the patient’s own fat to restore volume to hollow or sunken facial areas and create a fuller, more three-dimensional facial contour. Fat is harvested from a donor area such as the thighs, buttocks, or abdomen, then separated and purified before being carefully injected into the areas requiring additional volume.

Because the procedure uses autologous fat, rather than a synthetic implant, IBON presents it as an option intended to provide a natural-feeling result while minimizing concerns associated with foreign materials. The clinic also describes the transferred fat that successfully establishes itself in the treated area as providing a relatively long-lasting volume-restoration effect.

V-RO Lifting is a non-surgical, non-incisional lifting treatment that combines high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) with radiofrequency (RF) energy in a single system. The treatment delivers controlled thermal energy to different tissue depths, including the dermis and deeper SMAS layer, to support collagen remodeling and gradual skin tightening and lifting. V-RO uses multiple cartridges designed for different skin layers, including Focused Linear (FL) and Synergy Dotting (SD) cartridges, allowing treatment depth and energy delivery to be adjusted according to the treatment area and individual skin thickness. Its slim cartridge design is intended to improve visibility and precision, particularly around narrow or curved facial areas. The system also incorporates contact-detection and movement-detection safety sensors, which can automatically stop energy delivery when proper skin contact or handpiece movement is not detected. Because the treatment does not involve surgical incisions or general anesthesia, patients can generally return to normal daily activities soon after treatment, while collagen remodeling and lifting effects develop gradually over time.

Thread Lifting, offered at IBON as Mint Lifting, is a non-incisional facial lifting treatment using absorbable PDO threads with a patented 360-degree helical barb design. The circumferential barbs are designed to grip surrounding tissue and mechanically lift areas affected by sagging and deeper facial wrinkles. MINT threads are also manufactured using proprietary PRESS molding technology, which is designed to strengthen the thread’s anchoring structure.

As the PDO thread is gradually absorbed by the body, it may also stimulate collagen formation around the treated tissue, supporting improvements in skin elasticity and tone over time. According to the clinic-provided material, MINT is FDA-cleared as a suture and is approved by Korea’s MFDS as a PDO thread for facial tissue fixation.

These three approaches address different concerns: Facial Fat Grafting restores lost facial volume using the patient’s own purified fat and helps create a fuller, more three-dimensional facial contour, V-RO Lifting combines HIFU and RF energy to support tightening at different tissue depths, and Mint Lifting uses absorbable PDO threads with 360-degree helical barbs to mechanically lift sagging tissue and improve facial wrinkles and contour while supporting collagen formation as the threads are absorbed. Patients with overlapping concerns may be assessed for a combination of these treatments during consultation.

• Facial Fat Grafting surgery time: approximately 30 minutes to 1 hour Anesthesia: local or sleep anesthesia Follow-up visits: approximately 2–3 visits Recovery period: approximately 1–2 weeks
• V-RO Lifting treatment time: typically around 30–60 minutes, depending on the treatment area and protocol (general HIFU/RF-category estimate; not specifically confirmed by IBON Plastic Surgery). Topical numbing may be used for comfort, depending on the patient and treatment settings. The procedure is non-incisional and generally requires little to no downtime, allowing most patients to resume normal daily activities soon afterward. Skin-tightening and lifting effects typically develop gradually over the following 1–3 months as collagen remodeling progresses.
• Mint Lifting treatment time: approximately 30–40 minutes; anesthesia: local or sleep anesthesia; suture removal is not required; patients can generally return to daily activities immediately after treatment.

Advanced Anti-Aging Treatment — A Personalized Approach to Volume Loss and Sagging

Patients considering anti-aging treatment often describe concerns that can be mistaken for one another: a face that looks hollow, gaunt, or angular in areas that used to be fuller; a face that looks like it's sagging or drooping downward despite retaining volume; or skin that has simply lost firmness and definition without an obvious structural cause. These call for different solutions — adding volume back where it's been lost, physically repositioning tissue that has loosened, or non-surgically tightening skin at a deeper layer — and treating one concern with the wrong technique is unlikely to produce a satisfying result.

At IBON Plastic Surgery, every case is assessed personally by the Medical Director, who determines whether volume loss, sagging, general skin laxity, or a combination is the primary driver of the patient's concern before recommending fat grafting, V-RO lifting, thread lifting, or a combination of these. Because fat grafting requires harvesting the patient's own tissue while V-RO and thread lifting do not, the choice also depends on how much downtime the patient can accommodate, which is discussed openly during consultation.

