What Effect Does Ulthera Have on Pigmentation?

The ultrasound energy used in Ultherapy does not cause damage to pigment the way some lasers do.  There is a very small risk of surface injury with the Ulthera if there is not good contact and some thermal energy is absorbed by the skin's surface. If this were to occur, there could be post inflammatory hyperpigmentation just as there would be from any heat source, but I'm not aware if the company has reported this having occurred.

Hi,

Ultherapy may be used on patients with any skin tone without much concern for hyperpigmentation. Ultherapy uses ultrasound technology to deliver low levels of focused heat to the tissues immediately underneath the skin. Your body responds to this thermal energy by stimulating the growth of new collagen. Because it bypasses the skin with its thermal energy, Ultherapy will not cause any discoloration of the skin. Lasers, on the other hand, often target the skin, which can lead to postinflammatory hyperpigmentation in patients with olive and darker skin tones. Hope this helps!

Dr.Sunder

Unlike lasers, Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound to treat the layer under the skin, so the skin pigment is unaffected. It is quite popular in Asian countries. I was in Korea and Japan last year and there were already more Ulthera units in use than in the U.S.

Ultherapy does not cause injury to the skin (like lasers) where hyperpigmentation is a risk. I have performed Ultherapy since 2011 in hundreds of patients and have never seen this complication.

One of big advantages of Ultherapy, in fact, is that it is generally safe on all skin types, including darker skin.  If fact, Asian countries probably has more extensive experience as it was in use in Asia well before the U.S. In may experience with asian patients' undergoing Ultherapy, this procedure has been consistently very safe in term of pigmentary alterations.