Skin laxity is one of the earliest and most frustrating signs of aging, leading to lines, wrinkles, and a tired appearance. While many people want to see tighter, smoother skin, not everyone is ready for or needs a surgical procedure. At Krauss Dermatology, we offer skin tightening treatments that firm and lift your skin from within for long-lasting improvements.
What Causes Sagging Skin?
Your skin can sag if it becomes stretched by factors like weight changes, but the most common causes of skin laxity are collagen loss and sun damage. Collagen is the most important structural protein in your skin, but it decreases with age, leaving your skin with less support and elasticity. UV damage from sun exposure not only damages skin cell DNA but also accelerates collagen loss.
What’s the Best Skin Tightening Treatment?
While several treatment options, including laser treatments, have skin-tightening benefits, one treatment stands out for its ability to provide immediate tightening and trigger significant collagen production. Ultherapy® uses ultrasound energy to heat the deep layers of your skin, causing both immediate and long-lasting changes.
Your skin experts at Krauss Dermatology may recommend ultherapy for skin tightening if you have mild to moderate skin laxity and want to address it without surgery or scars. This non-invasive procedure can produce dramatic improvements in your jawline, chin, neck, and chest.
How Does Ultherapy Work?
During Ultherapy®, the ultrasound energy travels through your skin without harming it. It transmits heat to your dermis, causing collagen fibers to contract and tighten the skin. At the same time, the heat stimulates the fibroblast cells in your dermis to increase their collagen formation, restoring youthful firmness over time.
Ultherapy® can feel intense, so we offer Pronox, an inhaled “laughing gas” treatment that allows you to feel relaxed and pain-free during your session. Unlike sedation, Pronox allows you to return to alertness immediately and drive yourself home.
Is There Any Downtime After Ultherapy?
Since it does not injure the superficial layers of the skin, Ultherapy® generally requires no downtime. Many people experience a day or two of redness, and some may notice minor bruising. You can apply makeup to cover these effects, allowing you to return to work or other activities without delay.
Am I a Good Candidate for Skin Tightening?
Unlike some lasers, ultrasound energy is safe for any skin tone, and almost anyone can benefit from this skin-tightening treatment. Good candidates for Ultherapy® have mild to moderate sagging and understand that ultherapy does not produce the same results as a surgical procedure. Patients 65 years old and under tend to do best due to their better capacity to produce collagen after the procedure.
People with certain medical conditions, abnormal scarring tendencies (keloids), or those who are pregnant should not have this treatment. You should not have ultherapy on broken or irritated skin. Only a consultation can determine whether this treatment is recommended for you.
Take the Next Step
If you have further questions about skin tightening treatments, we encourage you to schedule a consultation at Krauss Dermatology. Call us at (781) 247-5593 or fill out our online contact form. We look forward to taking care of you.