Elimination of age-related changes, tightening of the skin of the face and neck
Deep lifting without surgery
Rejuvenation for 7-10 years
Visible effect after 1 procedure
No recovery period required
Non-surgical SMAS-lifting Altera is a hardware deep lifting technique using micro-focused ultrasound on the Ulthera System device (USA).
Ultrasonic SMAS lifting Altera is the first and only technique that allows deep lifting without surgery and without damaging the skin.
The mechanism of action of hardware facelift
Age-related gravitational changes cannot be eliminated by acting only on the upper layers of the skin, since the supporting structures are located in the deeper layers of soft tissue. For effective facial skin tightening, it is necessary to act at the SMAS level.
The SMAS (superficial musculoaponeurotic system) is a structure that covers the facial muscles and connects them to the skin.
The Ulthera System ultrasonic wave is focused in such a way as to create targeted heating at the level of SMAS, subcutaneous fat and dermis, which entails tightening of all layers of soft tissues of the face, providing deep lifting.
In addition to tissue tightening, ultrasound also actively produces new collagen and elastin, which further tightens and rejuvenates the skin. The lifting effect increases over 2-3 months. Thus, Altera not only eliminates the signs of aging, but also prevents the appearance of new ones.
Is it possible to do SMAS rejuvenation after 60 years?
Expert commentary
“I strongly recommend that women undergo SMAS facial plastic surgery before the age of 50 – that is, before hormonal changes. Practice shows that after this milestone, the symptoms of age behave like a roller coaster: just yesterday the skin of the face was elastic and dense, and today it is already dry, sagging and deep creases.
In addition, hormonal changes affect not only the well-being and quality of the skin, but also the ability to recover: damage at this age heals much more slowly.
And I won’t tire of repeating: it makes sense to do plastic surgery not in order to “look 20 at 70.” It is needed to prolong the quality of life of that golden period when you look fresh and appropriate for your age.”
Andrey Iskornev, president of The Platinental clinic chain
By the age of 60, signs of age intensify and excess skin increases.
- To remove significant excess skin, you will need large-scale detachment. Moving tissue will also require more radical approaches. This lengthens the scars, increases the rehabilitation period and requires additional procedures during the recovery phase.
- Hormonal levels affect the quality and speed of healing. A decrease in estrogen makes this process less manageable.
- The body as a whole adapts less well to stress, and surgery is stressful.
- Late facial plastic surgery is usually very noticeable. And even the most masterful SMAS lifting operation will not raise any doubts about the man-made origin of your beauty.
Advantages
- The SMAS lifting procedure using the Altera device does not require special preparation
- The procedure takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours depending on the area of treatment
- Ulthera-therapy is a one-time procedure that does not require a recovery period.
- The Altera hardware lifting method is considered one of the most effective rejuvenation technologies around the world: In the USA, the procedure has received approval from the FDA (American Academy of Dermatology
- Proven effectiveness: over 1,000,000 procedures have been performed worldwide.
How is SMAS facial lifting performed?
First of all, the surgeon performs an examination and analyzes which muscles in the face are stretched and soft tissues are sagging. The goal of SMAS lifting is to return the tissue to its original position. During the operation, the skin is moved and excess skin is excised. SMAS facial lifting fixes tissues in an ideal position. The result of this procedure:
- elimination of wrinkles and folds;
- restoration of facial volumes and contours;
- combating excess skin and sagging subcutaneous tissue.
SMAS facial lifting is performed under general anesthesia. The operation lasts from 2 to 4 hours. For SMAS facial lifting, we use modern drugs and anesthetics that do not cause negative side effects. During the operation, the doctor makes an incision along the hairline and behind the ear. In these areas, scars are almost invisible.
Need a consultation?
You can find out the cost of SMAS face lifting in our clinic by phone in Moscow.
Which SMAS lifting is better?
The one that suits you: a facelift is always an individual story.
From the outside, it seems that a lift is something that is a little more complicated than a Lego constructor: if the surgeon acts in a certain sequence, he is guaranteed to get “Olivia’s house.”
There is no universal recipe for an ideal SMAS facelift. Only general principles (by the way, the medical community has not yet fully agreed on what is considered SMAS and what is not). Every surgeon studies for a long time, practices and looks for his own ways to achieve results.
There are many different facelift options and hundreds of names. Often, by the same operation, different schools and specialists mean different amounts of intervention.
You've probably heard about facelift, spacelifting, ART lifting, endoscopic SMAS lifting, 3D lifting, circular facelift, deep SMAS lifting... You often ask how SMAS lifting differs from facelifting. (Nothing really. These are synonyms).
