Is Ultherapy Prime suitable for someone who has previously received threads, fillers, or collagen stimulators? Will it impact the results of these treatments?
Ultherapy Prime can be done on people who have gotten threads, fillers or collagen stimulators. Having said that, it is important to let your doctor know (as far as you know) when and where you did these treatments on your face and we can adjust the treatment as appropriate. There is no clear evidence that Ultherapy “breaks down” injectables, however, we may choose to leave a gap between treatments to let any injectables settle in before performing Ultherapy. When done properly, Ultherapy when combined with other treatments can have a synergistic effect to address different skin concerns.
If I’ve had thread lifts before, will Ultherapy Prime affect the placement of the threads or alter their results?
There are many different kinds of threads. Some threads are put in to stimulate collagen, some threads are put in to provide a vector “lift” in a particular direction. Ultherapy prime should not affect the placement of your threads or alter their results. Doing Ultherapy results in an overall skin tightening and lifting, not just in one direction like in certain threads.
Can Ultherapy Prime help tighten areas that may feel heavier or less firm due to previous treatments such as fillers?
Yes. Ultherapy prime targets the SMAS layer with its deeper transducers.. Fillers may be put above or below this layer. Tightening the SMAS layer with Ultherapy helps “pull” the filler along the planes of tightening and can result in a “lifting” effect.
Is Ultherapy Prime a good treatment option for someone who is between treatments, such as fillers or collagen stimulators?
Ultherapy Prime is a skin tightening device, and mainly addresses skin laxity and sagginess. Fillers are best for volume replacement. Collagen stimulators are used for skin quality improvement and can have some volumizing effect as well. As you can see, they address different skin concerns, and thus can be used synergistically with each other. You can do Ultherapy Prime in between treatments.
What does the sensation of heat versus aching during the treatment indicate? Does it suggest effective stimulation of the skin?
Different people experience the ultrasound energy from Ultherapy differently. Some may say it is more of a sharp discomfort, some say it is more aching, some say it is dull. The amount or type of discomfort does not correlate with how effective the treatment is. The discomfort is more related to how you perceive the discomfort, your pain tolerance, and which part of the face we are treating. Having said that, most people find Ultherapy Prime very tolerable.
Why do some areas feel more sensitive or painful than others during the treatment? Could this be due to thinner or more delicate skin?
In areas where the skin is thinner e.g. forehead, around the jaw, and closer to the ears, some people may experience slightly more discomfort. This is normal. The skin is not exactly the same on every part of the face. Do let your doctor know if the pain is unbearable so we can adjust our treatment parameters. Feedback on pain level during the treatment is how we avoid issues such as burns.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Harold Ma, and Dr. Chester Lan.