On the more common “conditions” that clients face, and how does each treatment target these
“While most people hope to age gracefully and look good at every stage of their life, some changes in our skin is inevitable. For example, most people in their 30s will notice that their skin starts to lose elasticity and expression lines become more obvious. A majority of individuals in their 40s will experience more drastic deep fat loss that results in hollowing of the cheek and temples, while superficial fat gain results in a more prominent nasolabial fold and formation of jowl fat. These are often perceived as skin laxity with sagginess, fine lines, wrinkles ad heaviness in the lower face.

Patients often seek skin tightening treatments to smooth and plump their skin to achieve a more contoured appearance, and to reverse visible signs of ageing if any. Many patients opt for non-invasive in-clinic procedures with minimal to no downtime, so as to fit into their lifestyle and budget.

At Illumia Medical, we provide a wide range of non-invasive skin tightening solutions. These include Ulthera 360, 5G Thermage, Elite IG 5D and HIFU. Depending on your concern(s), one or more of these non-invasive treatments may be the right fit for you.”

On the key benefits (and key differences) of Ulthera, Thermage 5G, Elite IQ 5D and HIFU
“Both Ulthera and HIFU treatments use ultrasound energy that bypasses the various layers to heat skin tissues at the SMAS level. This stimulates the regeneration of fresh collagen and elastin at deeper layers of the skin, which in turn restores skin strength and firmness for a lifting effect. Ultrasound energy based treatments are suitable for individuals who have concerns with heaviness in the lower face and a require a treatment that provides visible results in the cheek and  jawline.

The Illumia Elite IQ 5D laser is a premium skin tightening treatment featuring a unique dual-wavelength laser. It targets all the layers of the skin to provide a tightening and slimming effect to the face whilst also improving the superficial skin texture. At the deeper layers, this device causes lipolysis, which reduces stubborn fat deposits. Closer to the skin surface, collagen stimulation results in an improvement in skin texture, reducing the appearance of pores, fine lines, and imparts a healthy radiant glow to the skin. The 5D laser treatment is suitable for patients who need improvement in both the deep and superficial layers of the skin. 

Thermage 5G is one of the premier non-invasive skin tightening treatments that uses monopolar radiofrequency technology. It heats the skin from the surface, so this works well with treating superficial skin concerns such as early fine lines, enlarged pores and textured skin. As heat travels into the deeper layers, an initial response of immediate collagen contraction is triggered. This results in a tightening effect, followed by a collagen remodelling and new collagen deposition over the subsequent weeks. This treatment is most suitable for individuals who need an overall skin tightening effect, and to improve the appearance of fine lines and reduce evidence of early skin laxity.”

On the time period before one sees results
“These treatments stimulate your body’s natural collagen production, so the results will become more apparent gradually over three to six months following a single treatment session. You will notice a smoother, tighter, and more lifted-looking visage.”

On how long these effects last, and how often one should do these treatments
“These results can usually last for nine to 12 months, but it’s also dependent on the individual’s skin condition and lifestyle habits that will affect the ageing process. Hence, skin tightening procedures are recommended as part of an annual skin rejuvenation maintenance programme.”

On who these treatments are most suitable for
“We usually recommend these treatments for people with mild to moderate skin laxity. The ageing process varies amongst individuals, but most will usually notice the early signs of skin ageing such as loss of elasticity and thinning of the skin layers, deep fat loss with superficial fat gain, and bony resorption of the underlying skeleton by their mid-30s. Nonetheless, these treatments are suitable for most people, regardless of age. Typically, Ulthera and HIFU treatments are for lifting, while Thermage 5G is for skin tightening. For those who might not have visible signs of ageing can consider Elite IQ 5D as a form of preventive measure to maintain their youthful appearance.

However, instead of viewing these treatments as silos, at Illumia Medical, we prefer to combine these treatments to harness a synergistic result. For example, a patient who is concerned with heaviness in the lower face can go for an Ulthera treatment, and opt for HIFU as maintenance between the Ulthera sessions. A patient who hopes to get tighter skin and more lifted face contours can choose Thermage 5G for the full face combined with Ulthera for the jowls, double chin, and neck.”

On the difference between lasers and these treatments
“Lasers typically target the superficial layer, i.e. the pigmentation, pores, and pimples, while these non-invasive treatments target deeper layers of the skin. In comparison, non-invasive face lifting treatments like Ulthera and HIFU use ultrasound technology to stimulate your body’s natural collagen production. Thermage 5G uses radiofrequency technology to heat the surface of the skin for a tightening effect. Illumia Elite IQ 5D, though also a laser, is an exception. In addition to the above-mentioned benefits of a laser, this treatment also targets the deeper layers for skin tightening and lipolysis.”

On Ulthera vs HIFU
“Although both Ulthera and HIFU use ultrasound technologies, these are different types of ultrasound beams. Ulthera uses micro-focused ultrasound, while HIFU uses high-intensity focused ultrasound. In addition, Ulthera supports real-time imaging, so this allows the doctor to work out a personalised treatment plan according to your exact skin needs.”

On the importance of finding the right doctor for such treatments
“It is important to find the right doctor for such treatments, because an individual’s aesthetic journey is not an one-off thing. Hence, it’s important to find a doctor with the right expertise, and more importantly, a doctor whom you trust, to help formulate a sound and sustainable treatment plan that best suits your skin and needs.

At Illumia Medical, we believe in the enhancement—not transformation—of our patients’ features. We believe there is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to medical aesthetics, which is why our ethos is to help every patient achieve their beauty goals through bespoke treatment plans. Also, beauty and aesthetic is a journey, so we are committed to providing our patients with long-term solutions rather than a simple quick fix.”

Discover more about Illumia Medical's non-invasive face-lifting solutions here.