Whats better for cellulite, Ultherapy Vs. Pelleve?

Question

I have heard horror stories of ultherapy melting fat off the face, which is not my goal at all, in fact my face is too thin. I am looking to tighten up skin on arms and legs which look very crepey and some cellulite on thighs. For face, looking for overall lifting.

Michael A. Persky, MD · Answer

Hi Dragon,Ultherapy is the best lifting and tightening non-invasive technology available.  Pelleve` is good for the eye area, but takes multiple treatments.  Ultherapy is a one session treatment.  As for "fat melting", I have treated hundreds of patients over the past 5 years with Ultherapy without seeing this adverse event.  The advantage of Ultherapy is my ability to see the anatomy real time on the ultrasound screen as I am treating patients.  When I see that the target is in fat, I do not fire the device.  This is why it is important to choose your treating physician most carefully and why I personally perform all of the treatments in our practice.As for loose skin on other parts of the body, we have found that Venus Freeze and Venus Legacy are excellent treatments with high patient satisfaction rates.  Good luck and be well.Michael Persky, MDEncino, CA

Amiya Prasad, MD · Answer

Thank you for your question. I
can certainly give you some guidance as I'm a Board-certified cosmetic surgeon,
practicing in Manhattan and Long Island for over 20 years. I have witnessed a
lot of technology come and go over these 20 years, and can shed some light on
realistic results.

To first answer your question,
I would say that neither Ultherapy or Pelleve would be a good choice for you in
this scenario.There are limitations to
collagen stimulation through heat induction, and part of that limitation is
your skin itself. Skin, especially thinner skin, can only accommodate so much
heat before it begins to break down, therefore those horror storiesof Ultherapy
causing fat depletion in the face is not uncommon. In fact, this is a reality
for any radio frequency or laser device that generates a lot of heat.

Heat can tighten skin up to a
certain point, but when you have the intention of liftingthe face, you
need to have a proper assessment to determine what the issues are—is it loss of volume? Sagging
of the skin? Descent of the support of the skin or SMAS (superficial musculo aponeurotic system)? On the other hand, if you
have a relatively thin face, a surgical face lifting may not be right for you,
and you may be more of a candidate for a Y Lift®, which is based on the
concept of structural volumizing wherein fillers are injected into the deeper
levels of the face to create more significant and firmly supported volume, and a
face lifting effect.

When dealing with thin skin,
adding volume at the deeper levels may be much better because we’re able to accentuate and
restore volume in the structure of the face, without putting any additional
weight on thin, saggy skin. With this method, you don’t need to feel limited to
thermal devices only.

In our practice, we rehabilitate
skin using platelet-rich plasma in an effort to reverse damage caused by the
aggressive use of thermal devices. This includes stimulating collagen production,  and the quality of skin and soft tissue. With
regard to cellulite, I would say there's no good solution for cellulite
regardless of what manufacturers of thermal devices or various technologies
will claim. When it comes to the crepiness of the skin in the extremities,
again, there are limitations,and I would advise against any
of the devices that are being overhyped.

The thing about technology in
the field or cosmetic medicine, dermatology and the like, is that there is so
much hype—so much that even doctors become easily seduced by the claims. Some
doctors will go as far as make statements about any device as long as they get
paid for it. As a result, people and doctors alike will go from device to
device in search of the Holy Grail. The whole thing is a cycle and clearly
there's no one good solution, otherwise everybody would be doing something more
consistent.

I would advise you against
both Ultherapy and similar treatments. Thermal energy devices do have a role
and a purpose, but they are often overused and abused, which results in not the
best outcomes for patients. I suggest for you to meet with doctors and discuss
your options—you’ll find that you’ll get a lot of different opinions, so it’s just a matter of finding one
that’s best for you. I hope that was helpful and I wish you the best of luck!

Edwin Ishoo, MD · Answer

You are looking for tightening of skin on arms and legs with crepiness and cellulite? there is nothing that will reverse the clock. You may have temporary improvements with these technologies, including vela shape, but nothing longterm. How old are you and how much sun damage have you had? What you've read about Ultherapy "melting fat off" is absurd and ridiculous. Its also not really indicated for body, just face. You make need fractional ablative or non-ablative LASER treatment of the skin or surgical tightening by body lift or removal of excess skin. Its impossible to make specific recommendations without pictures. Please consult an experienced cosmetic surgeon.

Whats better for cellulite, Ultherapy Vs. Pelleve?

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Whats better for cellulite, Ultherapy Vs. Pelleve?

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