Ultrasound’s So Ultra-Beautiful!
Sound waves that can lift, firm and tighten facial skin without injections, surgery or downtime. Now that is music to my ears! Debbie Oakes, Writer.
It is said that music has charms to sooth the savage beast. Now science has found that sound energy actually has charms to soothe the beastly signs of aging.
I am very excited to share information about Ulthera ultrasound technology, because it is the very latest breakthrough in anti-aging treatments. Every few years there is something new – in the past few years there have been other big breakthroughs: CO2 laser, Fraxel Laser, Selective Laser, Focal Ultrasound to burn fat, and more recently Thermage, and now there is Ulthera Radiofrequency (R.F.).
What is so Good About Ulthera?
It works on a much deeper part of the skin – the so-called SMAS. Our skin contains multiple layers – the outer is the epidermis, the next layer is the fat, and the deepest layer is the SMAS. This is the layer of collagen and elastin fibers that are the main supportive structures of the skin.
Everybody wants to reach down to and target the SMAS, but until now, it has been impossible because it is too deep. It is the layer that, until now, only surgical facelifts have been able to reach. Now finally the Ulthera ultrasound can reach this layer, with a revolutionary way of delivery-focused ultrasound. Ulthera has patented this groundbreaking R.F. technology.
Can I Trust It?
Ultrasound technology is not new; physiotherapists have been using RF for decades to heal deep injuries in muscle and ligament. Beauty Therapists have been using ultrasound to improve the blood circulation in the skin. So, the breakthrough is to be able to deliver ultrasound R.F. deep into the tissue with enough bulk heat to contract the SMAS and create a significant clinical lift without burning the surface. The ultrasound energy causes thermal damage, which triggers the body’s healing response. Ulthera has been called ‘the ultimate non-surgical facelift procedure’.
What is Ultrasound?
Ultrasound R.F. is sound pressure with a higher frequency than humans can hear.
How Does It Work?
Firstly sound energy is delivered to a pre-determined skin depth. Then ‘hot spots’ are created, and finally the body’s healing response kicks in generating collagen, which lifts and firms the skin.
Can I Have It With Other Treatments?
Synergistically, all the beauty treatments that technology can provide work very well together. Laser targets the epidermis, or outer skin-layer. Thermage reaches the dermis and fat, and finally we have Ulthera, which is the first treatment to reach the deeper SMAS. So, Ulthera RF treatments can be combined with laser resurfacing for re-texturing and pigmentation problems, and treatments like Thermage for further tightening. Dermal fillers and botox work beautifully with all the technologies to smooth out crow’s feet and deep wrinkles.
So, if someone has a lot of money I recommend everything! However, if it’s a choice (as is usually the case), then a consultation is important to determine what your individual problems are. For example, for a thin face the Ulthera is better because it won’t contract the fat, whereas a face with more fat might benefit more from Thermage. Of course, for a chubbier face, the Ulthera will work too but will not contract the fat.
Compared to Thermage, the results are much more immediate. I have seen the difference within five days. Sometimes patients wonder if they are imagining it! Another benefit is that it does not hurt as much, so you do not need anesthesia. Like Thermage, it is a one-time procedure, but at 30-minutes, is half the treatment time.
There is no down time and it lasts 2 years or more.
Who is the Ideal Patient?
Ulthera is suitable for everyone – no matter what race and age because R.F. does not interfere with skin pigment.
‘Ultherapy,’ should appeal to people who are not quite ready for surgery, but have begun to notice sagging, wrinkling and loss of elasticity. Also ideal for loose skin under the chin, people with ‘jowls’ forming along the jaw line, and loss of tautness in the lower face, neck, cheeks and eyebrows can all benefit from an Ulthera ultrasound R.F lift.
Remember, beauty is all about maintenance and prevention! Keeping one-step ahead of the skin’s aging process is much more effective than treating problems after they appear, and with the Ulthera, that just got a lot easier!
