Ultherapy: Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery

Overview

What is Ultherapy^®?

Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound to lift and tighten loose skin by stimulating collagen in the very deep layer of the facial muscle. It can be used to lift and tighten the skin of your face and neck. There’s usually no downtime after treatment.

Why choose us?

Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center can help you explore options to rejuvenate or refine your appearance (and your self-confidence). To get the best results from any cosmetic procedure, you need the highest quality team. You can rely on our experts, who are nationally ranked for their expertise and care.

Learn more about Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic & Plastic Surgery Center.

How to Prepare

Am I a candidate for Ultherapy?

A good candidate for Ultherapy is someone with mild to moderate amounts of extra skin around their face and neck. Typically, those in their 30s and older who have mild to moderate skin laxity are candidates. Some patients under 30 years of age use this treatment as a “preventive” measure. Others receive this procedure to prolong the effects of cosmetic surgery.

Typical areas that are treated with Ultherapy are the eyebrows, brow line, neck and submental area. It can also be used to improve wrinkles and fine lines on your upper chest.

While Ultherapy isn’t a replacement for a surgical facelift, it may be an option for those not ready for surgery, or for those looking for a less invasive alternative with zero downtime.

What to Expect

How is Ultherapy performed?

Ultherapy uses a handheld device that emits focused ultrasound energy into the deep layers of the skin. This energy heats the targeted tissue, triggering a natural healing response in your body. The healing response stimulates the production of new collagen, which gradually tightens and lifts the treated skin.

The procedure can take anywhere from two to three hours, depending on how many areas are treated. There’s usually no downtime, but some patients may experience bruising and tenderness along the bony areas of their faces and necks after treatment.

This treatment consists of the following steps:

Preparation:
- Consultation (before the procedure, you’ll have a consultation with your Cleveland Clinic Cosmetic Plastic Surgeon. They’ll discuss your goals, assess your skin condition and determine if Ultherapy is right for you).
- Cleansing and marking (your skin will be cleansed and prepped for the procedure. The treatment area might be marked with a grid or pen to guide the device placement).
- Numbing (while generally not necessary, some patients may require a topical numbing cream for increased comfort).
Treatment:
- Ultrasound application (the Ultherapy device will be gently placed on your skin. It emits focused ultrasound energy into the targeted deep layers. You might feel tingling or warmth during this process).
- Visualization (the device has a built-in ultrasound viewer that allows your provider to visualize the targeted tissue layers and adjust the energy delivery accordingly).
- Multiple passes (the device might be moved across the treatment area multiple times to ensure even distribution of the ultrasound energy. Depending on the area treated, the entire procedure can take 30 to 90 minutes.

If any discomfort does occur, it usually happens while you’re receiving the ultrasound energy. This sensation is temporary and is a positive signal that the collagen-building process has begun.

Is Ultherapy safe?

The FDA cleared the procedure after it demonstrated its safety in clinical studies. Over 100,000 treatments have been performed safely worldwide. In addition, ultrasound energy has a proven track record (with use in the field of medicine for more than 50 years).

Results

What results can I expect?

While some people may notice instant improvement, full results may take three to six months to be visible. There’s no downtime, and if you’d like, you can wear makeup immediately afterward. Patients are also able to resume their normal skin care regimens after treatment.

As your skin will continue to age no matter what, future touch-up treatments can help keep pace with the aging process (which varies from person to person).

What is involved in recovery?

There may be slight redness for up to an hour or so following the treatment, and a small percentage of patients may have slight swelling, bruising or tenderness to touch (but these are mild and temporary symptoms). Tenderness may last up to one month after treatment.

Insurance & Financing

Insurance rarely covers the cost of elective cosmetic surgery and procedures. Please call 216.444.4004 and ask to speak with one of our financial representatives who can explain payment options, including CareCredit financing.

Ultherapy