The truth is that completely different techniques can provide excellent results. Therefore, entrust the choice of the best volume of surgery to your surgeon - here you need the “eye” of a professional.
Effect of the procedure
SMAS lifting can even be compared to a surgical facelift. However, the effect begins to appear a month after the first session. This is the time that the body needs to synthesize new collagen fibers.
As a result of knot-lifting:
- the skin is noticeably tightened and its quality improves;
- the face looks rejuvenated and rested;
- facial features acquire their clarity, the oval of the face also improves;
- wrinkles disappear, the corners of the lips are tightened;
- bags under the eyes are reduced;
- the effect of photoaging is eliminated.
How does Ulthera therapy work?
If during surgical plastic surgery the muscles and skin stretched over the years are subject to excision, then with Ulthera therapy a multi-level effect is produced on the skin and muscles without damaging them.
The procedure is virtually painless and does not require anesthesia.
The operating principle of Ulthera-therapy is as follows: with the help of a safe exposure of a sensor with micro-focused ultrasound to various layers of the skin - from the superficial to the SMAS (muscular aponeurotic system) - they are heated to a point. When the temperature in the skin and subcutaneous fat rises, the collagen fibers and connective tissue of the fat layers become denser. The skin begins to tighten.
In addition, during the Ulthera-therapy procedure, micro-focused ultrasound energy is delivered to a precise depth and at a temperature that stimulates the growth of new, “young” collagen and elastin instead of “old”, without damaging the skin surface.
After all, young structural proteins of the skin (collagen and elastin) appear precisely when the tissues are heated to a certain threshold temperature. In this case, collagen and elastin that have served their time are first destroyed, and then new proteins are synthesized.
Opinion of leading doctors of the world
Dr. Klaus Fritz MD (Germany)
“When using Ultraformer with three different cartridges, an immediate skin tightening effect is visible, acting at the SMAS level, which is located approximately 4.5 mm deep within the dermis. Plastic surgery is considered one of the options for skin tightening, but now, using Ultraformer laser technologies, you can achieve almost the same effect without surgery. My patients and I myself are very satisfied with the clinical results of the treatment.”
Dr. Franko Lauro (Italy)
“The skin firming effect of using Ultraformer is unique. I worked with medical devices before I knew about HIFU machines. Laser has limitations in terms of clinical results and side effects. Ultraformer perfectly strengthens and tightens the skin using HIFU technology, which makes it possible to create a maximum targeted flow of ultrasound energy to specific areas, especially the SMAS level.”
Dr. Jean-Louis Sebagh (London)
“I have been using the Ultraformer for a year now and am very pleased with the clinical results. I believe that Ultraformer will cause a sea change in skin lifting. Before HIFU technology was introduced, injections and plastic surgery were used to tighten the skin. Now you can achieve much better results without surgery. I am proud to be one of Ultraformer2's largest customers."
Contraindications
There are several absolute contraindications to HIFU - these are open wounds and severe cystic acne.
Relative contraindications include a history of keloid scars, implants and fillers in the treated area. Caution should be exercised in patients at risk for bleeding, poor wound healing, infection, exacerbation of an autoimmune disorder, and other underlying medical conditions.
High-intensity focused ultrasound shows limited effectiveness in patients with extensive ptosis and skin laxity, severe lipoptosis with a bulky double chin, and prominent platysmal striation of the neck. For such people, other procedures may be recommended, including surgery.
Indications and contraindications for the procedure
Indications:
- Atony of the muscles of the face, neck, décolleté, knees, elbows, buttocks
- Loss of skin elasticity
- Wrinkles on the face
- Ptosis of forehead, eyebrows
Contraindications:
- Pacemaker
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding
- Herpes in the rash stage
Ulthera DeepSEE Imaging System
Each Altera System sensor is equipped with patented Ulthera DeepSEE technology, which provides high-quality visualization of soft tissue at a depth of up to 8 mm. Such control helps to select the optimal depth of impact and avoid unintentional damage to structures. In addition, proper contact of the sensor with the skin surface is monitored, which significantly reduces the risk of adverse events.
In reality, the visualization looks like this: when the sensor is applied to the face, an image of the skin and the muscular-aponeurotic system appears on the device’s screen. This is reminiscent of an ultrasonic examination procedure. Visualization greatly helps the doctor to work on the deep dermal and subcutaneous layers, tighten and tighten the skin of the face, neck and décolleté, and correct wrinkles.
