Long Term Effects of Ultrasound Tightening/Ulthera on the Skin?

 


Ulthera and Pelleve : Two technologies that drive me nuts!!!!




  Ulthera is hyped as a face-lifting and neck tightening technology that is revolutionary because of its use of focused ultrasound that creates ridiculously high amounts of heat in tiny little spots underneath your skin. The thought is that a line of these spots will create a vector of pull or lift. Well, the results are difficult to appreciate (if you do not take a post procedure picture with an elevated chin which makes the neck appear tighter) and the long term results are just sad. The heat deep in the face must dissipate and no matter how focal energy delivery is, healthy facial fat suffers. It has been around long enough to have many patients see the horrible eyelid retraction and fat atrophy that it can cause. I see young patients in my practice, who otherwise would not need a surgical intervention, present with discontent after these treatments that need blepharoplasty and canthal suspension as well as fat grafting to restore them to reasonable aesthetics.

Pelleve is a radiofrequency device, actually a powerful electrosurgical generator for cutting cauterizing and fulgarating tissue that for marketing reasons developed a special handpiece with lower power settings branded as a cosmetic intervention to increase market share. The results of Pelleve are sometimes even more devastating. This is because Ulthera charges doctors every time they push the button for a pulse which results in generally limited energy delivery.

With most of these technologies one should consider themselves lucky if no result is seen because changes caused are usually negative. I encourage patients to avoid the latest name branded repackaging of last years' disastrous technology and to find a plastic surgeon who has resisted the urge to join corporations to shake money out of patients. Many of us including myself use ultrasound, radiofrequency and other technologies under true surgical judgement and let experience and knowledge guide us to offer reasonable treatments that do not harm patients instead of following directions from sales representatives with business degrees on how to alter someones face.

Also if you are going to let someone deliver energy near your eye, make sure they are a surgeon that understands the surgical anatomy, do's and don't's, risks and potential complications. Otherwise there is no way you will avoid them!

If you are impressed with before and after pictures of a neck or face, look at the position of ear landmarks to eye landmarks, hold a straight edge to the picture and you will likely see a relatively elevated angle in the post picture that will explain any improvement. If the ears are not in the picture, well now you know why. Also be careful with lighting flash and exposure settings as well as frank manipulation.

Be careful it is not pretty out there!
 


 

Ultherapy has been around close to 10 years.  Since Ultherapy uses ultrasound energy to increase your own collagen content, the long term effects would be from an increased amount of collagen.  We are not aware of any negative long term effects of ultrasound energy treatment.  It's the same energy used to visualize fetuses in the womb and has been used for that purpose for decades without any untoward effects.  

Although Ulthera is a relatively new therapy, ultrasound energy has been used to treat a variety of conditions over the last 50 years with no significant adverse effects. In fact, many of my patients report bonus after-effects, such as a improved skin quality and increased skin elasticity. In addition to tightening the skin, Ulthera promotes the production of collagen, which is a protein matrix that helps skin look and behave younger. Please consult with a board-certified dermatologist to learn more about how Ulthera can rejuvenate your skin.