The Paragon Effect – Karen's experience with High Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU)
In this feature of The Paragon Effect, we’ll be sharing Karen’s story. Karen is a patient of Nurse Annalise’s and has been on a journey to improve the skin surrounding her lower face after feeling it had lost elasticity and started sagging. Karen underwent one of our marketing-leading skin tightening treatments, HIFU, to achieve the results she hoped for.
Before we get into it, what is HIFU?
HIFU or High Intensity Focused Ultrasound, is the use of high-frequency ultrasound beams aimed at specified treatment areas to induce controlled cellular damage and volume reduction without damage to the skin layer. The cellular damage then actually stimulates the cells to produce more collagen. More collagen means tighter, smoother, firmer skin with fewer wrinkles.
HIFU can be used across the face for brow and jowl lifting, nasolabial fold reduction, periorbital wrinkle production, in Karen’s case she was looking to treat the full face, but honing in on her lower face and neck where most sagging was prominent.
Now, let’s look at her journey with us:
Consultation
- Initial consultation to discuss concerns and treatment outcomes
- Decided on one session of HIFU to full face and neck
Presenting complaints
- Feels skin has lost youth and showing signs of sagging
- Main concern was lower face and neck
- Wanted an overall tighter and more lifted appearance
Facial assessment determined by Nurse Annalise:
- Skin thickness: medium
- Hydration: good
- Hyperpigmentation: present
- Scarring: none
- Skin tone: uneven skin tone with some textural deformities causing overall dull tone
Treatment plan:
- Initial consultation to discuss concerns and expectations
- Nurse Annalise carried out a full-face assessment during the consultation
- First HIFU session completed in December 2023,
- 1 treatment and then can be retreated after 9 months
- Review to assess area
Treatment process:
- Full cleansing process
- HIFU started on the lowest power setting to ensure patient comfort and as patient tolerated it well, power increased to the maximum
- Patient experienced normal skin reaction and healing
- Avoiding active and strong skin products for 72 hours pre and post treatment
- Avoiding any product on the skin for 24 hours post-treatment as open microchannels are present on the skin for 24 hours
Before and after HIFU treatment
HIFU results, how long do they take to show?
Collagen produces over time after treatment, so results from HIFU will start to appear within four months, continuing to improve for six months after treatment. These results can last up to 12-18 months, maintenance treatments are required just once a year and can only be carried out after nine months from previous treatment, but no sooner.
As we are using one of the most advanced HIFU machines on the market, our device is a one off treatment, compared to others which usually require a course of three sessions one month apart to see results. This means our machine saved Karen time and effort spent attending multiple appointments and helped her achieve the results she wanted faster.
Speaking on her HIFU results, Karen said:
“HIFU has improved my confidence and I feel overall my skin is tighter, more lifted and youthful in appearance. My main concerns were the skin laxity and I feel since having HIFU it has tightened and lifted my skin where I felt it was sagging and heavy. The treatment was comfortable and I can’t recommend it enough, Annalise also reassured me throughout the whole process, keeping me at ease. I have had so many people comment on my skin and saying how fresh I look, my confidence has grown massively since having the treatment.”
You can achieve results like Karen’s! Book a no obligation consultation with us today, you can book online here, via Instagram and Facebook or by texting 07454 113 862. We offer HIFU treatment in Newcastle, out of our Ouseburn clinic.