How Ultrasound Can Give You a Facelift Without Going Under The Knife

Facelift is an increasingly popular cosmetic procedure that promises a more youthful and fresh appearance. Facelift tightens loose or sagging skin on the face and the droops of the cheeks around the jawline, lifts the corners of the mouth and reduces the wrinkles between the cheeks and the lips. Facelift can also change the shape of the face by removing excess facial skin. There are many forms of facelift, with the most well-known form being Rhytidectomy, a surgery procedure.  Other forms of facelift include liposuction and the use of lasers. However, little known to most, ultrasound can also be used for facelift, and in fact is much more effective and also generally painless! Let me now show you the wonders of ultrasound, and how it can bring your youthfulness back to your face.

Traditional facelift procedures

Traditional facelift procedures include Rhytidectomy, liposuction and lasers.

In Rhytidectomy, the surgeon makes a cut into the skin, lifting the skin away from the deeper facial muscles and fat, and then pull the skin up, removing the excess skin. With lesser skin left, the tissues of the face are tightened, giving the face a much younger appearance.

Ultrasound Facelift

How does it work?

Ultrasound facelift treatments are non-invasive. They effectively reduce the visible signs of aging on the skin by targeting the prime cause of it – Collagen Loss. Ultrasound therapy is able to restore the collagen in your skin, causing it to tighten and lift the loose skin.

Ultrasound facelift treatments target deep tissue layers, penetrating under the facial muscles into the second layers of muscles.

Ultrasound energy is able to reach and stimulate the production of collagen from the deepest layers. Once the skin starts to produce collagen, sagging and droops of skins as well as loose neck skin lift and tighten, allowing your skin to appear younger.

Image 3.1: Comparing the depth different facelift procedures penetrate into the skin

Source: http://www.clearskgroup.com/flawless-skin/ulthera-facelift/

Due to the high amount of energy produced by ultrasound, facial fats found in areas such as the neck, jaw and chin are melted, tightening the area. Ultrasound facelifts also treats the superficial skin layers, causing spots and wrinkles to fade.

HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) include Ulthera, Sygmalift and Hi-Queen are examples of ultrasound facelift treatments.

Which parts of the face can Ultrasound facelift treat? 

Ultrasound facelift can be used on:

• Wrinkles on the face
• Droopy eye lid
• Droopy cheeks
• Jowl
• Double chin
• Deep laugh lines
• Marionette lines (wrinkle extending from angle of mouth to jawline)

Image 3.2: Ultrasound facelift

Source: https://health.clevelandclinic.org/how-ultrasound-skin-tightening-can-firm-lift-your-face/

What to expect during the treatment process?

HIFU is a non-invasive, with no down time treatment. However, patients may feel a mild discomfort on areas with more bones like the jawline. This is caused by ultrasound energy being reflected off the facial contours.

HIFU takes approximately 30 minutes to be completed.

Image 3.3: HIFU machines and the parts of the face it can treat

Source:https://www.dhgate.com/product/3d-hifu-factory-price-best-quality-machine/404303592.html

Clients might experience tingling sensation during treatment, but it is temporary and can be prevented with topical anaesthesia if deemed necessary.

What to expect after the treatment process?

HIFU and Ultherapy do not require any cutting or stitching, hence the downtime is minimal, and there is no risk of bruising or swelling. However, some people may appear to have slightly reddish skin immediately after the treatment, but the symptom will subside within a few hours, and can be covered by makeup immediately after the treatment.

Following the treatment, clients should also have no issues returning to their normal lifestyle at all, although it would be ideal to avoid extended exposure to the sun.

Ultrasound facelift can achieve extremely good effects in just a single session. However, it could take 4-6 weeks after the treatment before you can notice how your skin have tightened or how your fine lines have been smoothened. This is because the collagen takes time to be produced and time is also needed for the collagen to effectively tighten the skin and fill the wrinkles and fine lines.

HIFU VS Ultherapy

They are both ultrasound procedures, although HIFU is generally less painful than Ulthera. They both can deliver the same result because the result is largely depends on the setting of power.