How to Care for Your Skin Before and After Ultherapy
Loose, sagging skin is one of the most common signs of aging that shows up on the face, neck, and chin. As we age, our bodies produce less collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid, gradually leading to skin laxity, wrinkles, and often dry, crepey skin.
One of the most effective non-surgical treatments for these common age-related concerns is an ultrasound-based device called Ultherapy. To see the best results from your Ultherapy treatment, follow these tips to care for your skin before and after your appointment.
A non-surgical skin-tightening treatment that uses ultrasound energy to shorten collagen fibers.
Skin care before and after should focus on promoting collagen production and skin healing.
Skin-tightening skin care ingredients like retinol and vitamin C can help you get firmer skin without Ultherapy – the results may just not be as dramatic.
What Is Ultherapy?
Ultherapy is a non-invasive skin-tightening procedure that uses ultrasound technology to stimulate collagen production. There are several types of ultrasound used in cosmetic treatments, including high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), microfocused ultrasound with visualization (MFU-V), and synchronous ultrasound parallel beam (SUPERB) technology.
Ultherapy uses MFU-V ultrasound energy. Unlike HIFU, which is used for deeper tissue ablation, MFU-V is designed to generate smaller thermal zones that promote skin rejuvenation with minimal damage. This makes Ultherapy ideal for treating delicate areas like the face, neck, and décolleté.
The Ultherapy device emits high-frequency ultrasound energy that is able to reach below the skin’s surface, where it briefly heats the targeted skin tissue to between 62°C and 65°C (144°F to 149°F). At this specific temperature, collagen fibers within the skin shorten, causing the surface of your skin to tighten and appear firmer (3). Additionally, the thermal energy triggers your skin’s natural healing process, which stimulates the production of new collagen, further firming and lifting the skin over time.
One key advantage of Ultherapy is that it bypasses the outermost layers of your skin, allowing it to reach the deeper structural layers without damaging the surface. This ability to selectively target specific depths allows Ultherapy to effectively achieve noticeable lifting and tightening effects that mimic the results of a surgical facelift, though on a smaller scale.
Prepping Your Skin Before Ultherapy
To maximize your Ultherapy results, you can begin using skin care products that will help to promote collagen at least two weeks before your appointment. I recommend using a product like Alastin Regenerating Skin Nectar , which contains peptides that help to clear out old, damaged collagen and elastin, making room for the new collagen that Ultherapy will help your skin produce.
I also recommend adding a vitamin C serum to your routine at least two weeks before Ultherapy, as vitamin C plays a key role in collagen synthesis.
Caring for Your Skin After Ultherapy
After your Ultherapy treatment, your skin will need extra care to promote healing and collagen production. I like Neocutis NEO THERAPY Neck & Decollete Tightening Cream for Post-Procedure Treatment or Alastin Recovery Balm to help soothe the skin and promote healing directly after a skin treatment like Ultherapy.
To promote collagen and maximize your skin-tightening results, you can add a growth factor serum like SkinMedica TNS Advanced + Serum and/or a vitamin C serum to boost collagen.
Benefits of Ultherapy
Ultherapy can be a great option for anyone looking to firm and tighten their skin without undergoing a surgical procedure like a facelift. These are some of the most notable benefits of this non-surgical skin-tightening treatment:
Ability to improve skin laxity, wrinkles, and creases in the face, neck, and submental (under chin) area
Precision and controlled heat that directly targets collagen fibers in the deeper layers of skin
Ability to bypass the outer layer of skin, leaving your skin’s surface undamaged
Pairs well with other non-surgical skin treatments like injectables, IPL treatments, or peels
No downtime or extensive recovery
Downsides of Ultherapy
Ultherapy does have some limitations and mild side effects:
Ultherapy may not be the best treatment for those with significant amounts of excess or loose skin or who are looking for the same level of results as a surgical procedure can provide.
Ultherapy may cause mild, temporary side effects such as redness, swelling, or tenderness in the treated area . These side effects typically resolve on their own in the days following your treatment.
