High Intensity Focused Ultrasound
HIFU is a safe ultrasound treatment for anti-aging, skin tightening, face-lifting and sculpting. HIFU stimulates new collagen synthesis while tightening facial muscles, improving skin texture, reducing wrinkles, firming and lifting the skin – giving you a natural sculpt, tightened and lifted look.
How does HIFU skin tightening work?
The device releases highly concentrated ultrasonic energy that is delivered deep into the skin causing very precise thermal coagulation that reaches the SMAS layer.
Delivering tiny deposits of focused ultrasound energy it precisely heats up a specific location in a short period of time. Your skin responds to this energy by stimulating its deep dermal tissue to produce new compact collagen fibres.
This, in turn, leads to a gradual tightening and improvement of your skin elasticity and firmness. As the skin tightens, wrinkles and lines become less visible. The texture of the skin is improved as it becomes smooth, shiny and firm.
HIFU uses Focused Ultrasound to target the layers of skin just below the surface. The ultrasound energy causes the tissue to heat up rapidly. Once the cells in the targeted area reach a certain temperature, they experience cellular damage, which in turn stimulates the cells to produce more collagen. Collagen is the protein that give your skin its structure.
As the collagen increases, this results in firmer skin with fewer wrinkles. As the high-frequency ultrasound beams are focused on a specific tissue site below the skin’s surface, there’s no damage to the upper layers of the skin and no immediate visible signs of treatment.
- Wrinkle reduction
- Lifting the cheeks
- Lifting the eyelids and eyebrows
- Enhancing your jawline definition
- Tightening of your décolletage
- Smoothing the skin and complexion
- Tightening sagging skin on the neck
- Nasolabial fold reduction
HIFU may not be appropriate for everyone. The procedure works best on people older than 30 with mild-to-moderate skin laxity. People with sun damaged skin or a more loose skin may need multiple treatments before seeing results.
HIFU isn’t recommended for people with infections and open lesions at the target area, severe or cystic acne, and metallic implants in the treatment area.
The therapist would have had a consultation with you before treatment and explained the process. The therapist clean the area to be treated. The therapist then marks out the treated area with a white pencil & then applies an ultrasound gel.
The HIFU device is placed against your skin. Ultrasound energy is then delivered to the target area in short pulses for roughly 30 to 60 minutes. While the ultrasound energy is being applied, you might feel heat and tingling. You can take a pain medication if required, please ask.
You’re free to go home and resume your normal daily activities right away after the procedure.
To get long-lasting results, we recommend two HIFU treatments in the first year spaced six months apart. You can then get one treatment a year afterwards to maintain the results of the treatment.
After your HIFU Treatment, you may see some initial effect, but the ultimate results will take place over 2-3 months, as your body naturally regenerates collagen.
The device releases highly concentrated ultrasonic energy that is delivered deep into the skin causing very precise thermal coagulation that reaches the SMAS layer. Delivering tiny deposits of focused ultrasound energy it precisely heats up a specific location in a short period of time. Your skin responds to this energy by stimulating its deep dermal tissue to produce new compact collagen fibres. This, in turn, leads to a gradual tightening and improvement of your skin elasticity and firmness. As the skin tightens, wrinkles and lines become less visible. The texture of the skin is improved as it becomes smooth, shiny and firm.
The first and most obvious way in which they differ is that they use different technologies to heat up the deep skin tissues. HIFU delivers more precise and more intense fractional ultrasound energy while RF is based on a bulk heating strategy.
Second, each technology works in different, but partially overlapping skin layers. HIFU goes much deeper into and beyond the dermis, being able to reach the SMAS layer. RF, on the other hand, will not go as deep as HIFU. It focuses on epidermal layers and does not go beyond the deep dermis.
Third, while HIFU is generally performed as a single treatment RF may require several sessions. The exact frequency of either of those treatments will depend on the type of device used and your skin conditions such as its current elasticity or your genetic heritage.
Fourth, using ultrasound energy in cosmetic procedures is a relatively new practice. So in terms of aesthetic facial rejuvenation, RF has been around much longer.
