If you want a facelift but dread the idea of going under the knife, then you might be interested to learn about a new kind of facelift. Ultherapy is a quick and painless non-invasive facelift that uses new technology recently approved by the FDA. For those in the Boston area, the experts at Finesse Cosmetic Laser and Lipo offer this treatment in Waltham, Massachusetts.
Curious about Ultherapy? Learn everything you need to know about this cutting-edge treatment before you schedule a visit at Finesse!
What Is Ultherapy?
You can think of this treatment as a facelift without chemicals and scalpels. This simple, 60-minute treatment lifts and tightens the skin on the face and neck areas without any need for extended recovery time. Overall, this treatment is gentle, non-invasive, and extremely effective for most patients. Plus, unlike other treatments, Ultherapy continues to work over time and there is less need for continued treatments. This treatment is basically a one-and-done sort of deal.
How Does It Work?
This treatment utilizes ultrasound technology to tighten and tone skin. By using a small specialized ultrasound wand, our expert technicians can see the layers of tissue beneath the skin surface during treatment. With a view like that, we can deliver the treatment to target areas or areas that need more attention so that the treatment is as effective as possible.
But the unique ultrasound view is only one part of the equation. This treatment also uses heat to stimulate blood flow and the production of new collagen. As you might know, collagen is the key to youthful, glowing skin, and the best way to stimulate collagen production is through the circulation of blood. As we age, we produce less collagen and the blood flow to our face is less productive. This treatment addresses both issues in one fell swoop, using heat to encourage both increased blood and the turnover of new collagen.
How Is It Different From Other Treatments?
Say good-bye more needles, lasers, chemicals, or other invasive and painful facelift procedures! This ultrasound treatment assists the natural processes of our bodies in order to tone skin for a more youthful appearance. But more importantly, this treatment doesn’t just treat superficial skin problems.
Ultherapy is revolutionary for more than one reason, but its most distinct benefit is the fact that this treatment addresses the real causes of skin aging. While lasers treat the upper surface layers of skin to deal with pigmentation and wrinkles, this special ultrasound treatment targets the deeper skin layers. These deep skin layers, or foundational layers, are where supports for skin – like collagen – are found. This therapy goes directly to the foundational layers to fix issues at the source, but without the invasiveness that cosmetic procedures typically use.
Does This Treatment Replace Cosmetic Surgery?
While different and more natural than facelifts done with cosmetic surgery, it is important to note that this treatment is not a replacement for traditional procedures. You can think of this treatment as an alternative and gentler option for those with moderate aging concerns. To be sure, cosmetic surgery facelifts show a more drastic result, but those kinds of procedures are also more risky, more complicated, and have more recovery time. With this treatment, you can attain a gradual, natural-looking lift without any downtime.
Is It Safe?
You would be right to assume that this treatment is safer than many other treatments that are currently available. As a general rule, non-invasive treatments are always going to be more comfortable and less risky than invasive procedures. However, with less risk comes less reward, which is why patients who undergo non-invasive treatments tend to come back for follow-up treatments. But this ultrasound treatment is a little different. While non-invasive, the sheer efficiency of this treatment means that follow-up appointments are few and far apart.
As to the safety of the treatment, it is a fact that medicine has been using ultrasound technology for over 50 years without any problems. Ultrasounds are low on radiation and do not cause any side effects, and this ultrasound facial lift treatment is the same. Additionally, this treatment has been approved by the FDA, after numerous clinical studies, as a safe, effective treatment.
Who Are Ideal Candidates?
The ideal candidate for this treatment is anyone who has found that their skin is less firm than they would like. As a broad stroke, candidates for this treatment might notice that they are developing fine lines, wrinkles, relaxed or loose skin, bags beneath the eyes, or noticeable thinness in the skin on their neck and decolletage area. This treatment is ideal for those who have moderate skin laxity.
There are no age limitations for this treatment. Even for those in their thirties, this Ultherapy treatment can be used to stay ahead and fight against early aging. This treatment can address many age-related concerns regardless of your actual age. After all, anti-aging treatments are for all aging populations.
Ideal candidates for this treatment also include those who do not want invasive cosmetic procedures or those who do not want other invasive facelift treatments. Compared to surgeries, lasers, and even Botox, this treatment is considerably more affordable and less physically taxing. This treatment is a good mid-way for those who want a lift without undergoing a costly and intense procedure.
