High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is a medical procedure that uses ultrasound waves to treat certain conditions, such as tumors. It’s a minimally invasive procedure.Healthcare providers use regular ultrasound scans for several imaging purposes. Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to create real-time pictures or video of internal organs or other soft tissues.
But HIFU doesn’t produce images. Instead, the very high-intensity and highly focused sound waves interact with targeted tissues in your body to modify or destroy them.It’s similar to how a magnifying glass focuses sunlight on a target. In HIFU, many beams of ultrasound focus on the exact tissue area that requires treatment. The highly focused energy from the ultrasound causes the temperature of the tissue to rise, and the heat destroys (ablates) the targeted tissue area.
The ultrasound beams can pass through layers of tissue (such as your skin), leaving them unharmed, until they reach their target.Providers often either use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or ultrasound imaging to guide, assess and monitor the HIFU procedure. One common type of HIFU is magnetic resonance-guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS).
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), HIFU and other nonsurgical alternatives to facelifts have seen a major increase in popularity over the last few years. The total number of procedures performed has increased 64.8 percent between 2012 and 2017.
HIFU has many aesthetic benefits, including:
Wrinkle reduction
Tightening sagging skin on the neck (sometimes called turkey neck)
Lifting the cheeks, eyebrows, and eyelids
Enhancing jawline definition
Tightening of the décolletage
Smoothing the skin
HIFU is a completely non invasive, clinically proven face lifting & skin tightening procedure for the entire face, neck and body.
HIFU treats the deep foundation layer addressed in cosmetic surgery, HIFU doesn’t duplicate the results of a face lift however it is a fantastic alternative and certainly the most effective face lifting procedure currently on the market without going under the knife. Especially good for those not ready for surgery or for patients looking to extend the effects of cosmetic surgery.