HIFU is a very exciting advancement to those of us in the world of aesthetics for several reasons. First, we are talking about LIFTING and TIGHTENING, not just tightening. An HIFU treatment tightens the skin and gives the face a vertical lift. Just incase you missed that, I said “LIFT”! HIFU uses ultrasound imaging and ultrasound energy. The ultrasound imaging allows us to see exactly where we are treating. We are able to be very specific in where the ultrasound “energy” or Thermal Coagulation Points are delivered in the skin. The most exciting thing is the depth we are able to treat. HIFUis the only non-invasive treatment that can specifically target the deep foundation below the skin that is addressed in cosmetic surgery without cutting or disrupting the surface of the skin. I can’t forget to mention that there is NO down time, which is very convient for those who can’t spare the time to recover from surgery.

To achieve skin tightening you need to target the skin at a fairly deep level, the dermis and superficial muscle. Procedures that treat the epidermis will not tighten or lift the skin. The HIFU works at three separate levels, the upper dermis, lower dermis and the SMAS/ Platisma. The area where the facial muscles are connected to the dermis is refered to as the (SMAS). This superficial muscle is something that would be addressed by a facial plastic surgeon during a facelift to reduce the appearance of sagging jowls, cheeks and neck skin. With the HIFU we are able to address this area without surgery.

With the HIFU the “energy” is delivered in a very specific way. This is important because in the past if we wanted to tighten the skin we were mostly limited to devices that use Radiofrequency (RF). Radiofrequency works by delivering heat ( volumetric heating ) deep into the skin to stimulate collagen production and tighten skin. The challenge with RF devices is that they are not very specific. Unlike lasers, RF devices do not precisely reach targeted areas and they are not absorbed by a specific chromophore. Simply put, radiofrequency does not know where to go on it’s own, so it is not as precise as HIFU or laser treatments. Lasers on the other hand are very precise, they use a single wavelength to target specific chromophores at specific depths of the skin (selective heating). Lasers however do not reach the necessary depth in the skin to achieve skin tightening or lifting. Lasers are not used specifically for tightening, they are more appropriate for treating skin discoloration, vascular lesions, unwanted hair, tattoo removal, acne treatments, peeling and resurfacing treatments to treat scars, lines and wrinkles. HIFU is in a class all it’s own, it uses (focused ultrasound heating) to precisely target the deep structural support layers of the skin.