Had It Done This Morning, We'll See ... - Washington, DC

I've been thinking about Uthera for a while. At around 39, I started to notice that I was getting really jowly and my face was looking like someone let the air out if it (mouth corners sagging, chin dimpling, etc.). Then I turned 40 a few months ago and it was like someone pressed a fast forward button on the aging process. I'd been using fillers with great success, but the sagging was getting worse and I was starting to develop a but if a turkey neck, too. I am always worried about looking over-filled, so the last time I saw my derm for filler, about 8 or 10 months ago, I asked her about ultherapy. She'd had it done herself and their office does tons of it, so I decided that once this last round of filler wore off, I'd try it.

Though I'd read it can be pailful and cause bruising and swelling, by biggest fear was - and still is - that it doesn't work. I've seen enough reviews where I really don't any difference at all and, since It isn't cheap - I paid $2500 for the lower face and neck- I knew if I chose it I wouldn't be able to afford my usual filler and botox to fix the problem. But the deem told me they've had great success with it, so I decided to try it anyway. I also did not get filler, botox, or any other type of procedure done with it today because I want to see the full effect of what the ulthera does (and doesn't) do.

So I had the procedure this morning. They gave me 10 mg of Valium to relax me, then about 10 minutes or so before we started, they gave me an injection of Demerol and told me to let them know if I needed a booster toward the end (I didn't). So keep in mind that that's the condition I was in when they performed it. The pain situation is tricky to report on because everyone is different, and even the doctor told me some people aren't bothered at all, some find it excruciating, and there is everything in between. I was one of those in-between people. For me, it was unpleasant but not really painful. There were two or three spots on each cheek that I would describe as painful and not simply uncomfortable, but it's not unbearable pain and it's over quickly. She did some passes on a deeper level, and then a second round on a shallower level. It was the first, deeper round where I felt the pain in some spots on my cheeks. I barely felt the second round at all. The neck and chin passes didn't hurt at all at any point. It's a very difficult sensation to describe. It ranges from just a burst of pleasant warmth to a mildly uncomfortable stinging/tingling to a painful jolt of stinging. But, again, I had very few of those jolts and they are so short that by the time you really register them, they're over.

Immediately afterword I had a few bright pink patches, but they were gone by the time I arrived home about 20 minutes later. Some reviewers report seeing an immediate impact/tightening. I did not. I am maybe a little swollen, but otherwise look the same. If it wasn't for the Demerol shot, I could have gone back to work immediately with no problem. We'll see if there's any swelling or bruising tomorrow, but for now I look totally normal. The area under my chin is a bit numb and sore only if I press on it, the rest of the face has no numbness or soreness.

It's been about 24 hours since the procedure. I woke up VERY swollen around the jawline area. I definitely notice and someone who knows me would probably notice, but I wouldn't get funny looks from strangers. The numbness and tenderness which was only below my chin last night has spread to my jawline and bottom half of my cheeks, but it isn't severe. There's no redness and no bruising.

Still very swollen around the lower cheeks/jawline. I look like a chipmunk storing a winter's worth of nuts! And there's also a golf ball-sized lump under my chin. This is why I always do these "no downtime" procedures on a Friday! Hoping it improves before I head back to work tomorrow.