Solving loose skin and improving droopy faces without surgery is a reality in this day and age of medical aesthetics.
Common solutions to treat Saggy Skin include:
High intensity focused ultrasound like Ultraformer, Ulthera and Ultracel.
Radiofrequency like Venus Legacy, EndyMed, Exilis and Thermage.
Dermal Fillers include Restylane, Juvederm, Stylage and Belotero.
With so many options out there, how does one decide which treatments are the most suitable?
Let’s start with 3 common myths on Saggy skin treatments:
- It is Painful!
Well, yes….and no. The first generation HIFU and Radiofrequency treatments like Ulthera and Thermage tend to be painful, even with numbing creams.
However, third generation devices like Ultraformer III are relatively much more comfortable and tolerable with numbing creams. Many patients say that it ranges from a mild ache to a prickly sensation.
You no longer have to suffer for firmer skin!
- Monthly treatments are needed for the Rest of my life.
Wrong!
The closest treatment intervals for medical-grade HIFU treatments like Ulthera and Ultraformer can only be performed every 6 monthly. And this is only for those with severely saggy skin. Medical-grade HIFU usually involves a single session with results that last for 9-12 months.
“Doc, why is it that I have been told to have monthly treatments?”
This is because certain radio-frequency treatments can be performed on a monthly basis. Other types of HIFU that are offered at beauty salons (non-medical clinics) can also be done on a monthly basis. These non-medical grade HIFUs are lower in power and effectiveness as compared to medical grade HIFUs.
- Once you start, you Cannot stop.
I get these 2 questions very commonly:
“Doc, is it true that I will get addicted to aesthetic treatments once I start?”
“ I heard that my skin will be Worse after I stop treatments! Is it true?”
This is totally untrue.
New collagen that is produced from these skin tightening treatments are permanent. However, do note that you will continue to lose collagen due to aging. This is why doctors will recommend that you have further treatments to age gracefully.
You will only look better than before. Not worse!
- I don’t want to look Plastic!
“I have seen photos of celebrities who are “overdone”. Will I look like that?”
No. At least not in the hands of an experienced doctor who has a keen aesthetic sense.
There is a fine line between results that are tasteful versus “overdone”. Please choose your aesthetic doctor wisely!
Treatments like HIFU stimulate your body to produce your own natural collagen. No injections and no foreign particles!
- These treatments cost a bomb!
Most medical-grade HIFU treatments are “once a year” sessions that cost between $500 to $5000, depending on the area – full face or only selected parts of the face. A mid-tier full face treatment session will cost around $1500 – $2000.
This works out to be less than $200 a month as results can last for up to 12 months.
Saggy skin treatments are no longer in the exclusive reach of the rich and famous!