Some people aren’t ready for a surgical facelift, but want to improve their looks by reducing some of the inevitable signs of aging such as lax skin, fine lines or wrinkles.
There are a number of solutions on the market, from injectables to laser therapy, but most of these tend to treat the upper layers of skin and muscles. Ultherapy, or an Ulthera Lift, addresses the same kinds of deep tissues that a surgical facelift does, but uses a non-invasive, ultrasound beam to do it, rather than a scalpel or needle.
What Is Ultrasound?
Typically, people associate ultrasound with scanning the body to reveal what’s going on with the internal organs inside. It is a high-pitched vibration that we can’t hear, but which can be transmitted through skin, tissue, and bones, and reflected so that an image can be formed.
That same technology can be used to agitate, or stimulate cells responsible for the body’s own healing mechanisms. The direct consequence is producing collagen, which is vital in helping skin achieve the tightness and laxity associated with a youthful appearance.
The Ultherapy Procedure
In an office setting, the sound waves are delivered via a handpiece that looks almost like one that is used to scan pregnant women, and focuses just the right concentration of waves at the right spot, deep within the skin’s layers.
In consultation with the medical practitioner, you will establish a course of treatments to achieve the desired results. It’s important to remember that a single session will very rarely show an immediate effect, simply because the body takes time to respond and produce the collagen that will help reduce the signs of aging and increase skin condition and tightness.
This is one of the drawbacks when compared with some other techniques, such as surgery and injectables like Botox or fillers. It is also a natural process that has this, and other key benefits for the patient.
The Benefits of an Ulthera Lift
In the right hands, Ultherapy is completely safe. It uses technology that is well understood and can achieve results with no downtime. Over the treatment course, naturally occurring processes are stimulated and result in firmer, tighter skin on the surface, without disturbing the upper layers – unlike surgery, for example.
Many surgeons and practices will jump on the bandwagon of great reviews associated with Ultherapy, but some will not receive adequate training. Also, some will not have the medical background to make it work for their clients. This can be a detrimental and expensive way to achieve minimal results.
Always make sure your practitioner is highly trained, understands the technology and how to apply it, and is realistic about the results they expect to achieve. Some self-education, by reading through the Ultherapy website is also a great way to put yourself in the position of being able to ask the right questions on the day.