What is HIFU?
HIFU (High Intensity Focused Ultrasound) is a treatment most commonly used in aesthetic medicine, which involves passing short and high-intensity bursts of ultrasound waves into a patient’s skin. This heats the deeper layers of the skin and causes small amounts of damage to these tissues. When the body realises that these deep skin tissues need repairing, it produces extra collagen to aid cell regrowth. Collagen is what keeps skin tight and smooth, so this extra collagen boost gives the results of a facelift without any risky or painful surgery.
One 2019 study found that of 73 women and 2 men who had professional HIFU treatments done, physicians reported an 80% improvement in tightness and appearance of skin on the face and neck, and over 78% of patients reported themselves as being completely satisfied with the treatment.
With the non-invasive nature of the treatment, growing awareness and popularity, and low running cost to treatment cost ratio, HIFU is becoming one of the most commonplace aesthetic treatments in UK clinics. But with an abundance of HIFU machines available on the market, including cheap imitation and dodgy home-use devices, how can you be sure that the device you are buying for your clinic is safe, reliable, and provides the best results for your patients? We rank the best for different clinics to help you out!
Best Overall HIFU Machine
The best professional HIFU machine on the market in 2024 is without a doubt the Ultraformer III. The third generation of Classys’ iconic Ultraformer range, the Ultraformer III provides high quality ultrasound pulses targeted to focused areas of specific skin depth, ranging from 1.5 to 13mm.
Different areas of the body can be treated with interchangeable cartridges, allowing treatment of large areas such as the abdomen, buttocks and thighs, as well as delicate and hard to reach areas such as around the eyes, mouth, nasolabial folds, chin and forehead, all in one device. Depending on the penetration depth of the cartridge, the Ultraformer III can be used for a range of both skin tightening and fat reduction treatments.
Patients who receive the Ultraformer III treatment on the face and body report an improvement rate over 95% 4 – 12 weeks post-treatment. Average treatment times last only 20-30 minutes, allowing for a higher rate of treatments and minimal interruption to your patient’s schedules. Patients will not only be able to see immediate results, but will continue to see their skin improve over the following nine months.
Whilst some HIFU treatments can be uncomfortable and even painful for patients, the Ultraformer III’s faster shot speed means that it is reported to be the most comfortable HIFU treatment available. Noticeable results and comfortable treatments are two things most likely to bring patients back again and again, meaning repeat business for your clinic.
Best HIFU Machine for Fat Reduction
Did we mention HIFU can also be used to reduce fat as well? Scizer uses a HIFU based technology called Macro Focused Scanning Ultrasound (MFSU) to reduce unwanted fat deposits in the abdomen, love handles, flanks and thighs.
Through focusing ultrasound waves at a deeper depth than traditional HIFU machines, Scizer heats fat cells to cause coagulative necrosis. Fat cells that undergo coagulative necrosis mould into a gel-like substance which is disposed of by the body through natural metabolic processes within a couple of days.
While reducing large amounts of fat using this method could take a long time, the Scizer has larger spot sizes and two handpieces, which allows you to treat large areas of the body in half the time. Like the skin tightening effects of the Ultraformer II, the results of the Scizer are both immediate and more apparent over time. One treatment with the Scizer can reduce a patient’s abdominal waist circumference by 2.5cm, and up to 8cm in the three months after treatment. Take a ruler and measure out 8cm. That’s pretty significant!
Best HIFU Machine for Portability
Could HIFU really be possible on the go? Whether you’re a travelling aesthetician or have limited space in your clinic, the size and portability of a device might be an important concern for you when deciding which HIFU machine to buy.
If you fit into one of those categories, Ulfit by Cluederm may be the device for you. The Ulfit is the only truly portable professional HIFU device on the market. Sized at only 360 x 460 x 150cm, and weighing only 8.2kg (about the weight of a small microwave), the Ulfit can be seated on a small desk, and even transported between home treatments in the back of a hatchback.
The Ulfit also combines both Micro and Macro Focused Ultrasound, allowing for skin tightening and body contouring in both large areas of the abdomen and thighs, as well as smaller areas of the chin, neck or jawline. Users can switch between “G” (general) and “P” (pain control) modes to dramatically reduce pain levels.
Patients will experience some initial tightening effects but optimal results appear 4-12 weeks post-treatment. The number of sessions needed will vary from patient to patient depending on their personal goals. For its size Ulfit delivers surprisingly effective results, and allows any clinic to offer HIFU treatments, no matter their situation.
