“Skin Laxity 101”: Why We Lose Tightness & How Ultherapy® Helps
When we were younger, we had a vague awareness that our bodies and faces would change with age. Yet it’s still a surprise to look in the mirror and to notice less tightness on our necks, faces and bodies. The solution to skin laxity and loss of elasticity is at the root of why it happens in the first place. By treating the loss of collagen and reinforcing the supporting structures that support our skin’s matrix, Ultherapy can restore a more lifted appearance. Let’s explore why our skin loses tightness and how Ultherapy can help with long-lasting results.
Why is my skin less firm and elastic than it used to be?
Ultimately, your skin is looser because of a loss in structural tension. If you’ve ever put up a volleyball net or an overhead tarp, you know that the tension coming from each side is what keeps the centre taught and secure. As soon as the supportive structures or the tension-causing elements are slightly less taught, the whole structure is affected.
Studies show that there are a myriad of interconnected factors that contribute to this gradual loss of tension over time:
- Declining collagen elastin production: Responsible for maintaining skin’s volume and elasticity, these naturally-occurring proteins decline naturally as we age.
- The persistence of gravity itself: A continuous downward pull on delicate facial and neck tissues causes them to descend over time.
- Structural atrophy: Skin fibres naturally deteriorate over time.
- Volume depletion: A loss of fat and structurally-supporting muscle that helped lift tissues also declines over age.
- Muscles themselves: in areas like the neck, muscles get stronger and can be overactive over time, pulling downward on areas like the edges of the mouth or loosening delicate skin with repeated muscle movements.
- Other outlying factors: Genetic factors, health profile, skin density, how you take care of your skin, nutrition, weight loss and gain, hormonal factors, and other holistic contributors.
Where does a loss of tightness show up on the face and body?
We see a loss of elasticity and tightness manifest across the face and body in different ways. No part of the body is unaffected, but signs on the face, neck, and chest are more visibly apparent. Delicate areas like eyelids might droop a bit more noticeably, the submental (under the chin) region descends, and more dense areas like cheeks might pull downward, causing folds or the appearance of jowls. There are other signs of aging that also appear as a result, including wrinkles, folds, and a gaunt appearance or undereye hollows. Ultherapy can address a loss of tightness or elasticity on the forehead, brows, eyes, jawline, as well as the neck and decolleté. But it’s also able to effectively lift and firm other areas including the abdomen, arms and legs.
How does Ultherapy® help with loose or sagging skin?
Ultherapy addresses the root causes of sagging skin to lift, tighten, and smooth skin with ultrasound technology. By going beyond the surface and stimulating regrowth in the deeper scaffolding that supports your facial structure and volume, Ultherapy comfortably harnesses your body’s natural proteins. Cellular renewal activates these healing processes to holistically rejuvenate skin and support a lifted, tighter structural appearance.
Over 3-6 months following Ultherapy treatment, results gradually appear:
- Comprehensive lifting and tightening of the skin’s supportive structures and the skin itself
- A supportive foundation for long-term aging as a preventative tool; by reinforcing the supportive matrix, future concerns are proactively treated
- Smoother skin and improvement in lines, wrinkles, and folds
Why choose Ultherapy® over other body or face tightening treatments?
Our patients who consistently return to Ultherapy appreciate how it proactively prevents future signs of aging while holistically treating a loss of tightness, volume, and elasticity in one non-invasive treatment. If you’re looking for significant improvements in tightness, firmness, or a solution for sagging skin, Ultherapy is an alternative to invasive solutions like a facelift; with no downtime needed. Your skilled practitioner can help you establish whether Ultherapy is the right fit for you in a consultation; we’ll walk through your goals, concerns, and the areas you want to treat and help build a strategy that’s completely unique to you. We may also recommend another treatment like Tixel® or EMFACE®, or a supplemental treatment like neuromodulators or fillers in combination with Ultherapy to maximize results.
Discover if Ultherapy® is right for your 360° treatment plan
Start 2026 off by turning over a new leaf. To explore how skin tightening may fit into your 360° treatment plan, please reach out or speak to us at your next appointment.