Who Performs Anti-Aging Treatments at IBON Plastic Surgery

Dr. Ju-Chan Kim, Medical Director
Board-Certified Plastic Surgeon in Korea

Dr. Ju-Chan Kim, Medical Director of IBON Plastic Surgery, personally oversees every fat grafting, V-RO lifting, and thread lifting case performed at the clinic. He completed his training in Plastic Surgery at Dong-A University Hospital and previously served as director at Zenith Plastic Surgery Clinic, Haneul Plastic Surgery Clinic, and The Goun Plastic Surgery Clinic. He is a member of the Korean Society of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons, the Korean Association for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, the Korean Cleft and Craniofacial Association, and the Korean Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery Clinics. Under IBON's single representative director system, his role at consultation is to determine whether volume restoration, non-surgical HIFU and RF tightening, mechanical thread lifting, or a combination addresses the specific pattern of aging present in each patient, rather than defaulting to one treatment for every anti-aging concern.

Anti-Aging Treatment Options Available

Treatment	Mechanism	Best Suited For
Facial Fat Grafting	Autologous fat is harvested from a donor area, separated and purified, then injected into selected facial areas to restore lost volume and improve facial contour.	Sunken under-eyes or nasolabial areas, hollow temples, flat anterior cheek areas, age-related facial volume loss, and patients seeking a more three-dimensional facial contour without a synthetic implant.
V-RO Lifting (HIRONIC New Doublo 2.0)	HIFU and RF energy delivered to multiple tissue depths, including the dermis and SMAS layer, to stimulate collagen remodeling and support skin tightening without surgical incisions.	Mild-to-moderate skin laxity, jawline and jowl sagging, patients not ready for surgery
Mint Lifting (Thread Lift)	Absorbable PDO threads with a patented 360-degree helical barb structure and PRESS molding technology mechanically anchor and lift sagging tissue while supporting collagen formation as the threads are gradually absorbed.	Facial wrinkles, sagging cheeks or facial contours, patients seeking both lifting and wrinkle improvement, and those who prefer a non-incisional approach.

A closer look at how these treatments differ in practice:

Facial Fat Grafting follows a five-step process. First, fat is harvested from a donor area such as the thighs, buttocks, or abdomen. Second, the harvested fat is processed using a centrifuge to separate and purify the fat. Third, usable purified fat is isolated from unwanted tissue components. Fourth, the physician carefully designs and marks the facial areas where additional volume is required. Fifth, the purified autologous fat is injected according to the individualized treatment design.

IBON highlights several features of its fat-processing technique. The clinic uses a dedicated centrifugation and purification process to prepare high-purity autologous fat, uses low-pressure handling intended to reduce fat-cell damage, and aims to minimize the fat’s exposure to air throughout preparation and transfer. The clinic states that these measures are intended to support fat-cell viability and graft retention after transplantation.

V-RO Lifting is performed after assessing the degree of skin laxity, treatment area, and skin thickness. The system combines high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and radiofrequency (RF) energy, using different cartridges to deliver controlled thermal energy to multiple tissue depths, including the dermis and deeper SMAS layer. This energy is intended to stimulate collagen remodeling and support gradual tightening and lifting without surgical incisions. During treatment, patients may feel warmth, tingling, or brief areas of stronger sensation depending on the energy settings and treatment depth. V-RO also incorporates contact-detection and movement-detection safety sensors designed to stop energy delivery if appropriate skin contact or handpiece movement is not maintained. General anesthesia is not required, and patients can usually return to normal daily activities soon after treatment. Results develop progressively as collagen remodeling continues over the following one to three months, while the duration of the effect varies according to individual skin condition, aging, and treatment parameters.

Mint Lifting follows a four-step process. First, the practitioner conducts an individualized consultation and designs the lifting direction according to the areas being treated. Second, a cannula is used to insert the PDO threads beneath the skin. Third, the inserted threads are pulled in the planned direction to lift and reposition sagging tissue. Fourth, the procedure is completed without the need for later suture removal.

The MINT thread features a patented 360-degree helical barb design, allowing the barbs to engage surrounding tissue around the circumference of the thread. It is also produced using proprietary PRESS molding technology, designed to enhance anchoring strength. As the PDO thread is gradually absorbed, it may stimulate collagen formation around the treated area, supporting skin elasticity and tone in addition to the mechanical lifting effect.

