What Risks Are Involved with Ultherapy?

There aren’t any major risk or contraindications for Ultherapy as long as proper treatment protocol is followed. What should be considered prior to treatment is how much collagen and sagging skin exists. Ultherapy responds to collagen so depending on how much collagen and/or loose skin you have will determine the success of your treatment. If you are younger your skin naturally has more collagen and should respond much better to Ultherapy vs. someone who is older with sagging skin. Consult with a board certified facial plastic surgeon to see if Ultherapy or an alternative treatment, such as a face lift, is right for you and what the benefits and risks are.

We see very few risks with Ultherapy. There is no "downtime" with this procedure as the ultrasound energy is very safe to use and precise to deliver.  With new techniques we see that you don't need to feel pain in order to get a result. In fact, pain as opposed to mild discomfort is an indicator that the treatment was too deep. The ultrasound image on the screen also provides a safeguard by letting the practitioner know exactly where they are delivering the treatment. With the more aggressive treatments there may be some minor bruising, swelling, and small bumps under the skin. It is possible to have inflammation around the nerves which can cause temporary nerve weakness. Some patients have reported some tenderness and numbness in certain areas. None of these have been permanent and all resolve in a small number of days or weeks. 

Patients should consider what areas bother them the most and what expectations they have for improvement after the treatment to decide which modalities will be right for them.