By Dennis Payne, ed.
Italy, May 2016: Whether you are in need of a lift after the long winter months or you (or your child) is getting married soon and you want to make sure you look your best in the wedding photos, the award-winning Adler Thermae in southern Tuscany has introduced Ultherapy to help you look fresh faced this summer.
It is a fact we all must face: as we get older, nature takes its course and the effects of sun exposure, gravity and muscle deterioration inevitably result in flabby, drooping skin. Until recently, the only way to correct this downward spiral was through surgery, but not anymore. Giant leaps in the medical world have resulted in the development of effective non-invasive treatments that do not leave scars and do not require long periods of recuperation.
Adler Thermae: exterior view & relaxation area
One such treatment is Ultherapy, which uses safe, time-tested ultrasound energy to lift and tighten the skin naturally. It is the only non-invasive procedure cleared by the FDA (Food & Drug Administration) in the United States to lift skin on the neck, under the chin and on the eyebrow, and will also work to improve the appearance of lines and wrinkles on the décolletage.
Ultrasound has been used safely for various purposes in medicine for more than 50 years, and Ultherapy has been established as safe and effective thanks to more than 60 clinical studies and over half a million treatments worldwide. Using ultrasound, Ultherapy incorporates traditional imaging that allows doctors to see the layers of tissue that require the most help and then delivers a targeted collagen-boosting treatment to the places where it will be most beneficial.
How it works
With Ultherapy, collagen production is stimulated in the skin’s foundation layer that is typically addressed by cosmetic surgery, but without cutting or disrupting the surface of the skin. Unlike lasers, radio frequency, surgery and other technologies, non-surgical Ultherapy bypasses the surface of the skin to deliver the right amount of ultrasound energy at the right depths and the right temperature. This energy triggers a natural response under the skin, jumpstarting the regenerative process that produces fresh, new collagen.
Results
Some patients see an initial effect right after their treatment, but the real results appear over a period of 2 to 3 months (and last up to a year) as new collagen works to lift and tighten skin on the neck, chin and brow, as well as to smooth skin on the chest. While Ultherapy does not replicate the results of a facelift, it is a clinically proven non-invasive alternative for those not ready for surgery – and can even be an option for patients who wish to extend the effects of cosmetic surgery.
The great news is that just one session of Ultherapy (lasting around an hour) is required and there is no downtime or the need for pre- or post-treatment restrictions. There are also no contraindications, so other aesthetic and wellness treatments can be enjoyed during the same visit to Adler Thermae. As a result, Ultherapy has become a firm favourite among those in the know, with one US beauty editor calling it the one “must do” treatment to stop your neck from falling.
Additionally, Adler Thermae, situated in the picturesque area of southern Tuscany known as Val d’Orcia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, offers a wide range of wellness treatments, from modern western medicine to complementary and alternative healing methods. The ADLER MED medical competence centre has its own interdisciplinary team of doctors from a variety of disciplines, such as general medicine, laboratory medicine, aesthetic medicine, modern Mayr medicine, homeopathy, phytotherapy and dietology.