The thermal energy that Ultherapy uses to tighten skin has the potential to also cause fat loss in the treated area, which can change the shape or contours of your face. Ensure your Ultherapy provider is trained and experienced to help minimize unintentional fat loss and maximize skin-tightening results.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding should not get Ultherapy treatments.
Ultherapy Results: What to Expect
Your Ultherapy results will develop gradually, providing a natural-looking lifting and firming effect. Most people begin to notice a significant improvement in skin laxity and wrinkles around 2 to 3 months after Ultherapy as new collagen builds up. You may continue to notice gradual improvements from there for up to six months , revealing your final results.
How long those skin-tightening results will last depends on several factors, including your age, lifestyle habits, and the severity of skin laxity. On average, Ultherapy results last 1 to 3 years , although some people still see noticeable results in as much as five years after their treatment.
Alternatives to Ultherapy
While Ultherapy can offer dramatic results, it is not the only way to promote firmer, tighter skin. If you would prefer to stick with topical skin care treatments, using products specifically designed to improve skin elasticity and promote collagen production may give some mild improvement.
However, no product can improve moderate to severe skin sagging, but many products can help prevent sagging skin.
Look for anti-aging ingredients like retinol, vitamin C, growth factors, defensins, and exosomes to achieve firmer, more youthful-looking skin. Always be sure to check that the anti-aging products you choose are a match for your skin type.
Bottom Line
Ultherapy is an effective, non-invasive treatment for those looking to lift and tighten their skin without surgery. Using the right skin care before and after skin-tightening treatments like Ultherapy can help to enhance and prolong your results.
Before you invest in new skin care products to use prior to skin treatments, make sure they are a match for your Baumann Skin Type. If you don’t yet know your skin type, take the quick and easy quiz now!
DQH Knowledge drop: In your 20s, your skin cell turnover decreases. (Cell turnover is a key component in keeping your skin youthful.) You know what else slows down? Your collagen production. Starting in your 20s, collagen decreases by about 1 percent per year. Should you want to prevent fine lines and wrinkles, start by eliminating behaviors that contribute to premature aging. “If it’s bad for you, it’s bad for your skin,” says dermatologist Michel Somenek.
“Cigarette smoking reduces blood flow to the skin and causes premature wrinkling and a dull skin texture. Making the repeated pursed motion to inhale can also cause smoker’s lines. Alcohol and recreational drugs are toxins for the skin that damage its cellular structure and DNA,” Somenek tells us. “The faster you eliminate vices while you are young, the better chance your skin and body have to recuperate.” Also, adopting an anti-aging routine in your 20s is key. After all, the best offense is a good defense. We spoke to Somenek and experts Joshua Ross and Audrey Kunin to find out more.
Keep reading for the best anti-aging products for your 20s, according to skincare professionals.
Sunscreen
“We all know that the sun is the number one cause of skin aging and starting the prevention in your 20s is very important,” Ross says. “The majority of your sun damage won’t start to appear until you’re in your 30s, so don’t wait until you see it surface or you’ll be behind the curve. Stay ahead of it with a good-quality zinc-based sunscreen worn daily.”
Farmacy Green Defense Daily Mineral Sunscreen
An invisible sunscreen with SPF 30, plus botanical extracts meant to protect skin with tons of antioxidants. Bonus: It’s clean and fine to use under makeup.
Bareminerals Complexion Rescue™ Tinted Moisturizer Broad Spectrum SPF 30
Although we recommend you use your SPF and moisturizer separately, we also understand moments when you don’t have time or energy for that extra step. For those times, this bareMinerals moisturizer is a great thing to have on hand.
Vitamin C Serum
“A great introduction to anti-aging is to start with a vitamin C serum in your morning skincare routine,” Ross says. “It’s a powerful antioxidant that will neutralize free radicals and brighten the skin.” He adds that it’s a great way to counteract the effects of the sun’s harmful rays, which, as previously mentioned, are among the biggest causes of premature aging.
Drunk Elephant C-Firma™ Vitamin C Day Serum
The Drunk Elephant C-Firma is a lightweight serum that promises to give skin a glow by combining the brightening powers of vitamin C with ferulic acid, l-ascorbic acid, and vitamin E. The included sodium hyaluronate is meant to replace hydration loss, so you shouldn’t have to deal with any irritation.
