With age, most people develop loose and sagging skin. An ultrasound skin tightening treatment can correct and reverse some of these signs of aging. This is a type of non-surgical skin tightening that also rejuvenates the facial skin without leaving behind any surgical scars. There is minimal downtime and recovery is quick with a very low risk of complications.
Please keep reading to learn more about how ultrasound skin tightening works. Also find out how long the results last, what are the potential risks and complications, and how much this type of noninvasive skin tightening treatment costs.
Does ultrasound energy help tighten skin?
Ultrasound technologies use acoustic (sound) waves that have frequencies over what can be heard by the human ear. Therefore, they are called "ultra" sound. Ultrasound energy generates heat when it is applied to the skin. This temporarily changes the structure of the skin and also brings about longer lasting results. Additionally, researchers have found that ultrasound treatments can enhance skin permeability for up to 12 hours. This makes it easier for topical applications like skin serums to reach the inner skin layers.
How does ultrasound stimulate collagen?
As you grow older, your skin makes less collagen and elastin. These are skin proteins that give the skin its softness, smoothness, and youthful appearance. The vibrations generated by the ultrasound waves produce thermal effects in the dermis (the middle layer of skin below the facial muscles). The dermis is the layer in which collagen synthesis takes place. The heat increases blood flow to the skin and also causes microscopic damage. This triggers the skin's natural healing response. As a result, the skin makes more collagen, leading to lifting, firming, and tightening of the skin after ultrasound therapy.
In addition to increasing collagen formation, ultrasound energy improves the superficial layer of skin by removing dead skin cells and smoothening the skin. This leads to a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles and an improvement in skin tone and texture.
Why choose to have ultrasound skin tightening treatment?
Ultrasound skin tightening is safe and effective. It carries significantly less risks than a cosmetic surgery such as facelift or neck lift. Non surgical skin tightening is also associated with much faster recovery. Some of the things that ultrasound treatment for the face can accomplish include smoothening of facial wrinkles, improvement in skin elasticity, reduction in sagging jowls, and lifting of drooping eyebrows and eyelids. The treatments are effective on the face, neck, and chest area.
Am I a good candidate for non-surgical skin tightening?
Treatments like high intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) and Ultherapy can stimulate collagen production and lead to skin tightening in people who have mild to moderate skin looseness and sagging skin. These noninvasive skin tightening treatments are less effective for advanced signs of aging. In people with more severe signs of aging, improving skin laxity and skin lifting may require cosmetic surgery.
While there is no age limit for ultrasound skin tightening, the results tend to be better in younger people because their skin can make more new collagen. However, older patients are also candidates. Even those who have undergone previously undergone neck or facelift procedures but are still bothered by skin laxity may be good candidates for ultrasound therapy. This treatment can improve the appearance of the skin without the risks of anesthesia and with no downtime. People who have not responded to ultrasound therapy the first time around may get better results with touch-up treatments.
Ultrasound skin tightening treatments are not recommended for people with active skin infections, open skin lesions, cystic acne, or metallic implants in the treatment area.
What is HIFU?
High intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is one of the new ultrasound techniques. It is a non-invasive and painless ultrasound skin tightening procedure. It uses focused ultrasound to promote collagen formation, which leads to firmer skin. It can also be used for brow lifts and to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and improve skin tone. HIFU also has applications for medical conditions, for example, to treat tumors.
The skin rejuvenation results from HIFU are visible within a few months and do not carry the risks, complications, or side effects of cosmetic surgery. However, while HIFU is approved for brow lifts and improving fine lines and wrinkles in the upper chest and neckline (décolletage), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has not yet approved HIFU for cosmetic skin rejuvenation (skin tightening and lifting) in the face. Therefore, plastic surgeons offer HIFU skin tightening as an off-label treatment because it is not FDA cleared yet. More research is needed to establish the safety and efficacy of this procedure.
As noted, noninvasive treatments like high intensity focused ultrasound work well for mild to moderate skin sagging. They are not ideal for people with severe sagging skin. They could, however, be promising treatments, especially in younger people and those with less severe cases of facial aging, who don’t want the risks and recovery time associated with a dermatologic surgery like face lift.
What is Ultherapy?
Ultherapy is also a method of non invasive ultrasound skin tightening. It can effectively firm up the face and neck area, giving you a younger, rejuvenated appearance. The Ultherapy device generates concentrated ultrasound waves that create heat deep inside the dermis of the skin and below the SMAS muscle layer (superficial musculoaponeurotic system). The heat stimulates collagen and elastin production, which helps to make the skin tighter, firmer, and smoother, as well as refining wrinkles. This ultrasound technology can be used in seven different facial areas.
