Ultherapy Geelong
In Geelong, Ultherapy treatment is exclusive to RiverEnd Aesthetics. Over 2 million Ultherapy treatments have been performed worldwide, and it is considered the “gold standard” treatment for skin and tissue tightening.
Ultherapy is a non-invasive, targeted ultrasound procedure that stimulates collagen and elastin production, tightening soft tissues and softening deeper wrinkles, usually with minimal downtime.
Often marketed as an alternative to facelift surgery, we actually see more of an overall “shrinkwrapping” effect after Ultherapy, rather than a lift in one direction. This is one of Ulthera’s greatest strengths; outcomes are very natural-looking, and patients appear refreshed without looking as though they’ve had treatment.
At RiverEnd Aesthetics our approach to skin rejuvenation is one of subtlety, and our regenerative treatment plans are based on a “less is more” philosophy. Ultherapy has become a major part of our strategy to improve common skin concerns in the face and neck, without using primarily injectable treatments or leaving patients appearing as though they’ve “had work”.
Ultrasound skin tightening devices work best when the practitioner can actually see under the skin on the ultrasound screen, and this is where Ultherapy differs from other HIFU devices. Treatment success is dependent on your practitioner being able to see and target specific layers under the skin, as well as having a sound knowledge of anatomy.
At RiverEnd Aesthetics, Dr Corduff is a Global Key Opinion Leader for Merz Aesthetics and has extensively researched and published scientific evidence demonstrating the efficacy of Ultherapy.
Initial treatment session is 1 hour and subsequent treatments approximately 45 minutes.
Initial consultation is required to assess skin laxity and discuss your full medical history.
You will see immediate skin tightening but this relaxes over a few days. It takes 3-6 months for new collagen to form and the best results are seen 12 months after treatment.
What areas can be treated with Ultherapy Treatments?
Face & Neck
Generally, the face and neck are treated together. However, sometimes we recommend treatments in smaller areas to target specific concerns such as lines and wrinkles, or skin sagging and laxity.
Ultherapy provides non-surgical soft tissue tightening by stimulating the production of new collagen and elastin. Ultherapy can also be used to boost new collagen after facelift surgery. Overall, Ultherapy refreshes the face and neck and helps to tighten and prevent some of the sagging and increased skin laxity that occurs as we age. Ultherapy often forms part of our regenerative treatment plans, and patients often require fewer injectable treatments to achieve their aesthetic goals after Ultherapy.
Brow Lift
Ultherapy can help to tighten heavy brows or hooded eyelids. Consultation with our doctors is important to determine whether Ultherapy is suitable for you in this situation, or whether you would benefit more from surgery.
Eye Area
Ultherapy can help to reduce the appearance of lines and wrinkles around the eyes and “crows feet” areas. We often use multiple different treatment modalities in these areas.
Lip Lines
We use Ultherapy to kick start collagen and elastin production as part of a multi-step process to reduce the appearance of lines around the mouth and lips.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Ultherapy work?
Ultherapy differs from other HIFU (high intensity focussed ultrasound) devices in that Ulthera has diagnostic capability. This means we can actually see the facial structures under the skin on the ultrasound screen. Real-time visualisation enables us to precisely target specific layers under the skin before we deliver the ultrasound pulses. By targeting the small, fibrous ligaments crossing the superficial fat layer, just above the muscles, and some of the bigger, stronger ligaments supporting our face, we are able to optimise treatment results.
Ultherapy focuses ultrasound waves into a pinpoint spot, which causes the molecules in the area to vibrate and heat up, essentially causing tiny, pinpoint “injuries” and contraction of collagen fibres. New collagen and elastin form at the site of the pinpoint injuries, as the tissues are heated to the exact temperature required to stimulate the body’s own healing mechanisms. Gradually, the new collagen contracts and readjusts to support the targeted tissues and skin.
Without visualisation, other HIFU devices simply deliver ultrasound pulses directly into the muscle layers or bone, which is both very painful and entirely futile. Other HIFU devices also require that the therapist follows set protocols, which might be totally inappropriate for some faces and result in minimal or no tissue tightening.
You can find out more about Ultherapy and see a list of certified treatment providers here: www.ultherapy.com.au
At RiverEnd Aesthetics our doctors are able to tailor Ultherapy treatments to you as an individual, visualise and target specific structures under your skin, and ensure the ultrasound pulses are being delivered at the appropriate depth.
