Blog: Worried about Ultherapy®? We’ve got the answers

7 February 2023

Is Ultherapy^® Safe?

This is, of course, the most obvious concern for anyone considering Ultherapy^® treatment! Ultherapy^® is the only non-invasive skin tightening treatment with real-time visualisation to be cleared by the FDA.

And because it’s non-invasive, it can be a good alternative to many of the procedures carried out every day by aesthetics practitioners across the world. There is, as with every treatment, a chance of something going wrong, but in the hands of a highly trained professional, you can be confident in the treatment.

Firstly, it works by triggering your skin’s own function. Ultherapy^® uses microfocused ultrasound to jump-start a process called neocollagenesis, your body’s own collagen regenerative response, to tighten the skin, particularly in the face, neck and décolletage.

Secondly, Ultherapy^® is efficient. The treatment bypasses the surface of the skin, to act at just the right skin depth and just the right temperature for collagen stimulation.

Thirdly, Ultherapy^® is visually guided. Because Ultherapy^® acts at a depth of some 1.5-4.5mm below the skin (depending on which part of the face, neck or décolletage is being treated), it’s equipped with a display which gives the practitioner a visual picture to work from, with confidence.

And finally, Ultherapy^® is non-invasive. Everything happens below the skin, which should not be disrupted during the treatment.

What does matter to safety, of course, is the quality of your practitioner. We will only ever supply recognised clinics with Ultherapy^® machines and authorised equipment, they are not available to the general public. For the clinics, we run a range of levels of training from introductory to advanced for new practitioners and existing Ultherapy^® specialists alike, and as the gold standard treatment for skin lifting and tightening, we advise you to make sure you use a trusted and capable clinic.

Is Ultherapy^® painful?

The second question we’re always (rightly!) asked is: does Ultherapy^® hurt? That depends largely on you: there may be some discomfort which varies from person to person, though your practitioner will discuss ways to manage any discomfort with you prior to treatment.

Discomfort usually only lasts while ultrasound energy is being delivered, however there can be some tenderness for up to a couple of weeks following treatment. Some patients also experience mild redness immediately after treatment. This, too, should pass over a couple of hours to a couple of days. Ultherapy^® is also flexible: treatment can be customised, and your aesthetician can dial in a milder setting if you prefer.

Unlike other non-invasive skin tightening treatments, the real-time visualisation of Ultherapy^® enables your practitioner to see and avoid more painful areas, such as the bone, keeping any discomfort to a minimum, while still delivering the optimum energy for collagen stimulation!

Are there side effects to Ultherapy^®?

Compared to an invasive cosmetic procedure, usually mild and transient side effects occur with Ultherapy^®, and usually not long-term. If present they typically include flushed skin, sensations of tingling or tenderness and (much less frequently) bruising; all of which typically recede within a few days of the procedure. For more information on side effects with Ultherapy^® please do speak to your clinician.

Can I have Ultherapy^® with other treatments?

We would highly recommend that you consult with your healthcare practitioner for further information relating to this. However, many patients choose to mix and match cosmetic procedures for the best results. Plenty of aestheticians propose this too; after all, we all have different skin profiles, and different causes/severity of ageing, which therefore require different modalities to address.

M-ULT-UKI-1160 Date of preparation: February 2023

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