The HIFU facial or facelift has undoubtedly attracted a lot of attention in recent days, which is not surprising considering its many advantages. HIFU (high intensity focused ultrasound) facials are known for being a quick and effective form of treatment for the ageing of the face, and it’s an increasingly popular procedure that follows the trend of treatments that can essentially replace traditional surgical facelifts. HIFU facials are indeed perfect for those who want some of the benefits of a surgical facelift but are not looking forward to a long recovery time and the pain and discomfort that come with it. But what exactly are HIFU facelifts, and how do they work? How different are they from surgical facelifts? Here’s a comparison between HIFU facelifts and surgical facelifts: what you need to know.
The basics of HIFU facelifts
A HIFU facelift or facial makes use of ultrasound to produce heat deep within the skin. The heat produced by the facial or facelift can damage various specific skin cells, and this causes the body to react and attempt to heal the damaged cells. To heal the cells, the body will produce collagen, which is necessary for the growth of new cells. Collagen, as you may already know, gives skin its elasticity and structure.
HIFU facials help tighten and treat the skin on one’s neck, and you can also use them to decrease jowl sagging. Many people also opt for HIFU treatment to lift drooping eyebrows or eyelids. It is also popular for smoothening facial wrinkles and tightening and smoothening the skin on the chest.
HIFU treatment doesn’t make use of the same ultrasound used by doctors for medical imagery. Instead, it makes use of high-energy waves that can target particular bodily areas.
The differences between HIFU facelifts and surgical facelifts
If you are still debating whether to go for a HIFU facelift or go all out with a surgical facelift, it pays to know the prime differences between them. The surgical facelift is done by surgeons who make cuts behind the patient’s ear, on their temples, and the patient’s lower scalp area. Once surgeons make the incisions, they will remove extra skin and draw the skin back to produce a tighter and firmer skin appearance, especially on the jawline and face. Surgical facelifts can take several hours. For this, patients will be given anaesthesia, and they are often required to stay in the hospital for at least one night.
HIFU facelifts, on the other hand, are non-surgical, and they can take less than one hour. You don’t need any anaesthesia for the procedure, and you may experience a warm and light prickling feeling on your skin when it is in progress. Once the specialist completes your procedure, you can go back to your usual activities with only specific potential side effects like swelling and bruising. But this will often disappear in about a fortnight. The overall results of the HIFU facelift can take around three months before it becomes evident.
One particularly brilliant aspect about HIFU facelifts is that recovery is not needed – you can have the procedure during your lunch break! – and you can notice the results right away, with continuous improvement in the succeeding months.
Image attributed to Pixabay.com
