1. Can This Procedure Affect/injure/change the Thyroid? 2. Why is Thyroid Area Avoided During Ultherapy Precedure?

There is no need to treat the thyroid area and the energy does NOT penetrate that deep to affect the thyroid anyways. Plus, as noted by another physician, treating the thyroid zone does not provide any benefit in terms of affecting skin laxity in the neck. Treatment in that area is painful and the cartilage is palpable when the thyroid is normal in size. Thyroid enlargement would be obvious clinically if it is significant. 

The area of the thyroid is generally avoided with Ultherapy due to cartilage sensitivity and the fact that the low, midline neck is thin with no platysma musche and it would not have much soft tissue tightening with the treatment. With regards to the potential effects of the ultrasound energy on the thyroid gland, this is not known at this time. Most likely there is no effect; however, the energy theoretically may cause irritation or inflammation of the thyroid gland.

The thyroid area is avoided because of the cartilage that is close by.  It has nothing to do with the thyroid gland.  In fact, I could see the Ulthera technology being used to treat thyroid nodules in the future.  You have nothing to worry about.  Steve Weiner, MD, Destin, Florida.