Non-invasive cosmetic procedures have become increasingly popular in recent years. The procedures are meant to help replace the need for cosmetic surgery in some cases. This has the benefit of giving patients who are worried about surgery another option as well as providing a route for anyone who wishes to avoid scarring of any sort. Furthermore, these non-invasive procedures generally eliminate all downtime typically associated with cosmetic surgery and are simple, outpatient procedures. Ultherapy is one of these options. This procedure utilizes ultrasound to help stimulate the skin towards young, firmer skin that leaves the patient looking and feeling a bit younger. As with most therapies, it is worth taking a closer look at this to ensure that the ideas behind the procedure are sound and to get a realistic idea of what we can expect from ultherapy. This is important as it will help ensure everyone has realistic expectations about it as no non-invasive procedure can fully replace cosmetic surgery yet. With that in mind, let’s take a closer look at ultherapy.

The Procedure
Before you ever get treatment, you’ll need to be evaluated as a candidate for ultherapy. The general rule of thumb is that the treatment is good for minimal to moderate sagging of the skin. It is useful for a lot of things ranging from facial sagging to issues with the decolletage. A professional can give you a clear evaluation of your suitability when you’re trying to determine if the procedure is right for you. The actual procedure is relatively simple if you’ve been evaluated though. You’ll lay down and the technician responsible for the procedure will apply the device delivering the ultrasound to the sagging areas to stimulate the skin. Proper treatment can take up to an hour and a half depending on the overall scope of the treatment. The general expectation is that there is little to no pain with most people experiencing, at worst, a tingling sensation in the area the therapy is being applied to at a given time. After the session, you will be able to leave and return to your day.

Expectations
It is worth pointing out that many people experience a little bit of redness in the treated areas immediately following ultherapy. This tends to fade relatively quickly. Some people have experienced a degree of tenderness and swelling, but these cases tend to be in the minority. Furthermore, the procedure typically only needs to be done once to actually give a patient results. The catch is that you will be waiting for up to three months before you’re likely to see the full results of an ultherapy session. This is because the therapy functions by stimulating the production of collagen within the skin. Your skin will have to make new collagen and then it will begin to repair damage, sagging areas over time. You will need to focus on maintaining good skincare practices both during and after this time to help maximize the results of the procedure. Making the effort will help ultherapy be more effective and help make the results last longer than they otherwise might as how long collagen lasts is tied to skin health.

Viable Alternative?
It needs to be stressed that ultherapy is meant as a non-invasive alternative to cosmetic surgery. The procedure provides a necessarily limited effect that can be pronounced and obvious, but it does not actually replace “lift” surgery of any kind. Results from ultherapy are typically the best option for people with less severe sagging because the skin can still help to counter the problem on its own. Anyone who is deemed a poor candidate for ultherapy will likely need to consider actual cosmetic surgery to correct a particular issue. It is worth noting that, despite this, ultherapy is a very good option for people who are good candidates. The results of the therapy can be combined with other non-invasive procedures to create wonderful results. It is simply important to remember that these non-invasive procedures are not true alternatives, but are instead first steps towards controlling a problem before surgery becomes necessary.

Ultherapy is another good addition to the list of non-invasive procedures. It is especially welcomed as most of the time it does not require more than one treatment to have a full effect. This is good for anyone with a particularly busy life. There is no getting away from the fact that it does take several months to fully realize the benefits of the treatment though. If this is acceptable, ultherapy may be worth talking to your dermatologist or cosmetic surgeon about.