I felt what seemed like shock waves going through my head during ultherapy to lift my brows. Is this a normal side effect?

Question

Hi, I had this procedure done this morning and it felt what seemed like a lot of shock waves through my head at the time of the procedure. I am wondering if this is normal? I'm a bit concerned. Are there any side effects from the brow lift using ultherapy that I need to be concerned with due to the unusual feelings during the procedure?

Michael A. Persky, MD · Answer

Hi T,Ultherapy on the forhead is used to lift the eyebrows.  Many patients experience a feeling of electrical shocks in certain areas which may correspond to the sensory nerves.  The ultrasound pulses may hit the skull causing discomfort as well.  There is sometimes a residual feeling on the top of the head for a few weeks that always has gone away eventually.  The good news is that external ultrasound waves have been proven to help depressed patients feel better.  You need not be concerned about the sensations that you felt during your Ultherapy treatment.  Good luck and be well.Dr. P

Andrew T. Lyos, MD, FACS · Answer

Ultherapy is a great, non-invasive alternative for a browlift. It is common for some patients to experience discomfort during the treatment, especially a shockwave through the scalp. The sensation is due to the ultrasound pulsations coming in contact with the sensory nerves above the brow. This may cause a feeling similar to an electric shock shooting up and to the back of the scalp. The shock generally resolves after the treatment and there a no residual side effects afterwards.

Brian R. Buinewicz, MD · Answer

It is very normal to fell those "shock waves" or zingers when you have Ultherapy to lift your brows.  The skin on the forehead is thin and the sensory nerves to the forehead and scalp travel form about the line of the pupil up under the skin.  The energy for the Ultherapy treatment can heat these nerves causing those "shock waves" and can lead to some tingling or numb spots on the scalp for a few weeks.  This is totally normal and a temporary side effect of the treatment.

John J. Martin, Jr., MD · Answer

Ulthera on the forehead is a pretty uncomfortable procedure.  There is very little fatty tissue here which makes the treatment more sensitive.  You will feel like the pulses are hitting the bone which they probably are.  This is what would have caused the shockwave sensation you felt.  The ultrasound waves do not penetrate the bone, so this would not affect your brain.

Michael I. Echavez, MD · Answer

There are some sensory nerves under the skin above the brows that may feel some of the ultrasound waves from the Ultherapy treatment, and this could cause a type of shooting shock wave sensation.  There should not be any damage caused by this effect during the treatment.  I would recommend contacting the physician who treated you to let him or her know about your issue though.

I felt what seemed like shock waves going through my head during ultherapy to lift my brows. Is this a normal side effect?

Answers (8)

Answer: Ulthera to forehead

Answer: Ulthera to forehead

Answer: Feeling of shock waves through head during Ultherapy session for brows

Answer: Feeling of shock waves through head during Ultherapy session for brows

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I felt what seemed like shock waves going through my head during ultherapy to lift my brows. Is this a normal side effect?

Answers (8)

Answer: Ulthera to forehead

Answer: Ulthera to forehead

Answer: Feeling of shock waves through head during Ultherapy session for brows

Answer: Feeling of shock waves through head during Ultherapy session for brows

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Recommended reading

Everything you need to know about Ultherapy

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.