HIFU — high-intensity focused ultrasound — is one of the most asked-about treatments at our clinic, and one of the most misunderstood. It is not a facelift in a lunch hour, and nor is it a gimmick. For the right person it can offer gradual lifting and tightening without surgery, and with little or no downtime. Here is how it works, and how to tell whether it is right for you.

How HIFU works

The device focuses ultrasound energy at precise depths beneath the skin — typically 1.5 mm, 3 mm and 4.5 mm — creating tiny points of controlled heat in the deeper tissue while leaving the surface untouched. The deepest of these reaches the connective tissue layer a surgeon tightens during a facelift. Your body responds by contracting existing fibres and producing new collagen and elastin over the following weeks.

What it treats

  • Sagging along the jawline and early jowls
  • Loose skin on the neck and beneath the chin
  • A drooping brow and heaviness of the upper eyelids
  • Loss of definition in the cheeks and mid-face
  • Overall loss of firmness

Who it suits — and who it does not

HIFU is a treatment for mild to moderate laxity. It suits people noticing early softening along the jaw, under the chin or around the brow who want a natural-looking improvement rather than a dramatic change. For significant loose skin, surgery remains the more effective option, and we will tell you honestly which category you fall into. Outcomes also depend on age, skin quality and how well your body produces collagen, so results vary from person to person.

What a session feels like

The full face takes around an hour; face and neck up to ninety minutes. You will feel heat and a prickling sensation as the energy is delivered, more noticeable over bony areas, and settings are adjusted to your comfort. The skin may look slightly pink or feel tender for a few hours, but most people go straight back to their day.

When you will see results

Some people notice a little tightening straight away, but the real result develops over eight to twelve weeks as new collagen forms, and continues to improve for up to six months. Two sessions, three months apart, are recommended for full results. Results typically last 12 to 18 months, and a maintenance session once a year is common.

HIFU alongside other treatments

HIFU lifts and tightens; it does not change the quality of the skin’s surface or replace lost volume. That is why it is often combined with Profhilo or polynucleotides to improve skin quality, or with dermal filler where volume has also been lost. Our guide to regenerative skin treatments explains how these fit together.

Who carries out HIFU at ELM

HIFU is carried out by Georgia Abrams, Skin & Laser Therapist (Level 3 qualified), or by Melody Steel, Nurse Prescriber, who has been in private aesthetic practice since 2007 and trained in the Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery unit at St James’s Hospital. Prices are set out in full on our HIFU page. A deposit will be required to secure your appointment.