by Mia Valleskey | Jan 13, 2023 | High-intensity focused ultrasound
The holidays are behind us, and we get just a little bit older with every passing minute. We’ve shopped and cooked and made everyone merry. Now, it’s time to turn our attention to ourselves. Why not celebrate the New Year with a gift all your own?
Aging is the ultimate bane of everyone’s existence. Growing older has us seeing lines where there were none before and skin that sags in all the wrong places. The good news is there are techniques we can employ to stop, well slow, the signs of aging. It’s a New Year, so why not bring in a new you with HIFU skin tightening treatments?
What Is HIFU Skin Tightening?
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a non-invasive treatment to combat facial aging. HIFU creates heat deep within the layers of skin using ultrasound. The ultrasound targets specific skin cells with heat, causing damage, which the body repairs using naturally produced collagen. Collagen is what gives skin its structure and elasticity.
When you think of ultrasound, you likely think of medical imaging, but this kind of ultrasound is different. HIFU is a high-intensity ultrasound that uses high-energy waves to target specified points of the body. Nonsurgical ultrasound treatments can (according to the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery):
- Smooth facial wrinkles
- Tighten neck skin
- Smooth and tighten chest skin
- Lift eyelids or eyebrows that have begun to droop
- Reduce the appearance of jowls
Is HIFU for Everyone?
Because the high-frequency ultrasound beams are focused on specific tissue areas, there should be no damage to the upper layers of skin or the connecting tissues. The treatment isn’t appropriate for everyone. Generally, people older than 30 with mild-to-moderate skin sagging are the prime candidates for the procedure.
People who have more skin sagging or who have skin that has been damaged by the sun may not see results as quickly as other candidates. Older individuals with more extensive skin laxity or extensive sun damage typically aren’t good candidates for the procedure. Sometimes, these individuals require surgery to correct the sagging and damage to their skin.
Skin lesions or infections also prevent people from getting this treatment. It’s also not recommended for those with metallic implants in or around the treatment area or those with severe acne.
Get a Consultation to Help You Decide
If you aren’t sure whether HIFU is for you, contact Beauty & Body by Mia to schedule a consultation to discuss your options. Let them help you ring in the New Year with a new you!
by Mia Valleskey | Nov 1, 2022 | Tips & Tricks
Have you noticed your skin looks loose or crepey as you get older? If you have, you aren’t alone. Sagging skin, along with wrinkles, happens naturally as we age.
The reason for sagging skin is related to elastin and collagen production. As we age, our skin loses the ability to produce elastin and collagen, which in turn causes our skin to lose firmness and elasticity. Luckily, we live in an age where we can fight against the changes with surgical and non-surgical procedures. Let’s look at non-surgical tissue tightening procedures.
High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a minimally invasive procedure that uses ultrasound waves to target and treats certain conditions. When we think of ultrasounds, we think of imaging. For example, obstetricians use ultrasound technology to give couples the first glimpse of their unborn child.
HIFU is a different kind of ultrasound. It doesn’t create images. Instead, highly focused sound waves interact with tissues to modify or destroy them. The beam from the ultrasound can pass through layers of tissue without harming anything that isn’t the target.
The energy of the HIFU causes a rise in tissue temperature. The heat from the temperature rise then destroys (ablates) the tissue in the targeted area. The heat from the ultrasound is sent deep into the skin, which can tighten and lift the skin, reducing wrinkles. Results vary, some appearing immediately and others after six months of treatment.
Hollywood Carbon Facials
A Hollywood carbon facial has several other names. It’s been called a Hollywood peel, a carbon laser peel, and a charcoal peel. The treatment combines the benefits of Q-Switch laser technology and charcoal.
The main goal of a Hollywood peel is skin rejuvenation. It’s designed to work against big pores, the signs of aging, and skin damage like acne or scars. The result of a Hollywood peel is a softer, glowing appearance.
The non-invasive treatment is gentle on the skin. There is no downtime with a Hollywood peel. Some patients could experience redness, which typically lasts only a few hours.
Photo Facials
Photo facials are also known as intense pulsed light (IPL) therapy. IPL tackles many ills, from age spots to sun damage. The treatment uses short blasts of high-intensity light that cause more even tone and texture and younger, firmer-looking skin.
IPL is a skin rejuvenation treatment that usually only takes 30-60 minutes. It’s normal for skin to look swollen and slightly red during the treatment. Slight discomfort is also a normal part of the process.
Final thoughts
As we age, our skin sags and changes as a normal part of the aging process. Several tissue tightening techniques are available to help reduce the signs of aging. Beauty & Body by Mia can help determine which skin tightening technique is best for you.
