IDS Journey: Undergoing Ultherapy, An Ultrasound Facial Treatment [Sponsored Post]

The thing about ageing is as the years pass, you might gain some weight, lose some skin elasticity and find yourself with more lines than before. This is exactly what happened to me now that I've passed the age of 30.

When I had the chance to do Ultherapy, I was more than happy to put the treatment to the test and regain my youthful features! Haha!

WHAT IS ULTHERAPY?

So, Ultherapy is a brand of machine that uses microfocused ultrasound (previously HIFU) to generate a thermal effect to lift and tighten any skin laxity on the face, neck and chest. It is a safe, non-invasive treatment that uses Ultrasound technology to reach below the surface of the skin to target the same SMAS (Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System) layer as a facelift. 

SMAS is a thin layer of strong connective tissue on the face that surrounds and connects to both deeper tissue and the muscles that are responsible for facial expression. With age, the SMAS layer begins to lose its elasticity, which can lead to sagging cheeks along the jaw bone, fleshy jowls, droopy brows, a double chin, or a more noticeable nasolabial folds.

Collagen growth is stimulated at this hard-to-reach structural level of the face. Ultherapy results are similar to those achieved by plastic surgery including: tightening sagging skin on the face, reducing the appearance of wrinkles, erasing extra skin on the chin, defining cheekbones and lifting brows.

HOW DOES IT WORK?

The machine delivers sound waves about 5mm deep under the skin, penetrating into the dermis as well as SMAS layer of facial muscles under the fat, gently heating and triggering the dermis to begin producing new collagen. Once the cells in the targeted area reach a certain temperature (briefly reaching greater than 60°C), they experience cellular damage. This essentially creates a thermal effect thereby causing a controlled micro-injury which stimulates the body’s natural healing and repair mechanisms to speed up collagen production. 

With fresh new collagen, saggy skin then appears firmer and tighter, and there are lesser wrinkles. As the high-frequency ultrasound beams are focused on a specific tissue site below the skin’s surface, there’s no fear of damage to the upper layers of the skin and surrounding tissue.

Visible ongoing improvements are more evident from three to six months after the treatment with results that last for one to three years, depending on individual's skin condition.

WHO CAN DO THIS TREATMENT?

This treatment may be ideal for those with noticeable aging signs like a droop in the eyebrows, hooding of the eyelids, mild sagging in the neck and chin area or some wrinkling on the chest area.

Ultherapy has many aesthetic benefits which include:

• - wrinkle reduction
• - tightening of turkey neck and décolletage
• - opening up the eye area
• - elevating your facial features
• - restoring youthful skin tones
• - reducing epidermal sagging

Other treatable areas include the arms, breasts, abdomen, inner and the anterior thighs and buttocks for lifts and firming. Refer to here for the list of those who are not suitable for this treatment.

STEPS

Step 1: Cleansing & Numbing of Skin

For the first step, your skin will need to be cleansed before the application of a numbing creaming.

Numbing will minimize any discomfort and pain during the procedure. I had numbing cream applied all over my face (excluding my eye area) and jaw line, and sealed with cling wrap for 40 minutes. After 40 minutes, the numbing cream was wiped off and I have to say it feels weird with a whole face numbed.

Step 2: Marking of The Area

For the next step, I was asked to look straight ahead, down and up to mark the areas for the treatment. At IDS, there are two types of Ultherapy treatment:

1. U-lift, which uses more lines and depth at 4.0mm
2. Babylift, which uses less lines and depth at 3.0 - 3.5mm (proprietary treatment by IDS)

The treatment I had was Baby Lift, and this IDS Baby Lift is targeted at patients who have mild droopiness and require mild lifting. As such, the difference is that Baby Lift uses less lines as compared to the full course of Ultherapy treatment.

Step 3: The Use of Ultherapy

After the application of some gel, the process started with a handheld device that was placed on the skin. The high-energy ultrasound waves penetrate deep into the skin at the marked out site, heating the tissues. 

I read that during the procedure, it is normal to feel sensations of varying discomfort levels where the heat energy is being deposited. However, the intensity of the treatment can be adjusted according to each patient’s pain tolerance. 

For me, I barely felt anything thanks to the numbing cream.

  

Step4: Moisturizer Applied

The whole treatment session ended with the removal of the gel on my skin and the application of IDS Skincare Oil-free moisturizer for my face.

Pain Rating: 1/10

The first thing that amazed me was the lack of pain during the procedure. It could be due to the fact that I have a higher tolerance to pain, but I didn't even bat an eye or tear during the process. If I had to compare this treatment to the rest that I've done at IDS (PicoSure & Lasering off my skin tags), this treatment is the least painful procedure out of the three! 

The best way to describe the sensation is, it is similar to an extraction of a "semi-ripe" pimple (those that hurt) along your jaw line or when you place ice onto your skin for more than 1 min (that deep sharp sensation) and the sensation is felt continuously for 3 seconds with each repetitive burst.

Duration of Treatment: 30 mins excluding 40 mins of numbing process

Thoughts on the Treatment:

I like that there is no downtime after the procedure and the only thing I felt was some tightness, especially along my jawline and cheeks after the treatment.

I was told that while some may notice immediate effects, it will take two to three months for the results to be completely visible and the effects of the treatment is said to last up to a year. The outcome depends on your biological response to the ultrasound and collagen-building process as well as how much laxity you have in your skin. 

Two weeks have passed since I did Ultherapy and I'm starting to notice the results of the treatment. 

Here is how I look now. I feel that my face looks a little more streamlined than before, my jawline is sharper and my double chin is smaller! I really like that this treatment is non-invasive and while the results are gradual, it is effective.

To kickstart your Journey with Ultherapy, feel free to book for a consultation with your aesthetic doctors, so that they may assess your face and skin condition to recommend the type of treatment that is suitable for you. If you like my doctor, then feel free to head down to IDS. I am sure they will be able to help you.

If you are concerned about cost, then fret not. I chose IDS because they do not charge consultation fee. Why not have some savings if I could right? If you wish to proceed, then the treatment cost and process are explained clearly to allow you to decide properly before you make any commitment!

This review is sponsored, This review is part of #idstransformme challenge by IDS Skincare but reviews are based solely on user's experience and are in not way influenced by any other factors.