This new non-invasive anti-ageing ultrasound treatment helps tighten and lift skin from within

Loss of collagen, droopy jowls and eyelids, and sagging skin are some of the inevitable signs of ageing. Thankfully, there are many options, from Hifu (high-intensity focused ultrasound) to radiofrequency and lasers, when it comes to anti-ageing, facial sculpting treatments today. And these treatments have advanced to not only be more comfortable for patients, but also give them the natural results they desire. Dr Jonathan Yong, medical director of Dr Jon Yong Aesthetic Clinic, says: "Everyone's decision on what is beautiful for them is personal. But in general, youth is the objective. Most people want to look like themselves, but five to 10 years ago." To help his patients attain a naturally radiant and fresh-looking complexion. Dr Yong looks to non-invasive treatments, as advancements in med tech have "completely transformed the aesthetics industry, offering a much safer alternative than surgery". One of the treatments in his arsenal is Sofwave, a next-generation non-invasive aesthetic treatment that helps to tackle signs of ageing by helping to tone and lift the skin. Dr Yong says the treatment hardly has any downtime (you can return to work or home without anyone noticing), is comfortable and delivers results.

An innovative approach to achieving youthful, glowing skin

Sofwave uses Intense Ultrasound Beam technology to generate heat at a precise depth in the skin, to promote the growth of new collagen and elastin at the mid-dermal layer. This is the skin's thickest layer, and is where most of our collagen is found. By stimulating collagen at the mid-dermis, it helps plump up the skin, thickening the layer to achieve a tightening effect while leaving skin healthier at the same time.

The technology was cleared by the US Food and Drug Administration last November for lifting of the eyebrows (especially in improving the appearance of hooded eyelids), neck, cheeks, and reducing fine lines and wrinkles.

So how does this differ from from radio-frequency treatment Thermage, which for years has been known as the gold standard in non-invasive anti-ageing skin solutions?

Dr Yong explains: "Ultrasound-based therapy, like Sofwave, utilises ultrasound heat to stimulate collagen renewal deep within the skin, while Thermage uses radio-frequency energy to stimulate collagen production in superficial skin layers."

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What this means, he elaborates, is that Thermage is able to improve the visual texture and appearance of wrinkles and crepe-like skin. Ultrasound-based therapies, on the other hand, help to strengthen and lift the skin from deep within.

Dr Yong adds: "With Sofwave, one treatment alone can provide significant visible benefits, but this takes place over several weeks or months because your skin is regenerating its own collagen for a tightening effect. It's not like more invasive approaches where one day you look one way, and the next day, a completely different way."

As Sofwave's parallel ultrasound beam technology only reaches the mid-dermis, there is less discomfort compared with other ultrasound-type aesthetic options such as Ultherapy or Hifu that treat the layer closest to the muscle, the SMAS (Superficial Muscular Aponeurotic System) layer, Dr Yong explains.

In fact, "Sofwave is the only technology that has been able to effectively treat the entire mid-dermal layer, penetrating past the epidermis into the dermis, while protecting the uppermost skin layer from heat damage", he adds.

Helping patients achieve their desired skin goals

Dr Yong, who began practising medicine in the field of anaesthesiology, switched to the practice of aesthetic medicine in 2014. "I find aesthetics personally more rewarding than anaesthesiology; the happiness and satisfaction of my patients as I help enhance and bring out their natural beauty drives me to become better at what I do," he shares.

He does not subscribe to the one-size-fits-all approach to treating his patients "as genetics, underlying skin structure and lifestyle varies from person to person".

Elaborating on this, he shares that someone with naturally collagen-rich skin will heal differently from another whose skin is collagen depleted which, in turn, would affect the results of a product used or even treatment done.

This is why he prescribes a combination of treatments to address each patient's unique skin concerns. A combination that he is partial to is a mix of Sofwave, skin boosters such as Profhilo, and regular sessions of regenerating lasers. "With all these technologies, I am able to effectively treat a myriad of concerns someone has with their skin," he says.

Combining treatments for better results

Dr Yong, who is a key opinion leader of Sofwave and has pioneered its use in treatments for patients in Singapore since January last year, is Softwave's top user in Singapore. To date, he has administered over 160 treatments.

When combined with his customised treatment plan for each patient, he says that results are even better, with patients achieving a brighter complexion and a "thicker and healthier dermis".

For optimal results, he suggests complementing a Sofwave treatment with a session of Hifu. As these two treatments target the different dermal layers of the skin, they can provide "the most dramatic results when done in tandem".

To illustrate how both treatments work together, he uses the analogy of loose belly skin that you get when bending over. "Sofwave gives the effect of straightening up and letting the skin pull back so your belly skin is taut again. The quality of the skin improves and the skin looks and feels 'younger'."

At the same time, because Hifu is able to penetrate deeper into skin, it acts on the abs and core to lift your belly from the inside, he adds. "In other words, Hifu works to lift the underlying structures and give a more shapely face."

And while Sofwave delivers efficacious results, it is important to note that not everyone is suitable for the treatment. According to Dr Yong, someone with "lax and loose skin" would benefit the most. In addition, it's also ideal for patients with lower pain tolerance, who are sensitive to discomfort and want to achieve quicker results.

All in all, the treatment takes around 45 minutes and comes with almost no downtime, so you can resume your daily activities right after. You might observe slight redness right after, but that will subside within an hour.

When it comes to seeing visible change, some patience is needed as results start showing one to three months after treatment. "Lifting and firming treatments, such as Sofwave, have a compound effect," says Dr Yong. So with consistent treatments and time, he says "you can improve how you look more naturally".

For best results, he recommends treatments twice a year, though he adds that it is also dependent on a patient's skin goals. "Those with mild to moderate laxity can be satisfied with one treatment, while those with more severe laxity will see more noticeable benefits with two sessions in a year."

To learn more about Sofwave, visit Dr Jon Yong Aesthetic Clinic at #10-05 Scotts Medical Center, Tel: 8518-5100, or www.drjonyong.com.