Women of all ages are discovering the benefits of Ultherapy not only to combat visible signs of aging, but also to look “fresher” and lessen the appearance of bloating.
Kris Aquino, who has undergone the lunchtime procedure twice, happens to be one of them. The “Queen of All Media,” 47, swears by the US FDA-cleared Ulthera, a product of American technology and uses ultrasound to stimulate the body’s natural production of collagen, which diminishes as a person ages.
First introduced in 2011, Ulthera is distributed globally by Merz, a pharmaceutical company based in Frankfurt, Germany. The machine has undergone a number of upgrades since it was first developed and launched by an American company seven years ago.
The non-surgical lifting procedure targets a person’s brow, chin, neck and even décolletage by penetrating up to 4.5 mm deep into the skin to help stimulate the production of collagen, a necessary building block that keeps skin taut, glowing and looking young.
As of now, says people behind Ulthera, no topical skin care product is advanced or potent enough to go that deep. But since Ultherapy works on the principle of the body’s ability to heal itself, don’t expect it to produce immediate or dramatic results.
“It takes at least six months for you to see the full effects of Ultherapy,” says Kris, who has undergone Ultherapy sessions for two years in a row. “But there’s also an instant effect when I saw the other half of my face, which was had undergone Ultherapy, and the other half, which hadn’t.”
Unlike other beauty treatments, you only have to undergo Ultherapy once every two to three years to benefit from its supposed effects. But like Kris, there’s no stopping you from undergoing it every year.
“These are things that you do when you’re forever in front of the cameras, if your livelihood depends on you looking fresh and at your very best,” says the mother of two.
She assures those who have yet to try it that the slightly painful sensation that comes with the procedure is bearable. One can opt for topical anesthesia to be applied on the face an hour before the procedure to help numb the area to be treated. For added measure, he or she can later take over-the-counter pain relievers to further minimize the discomfort.
Those who closely follow the actress-TV host’s career and social media postings know for a fact that Kris is allergic to most pain relievers. Rather than risk an allergic reaction, she refrained from taking any of them. Instead, Kris, whose skin bruises easily, resorted to ice packs, which she dabbed on her face soon after her treatment to minimize bruising.
Guys who want to take five to 10 years off their faces by looking rested can also benefit from having an Ultherapy, says Jorge Libanan, Merz Philippines country manager.
“Nobody can do it for you,” says Kris, referring to the decisions that she and her three interviewees at an Ulthera event—Ultherapy brand ambassadors Trisha Duncan, Rosanna Ocampo and Agoo Bengzon—made with regards to their respective lives. “Nobody can write the wrongs that you’ve done except yourself. With Ultherapy, it gives you less time to worry about such things. It gives you time to make the most out of your life by leaving you with more time to focus on what really matters.”
(Read more about Kris’ interview with Ulthera’s three brand ambassadors, and their respective reasons why they chose Ultherapy over other procedures soon.)
