There are 4 procedures currently approved for nonsurgical skin tightening:
- Ultrasound – Heat is applied deep into the skin to cause the body to produce collagen. Results are visible within 2-6 months after a single treatment.
- Radiofrequency – The tissue beneath the skin is heated with a handheld device. Although some tightening can be felt immediately, full results will not be apparent until 6 months later. Multiple treatments may be required to produce desired results.
- Laser – Laser skin rejuvenation utilizes a single wavelength or combination of several different wavelengths to create an injury to the skin that will result in new collagen formation and subsequent skin tightening. One or more than one treatment may be required, and final results will not be evident until up to 6 months later.
- Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) – After providing eye protection, a handpiece directs infrared light heat to the deep layer of the skin. Multiple treatments may be required.