Where Should You Concentrate the Treatment?
Concentrating this treatment on specific parts of the face, neck, and collarbone is done on a case-by-case basis. Depending on where signs of aging are showing and which parts of your skin you want to tighten, every patient can customize this treatment to fit their needs.
This treatment is perfect for…
- Tightening brows
- Lifting eyes
- Toning chin and neck area
- Improving fine lines and wrinkles
Often the first real signs of aging are around the eyes, with a lowered brow line, sagging eyelids, and crows feet. For eye-related aging concerns, this treatment can be used to target the delicate areas around the eye to tone the skin and return a youthful appearance. Another place where concentrating this treatment is a good idea is the area around the jaw and upper neck, where skin loosens with age. The jawline, cheeks, and neck are often major signs of aging, but they can be reversed or improved with the use of this ultrasound treatment.
Whether you have a single area of concern or many areas of concern, this treatment can effectively address each one in a single visit. A consultation prior to your treatment appointment will help you identify target areas and outline your specific treatment plan.
Can This Treatment Be Used Elsewhere?
This treatment is approved by the FDA to treat the face, neck, and chest area. However, some clinics have used this treatment to tighten skin in other areas of the body, such as underarms and in the abdomen. Using this treatment as a non-invasive tummy-tuck solution is common in other clinics. If you are interested in a non-invasive tummy-tuck solution at our office, we will be happy to discuss approved alternatives to help you meet your goals.
How Long Do the Effects of Ultherapy Last?
Depending on your body’s specific biological processes, response to this treatment can vary from patient to patient. Generally, the effects of this Ultherapy treatment last about 6 months or so, which is around the time when collagen production will return to its natural state and signs of aging will again become noticeable. For those with moderate signs of aging, this treatment can last between 4 to 6 months, while those with mild aging see effects for 6 months or more.
The length of this treatment’s effectiveness depends on how the body responds to the treatment. The slowing production of collagen is determined by your genetics and overall response to the treatment. Generally, the treatment effects last a bit longer for those whose collagen production has not drastically slowed down.
How Quick Are Results?
You can see the results of this treatment on the same day as your appointment. The immediate visual signs of the treatment include tightened skin and a rosy, glowing complexion. However, this treatment really hits its stride between 2 and 3 months following your appointment, where the collagen production is at its height. This treatment shows results from the first day and continues to lift and tighten over time, or until the stimulated collagen production naturally slows again.
Do You Need Multiple Treatments?
For most patients, a single appointment will be effective to fight against signs of aging for at least 6 months. There is usually no need for additional appointments immediately following the first treatment. For most patients, it is enough to receive another treatment after the effects of the first wear off, which typically means at least two treatments a year.
However, if the skin laxity is more severe, or if there are multiple significant target areas, it is possible that your technician will advise you to group two treatments together for more robust effectiveness. Determining whether you need multiple treatments within a single time frame will be determined during the outlining of your treatment plan.
How Long Does the Treatment Take?
The length of time to perform this treatment depends on the amount of area that is being addressed, but most treatments can be done in as little as an hour. For partial treatments on the face, appointments can take around 30 minutes or less to complete. For full face and neck treatments, the appointment can take from 45 to 60 minutes. This is a treatment that can be done during a lunch hour or between errands.
What Is Recovery Time?
Recovery time for this Ultherapy treatment is very short – near non-existent, in fact. There is no downtime associated with this treatment. Some patients find that they experience some slight redness, tingling, or tenderness in the hours immediately following the treatment, but these side-effects are temporary and go away on their own.
While some patients are able to return to their normal daily activities following the treatment, others take a day off and return to their normal activity level the following day. Outside of the time necessary for the temporary side effects to subsist, there is no prolonged recovery time or limitations following this treatment.
Renew Your Skin
Ready to use your skin’s own regenerative responses to tighten, tone, and lift skin with a treatment that will gradually strengthen skin from within? The expert staff at Finesse Cosmetic Laser and Lipo are fully trained to deliver this specialized treatment. If you want to regain your youthful appearance with this cutting-edge, non-invasive treatment, contact Finesse Cosmetic Laser and Lipo in Waltham, MA to schedule your initial consultation today!
