Blog: Non surgical facelift?

What to expect after Ultherapy
Ultherapy is a great procedure as most patients have minimal to no downtime with very mild symptoms.

Bruising, swelling and tenderness can occur in the treated area. Bruising may not be evident for several days following the treatment and often is greenish in color by the time it becomes visible.

Even without bruising, tenderness to the touch is expected. This is usually most evident when touching your face, washing or applying makeup. This will not interfere with eating, talking or daily activities.

With the exception of possible bruising there is NO downtime after your Ultherapy. You will be able to return to your normal daily routine and exercise program immediately after the procedure.

When Do I Expect to See Results?
There are two phases of correction after Ultherapy. The first is collagen contracture, which literally is occurring as we perform the procedure. As a result, many patients will appreciate a subtle, but distinct, improvement in their appearance within a few days following the treatment. Ultimately the more impressive correction is from collagen stimulation. Your body responds to the pinpoint thermal injuries placed in the deep tissue by creating new collagen fibers. Collagen fiber formation can take several months, so the final results from Ultherapy may take up to 6 months.

How Do I Maximize my Treatment Results?
Avoid the routine use of anti-inflammatory medications such as ibuprofen, naproxen and Celebrex for one month. The inflammatory response in your tissue from Ultherapy works in a positive way to stimulate collagen fiber formation and remodeling.

If you are not already on a medically oriented skin care program, you may want to discuss this with your provider at the time of your treatment. Topical prescription skin products can help to stimulate collagen fiber formation through direct action with growth factors and through exfoliation to resurface skin. Medical skin care combined with treatments like Ultherapy can maximize the results you obtain and help to maintain the results.

Schedule a follow-up medical assessment to review your clinical results and discuss the option of additional treatments to achieve desired outcome for this treatment site and other treatment sites.

Small and affordable follow up Ultherapy sessions in targeted areas which need the most work can be very powerful to obtain the best result depending upon the degree of laxity prior to treatment.

How Do I Maintain The Result Of My Ultherapy Treatment?
Topically applied medical skin care products are the number one way to enhance the result, as well as the duration, of an Ultherapy treatment. If you haven’t already discussed this with your provider, we are happy to develop a customized plan for your skin type at the time of your Ultherapy treatment.

The new collagen fibers which are formed as a results of Ultherapy have a life span of 5+ years, however an optimal interval for retreatment will be sooner than that. Depending upon the severity of tissue laxity and your age, follow up treatment intervals will vary but there are two ways to approach maintenance – more frequent small touch ups and less frequent full treatments.

More frequent small touch up treatments are the best approach for achieving continued, ongoing collagen stimulus as well as cost affordability. Follow up Ultherapy sessions are charged by the energy usage and therefore can be adapted to fit into most patients’ budgets. Frequency of touch ups will again vary but may be every 4-12 months depending upon the individual’s particular needs.

Less frequent full treatments are an alternative. Recommendations for this approach would be every 1.5 to 2 years depending upon need.