Sunday Riley C.E.O. Rapid Flash Brightening Serum
This potent serum is jam-packed with vitamin C (15 percent, to be exact), which means it’s a potential superstar at both brightening skin and dousing it in antioxidants.
Peptides
Using peptides on your skin has many benefits, says Somenek. “The skin barrier is what defends the body against pollution, UV rays, bacteria, and toxins. It can be damaged by several everyday factors. Using topical peptides aids in building a stronger barrier,” he says. “Peptides comprise elastic fibers, which are a type of protein. These fibers help to make skin appear taut and firm. Peptides can also help repair damaged skin, relieve inflammation, and even out skin tone. Some peptides can kill acne-causing bacteria that is common in 20-somethings.”
Kunin agrees, saying, “Peptides are an excellent entry point for supporting collagen.” She recommends looking for face and eye treatments that contain these collagen-boosting powerhouses.
Charlotte Tilbury Magic Eye Rescue Cream
This Charlotte Tilbury super-emollient eye cream has a base of coconut oil and shea butter (read: it’s incredibly hydrating). Botanicals plus peptides are meant to help reduce dark circles and boost collagen, respectively.
This creamy moisturizer serves up potent collagen-boosting peptides and pycnogenol, and antioxidant-rich vitamin C. “Instead of sitting on top of the skin, peptides penetrate the outer layer so they go deep. The ‘signals’ they send tell the cells to produce elastin and collagen, which are needed for youthful-looking skin,” explains Somenek.
At-Home Peel Pads
Remember that skin cell turnover fiasco we talked about earlier? One way to help support it is by exfoliating. “Exfoliation is important to help keep skin fresh and luminous,” Kunin says. She recommends using at-home peel pads as an easy and effective way to exfoliate.
“The goal in your 20s is to fight the slowing pace of cell turnover. It is wise to use products that gently exfoliate, yet still remove oil and other impurities. Products that have Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHA) or Beta Hydroxy Acids (BHA) are a good choice.”
According to Somenek, you should only exfoliate two to three times a week. “People of all ages are guilty of over-exfoliating and that can be too much of a good thing,” he says.
Dermadoctor Kakadu C Intensive Vitamin C Peel Pad
A few swipes of this Derma Doctor powerful peel pad promise to leave your skin glowing and smooth, thanks to the seven (yes, seven) types of chemical exfoliants, including AHA and BHA. It also contains vitamin C via Kakadu plum extract for added brightening and antioxidant protection.
KEY INGREDIENTS Kakadu plum extract is sourced from the Kakadu plum, a fruit grown in northern Australia. It contains vitamin C, which restores the skin’s natural barrier, increases collagen production, and soothes irritation.
Dr. Dennis Gross Skincare Alpha Beta® Universal Daily Peel Pads
These are the gold standard of peel pads, with a cult following and over 900 five-star reviews on Sephora. They’re easy to use and contain a blend of anti-aging exfoliating acids.
Emollient Night Cream
“In your 20s, you need to start upping the hydration in your skincare routine. You may have been cautious of over-moisturizing because of acne in your teens, but as you enter your 20s, your skin transitions and becomes drier,” Ross says. “I recommend an emollient night cream added into your evening skincare regimen.”
“Twenty-somethings need to make sure that they are not using creams that will clog their pores and cause excess oil production,” says Somenek. Opt for non-comedogenic products.
Cerave Skin Renewing Night Cream
One great choice is the CeraVe Skin Renewing Night Cream, which is a non-comedogenic night cream that leaves skin soft and glowy. It combines the moisturizing powers of ceramides and hyaluronic acid.
RoC Retinol Correxion Max Hydration Creme
“The best night cream ingredients contain retinol, benzoyl peroxide, and/or salicylic acid or hyaluronic acid. The goal is to moisturize, yet remove excess oil,” says Somenek. This Roc Retinol Correxion cream fits the bill as it contains both hyaluronic acid and retinol so it promises to moisturize while also being non-comedogenic.