As we age our face starts to exhibit a mix of sagging, wrinkling and sinking. Although each person’s ageing style is always unique and should always be addressed individually the following guide explains how different treatments may be more suitable for different types of issues.
If your main problem is sagging and your ultimate goal is “lifting” effect it might be a better idea for you to go for HIFU. The depth of its tissue tightening will allow for more prominent results. Thus, HIFU will be the best choice for tightening loose skin around the jowls, improve the appearance of a double chin or “lifting” the brows.
RF being a less intensive method that penetrates tissues not as deep as HIFU can be a better choice for addressing volume loss or treating delicate areas such as lower and upper eyelids. Thus, if you have no or limited skin laxity, but are losing facial volume you may opt for the RF. It will tighten the skin but also create the effect of more volume especially in the area around the mouth.
Both HIFU and RF boost collagen production and accelerate skin tissues remodelling. Thus, they’re both effective in treating wrinkles and fine lines. The best method for treating the signs of skin degeneration will thus depend on the extent of your skin ageing and the area you want to treat. For this reason, deciding on any treatment type you should always consult a specialist who can professionally asses your facial anatomy and your skin laxity. And only after the physical examination, a specific treatment recommendation can be made.
Everyone ages differently and exhibits distinct signs of ageing. Genetics plays a leading role in how your skin ages, but lifestyle also contributes to the speed at which the skin ages.
One way that the skin tends to respond to volume loss is to sink, particularly in the mid-face, cheeks and temples. This creates a gaunt, tired and aged appearance. RF sessions paired with cosmetic injections can combat this type of volume loss.
The second way the skin can respond is to sag – this is the result of a loss of elasticity and collagen. HIFU treatments help tighten the SMAS layer of the skin, which reverses a sagging appearance. It can also get rid of any excess fat and tissue in the lower face that’s worsening the sagging effect.
Lastly, the skin also responds to a decrease in collagen by wrinkling, particularly around the eyes, lips, jawline and brows. When wrinkles are the primary concern, a combination of RF, HIFU and cosmetic injection treatments can have a positive effect.
In some instances, patients experience wrinkles and sagging, which is when a combination treatment is highly recommended. HIFU and RF treatments can’t be performed at the same time though, which is why a personalised treatment plan is required.
HIFU has many aesthetic benefits, including:
HIFU offers long lasting effects, tightens skin and promotes wrinkle reduction.
HIFU helps tighten the jowls, enhances jawline definition and sculpts the chin area.
HIFU helps tighten sagging skin on the neck (sometimes called turkey neck).
The HIFU treatment is a non-invasive, non-surgical procedure with no downtime.
Wrinkle reduction and smoothing out of the skin.
Lifting the cheeks & eyebrows
Tightening of the décolletage
HIFU deliver visible effects in lifting and tightening. It will also create new collagen which will help your skin maintain its youthful glow.
Recovery time after the procedure – none only slight redness.
Risk of treatment include; mild redness and swelling.
Efficacy of the treatment – In one study, 94% of people described improvement in skin lifting at a 3-month follow-up visit.
Results of the treatment – The same study found that improvement in appearance persisted for at least 6 months. You will likely need to have additional HIFU treatments once the natural ageing process takes over.
The HIFU treatment is not a painful procedure. As the high-intensity focused ultrasound energy is delivered, you will feel tiny amounts of energy being deposited to precise depths within the skin. This is an indication that the collagen-building process has been initiated. Most clients describe feeling either pin pricks sensation or a feeling of heat. Comfort levels vary from client to client, however, this sensation is only temporary and last while the ultrasound energy is administered. Some clients take paracetamol before the procedure to ease any discomfort., although this is not necessary.
After the HIFU treatment the skin may appear ‘flushed’ at first, but the redness should disappear within a few hours post-treatment. Some clients experience light swelling, tingling or tenderness to the touch, however, these are temporary and will fade within 7 – 10 days post-treatment. Less common side effects may include temporary bruising or numbness on small areas of skin. As with any medical or cosmetic procedure, there are the possibility for rarer side effects, which your aesthetic practitioner will review with you during your face-to-face consultation.
