Ultrasonic non-surgical facelift: HIFU SMAS-LIFTING

Among rejuvenating techniques, ultrasonic facelift differs in that it can affect the deep layers of soft tissue. The effect is non-traumatic and safe, thanks to the properties of a special ultrasound device. [ 1 ] As a result, the shape is corrected and a rejuvenating effect is visually observed, which tends to accumulate. What are the other advantages of the new technique?

Ultrasonic lasers are devices that emit pulsed ultrasound waves. For aesthetic purposes, they are used for non-surgical rejuvenation of the skin. The principle of operation is as follows.

• A high-intensity focused ultrasound beam acts locally on the SMAS layer, which lies between the muscles and connective tissue.

Due to this effect, thermocoagulation points appear at a depth of 3–4.5 mm, merging into lines. The layer already mentioned contracts and draws in adjacent tissues. Subsequently, renewal mechanisms are launched, that is, new collagen and elastin cells, connective tissue are formed. This is how ultrasonic facelifting is performed.

The cosmetology equipment market offers several options of ultrasound equipment designed for skin tightening.

• Ulthera with US-made scanner (scanner improves safety);
• Korean with Doublo scanner and Hipro without scanner;
• Chinese.

Experts note an increase in requests for ultrasound lifting in many countries around the world. This is facilitated by the completion of the certification process for this technique by the responsible authorities in the United States; HIFU was approved by the Food and Drug Administration in 2009 for use in facelifting. [ 2 ] According to the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS), in 2017, the number of facelifts among women decreased by 44%. And among men, the number of facelift procedures increased by more than 25%. [ 3 ]

Indications for the procedure

Ultrasonic facelift provides an effect on the chin, eyelids, neck, body. It helps to smooth out the contour and relief, eliminate flabbiness and acne, and eliminate age-related defects of various kinds. To avoid visual contrast, the face and neck are treated simultaneously.

Indications for ultrasound non-surgical facelift:

• sagging cheeks;
• flabbiness, wilting;
• double chin;
• ptosis of the lips and eyelids.

The procedure not only treats, but also serves as a preventive measure if applied at the first signs of aging. But ultrasound is usually not prescribed before 40 years of age and after 50. It is at this age that ultrasound equipment is most effective. However, much depends on the individual characteristics of each person.

Ultrasonic facelifts use high-frequency ultrasound waves generated by special equipment. Special attachments that produce ultrasound pulses are used to treat problem areas. A composition enriched with vitamins and minerals is applied to the skin, which helps the vibrations penetrate to the required depth.

• During ultrasound lifting, the patient feels a tingling sensation and soft warmth. The specialist treats one half of the face in turn, then the other. Usually, the difference in favor of the treated side is immediately visible.

Many people choose ultrasound for one reason: this procedure is minimally invasive. But this list can be continued: it is painless, does not require anesthesia and strict rehabilitation conditions. For these reasons, the procedure is available even to people with certain health problems for whom surgical methods are contraindicated.

• Following the procedure, most treated individuals reported only transient mild erythema and swelling.[ 4 ]

They pass on their own within a certain period of time, not exceeding a week. Sometimes the sensitivity of the dermis may increase if you touch it with your hands.

If other unpleasant symptoms are observed, such as headache, loss of sensitivity, nausea, severe redness over the entire area of the face, then you should contact the specialist who performed the procedure.

Preparation

Probably, everyone has undergone an ultrasound examination at least once and has an idea of how the device works and what the specialist sitting at the monitor sees. When performing an ultrasound facelift, the cosmetologist sees all the details on the screen, whether the ultrasound is going well and what it affects. [ 5 ]

• A lot depends on the competence of the cosmetologist, in particular, his knowledge of anatomy and virtuoso use of the ultrasound machine are of decisive importance.

During the interview, the doctor finds out if there are any contraindications. The patient does not have to do any special preparation. It is enough to be healthy and wash your face with water. During the preparation process, a neutral gel and a disinfectant are used. The gel anesthetizes and ensures reliable adhesion to the skin.

Skin type, by the way, does not matter for the procedure. What matters are the locations where ultrasound cannot be used. To avoid mistakes, preliminary actions are carried out: a grid is drawn on the face with marks indicating where the vessels and nerves are located. No impulses are sent through them.

It is interesting that in some places the result is visible immediately. For example, in the periorbital area. Experienced specialists, having treated one eye, offer the patient to see the difference, and only then continue the procedure. Depending on the situation, the ultrasound treatment lasts from 15 minutes to 2 hours. After its completion, a soothing agent is applied to the skin.

