I would like to talk about the various non-surgical skin tightening treatments on the market. Seems like a lot of women over age thirty are opting to have their faces tightened as a preventative measure. Hoping it may help circumvent a future facelift. However tighter skin may not necessarily be better, especially when it is cost-prohibitive. However, face tightening is also being used by women as young as twenty-one to make sure they never sag…. Truth be told in the end, most will eventually sag at some time and perhaps need a facelift.
That said, let’s not talk about sagging now…..LOL, I would like to address these skin tightening machines first. As you may be aware there are two primary ways used to tighten skin; one requires the use of ultrasound waves and the other radiofrequency. Both these machines apply waves of energy that heat the subcutaneous layers of the skin. Thereby causing controlled trauma to the epidermis and which in return causes new collagen to form. There is a lot the esthetician has to bear in mind when using these machines, including the heat intensity, the depth the device is reaching and also the thickness or density of the area.
Ultherapy
So many devices have been released into the beauty market, newer and more effective versions are being invented daily. The craze three years ago was all about Ultherapy, a device that harnesses the power of ultrasound to tighten skin. Ultrasound, of course, has been used safely throughout the medical field for more than fifty years. Ultherapy has been established as safe and effective in clinical studies and over half a million treatments worldwide. It was once the only non-invasive procedure FDA-cleared to lift skin on the neck, under the chin, and the eyebrow. It is known to improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the décolletage. Ultherapy can help you achieve a fresher, more youthful look from your brow to your chest!
Exilis
However, I must say that before Ultherapy there were several radiofrequency devices mostly using monopolar and tripolar energy forms. These got even better too. One of the early and effective adaptations of this was Exilis. Exilis has now come out with its latest reincarnation called, “Exilis Elite”. This delivers highly controlled heat to tissue by using focused radiofrequency (RF) technology for measurable cosmetic results. Exilis Elite can help tighten ageing skin by heating the collagen in the lower layers of the skin. This process causes the deep collagen structures of your skin to tighten, and you’ll notice firmer skin right after treatment. Over the long term, heat energy also stimulates collagen production, skin will gradually tighten further giving a more youthful appearance.
Fractora
Now, however, the latest generation of radiofrequency machines have gone even a step further. The top ones also have tiny microneedles that puncture the skin and send the radiofrequency energy right into the sublayers. Take Fractora by Inmode for example. Fractora delivers targeted bipolar RF energy to various selectable depths in the skin. It meets and exceeds the results of fractional CO2 without the associated downtime, prolonged redness, and pigmentation drawbacks. Fractora achieves full-scale treatment depths with customizable fractional energy to improve superficial skin tone. Fractora has tiny microscopic needles that reach beneath the skin layers.
Morpheus 8
NOTE: Since this article Inmode has come out with an even more intense version of Factora called “Morpheus 8“. This is called Factora’s big brother by some in the business. Beverly Hills Dermatologist Jason Emer swears by lasers and skin tightening modulations on to keep a youthful and glowing complexion.
However that said, the rage right now is all about Profound. Top Beverly Hills surgeons are all swearing by Profound at the moment. Profound, causes very precise dermal injuries that arouse an anabolic wound healing response. This stimulates the growth of collagen and elastin in a way that we’ve not seen before. It is consistently able to create younger, more elastic skin, in addition to improving volume. Even patients in their thirties could periodically turn back the clock on early laxity and loss of volume. Profound seems to be the go-to treatment for everybody now. It is a single treatment procedure with a 100% response rate and yields predictable results with complete control over depth, temperature and time of treatment.
So the choice is yours. What’s your pick? Oh, and before I forget, these devices can also work on sagging knees, elbows, thighs and the butts. These machines all help regenerate collagen. Hopefully, in five years, they will get even better. Though tighter may not necessarily be better, prevention is better than cure. My advice to most women will be; try and do a series of one of these treatments, at least once every 18 to 24 months. Expensive? I know! But so worth it!!!