Ultherapy is not the same as radiofrequency skin tightening or laser skin tightening. This is because ultrasound energy does not affect the outer layers of the skin. The ultrasound waves specifically target deep tissue layers to trigger the body’s healing response. This encourages collagen and elastin production, which firms and tightens skin and provides a noticeable lift in sagging skin. However, like intense focused ultrasound techniques, Ultherapy is effective only in mild to moderately loose skin and early signs of aging. It may not as work well for more severe skin laxity.
What happens during Ultherapy?
The face is cleaned and ultrasound gel is applied to the treatment area. The ultrasound handpiece is held in place for a short period of time. The applicator is passed over all the target areas. The depth of treatment can be adjusted depending on the treatment area. The first pass goes very deep and the second pass targets the tissue layers closer to the surface.
The entire treatment takes around 1 hour for the face and neck. Treatment for smaller areas can take as little as 15-30 minutes.
The goal of the ultrasound skin treatment is to promote collagen production. Most patients need only one Ultherapy procedure to see results. However, additional treatment sessions may be needed depending on the quality of the skin in the treated areas and the specific system being used. People with severe photo damage or very loose skin may need several treatments before they see results.
Is ultrasound skin tightening painful?
Ultrasound treatments can be slightly uncomfortable but are not usually unbearably painful. The level of discomfort depends on your pain threshold. Topical anesthetics (numbing creams) are not effective in controlling the pain because ultrasound waves travel deep inside the skin. Your doctor will give you pain medications to help you feel relaxed and more comfortable. IV sedation can also be used. The doctor can also reduce the energy level if you find the pain is intolerable.
What does a HIFU facial feel like?
The focused ultrasound energy used in HIFU targets the skin layers just below the surface. The ultrasound waves cause rapid heating of the tissues, causing cell damage. This sounds counterintuitive, but the microscopic damage stimulates the skin to produce more collagen. This results in tighter, firmer skin with fewer wrinkles. Since the high-frequency ultrasound waves are focused below the skin’s surface, there’s no damage to the upper skin layers or surrounding tissues. It also means the treatment is not very painful.
Most people report slight discomfort during a HIFU procedure. Some say it feels like a prickly or tingling sensation or like electric pulses in the skin. Your doctor may advise taking an over-the-counter pain reliever like acetaminophen or ibuprofen prior to treatment. This can help to make the HIFU facial more comfortable.
How to prepare for ultrasound skin tightening?
You do not need any special preparation before having Ultherapy or HIFU. You should arrive for your appointment with clean, makeup-free skin. Your doctor will clean the target area and apply ultrasound gel. They will then place the ultrasound device against your skin, adjust the settings, and deliver the ultrasound waves to various treatment areas over the next 30-90 minutes. Trained and qualified doctors make sure to avoid motor nerves in the face to reduce the risk of complications. You can go home right away and resume normal activities the same day. There is no downtime after ultrasound skin tightening.
How long do Ultherapy skin tightening results last?
The results vary from person to person. It is difficult to predict how much new collagen your skin will make. In general, most people see an improvement in skin laxity within 2-3 months. The collagen renewal continues for up to 6 months with a gradual improvement over this timeframe. The results are far more subtle compared to the dramatic and immediate results obtained with facelift surgery.
What are the side effects of ultrasound for face lift?
Ultrasound skin tightening is a relatively safe procedure when done by a trained and qualified aesthetic provider. You can resume daily activities immediately after the treatment. However, there can be mild side effects like redness for a day or two and slight swelling that can persist for a few weeks. Some people develop bleeding or scratch like marks in the treated skin. You should contact your doctor if you experience bleeding or notice palpable nodules or changes in sensation. Your doctor can provide medical advice about these complications, should they occur.
How much does Ultherapy cost?
The cost of Ultherapy is $2,500 on average. This is affordable compared to facelift surgery. Keep in mind that the actual cost of ultrasound skin tightening treatment will depend on your skin condition and the areas you are getting treated.
How much does HIFU for face cost?
The average cost for nonsurgical skin tightening procedures is $1,700 to $2,500. This is much lower than a treatment method like surgical facelift, which costs $7,500 on average. Your ultrasound skin tightening cost will depend on where you live, the area being treated, and the total number of sessions required to achieve desired results.
Finding a provider for ultrasound therapy
The MeTime app makes it easy to find an aesthetic provider for ultrasound skin tightening. You can chat with experts, share photos, do a video consultation, and get quotes. You can also get answers to all your questions about other non-surgical skin tightening treatments and technologies like non-ablative lasers and radiofrequency skin tightening. Download the MeTime app today and see what non-invasive facial rejuvenation and ultrasound skin tightening can do for you.
