Less invasive alternatives to a facelift to tighten skin may soon become available. A device called the Miratone minimally invasive bipolar fractional radiofrequency system heats the dermis (the collagen containing layer of skin) from within using micro-needles.
Results of treatment with the Miratone were compared to the results of a traditional facelift. Evaluators looked at photographs of people who had each treatment but were not aware of the treatment that was done. They found that the facelift tightened the skin by 49% compared with 16% by the Miratone device. In contrast to the facelift patients, the patients who had Miratone treatments had an easier recovery and less downtime.
Another device, called Ulthera, may be even more promising. It uses ultrasound technology to heat and tighten the dermis and superficial fat layers. A recent study using this device found that the study participants got an average lift in their eyebrows of 1.7mm at 90 days, and recovery was minimal.