Results
Treatment outcomes rely on your innate healing properties, and the results appear slowly over 3-6 months. We often see a temporary tightening of the target areas immediately after treatment, but this wears off over a few days. Optimum results are seen about 12 months after the initial course of treatment. Ultherapy is not a “quick fix” treatment, but rather a more long-term investment in maintaining tissue firmness as we age.
What does an Ultherapy procedure involve?
In this video, RiverEnd Aesthetics’ Dr Niamh Corduff explains how Ultherapy works and how she aims for natural-looking results on our patient, Lisa.
Dr Niamh demonstrates what’s involved in the preparation for treatment, and explains how she interprets the real-time ultrasound to target the intended treatment areas.
Immediately after treatment, Lisa shows us her results and Dr Niamh explains which areas were treated and how this has helped to achieve tightening of the facial tissues.
Am I a candidate?
An initial consultation with our doctors is important to determine whether Ultherapy is suitable for you and your skin. Ideally, Ultherapy is a good treatment option for patients wanting to address mild to moderate facial and neck sagging, and skin laxity. Our doctors need to assess the elasticity of your skin, discuss any health conditions and ensure we all have realistic expectations of what Ultherapy can achieve in your particular situation.
At RiverEnd Aesthetics our individual treatment plans often involve Ultherapy in conjunction with other treatment modalities. As doctors, we need to take a thorough and complete medical and surgical history, and consider any medications you take regularly, before recommending particular treatments.
Ultherapy is best suited to people in good health, both physically and mentally. It is not recommended for smokers, patients with wounds or active acne, immunocompromised individuals, patients with epilepsy or severe bleeding disorders.
If you are considering undergoing facelift surgery in the near future, it might be best to avoid Ultherapy beforehand; our doctors can advise you on this. However, Ultherapy is an excellent modality for maintaining the results of a facelift.
Treatment protocols
At RiverEnd Aesthetics our treatment protocols are based on scientific evidence and research. Depending on the area to be treated, we often start with the “Hi-5 protocol”, where an initial treatment course of 3-5 sessions are planned at least 2 weeks apart. A treatment session of the whole face and neck takes around 45-60 minutes, although smaller areas such as the brows or lip lines can be treated in 15-30 minutes.
Unfortunately, we are still ageing, so maintenance sessions are generally recommended every 6-12 months for the face and neck.
Does it hurt?
Ultherapy feels like hot prickles under the skin as energy is deposited; this is normal. For some, it can be painful. We find our patients’ pain levels change depending on their stress levels, whether they’ve eaten beforehand, if they’ve been rushing around trying to make it to appointments, etc. Everyone is different. In fact, we have seen some people doze off during treatment!
During your initial consultation we will advise on over-the-counter pain medications to take beforehand. For some patients, we will recommend applying numbing cream prior to your treatment sessions.
Are there side effects or risks?
Side effects of Ultherapy are usually mild and temporary.
Pain: Any lingering tenderness of the treatment sites usually subsides within 2 weeks of treatment.
Swelling: There may be mild swelling of the treatment sites afterwards. This usually resolves within 72 hours of treatment.
Redness: Treatment areas are usually red and “flushed” immediately after treatment, but most patients are able to return to normal activities immediately. Redness usually resolves within a few hours.
Welts: There may be lingering linear welts or bumps after treatment. These usually resolve after a few hours, but can last up to 12 weeks. Welts/linear bumps may occur even if you have never experienced them with Ultherapy before.
Nerve injuries: Tingling, numbness, twitching and temporary muscle weakness might occur due to inflammation of underlying nerves. These issues usually resolve within 2-6 weeks.
Extremely rarely, burns and scarring have been reported. In these cases, there were issues with faulty equipment or unsafe treatment protocols and practices.
Is there downtime?
Skin is usually a little red and flushed after treatment. Some patients can return to work or other daily activities immediately, whereas others might like to wait until the redness settles, usually over a few hours. Treatment sites can also be a little tender and swollen, but usually not enough that anyone else notices.
After treatment, we suggest driving home with the air-conditioner on your face, or cool compresses. You might like to avoid heavy exercise, spas or saunas in the hours after your treatment, as your skin might already be feeling flushed. You can resume your usual skincare routine the next day. Sometimes, we advise antihistamines in patients who have developed raised linear bumps or welts on their skin.
As always, we encourage patients to contact us immediately if they have any concerns regarding side effects after treatment.
Book a consultation with Dr. Libby Buchholz today.
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