Can You Lose Fat Cells in Your Face with Ulthera?

Hello, I'll offer a little update to your question. Ulthera, as stated in many of the earlier answers, allows a precise delivery of ultrasonically generated heat to the skin (especially the deeper dermal layer) and the deeper facial fascia (the layer just above the muscles of the face). One of the great things about this machine is that the operator can visualize the layer being treated with a real-time ultrasonic picture generated by the transducer. However, there is fat between the skin and the deep fascia as well as under the deep fascia. Could this fat be damaged by the heat energy? If the operator is well trained and understands the technology, I think there is little risk that the intervening fat can be affected, but there is a potential risk if the energy is not delivered correctly (the inappropriate use of the deep transducer in an area, or a misinterpretation of the ultrasound picture showing the depth of treatment). Damage the fat would likely be subtle and difficult to see, but in a thin patient it could potentially be a problem. Having said that, to date, we have not had any problems with loss of facial volume/fat due to Ulthera and consider it a very safe treatment.

Thank you for your question. Ultherapy deposits focused ultrasound energy below the surface of the skin to stimulate the body’s creation of new collagen. As a result, skin will actually begin to lift and tone over time. Collagen is a natural protein that gives skin its youthfulness by keeping it firmed, toned and elastic. The treatment will not cause you to lose fat cells in your face, only lift and tighten the skin.

Neither I nor my colleagues, with whom I have spoken, have observed fat atrophy with Ultherapy. It would be interesting to learn if the company will alter the device with adjustable settings to allow a physician to induce such an effect in the future but this would require different transducer handpieces and the machine would be used differently than it is for facial tightening.