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What is HIFU Skin Tightening?

Non-surgical skin tightening procedures have been central to aesthetic procedures for around four decades. Fortunately, significant steps forward in technology have led to new minimally invasive treatments in the past few years, beginning with laser resurfacing and deep chemical peels. The first significant breakthroughs came with radiofrequency RF skin tightening and fractionated, or Fraxel laser treatments. HIFU treatment may be the new kid on the block, but it is taking centre stage now, with the HIFU facial being widely used as a facelift substitute worldwide.

First introduced in 2008, HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) uses ultrasound to encourage collagen production, resulting in plumper, firmer skin. Although it can be used in many areas, the face, or HIFU facial, is the most common treatment. High-intensity focused ultrasound treatment is primarily used for lines, wrinkles, and sagging skin concerns on the face and neck. However, it can be used anywhere on the body for a non-surgical body lift.

How Does High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Work?

High-intensity focused ultrasound is targeted in-depth, and temperatures are required to induce new collagen. The treatment uses ultrasound energy to heat the layers of skin under the surface. Therefore, each treatment is focused on targeting specific depths. For example, with a high-intensity focused ultrasound facial, the treatments are 1.5, 2, 3 mm, and 4.5 mm deep, and for the body, 6mm and 13mm.

High-intensity focused ultrasound uses ultrasound waves to heat deeper layers of your skin. The heat creates a controlled injury, causing your skin to mount a healing and repair response that induces the production of new collagen to firm your skin and elastin for more spring.

High-intensity focused ultrasound uses the natural repair mechanisms of your skin.

Increased collagen production is achieved without damage to the skin surface. The ultrasound heats the tissue, resulting in a healing cascade and the stimulation of new collagen. HIFU treatment results develop progressively over 6–12 weeks.

HIFU treatments have been shown to

• Smooth wrinkles and fine lines on the face
• Tighten sagging skin on the neck (turkey neck)
• Define jawline by reducing jowls
• Firm and tightening skin in most places of your face and body
• Improve skin texture and quality

The results of a HIFU facial cannot be compared to the dramatic effects of a facelift; however, younger women favour it as a preventative measure, producing significant lifting. With a series of treatments and good aftercare, the results can last up to 12 months. 

Our cosmetic doctors have developed a specialised approach to non-surgical facelifts, combining HIFU with various treatments, including PDO mont threads, biostimulators, Tixel,  Rejuran boosters and more. 

Did you know? The Korean V lift, which combined HIFU facial and PDO threads to create a lower and mid-face lift (lift sagging jowls), popularised the HIFU treatment. To recreate a classical v-shaped face. (which is considered a sign of youthfulness).

Why is it called 8D HIFU?

The answer is simple: 8D HIFU has eight cartridges that allow you to treat eight different skin layers. In addition, 1.5, 2, 3, 4.5, 6, 13, and 16 mm cartridges are available.

• • The cartridges above (6 mm) treat the fat tissue, transforming high-intensity focused ultrasound from skin tightening to fat and  cellulite treatment.
  • 8D HIFU includes two distinct handpiece types, depending on whether it is used on the face or the body.
  • Handpieces for the face that are used for rejuvenation
  • It refreshes and tightens your skin, giving it a glow of healthy, firm, and elastic skin by stimulating the proliferation of collagen and elastin fibres.
  • Improved comfort
  • The 8D HIFU’s focus point is smaller. As a result, 8D high-intensity focus delivers energy more precisely to the layer of skin we target.
  • Because if it is highly targeted, it achieves results without harming the surrounding tissue.

HIFU skin tightening works best for people with mild to moderate skin sagging. So, people with more advanced photodamage and skin sagging will require more treatments and may be better candidates for surgery or facial thread lift.

• • The ideal candidate has mild to moderate skin laxity (generally in their 30s).
  • Women with more pronounced facial sagging may require 2,3 or more treatments to achieve a satisfactory result.
  • Surgical facelifts or thread lifting may be a better option with advanced sagging.
  • High-intensity focused ultrasound can be combined with other treatment modalities, such as skin needling or biostimulator fillers.

