Jenni Gilbert About six months ago I had an Ultherapy treatment to tighten my jawline and neck. I’ve spent so much time, effort and money over the years keeping my face in a semblance of place and my skin as smooth and even as possible, the throat was letting the side down badly.
I won’t say the treatment, performed at cosmetic physician Dr Joseph Hkiek’s All Saints Cosmedical clinic in Sydney, didn’t, uh, hurt somewhat …
But as with any treatment that will help me look better, and in turn feel better about myself, I’m prepared to suck it up (you may recall my Rocky-esque shiner from under-eye fillers a few weeks ago). Memo to self: Next time I have a treatment, take some painkillers and/or a sedative first to smooth the edges.
There is the illusion of an immediate tightening and lifting effect, but this is because the treated area remains swollen for a day or two as a result of the ultrasound energy heating the deeper layers of tissue to stimulate the firming of existing collagen and elastin fibres and production of new ones.
When the swelling subsides the treated area reverts to what it looked like before. Then you kind of forget about it until, around a month or so later, you catch unexpected glimpses of yourself in the mirror or other reflective surfaces and notice a subtle improvement. Plus the skin starts to feel a lot softer and smoother, and more receptive to products.
After three months (when optimal results are generally seen), I saw a distinct difference and I started getting comments that my neck “looks good for my age” (ah, damn me with faint praise!).
However, I’m still a bothered by a bit of a turkey gobbler at the middle of my throat.
Last weekend I attended a workshop held by Merz Aesthetics – distributors in Australia of Ultherapy, Radiesse and Belotero dermal fillers, and Xeomin anti-wrinkle injections – to interview two leading surgeons from Asia.
Dr Yates Y. Chao, Director of L1 Cosmetic Surgery and Laser Centre and Chao and Chiu Institute of Dermatology, Taiwan, and Dr Je Young Park, Director of Oracle Dermatology and Plastic Surgery Centre, South Korea, presented to Australian cosmetic surgeons and physicians on latest anti-ageing and enhancement techniques for the Asian face, as well as techniques for faces in general.
So I got talking about neck rejuvenation and how Ultherapy plays an important role nowadays, upon which Dr Park looked at mine and commented (not rudely, I hasten to add): “I see you haven’t had it.”
Um, oh … obviously not everywhere I needed to have it! No fault of the folk who performed my treatment – I just didn’t ask the right questions.
So what I now know is that Ultherapy needn’t stop at the jawline, although this certainly improves the appearance of pesky double chins and thus the upper neck in general.
To fillet turkey gobblers, the Ultherapy handpiece is applied vertically at either side of the throat. Aha! Now that makes sense. It can also be used to lift the decolletage.
The doctors added that best results are achieved by augmenting Ultherapy treatments with dermal fillers to smooth out lines and hollows and anti-wrinkle injections to soften the platysma bands that contract as we get older and can give the neck that ageing “ropey” look (see our Video of the Week on the home page for the procedures in action).
All these treatments are performed by Dr Hkiek in Sydney, who tells SPA+CLINIC: “Ultherapy, uses ultrasound to tighten existing collagen and stimulates new collagen formation by focused heating of the layers of the skin where tightening is needed.
“Ultrasound penetrates deeper than radiofrequency so we can treat at a deeper level.
“As well as HA fillers and anti-wrinkle injections, we can add Radiesse to the picture [a filler that actually `grows’ on you over a period of months], as it helps to stimulate more collagen and the effects of combination is much superior to one therapy alone.”
The visiting doctors and Dr Hkiek also pointed out that the forehead and temples should not be overlooked as a primary zone for rejuvenation, and not just with anti-wrinkle injections but dermal fillers.
They say much injecting is concentrated around the mid cheeks and mouth area, but if the top zone of the face is left untouched it can make the face look “unfinished”, or even out of whack.
“Like any part of the face, the temples and forehead lose volume,” says Dr Hkiek. “We lose the soft contour of the forehead as a result, and we see more of the bony prominences.
“But the forehead is an advanced filler area, with many danger zones. Injectors without thorough knowledge and training can potentially cause vascular occlusions and (alebit rarely) blindness, hence the need to use cannulas in preference to needles.
“We use fillers to contour the forehead, support the brows and soften the look (removing the `bossy’ forehead look).”
MERZAESTHETICS.COM; ULTHERAPY.COM.AU; ALLSAINTSCOSMEDICAL.COM.AU