The maximum effect occurs after six months. All this time, collagen, triggered by ultrasound, is actively synthesized, the skin acquires a good tone and is visibly tightened. Due to the gradual nature of the process, rejuvenation looks natural, which pleases patients and does not surprise friends and colleagues.

Technique ultrasonic facelift

The procedure uses a device with special settings that produce an effect in depth without damaging the skin surface. Today, several devices with a similar operating principle are used. The risks of injury or infection of the dermis are completely excluded in all cases.

• The action occurs in such a way that ultrasound waves penetrate deep tissues and cause their contraction. The result is an instant tightening of the treated area.

Ultrasonic facelift stimulates the synthesis of elastic and collagen fibers, which are the framework for the facial contour. It is important that the process does not stop after the ultrasound exposure, but continues for several subsequent months. Due to this, the rejuvenation effect gradually increases and looks quite natural.

The technique consists of several stages. First, a grid is drawn on the face and divided into zones. This is necessary to identify problem areas that should be treated with an ultrasound device. Then, an anesthetic gel is applied to the surface so that the nozzle slides better and the tissues are clearly visible. The depth of beam penetration is 5 mm.

• The doctor works at a computer, thanks to which he has the ability to act with extreme precision on diseased areas without affecting healthy ones.

Success depends on the qualifications of the specialist. The procedure lasts less than an hour and does not cause discomfort to patients. They feel warmth, delicate tingling, tightening of the skin. The effect of one course lasts several years (up to 8). The age of potential patients does not exceed 50 years. [ 6 ]

Smas lifting

The English abbreviation SMAS stands for superficial muscular-aponeurotic system. This concept, which is difficult for a non-professional, can be explained in simple words.

• All layers of the dermis together with the facial muscles seem to be stitched together in some places and form a single system with each other. When the muscles contract, they pull the skin, changing the facial expression.

This structure has both advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is that it provides full facial variety; the disadvantage is that the work of the muscles stretches the skin, and since SMAS is not attached to the skull, the entire system is subject to gravity. The inevitable result is sagging and the need for SMAS lifting, which is considered a painless alternative to plastic surgery. [ 7 ], [ 8 ] Ultrasound penetrates much deeper than other methods (5 mm versus 1.5 mm). This procedure rejuvenates, but does not change the appearance.

• Smas lifting is effective in the presence of age-related changes of average intensity, in people of standard build.

In case of excessive fullness or thinness, the procedure does not bring the desired results. How long the result will last depends on both age and genetic characteristics. To prolong beauty, after lifting, cosmetologists suggest doing rejuvenating injections, mesotherapy, massages, and using high-quality cosmetics in daily care.

HIFU SMAS-LIFTING facelift

The main advantage of ultrasound facelift is that the rejuvenating procedure has been transferred from the field of plastic surgery to the field of therapeutic cosmetology. And now it is used even by those who were afraid of surgical intervention, threads, injections and risks associated with such methods. HIFU SMAS-LIFTING facelift is a safe alternative for this category of patients.

• This is a unique technology that acts not on the skin, but on the underlying muscular-aponeurotic layer.

The specialist moves the device along the pre-marked lines. The device, equipped with two sensors, provides the ability to influence two levels of soft tissue with ultrasound. At the same time, parallel dotted lines appear on each of them, formed from thermoregulation points. The resulting grid serves as an effective lifting frame for the face.

HIFU SMAS lifting performs all the tasks that visually rejuvenate the face: removes sagging on the chin and neck, evens out the contour, increases tone, reduces the rate of aging. It is also used on other problem areas: on the inner thighs, abdomen, above the knees, etc. High-intensity focused ultrasound is effectively used for body contouring, skin tightening, and removal of fatty tissue reserves by ablation. [ 9 ]

The facial procedure is done once, then enjoy the growing effect. A course of procedures is used on the body. Almost no rehabilitation is required, and the noticeable result lasts for one to one and a half years.

Ultrasonic facelift doublo

The Doublo device, designed for ultrasonic face lifting, thermally affects collagen fibers, causing them to contract. Which, in turn, contributes to the formation of certain tension lines of all skin-muscle layers. Thanks to this action of ultrasound, rapid visible lifting changes are observed. [ 10 ]

Ultrasonic facelift Doublo is:

• a procedure without long preparation and strict rehabilitation;
• a toned face without jowls and ptosis;
• leveled surface;
• improved skin quality;
• lasting effect for 5-8 years.

