Ultherapy PRIME is my go-to skin lifting treatment for the forehead, under the chin and neck.

Ultherapy PRIME uses ultrasound in two different ways. First, it delivers the treatment itself, a type of ultrasound energy called micro-focused ultrasound, to a specific layer of tissue in a series of dots called thermal coagulation points. These spots are around 65 degrees centigrade, which is the ideal temperature for collagen and elastin production.

Second, it uses ultrasound technology for real-time detection. It gives me, as a doctor, an idea of ​​how strong a person’s muscles are to begin with. Like, I can see a patient has wispy layers that aren’t really collagen-dense, and then I can apply energy directly to those layers.

The treatment can take an hour if you are treated in multiple areas. As the ultrasound energy is delivered, you may feel a sensation of heat or tingling, which indicates that the process of building collagen and elastin has begun.

Discomfort is patient related, but I personally have found that most people don’t really complain about pain. That said, patient comfort is important in my practice: We do topical numbing, and we can offer additional options to make the patient more comfortable.

Technically, you can receive treatment with Ultherapy PRIME on the day of the event, if needed. There is no time to rest.

That said, your skin may seem shocked at first. The redness should disappear within a few hours. Some patients experience mild swelling, tingling, or tenderness to touch, but this is mild and temporary.

If you wanted to have more improved results during the event, you should schedule your treatment two or three months in advance. You may notice some initial lift immediately after the treatment, but the final results of Ultherapy PRIME are seen gradually, as the growth of new collagen and elastin increases.

A single Ultherapy PRIME treatment provides results that can last a year or more. Annual treatments can help patients maintain their results over the long term, and at least 30 to 40 percent of my patients who come to me for Ultherapy end up coming back for more.

There is no obstacle to regular treatment. Let’s say you have an event coming up and you can’t make it to surgery. If so, I can perform Ultherapy PRIME treatment more often for a patient who wants a specific result.

Although Ultherapy cannot replicate the results of a face lift, it is a clinically proven, non-invasive method of skin lifting. It is a good option for those who are not ready for surgery.

Ultherapy PRIME does not usually limit patients’ ability to receive other treatments, but varies from patient to patient depending on their specific needs. To get results that look natural, we want to have new collagen and elastin, we want some tissue support, and we want to prevent hypertonic muscles.

For some patients, Ultherapy PRIME can be used with complementary treatments to improve results, and at home, I recommend using non-irritating products.