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The HIFU treatment for slimming is now an increasingly popular treatment in the field of aesthetic medicine. This is due to its high efficiency and safety. The doctor does not need a scalpel to perform the procedure. Only ultrasounds are used, which improve skin tension and increase elasticity, and reduce excess body fat.
The HIFU treatment is a modern, but still very expensive offer of many aesthetic medicine salons, the price of which is around several thousand. However, the price goes hand in hand with many advantages, as it is a non-surgical, practically painless procedure, after which the risk of any complications is minimal.
HIFU is an abbreviation of the English language that means high-intensity focused ultrasound, i.e. a focused beam of long-range sound waves. As already mentioned, it is an aesthetic medicine procedure that uses ultrasound.
A concentrated beam of high-energy ultrasound is precisely focused on a point area of the body. It causes the movement and friction of the cells, which generates heat, and there are very small burns (0,5 to 1 mm) inside the tissues. As a result, there is reconstruction and regeneration under the skin stimulated by tissue damage. The ultrasound waves reach the deeper layers of the skin, thanks to which the epidermal layer is not disturbed.
Read also Fr. other slimming treatments:
- Exilis treatment;
- endermologia;
- cryolipolysis.
The HIFU treatment causes two phenomena – thermal and mechanical. In the first case, the tissue absorbs the ultrasound and the temperature increases (60-70 degrees C), which in turn causes the tissue to coagulate. The second phenomenon is the formation of gas bubbles inside the cell, causing the pressure to rise and consequently destroying the cell’s structure.
The HIFU treatment is most often performed on the skin of the face and neck. It increases the production of elastin and collagen fibers. As a result of the HIFU treatment, the facial skin is smoother, more dense and its tension improves. The treatment also reduces wrinkles (smoker’s and crow’s feet), rejuvenates the face oval, delays the aging process of the skin, reduces drooping cheeks, stretch marks and scars.
The effectiveness of the HIFU treatment is tall. Immediately after the treatment, you can see an improvement in the condition of the skin. However, you should wait up to 90 days for the full effects of the treatment, because then the full regeneration process and the production of new collagen will end.
Metoda HIFU it is most often used in face and neck skin lifting. Less frequently, HIFU is performed around the abdomen, waist, buttocks, breasts, knees, thighs and arms.
The most common purpose of the procedure in the above-mentioned parts of the body is to reduce adipose tissue, shape the figure, correct and eliminate stretch marks, scars or discoloration. The HIFU treatment is popular among women who have sagging skin after childbirth or after losing a lot of body weight.
- Also read: Slimming treatments – what are the effects?
It is worth mentioning that treatments with the use of ultrasound it has only been used in aesthetic medicine for a few years. However, for many years the HIFU method has been used in the treatment of uterine fibroids and neoplasms (prostate, bladder and kidney cancer). Research on the use of the HIFU method in the treatment of other cancers, such as breast and liver cancer, is still under development. The method of operation is very similar to that of aesthetic medicine treatments. High intensity ultrasound beam penetrates inside the tumor, where it raises the temperature and causes the death of diseased cancer cells.
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Contraindications and side effects of the HIFU treatment
There are some contraindications to every procedure, even non-invasive in the field of aesthetic medicine. In the case of HIFU treatment, it is a number of diseases, such as: cancer, heart disease, skin disease, dermatosis, wounds and a tendency to develop keloids, epilepsy, uncontrolled diabetes, chronic neurological diseases. Also, people taking certain medications, such as anti-inflammatory drugs and those with pacemakers and other metal implants, should not undergo the HIFU procedure. This also applies to pregnant and breastfeeding women.
While HIFU facial skin treatment should not be carried out for a period of 2 weeks after treatments using hyaluronic acid and botox. As a result of the HIFU procedure, there is a very small risk of side effects. Usually, it is a slight reddening that persists for several hours, and for several days it may be irritating with slight hypersensitivity and pain at the site of the procedure. In very rare cases, a transient paraesthesia of the neurosensory endings may occur.
The course and cost of the HIFU procedure
The treatment should be performed in professional aesthetic medicine clinic. The equipment must be operated by qualified persons, as improperly selected treatment depth may lead to bone burns. Before performing the HIFU treatment, the skin is smeared with a gel. Then the doctor places an ultrasound emitting device at this point.
The HIFU method of lifting the face costs an average of PLN 1500 to 3500. It is slightly cheaper to perform procedures on a small area of the face. Higher amounts need to be spent on modeling the abdomen, back or thighs.
Do you want to improve the oval of your face or fill sunken places? Make an appointment for a face volumetry treatment.
Post-treatment recommendations
A person who has undergone HIFU treatment should exercise caution for a week so as not to irritate sensitive skin. During this time, it is not recommended to exfoliate the skin exposed to ultrasound. So it is better to choose delicate cosmetics and give up peelings. The first day after the procedure requires caution when chewing and laughing, as well as refraining from physical exertion. Within a month after the procedure, you should not take anti-inflammatory or analgesic drugs – the exception here is paracetamol.
Effects of the HIFU procedure can be seen as early as a day or two after the procedure, but the final result is seen after three months. Usually one visit is enough, but if the ultrasound does not meet expectations, a second treatment can be performed.