With the many skin tightening treatments available today, which should you go for? Must skin tightening treatments be invasive and painful? Are they safe?
Dr Stephen Lowe, a veteran doctor with over 20 years of experience who is serving as medical director of MUSE Clinic will be sharing with you all about the Micro-Focused Ultrasound with Visualisation (MFU-V) treatment, the “Gold Standard” for non-invasive lifting and skin tightening1.
Tell us more about yourself, Dr Lowe. Have you always been involved in cosmetic medicine?
I’ve been working in cosmetic medicine for over 10 years but prior to this, I’ve worked in various roles including emergency medicine, surgery, general practice, women’s health, and psychiatry before finding my vocation in cosmetic medicine. Having treated thousands of patients over my career, I found that this really helps with my work as a cosmetic physician as it has given me a greater understanding of health, disease, and human nature. This translates into a better ability to really help my patients on their cosmetic journey.
What is the everyday life of an aesthetic doctor like?
A large part of my day consists of assessments and personalised treatment planning for my new patients with a combination of botulinum toxin, dermal fillers, and energy-based devices such as MFU-V. This involves really understanding what each patient is trying to achieve on their treatment journey. Another part of my day is dedicated to seeing returning patients for a review session to ensure our treatment plan is on track and that we are meeting the set goals.
I am also passionate about education, so keeping my team of nurses and therapists up to date with the latest developments is also really important.
You mentioned MFU-V. What are the benefits of this treatment?
I get an ever-increasing number of patients who ask me for facelift options without surgery, and my first choice is to discuss MFU-V. MFU-V helps to stimulate new collagen and elastin production in the skin. Collagen and elastin are two proteins essential for healthy skin and help to maintain a firm and youthful appearance. The treatment uses advanced micro-focused ultrasound technology to generate heat and create precise points of thermal “injury”, which, in turn, stimulates the regenerative process of creating new collagen and elastin, making this one of the best treatments to tighten your skin in areas like your face and neck.
Which areas do your patients normally request MFU-V on?
Most of my patients love to use MFU-V for their whole face! This results in a global rejuvenation, helping to lift and tighten along the jawline, under the chin, under the eyes, and the eyebrow area for a rested yet natural look. Some patients like to try a smaller area first, like the eyebrow area for a more refreshed and “awake” appearance.
From the perspective of a medical practitioner, what is it about MFU-V that stands out from the rest?
Unlike some other skin tightening and lifting technologies, MFU-V can deliver its effect with incredible accuracy and precision with its real-time visualisation. It allows me to scan beyond the skin surface to see exactly where our ultrasound energy is targeting as we are treating it.
Dr Stephen Lowe, a doctor with 20 years experience
Is MFU-V treatment safe?
As a doctor, a patient’s safety is an absolute priority, and I can say with confidence that MFU-V has a great safety profile as it is US FDA cleared with years of published data to support its safe and effective use. It also has almost 100 medical and scientific journal publications backing its use and has been rated the “Gold Standard” treatment for skin lifting and tightening by an international panel of experts1. I think it doesn’t get any safer than that!
What are some common questions that your patients ask before starting the treatment?
Level of discomfort! My patients often ask about discomfort as they may have heard that these procedures can be painful. The benefit of MFU-V is that the ultrasound energy is so accurately placed that much of the discomfort can be avoided if the procedure is done correctly. This means that the treatment is very tolerable and incredibly safe.
What do you usually suggest to patients to achieve the best possible results?
Although I sometimes use MFU-V as a single treatment, I usually combine MFU-V with other treatments for a truly holistic treatment plan. I love the combination of MFU-V with collagen-stimulating dermal fillers like calcium hydroxylapatite, as I think this combination can give amazing improvements to skin quality as well as provide lifting and firming to the skin. Ideally, I would perform MFU-V first, followed by collagen stimulators a few weeks later.
Share with us an experience where your patient saw significant improvement after undergoing MFU-V.
I remember an older patient who was amazed by the improvement in the skin around her eyes. As most people know, the skin under the eyes is extremely thin and delicate and is really challenging to perfect. For her, I used MFU-V to help tighten the skin and improve the overall skin quality. The patient was delighted that she was able to achieve such results without surgery and I was elated to be able to help her out. As the saying goes, a happy patient means a happy doctor!
Skin tightening and lifting used to be an invasive and painful procedure. However with such advanced technologies, looking youthful is so simple and accessible now. Start your Serendipity Journey and speak to an aesthetic doctor today!
References:
1. Fabi SG, et al. Optimizing Patient Outcomes by Customizing Treatment with Microfocused Ultrasound With Visualization: Gold Standard Consensus Guidelines from an Expert Panel. J Drugs Dermatol. 2019;18(5):426-432
