What is a HIFU Treatment?
HIFU stands for High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, and the HIFU Treatment is a non-surgical facelift. A non-surgical facelift is a combination of non-invasive or minimally invasive skin rejuvenating treatments designed to refresh aging and damaged skin.
The HIFU Treatment is a facelift based on sound waves, so no recovery period is required. The sound waves release energy that causes the subcutaneous temperature to rise to 60°. This will initiate a recovery process in which collagen production is stimulated. Because more collagen is produced, your skin will become firmer and tighter.
The HIFU treatment claims to use the body's own reaction to lift the skin. The process of collagen formation takes about 3 months, during which the skin gradually becomes firmer. The treatment can address the neck, face, and décolleté.
WHO IS HIFU SUITABLE FOR?
HIFU is especially suitable for people with aging skin and who prefer not to undergo a facelift.
The treatment is easy to apply and has hardly any side effects, so you have no surgery recovery time and it is also easy to hide from your environment. The HIFU treatment allows your skin to be lifted and strengthened in a more natural way.
Just keep in mind that non-surgical HIFU cannot address severely sagging skin or tighten underlying muscles, especially along the hairline and neck, as a surgical facelift can.
Research has also shown that the HIFU facelift is most effective for your jawline, cheeks and the area around your mouth.
WHAT DOES A TREATMENT LOOK LIKE?
The treatment takes place in three phases and is carried out with the HIFU. The practitioner lubricates the head of the machine with a conductive gel and then starts with the deepest skin zone in your face. Using three different heads, the practitioner reaches three layers in the skin (4.5 mm, 3 mm and 1.5 mm). These are the epidermis, the deep dermal layer, and the fibromuscular layer, also known as the SMAS layer.
The treatment may feel warm or uncomfortable and you may sometimes feel a slight stinging or tingling sensation. This depends on the treatment area. However, this feeling is short-lived and disappears quite immediately after the treatment. If you are sensitive, you can ask for an anesthetic cream before the treatment.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of a HIFU Treatment?
Advantages
- There is virtually no recovery time. Your skin may be swollen or red for a few days after the treatment, but you need significantly less recovery than after a surgical facelift.
- The only form of anesthesia you need for the treatments is a local anesthetic cream.
- Because this treatment is less invasive than surgery, it poses fewer potential health risks.
Cons
- You will not get the same amount of lifting and tightening that you can expect after a surgical facelift.
- The HIFU treatment will probably not be a one-off procedure. You cannot have all treatments performed on the same day, and some require a series of treatments for optimal results.
All non-surgical treatments, such as the HIFU facelift, often require ongoing maintenance treatments to maintain results – some even three to four times a year. For a sustainable result, three sessions are recommended for the HIFU treatment, spread over 8 months.
AFTERCARE
After the HIFU Treatment you will experience a slight redness and sometimes some slight swelling. You may also feel some light tingling for a few hours. After the treatment, it is best not to exercise or go to the sauna for 12 hours, and you should avoid sun exposure for up to 48 hours after the treatment.
The aftercare is indicated by the practitioner. This of course depends on the skin type. And avoiding heat or cold on the face so that the results can develop best.