Will Ultherapy Really Get Rid of Under-chin Sag?

We have offered Ulthera in our office for over the past 2-3 years and have been very satisfied with our results.  It is important to understand; however, that it does not deliver the same results as a surgical facelift/necklift.  Having said this, there are many patients who do desire some lifting and tightening of their brow/face and neck and absolutely do not want to have surgery.  Ultherapy utilizies focused ultrasound energy to heat the underlying fibromuscular tissues and create tiny injuries here thus sparking off a healing response that encourages collagen formation and tightening.  The treatment can take between one to three hours depending on the extent of areas treated.

To be clear, Ultherapy can NOT provide the same excellent result as a surgical neck lift for sagging skin. However, compared to other non-invasive devices, the FDA-cleared Ulthera can lift and tighten skin.  Thermage can also, but I have found Ultherapy to work better.  If there is a component of fat as well, then liposuction can be performed.

Unfortunately, as we age more and the skin sags more, we also can lose the elasticity of the skin and that hinders the result of the Ultherapy.

"Under chin sag" can be from redundant skin and loose muscle or from submental fat.  The most effective way I feel this can be treated is still with surgery (liposuction and/or neck lift).  However, ultherapy can be a good alternative for patients who are looking for non-surgical alternatives.  Ultherapy is a non-invasive treatment, which requires very little to no recovery time.   For your individual concerns, I would consult with your local plastic surgeon to determine if ultherapy is a worthwhile option for you.

Ultherapy is an excellent treatment for submental (under-chin) sagging. Ultherapy is a non surgical option to lift, tone and tighten your neck skin. Ultherapy uses ultrasound waves to stimulate collagen deep beneath the skin, with no downtime. It is also excellent for treatment of the face, or anywhere on your body that experiences skin sagging due to collagen loss, sun damage and aging. We recommend a series of two treatments with six months between each treatment. Thank you for your question, best of luck!

Thank you for your question. Ultherapy cannot give you
the same result as a surgical neck lift for sagging skin. However, Ulthera can
help lift and tighten the skin. If there is fat, liposuction can also be
performed. As we age our skin sags more and loses elasticity and this can
impede the results of Ultherapy. I recommend having a consultation with an
expert to determine if you are a good candidate for this procedure. Best of
Luck!

Ultherapy works well for what is described as saggy chins. Not so well for 'turkey neck'.I also recommend two treatments, and although aggressive as they are within the 6 month timetable, they work very very in achieving good tightening of the skin for the underchin area. 

Skin tightening and increased collagen production will occur with and Ultherapy treatment to the chin area.  Depending on the degree of laxity, two treatments may be recommended for optimal results.  End results would be achieved at 6 months.
 

Ulthera uses ultrasound energy which penetrates very deeply and uniformly into the skin and underlying connective tissue resulting in a nonsurgical lifting and tightening of the skin. It is best used for the brow, forehead, mid and lower face, jawline, jowls, under chin and neck regions. It is the best nonsurgical alternative to a facelift. It is important to know, however, that it does not give the results of a facelift or necklift but then again you're not having to go thru surgery. It truly is noninvasive with no downtime or recovery time.  It is very safe when performed properly by a trained expert. Patients are very pleased with the results as long as they have realistic expectations. Most patients have results after one treatment but can have even better results if they go thru a second treatment. Thermage is also an effective nonsurgical alternative to a facelift with results similar to Ulthera. It's important to have both procedures performed by a board-certified dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon who understands the anatomy and can optimize the treatments while minimizing undesired side-effects. There have been reported negative side-effects which are usually the result of a nonexperienced practitioner (ie: nurse or nonaesthetic doctor) performing the procedure. Thermage has a new 3.0 power tip which is more effective than the older tip and gives similar results to Ulthera. If a patient really wants proof as to which treatment works better, I give them the option of having half their face treated with one device and the other face treated with the other device--this way they can see that the results really are the same. Then if they opt to do a second treatment they can decide if they want to do the entire face with only the one device that they prefer.

Ulthera is a non-surgical procedure which delivers focused ultrasound to a
specific depth in the skin and deeper connective tissue.  This high
intensity Ultrasound creates small thermal coagulation points which sets off
a response in which collagen is remodeled and new collagen is grown.  This
helps with the contour and tightness of the areas treated.  The visible
results depends much on the amount of loose skin and fat present under the
chin.  Ulthera can't do what a surgical procedure can do so it is important
to have a personal consultation with your physician.  It is very important
to understand and have clear expectations about what Ulthera can do to help
your particular issue.

If there is mild laxity and not much fat in that area, Ulthera may likely be
your answer.  If there is a collection of fat under the chin which many
normal weight people can have, then you may be a candidate for a combination
procedure of liposuction and Ulthera to the area under your chin.
In the case of severe excess skin, a neck lift is an option to consider.

There is no downtime with Ulthera and no "recovery time" unless you took
prescription medications to help with the pain management during the
procedure.  In that case, you would have limitations on your activities such
as driving  until the medication had worn off.

You can find a list of Board Certified Plastic Surgeons by visiting the web
site for the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.