• The HIFU skin tightening treatment begins with cleansing the skin.
• Photos will be taken to see your progress at three months.
• The facial treatment takes 45–60 minutes and longer for the face and neck as we need to use two different depths of focused ultrasound—3 mm and 4.5 mm. Therefore, the ultrasound is delivered in short pulses and adjusted to achieve the desired treatment depth.
• You may feel areas of prickling sensations, but generally, there is minimal discomfort during the procedure.
• Immediately after treatment, there is mild redness, commonly accompanied by swelling. This gradually recedes over the coming hours. Suppose you have a history of swelling in response to cosmetic treatments. We can offer an antihistamine before treatment. Discuss this with our therapist, and they will get our doctor to review you if needed.
• If more than one treatment is recommended, we will book you for your next session before leaving. We also book your yearly top-up after your last treatment and a final after-picture at three months.
• You can leave and return to regular activity.

There is no preparation required for high-intensity focused ultrasound, although there are skincare products and supplements that help maximise your skin’s ability to produce new collagen. These include skincare containing vitamins A, B, and C, taking collagen powder and zinc, and ensuring optimal gut health. In contrast, smoking, stress, poor sleep, or certain medical conditions can interfere with your body’s innate healing and repair responses and decrease the effectiveness of the treatment.

There is no recovery, and HIFU skin tightening is considered safe when performed by a trained therapist. However, there are some side effects; some are common, while others are rare.

• Redness and swelling are common and can last for days, but you can resume normal activities immediately.
• A tingling sensation can occur and may persist for a few weeks
• Rare side effects are temporary numbness, which can last for up to 6 weeks or bruises, which settle over 7–10 days
• We would not recommend strenuous exercise for 24 hours after your treatment.

Results take several weeks to develop, as high-intensity focused ultrasound relies on your skin to produce new collagen for the desired firming and skin texture improvement. Therefore, maximal results are seen at three months.

The answer is yes and even encouraged, as ultrasound does not treat skin concerns like pigmentation, redness, rosacea, advanced wrinkles, or facial sagging. Pigmentation, facial redness, and rosacea are treated with IPL, BBL, lasers, and peels. It would be best to space treatments two weeks apart using heat-based treatments such as CO2 laser and BBL.

The most common treatment combined with ultrasound would be PDO thread lift—the classic Korean V Lift, as both procedures are designed to lift approach to non-surgical facelifts, combining biostimulator fillers, threads, and other injectables.

Discover the benefits of HIFU body sculpting or face and neck skin tightening. Please book online or call us at 07 3350 5447 to schedule a free consultation with our therapists today!

Experience.

• High-intensity focused ultrasound is non-invasive, has no general anaesthetic, is low risk and has minimal side effects and recovery.
• Surgical Facelift is invasive and requires general anaesthesia.
• Surgical Facelift risks include infection, scarring and risks from anaesthesia. (These are uncommon with a plastic surgeon and candidate selection).
• Surgical Facelift Recovery and downtime are significant, with up to 2 weeks for initial healing, bruising, and swelling and 1 – 3 months for surgical results to fully develop.

Results

• High-intensity focused ultrasound achieves mild to moderate lifting with increased firmness and skin texture improvements, which can take up to 3 months to reach maximal effect.
• Surgical facelifts can achieve dramatic lifting ( if you have the right surgeon), and results are evident after initial healing and swelling and bruising subside. However, the results continue to improve over three months or more.
• Skin texture improvements can also be dramatic after a facelift.

Cost

• HIFU facial cost – We charge a modest $599 for facial treatment at Pearl. With good aftercare, these results can last up to 12 months. See the total costs for all body and treatment areas above.
• Surgical facelift cost: these are merely ballpark figures. The only accurate way to get a quote for the price of a facelift is through a consultation with your plastic surgeon. Many variables enter into this. It can include surgeon fees, anaesthetists, hospital and theatre costs, etc., and the type of facelift you have. Expect a range of $10,000 to $12,000 for a facelift and up to $25,000 for a face and neck lift. The excellent news is that facelift results last for 10 years.

High-intensity focussed ultrasound is an excellent prejuvenation treatment. At Pearl we take a regenerative approach and provide prejuvenation and rejuvenation treatments. See our full list of our prejuvenation offerings: skin needling, Tixel skin treatment, BBL, Pico toning, skin booster treatment, collagen biostimulators, topical skin care, hydrafacial,  facial enhancement with our doctors and more.