Ultrasound for noninvasive skin tightening may be wave of future
Depending on the frequency and focusing, ultrasound energy can target any structure in the body. In dermatology, its use has been studied primarily for melting fat, but skin tightening might be possible as well.
Although it’s in its early stages of development, a new technique using “guided” ultrasound shows much promise as a future noninvasive skin-tightening approach.
“Ultrasound technology used for skin tightening is still in its fledgling stages and there is still significant room for improvement and development of the technology for this indication. However, there are intrinsic elements of ultrasound technology that render it particularly appropriate for skin tightening, and therefore, this treatment modality could eventually pan out to be very effective here,” says Murad Alam, M.D., associate professor of dermatology, otolaryngology and surgery and chief of cutaneous and aesthetic surgery, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago.
Ultrasound can be delivered arbitrarily deep into the skin and subcutaneous tissue and can reach target areas without causing any significant injury to the surface of the skin, unlike other forms of energy used in dermatology. These include lasers, particularly infrared devices ranging from 1,100 nm to 1,800 nm, as well as mono-, bi- and unipolar RF devices.
With further evolution and development of ultrasound technology, “guided” ultrasound treatments could better differentiate and more precisely target specific structures in the dermis and subcutaneous tissue, resulting in more consistent treatments with more predictable cosmetic outcomes.
The Ulthera™ System is one of the only ultrasound skin tightening devices currently in use. It is designed for full-face and neck skin tightening and is an effective brow-lift treatment. Ulthera™, or Ultherapy, is the first FDA approved treatment of its kind, offering patients a low-risk, non-invasive procedure that leaves them with tighter, smoother, younger-looking skin. Due to the efficiency of ultrasound skin tightening, only one or two treatments are required, and sessions generally last between 30 and 45 minutes.
