Can ultherapy or rf infini cause more damage to the skin? (photo)

I have been very disappointed with Ultherapy. We tried increasing the  treatments to full power to see if results improved and found it very painful but did not improve results.  I had the company treat me at regular power which showed no improvement. I had the company treat me at full power requiring sedation with no results. I had a few patients that were happy initially, but I saw no significant improvement after the initial swelling.  I am concerned that these promises of "collagen regeneration" may simply be scar tissue, which of course is collagen.  Some of my colleagues have reported scar tissue when doing face-lifts in patients that have these thermal injury treatments.I am uncomfortable providing therapies which occasionally provide a good result, but I have no way of predicting which patients will get a measurably good result and those that will waste time and money.I am comforted to know my machine is now in Hong Kong and no longer in my office.

It is important to have an in person consultation from a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon that has a practice that specializes in Ultherapy, but based on your photo and age you look like a great candidate for Ultherapy.  I would recommend a treatment under your chin in the submental area. The results from an Ultherapy treatment work in a two-step process. The first stage is the contraction and denaturing of collagen, which causes an immediate tissue tightening, and resultant lift. The second stage occurs over time while the body’s healing response builds new collagen (neocollagenesis). New collagen production is generated over 2-3 months and often continues for 6 months after the treatment. Full results are visible after 3 to 6 months. Good Luck.

In the right hands, you would get great results with these treatments and a combination approach would give the most improvement. I recommend Ultherapy with RF treatments, lasers, microneedling/PRP or sculptra to get increased collagen, tightening and improve skin tone. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an expert. Best, Dr. Emer

Thank you for your question and for sharing your photos.  From the photos, it appears that you have great skin so I would recommend microneedling with PRP if you want to maintain that appearance.  Similarly the Infini (and even more so with the Profound RF) can help to rebuild the elasticity and collagen support in the treated areas.  Ultherapy is great if you are able to properly identify what tissue planes you are treating and come up with a customized treatment plan.  As with most devices and aesthetic tools, the results will vary based on the experience level of the provider.  In addition, it also really is determined by the quality and depth of understanding of your concerns and what is contributing to your concerns.  I would recommend that you visit with a board certified plastic surgeon who specializes in both surgical and non-surgical face and neck rejuvenation options so you can find out the best options for you and their respective limitations.  

Hi and thank you for your question! You are at the perfect age to start addressing skin laxity through non-surgical skin tightening and lifting. Ultherapy, in the right hands, does not cause loss of fat or any other negative result. It has been proven, since 2009, to provide effective lifting and tightening of the skin. Additionally, we have the Profound for skin tightening. Many of our patients are alternating between those treatments (Ultherapy one year, Profound the next) to get a mixture of technologies for an even better result. We are also loving the needling devices: microneedling or Vivace with PRP. Feel free to call our office and come in for a complementary consultation! Best, Dr. Grant Stevens