Is Ultherapy for Neck and Jowls an Option at Age 67?

The decision to have Ultherapy rather than a surgical procedure at age 67 is not so much a factor of chronological age as of the aging changes that have occurred in your face. Everyone ages at a different pace and the changes that are visible depend not only on your underlying anatomy but on aspects of your history such as sun exposure, weight gain or loss, and smoking. More advanced aging in the face will not be as responsive to a non-surgical treatment but you may still benefit from Ultherapy if you have realistic expectations for the outcome. A consultation with a board certified plastic surgeon will assist you in making the choice that is best for you.

The key characteristic for improvement with Ultherapy is not age, but elasticity of skin and lack of deep sundamage to the dermis, as opposed to age. The amount of improvement in lifting is NEVER the same as a facelift, regardless of the age of the patient.

If a 67 year old has Ultherapy expecting a Facelift result, he/she will be disappointed.  However, that is not to say that Ultherapy will be ineffective.  The more dramatic and substantial results are going to come with younger patients.

Ultherapy, a noninvasive, no downtime procedure for skin lifting, works by using highly focused bursts of ultrasound to stimulate collagen regeneration under the skin. This in turn causes a lifting effect, but the results depend on the body's ability to respond by making new collagen. With age we are less able to do this so, like Thermage, Ulthera isn't really an alternative to a facelift. We have treated patients in their 60's with some results but not as much as younger patients.

Physiologic age is more important than chronologic age. You may be 67 but have better skin than what is expected for a 67 year old. Despite the laxity, if your skin has potential to increase collagen production and you have no problems with healing in other places, then Ultherapy should be highly beneficial in treating laxity of the skin associated with aging, sun damage ...We have performed Ultherapy since 2011. I have done the procedure in hundreds of patients and with high satisfaction rates at 6 months. Some of my patients are coming back 3 years later for 'touch up' or 'maintenance' procedures at their request. Read our Ultherapy book provided on the link below. 

Hi,

  The use of Ultherapy for someone of your age is not unreasonable whatsoever.  You sound realistic on your expectations.  Smoking and drinking can limit the production of new collagen. 

  Ask your doctor about the use of Ultherapy in your case but we treat patients in your age category and beyond without hesitation.

               Steven M. Lynch, M.D. 

Clinical improvements from Ultherapy differ from different age groups.  This is due to several factors, including intrinsic skin age, collagen production capacity, etc. Good news is that Ultherapy seem provide benefit to all age groups, albeit perhaps in slightly different manners.  Whether Ultherapy is the right choice for you would depend on your expectations and your skin status.  I would discuss it in detail with your provider prior to the therapy.

Clearly, the results are better for patients that are younger.  This is true, however, for all aesthetic procedures, not just Ultherapy.  We have treated a number of patients in their 60's and 70's.  Our experience is that it works and good results can be obtained but often it requires two or three treatments to obtain enough collagen remodeling to obtain the desired aesthetic result.

The more difficult issue with Ultherapy is that it is not a good procedure for severe laxity or patients with significant volume loss.  Both of these problems are more common as one ages.  The best way to determine if you would be a good candidate is to obtain a consultation, regardless of age.