New non-surgical procedure for sagging skin

Nov 12 2010

Dr. Mehmet Oz featured a breakthrough skin lifting and tightening procedure on his show today, which he said "can help you defy gravity without going under the knife."  The treatment, known as Ultherapy™, was demonstrated live on an audience member on The Dr. Oz Show segment How to Look 10 Years Younger in Less Than 30 Minutes! 

New York Plastic Surgeon Dr. Haideh Hirmand, who serves on the New Technologies Task Force of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, said that while the treatment is not a replacement for traditional surgery, this new, non-surgical procedure for sagging skin is "sci-fi meets beauty."   She told Dr. Oz that this is "the first time as a surgeon that I'm really excited about a technology that's non-invasive."  

Dr. Hirmand described Ultherapy as totally different from other cosmetic procedures because it reaches surgical depths without disrupting the surface of the skin. Because it uses ultrasound, the treatment can be performed in the physician's office without anesthesia.  "There is no downtime and no scarring," she said, "both of which are real benefits to the patient." 

Using a graphic animation, Dr. Oz explained how the procedure employs ultrasound to regenerate collagen deep under the skin's surface, which gradually tightens, firms, and actually shifts the skin into a more youthful position over time.  Then Dr. Hirmand demonstrated the simple procedure on a volunteer from the studio audience.  The 51-year-old woman said she volunteered for the procedure because, "every time I look in the mirror it bothers me that I look older than I feel." After applying the ultrasound gel to the woman's neck, Dr. Hirmand showed how the ultrasound is used first to visualize the tissue deep beneath the skin, and then treat it with ultrasound energy. 

The ultrasound technology used for the face and neck treatment has been cleared by the FDA and is being adopted nationwide by dermatologists, plastic surgeons, facial plastic surgeons and ocular plastic surgeons.  The procedure takes 30-60 minutes to complete and it generally takes two to three months to see full results.  Costs vary based on the number of areas treated, but typically the treatment cost ranges from $1,000- $4,000.