According to the clinic-provided material, the MINT thread is FDA-cleared as a suture and MFDS-approved as a PDO thread for facial tissue fixation.

Who Is a Good Candidate for Anti-Aging Treatment?

For Facial Fat Grafting:

• Has sunken areas beneath the eyes or around the nasolabial folds
• Has hollow temples that make the face appear wider
• Has a flat or less projected anterior cheek area
• Has experienced loss of facial fat with aging
• Wants a fuller, more three-dimensional facial contour without a synthetic implant

For V-RO Lifting: (general HIFU and RF-category candidacy criteria)

• Mild-to-moderate skin laxity along the jawline, cheeks, or under the chin
• Not yet ready for, or not interested in, a surgical facelift
• Reasonably good baseline skin elasticity remaining
• Wants a gradual, natural-looking improvement rather than an immediate surgical-level change
• No cardiac pacemaker, implanted electronic device, or active skin infection in the treatment area

For Mint Lifting (Thread Lift):

• Wants to improve facial wrinkles
• Is concerned about sagging cheeks
• Needs a quick return to normal daily activities
• Wants to address lifting and wrinkles at the same time
• Prefers a non-incisional treatment rather than an incision-based lifting procedure

What to Expect: Procedure, Recovery, and Results Timeline

Stage	Facial Fat Grafting	V-RO Lifting	Mint Lifting (Thread Lift)
Anesthesia	Local or sleep anesthesia	Typically topical numbing only	Local or sleep anesthesia
Procedure time	About 30 minutes to 1 hour	About 30–60 minutes	About 30–40 minutes
Downtime	Approximately 1–2 weeks	None to minimal	Generally immediate
Results timeline	Some volume is visible after treatment, while the final appearance develops as swelling settles and the retained grafted fat stabilizes	Gradual over 1–3 months	Mechanical lifting is visible after treatment, while collagen-related changes may develop progressively

Post-operative care for Facial Fat Grafting, mild swelling and bruising may occur and generally improve gradually. Facial swelling can temporarily create a feeling of tightness. Light activity may support recovery, while strenuous exercise and sauna use should generally be avoided for about two weeks. Alcohol should also be avoided for approximately three weeks, according to the clinic’s post-operative guidance. Individual instructions from the treating surgeon should take priority. For V-RO Lifting, reported effects are generally mild and temporary — localized redness, warmth, or occasional bruising resolving within days — consistent with HIFU and RF treatments generally. Complications such as bleeding, infection, inflammation, or nerve damage can occur depending on the individual and the procedure, so careful adherence to post-operative guidance is advised in all cases.

Why Choose IBON Plastic Surgery for Anti-Aging Treatments

• Single representative director system: every case is personally assessed and performed by the Medical Director, from the initial evaluation through to the treatment itself, without proxy surgery
• Three distinct mechanisms available: fat grafting, V-RO (HIFU & RF) lifting, and Mint thread lifting allow the approach to be matched to whether volume loss, structural sagging, or both are driving the concern
• Purified autologous fat preparation: IBON uses a dedicated centrifugation and purification process, together with low-pressure handling and measures intended to limit unnecessary exposure of the harvested fat to air, with the aim of preserving viable fat cells before transplantation.
• MINT thread technology and regulatory status: The clinic-provided material highlights MINT’s patented 360-degree helical barb design and proprietary PRESS molding technology, and states that the thread is FDA-cleared as a suture and MFDS-approved as a PDO thread for facial tissue fixation.
• Realistic goal-setting: the clinic's approach is built around setting achievable expectations for the degree of volume restoration or lifting possible, rather than promising a specific outcome

Ready to Discuss Your Anti-Aging Treatment Options?

Whether your concern is facial hollowing that needs volume restored, skin that has lost firmness and could benefit from non-surgical tightening, or visible sagging and wrinkles that need lifting, the right treatment starts with identifying which of these is actually driving your specific concern — not assuming one treatment fits every sign of aging. A consultation with IBON Plastic Surgery's Medical Director gives you a clear, personalized recommendation — handled by the same clinician from your first conversation through the treatment itself, without proxy surgery — so you can move forward with confidence in the plan chosen specifically for you.

Primary CTA: Schedule a Consultation

Secondary option: Contact the IBON Plastic Surgery care team directly to arrange your initial consultation and discuss whether facial fat grafting, V-RO lifting, Mint Lifting, or a combination may suit your goals.