Treatment Procedure

It is a non-invasive procedure without cutting, and the ultrasound is transmitted from outside the skin to deeper levels. Numbing cream is applied for 30 minutes before the procedure. According to different skin types and sagging situations, the therapist will choose to perform the HIFU over different areas on the face, with different selections or combinations of penetration depths, such as 4.5mm, 3mm and 1.5mm, as well the number of shots to be done. The whole procedure takes about 30 to 60 minutes, and the level of pain is rather minimal.

After the treatment, there is no wound, and usually there is no redness or swelling, and normal working or social schedules can be resumed immediately.

HIFU started as one time treatment in the early years but is modified to become a 3 sessions course, with each session separated by about 1 to 2 months. After a single treatment, there is mild to moderate facial skin tightening seen gradually over 1 to 2 months, and that continues to improve for about 6 months. After the whole course, the benefit can last for about 18 months, after which 1 more treatment can be repeated.

Is there any Risks?

Under the correct techniques in an experienced hand, there should not be any risks. Perhaps at most there may be some mild, short-lasting scratch-like redness and swelling. The therapist should aware of the distribution of nerves over the face, and avoid using 4.5mm probe over the sensitive areas, otherwise the nerves may be damaged, resulting in some long-lasting if not permanent nerve pain. A lot of aesthetic centres do not mention any risks and it is not so appropriate.

As the HIFU may have some effect in reducing fat to a certain extent, it has been in the literatures that some people complain of a worse looking, even more sagging facial appearance after the HIFU. This may happen in the thinner people and so it is better not to not HIFU if someone is thin and saggy, and these people would benefit more from volume enhancement such as by using Sculptra.

Finally, there are different HIFU models manufactured from the US, Korea, and even mainland China. According to experience, although the US model has a longer history and is more reputable, its treatment seems to be a lot more painful while the Korean models has only very mild discomfort during treatment, and yet the results are very comparable, if not the same or even better. The prices with the Korean models are also a lot more reasonable and as a result they are more popular in the local aesthetic market.

What is Radio-Frequency?

Radio-frequency (RF) is a form of high frequency alternating electro-magnetic wave, the frequency ranges between 300KHz to 300GHz. Radio-frequency has been widely used in communication technologies but it also has many different applications in medicine. It has been used in surgical cutting and cauterization, and it is now used in aesthetics for skin tightening, smoothing out wrinkles, and speed up the metabolism of fatty tissues.

Radio-frequency achieves wrinkles reduction in a non-invasive manner and is currently one of the safe and effective treatments for this.

Mechanism of Wrinkle Reduction with Radio-frequency.

Radio-frequency penetrates through the superficial layers to a depth of 3mm or more, evenly heating up the dermis and the collagen there to 55° to 65° Celsius, stimulating the collagen to regenerate and the elastic tissues to contract, thereby uplifting the sagging skin, reducing the wrinkles, and causing a re-modelling of the facial contour. At such high temperature, it will promote the fat cells to liquefy and enter the lymphatic system more effectively. Together with the skin tightening, it will reduce the cellulite.

Radio-frequency can be divided into mono-polar, bi-polar, tri-polar, as well as multi-polar. Mono-polar is supposed to penetrate deeper with a better result and there was a US model once highly valued by doctors in being extremely effective as a one off treatment. So many people went for this treatment only to find that the treatment was very painful, the charges was very expensive, and yet the final result was very disappointing, perhaps only a modest improvement in a small fraction of people.

Hence we never recommended this mono-polar treatment but rather focus on the tri-polar model. Although it has only a mild to moderate benefit, the improvement is consistent, the treatment is painless and most importantly the price is much more reasonable, which make it possible to be used as a continual maintenance therapy to tighten up the lax skin.

Treatment Process

Radio-frequency is a non-invasive, non-ablative treatment. The time for treatment is about 30 to 45 minutes, depending on the areas needing treatment and the energy level used. There is no redness or swelling after treatment, and normal daily activities can be resumed immediately. The number of treatment required depends on the severity of the skin laxity but as said, it can be continued as a regular maintenance for prevention of skin laxity.

Treatment Areas

• Tighten sagging facial skin
• Tighten and improve the silhouette of the neck line
• Reduce fine lines around the eyes
  
• Tighten tummy skin, for example after child delivery
  
• Tighten upper arms, thighs, and buttock, and reduce cellulite.
  

Advantages of Micro-needling RF

Treatment Process

Every person will have a personal needles probe so that there is no risk of cross infection. There is some moderate pain and therefore numbing cream is applied for 30 minutes before the procedure. The time of the treatment depends on the size of area being treated. After treatment there are tiny needle wounds, the skin is red but should not be swollen, which would normally subside in 1 - 2days. The wounds will heal in short time, probably within hours. Antiseptic cream is applied.

In the following few days, use mild facial cleanser, and then again put the antiseptic cream on. It is necessary to avoid strong sun exposure.

Risks of the Treatment

1. It is not suitable for people who have a heart pacemaker, and also those with serious irregular heartbeats.
2. For those will difficulty in blood clotting, the recovery time can be much longer due to excessive bruises.
3. Wound infection can happen but in the proper medical setting, the risk is very low.
4. Inappropriate operation leading to burning injury to the skin

Area of Applications

• Indented scarring
• Enlarged skin pores
• Tummy lines after delivery
• Skin laxity