Our services
You can undergo the SMAS lifting procedure using the Ultraformer III (Ultraformer 3) device in Moscow at affordable prices at AMADEO. We employ qualified cosmetologists with extensive experience and have all the necessary equipment to carry out procedures.
The Center for Aesthetic Medicine is located in the closed joint-stock company, in the Ramenki area. Check-in is from Stoletova Street. There is free parking on site for clients. The exact address, directions and telephone number for contact are given on the “Contacts” page.
To take the first step towards transformation and schedule a consultation with specialists, fill out the electronic form on the website or call the number provided. The administrator will tell you in detail about the services and help you choose a date and convenient time for your visit.
Altera System Sensors
With the Altera System device, you can use 6 sensors with different depths of penetration into the skin and subcutaneous layer: 4.5, 3.0 and 1.5 mm and various shapes for large and anatomically difficult to reach areas.
Impact depth – 4.5 mm
Ulthera DeepSEE DS 4–4.5. This attachment allows you to influence SMAS in the middle and lower thirds of the face, neck and décolleté.
Ulthera DeepSEE DS 7–4.5. The effect is carried out, depending on the thickness of the skin, on the SMAS or hypodermis (lower layer of skin) in the upper, middle and lower thirds of the face.
Impact depth – 3.0 mm
Ulthera DeepSEE DS 7–3.0. The nozzle works on the hypodermis or deep layers of the dermis in the upper, middle and lower thirds of the face, neck and décolleté.
Ulthera DeepSEE DS 7–3.0N. It affects the hypodermis or deep layers of the dermis in anatomically difficult to reach areas, such as the periorbital and perioral (eye and lip areas).
Impact depth – 1.5 mm
Ulthera DeepSEE DS 10–1.5. The impact is carried out on the deep layers of the dermis in the upper, middle and lower thirds of the face, in the neck and décolleté.
Ulthera DeepSEE DS 10–1.5N. Works on the deep layers of the dermis in anatomically difficult-to-reach areas, such as the periorbital and perioral.
When exposed to micro-focused ultrasound, thermocoagulation zones of 0.4 - 1.0 mm3 are formed. Energy is focused at precisely defined depths of 5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm. Stable heating temperature 60 - 70°C. Each heating zone is surrounded by fabric that does not heat up.
Thanks to these properties, the synthesis of new collagen is triggered, high tissue regeneration is ensured and the rehabilitation period is significantly reduced.
HIFU devices in medicine
A classic HIFU therapy device is equipped with a piezoelectric ultrasound transducer to deliver focused ultrasound radiation to the target area. When ultrasound energy is absorbed in the specified area, a thermal effect occurs with heating of tissues to 60 °C or more.3 Cavitation damage to tissues is also observed - its essence lies in the formation of steam microbubbles that destroy cell walls.
With a sufficiently powerful effect of the HIFU medical device, irreversible cell death can develop.3 This effect is used for targeted removal of tumors of bones, tissues and internal organs, therapy for Parkinson’s disease, treatment of chronic pain, etc.
But in addition to the medical field, many HIFU lifting devices are produced today, which I would like to focus on.
The effectiveness of HIFU lifting devices
Scientists analyzed the subjective satisfaction of patients on a 5-point Likert Scale after HIFU. The mean score was 2.82 points at 3 months, 2.28 points at 6 months, and 2.82 points at 12 months. Objective physician assessment of improvements on a Likert scale was 2.74 points out of 5.4
The Subjective Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale (SGAIS) demonstrated that 83% of patients actually reported improvement in their skin after HIFU. With a maximum of 1 point, it averaged 0.86 points after 2 months, 0.80 points after 3 months, and 0.85 points after 6 months.4
Objective Overall Aesthetic Improvement Scale (PGAIS) scores were 0.95 at 2 months, 0.83 at 3 months, and 0.89 at 6 months. As you can see, a medical assessment reveals a more significant improvement in skin condition after the HIFU lifting device.
Rice. 2. A 28-year-old girl before the HIFU procedure on the lower third of the face and neck, as well as 1, 5 and 12 months after it (sequence of pictures - from left to right)
Why we chose Doublo System lifting
One of the rules of the PRAGA clinic is to offer clients the most modern equipment, which makes it possible to provide services with an optimal price-quality ratio. The innovative Doublo System device has proven itself in the following indicators:
- power - quickly achieve the desired result after ultrasound facelift;
- accuracy - an image sensor is built into the scanning ultrasound head, from which data is displayed on a color display monitor.
