It is the ancient healing power of sound that fuels this modern technique. Ultherapy is a non-surgical, non-invasive technology that employs focused ultrasound to engage the body’s natural healing processes to lift and tighten the skin around the head and neck.
By: Richard A. Baxter, MD
and Chris Knisley
ThePlasticSurgeryChannel.com
Dr. Richard Baxter of Seattle has been in the know for a couple of years now because of his interest and involvement in the advancement of focused ultrasound technologies. Dr. Baxter explains, “if you focus ultrasound energy just like you can focus light through a lens, you can get really intense points of heat at specific layers under the skin, and what that accomplishes is some collagen remodeling and skin lifting.”
Ultherapy is currently the only FDA-cleared technology of its kind for non-invasive skin lifting in the face. However, this is not a non-surgical facelift. Dr. Baxter sees this technology as a precursor and/or potential preventative measure to avoid a surgical facelift.
The Procedure
Candidates for Ultherapy are individuals typically between thirty and sixty years of age. These patients are experiencing the onset of laxity in the skin or have not yet reached a point at which surgery would be the most viable option.
The procedure takes no longer than a lunch break and only requires one application. Focused ultrasound creates coagulation points under the skin that stimulate a process of collagen remodeling.
Time-Released Results
There is no downtime or recovery period. But results do not appear instantly. The ultrasound stimulates a natural response that begins a process that unfurls over time. Results are seen in their fullest after about three months. Perhaps Benjamin Button’s secret lies in holistic ultrasound!
Instead of cutting the skin and shocking the system, focused ultrasound addresses the root of the problem directly, stimulating a process of natural, internal growth and regeneration.