According to experienced specialists, the technique is especially effective for those who have a little excess skin and for whom plastic surgery is not yet indicated, and other hardware techniques no longer give the desired result. A repeat procedure is also recommended for those who had their first operation 5 or more years ago.

• Ultrasound waves are directed precisely along the lines of previously made markings. A special indicator determines at what depth the SMAS is located.

The face is as if "stitched" with an ultrasound beam, but the patient does not feel any pain or other discomfort. The entire muscle-skin complex of the face is lifted under the influence of the ultrasound beam, so the skin is smoothed out and visually rejuvenated.

Doublo technology is known for being virtually risk-free or without complications in the form of burns and long-term swelling. Therefore, a week after the operation, you can go out in public and receive guests yourself.

Ultrasound Facelift Ulthera

While many cosmetic procedures simply smooth out the skin and slightly increase its elasticity, ultrasonic facelifting “digs deeper.” The most modern ultrasound devices for lifting are equipped with computer programs that can accurately determine the thickness of each layer of skin and subcutaneous structural elements. The doctor selects the optimal mode to achieve the maximum result. Preparation is simple and is carried out immediately before the procedure.

• The device for ultrasonic face lifting Altera was created in the USA and was immediately recognized by experts as a breakthrough in the field of hardware technologies.

It is noted that the system has no analogues today. The action is based on the fact that ultrasound waves are focused on the deep layer, as a result of which it heats up. The muscles contract pointwise and tighten the entire facial frame.

The device tightens absolutely all problem areas of the face and neck, without the risk of skin damage and unwanted effects. It even works with the perioral area, which is the most difficult for lifting. At the same time, it stimulates the production of collagen cells.

The advantage is that the technology is compatible with other procedures, and the rehabilitation period is very short and not strict. Improvement is noticeable from the first time, and only sometimes a second correction is necessary (after three months).

Contraindications to the procedure

It is wrong to think that ultrasound facelift is useful for everyone. There are contraindications to the procedure related to the condition of the skin or diseases, such as:

• damage to the integrity of the surface;
• dermatological and cardiac pathologies;
• oncology;
• hypersensitivity;
• herpes;
• diabetes;
• the presence of metal implants in the facial and neck areas;
• wearing a pacemaker;
• young age;
• pregnancy.

Possible contraindications are determined during an interview with the doctor. The patient must be frank and not forget to inform him about all previous cosmetic procedures he has undergone. [ 11 ]

Consequences after the procedure

The positive effects of the procedure are noticeable over time, as the treated tissues regenerate. Typically, this period is from 20 days to 1.5 months, and the cumulative effect increases up to six months. Improvements that patients have conceived, lasting up to one year, included less sagging skin (79%), reduced wrinkles (58%), and smoother skin texture (47%). [ 12 ]

Mild redness after an ultrasound facelift goes away on its own in the next few hours. Swelling – after a few days.

Complications after the procedure

During an ultrasound facelift, there is a real risk of affecting the nerve endings that reach the central nervous system. Complications after the procedure manifest themselves in the form of extensive hematomas, changes in the contour and familiar features of the face. [ 13 ]

• Such phenomena as nausea, poor health, loss of skin sensitivity in the treatment area, persistent hyperemia, and scar formation should cause concern.

If you experience any of these problems, you should visit the clinic where you had the ultrasound procedure and tell the specialists about the problem.

Also, you should not tolerate increasing pain during the procedure. This can be dangerous due to the internal burn, which is what causes the pain. [ 14 ]

A complication is considered to be the absence of a pronounced result, and statistics show that this happens in 10% of cases.

Care after the procedure

No special care or rehabilitation is required after the procedure. It is enough to observe some restrictions regarding the temperature regime. Thus, after an ultrasound facelift, you cannot use hot water for washing, go to a sauna, or heat your skin for 3-5 days. Peeling, overexertion, and sunbathing are prohibited.

Reviews

Most women respond positively to the procedure as having met their expectations. According to doctors, sometimes the effect is noticeable immediately, and in some cases – after several weeks or even months. This is normal and is related to the individual characteristics of the patient.

Today, salons and clinics offer a variety of rejuvenation methods, without exaggeration, for all tastes and wallets. Ultrasonic facelift is suitable for those who are not mentally prepared to deal with plastic surgeons, but are wealthy enough to visit such establishments. The procedure is also attractive because it does not require any long preparation or rehabilitation with a number of conditions. The result is visible immediately and continues to increase over time.