Many different types of therapy are now available to people looking to treat their conditions. Do a quick search online, and you’ll receive plenty of results, making it quite challenging to determine which ones are effective and which are not.
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) is one of those therapies that’s becoming increasingly popular for good reasons.
Read on to learn more about this therapy, including its life-changing effects based on the experiences of people who have tried it.
What is High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) Therapy?
High-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) therapy works like ultrasound scans minus the images. It uses high-frequency sound waves to target problem tissue areas.
The heat from the waves damages or modifies the tissue areas while boosting collagen production in the process.
The great thing about HIFU therapy is that it starkly contrasts traditional surgery, making it highly favored by medical professionals and patients alike.
- The wave’s precise targeting forgoes the need for surgical incisions, helping shorten recovery times.
- It only targets problematic tissue areas, keeping surrounding healthy tissues unharmed.
- Risks of infections and complications are virtually zero. Patients can walk out of a session with little more than a slight redness or swelling.
From wrinkles and skin laxity to uterine fibroids and even malignant tumors, HIFU therapy shows great promise in treating different conditions successfully. More research is being done to determine other ailments that this therapy can treat.
HIFU Before and After Treatment Outcomes
Let’s examine the HIFU before and after treatment sessions to understand its true potential.
Cosmetic Application
Before therapy, a patient may appear older than they actually are due to sagging and lined skin. After undergoing HIFU therapy, the patient’s skin will look more youthful, without the need for invasive facelifts.
Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy and radiation treatments have historically been the only options available to cancer patients, and they often come with crippling side effects. After introducing those patients to HIFU therapy, there have been reports of notable improvements in their symptoms.
In several instances, tumours shrank and completely vanished. They also made a speedy recovery, which improved their quality of life.
HIFU Therapy Procedure Details
Before starting a HIFU therapy, you’ll have a chat with a trained practitioner to understand your condition and develop a treatment plan that is right for you.
The actual procedure will depend on your condition, but it generally includes the following:
- Depending on the target area, you’ll be asked to either lie down on an exam table or sit in a chair.
- The medical practitioner may use a device to keep the targeted area steady.
- Depending on the procedure, you might be fully awake, lightly sedated, or under general anaesthesia.
- Ultrasound or MRI will be used to identify the target tissue.
- The HIFU probe is positioned above or on your skin. For prostate cancer treatment, the probe is inserted into the rectum.
- A test dose is delivered to the target tissue to ensure accuracy.
- The power of the ultrasound beams is adjusted as needed.
- The targeted tissue is destroyed using bursts of ultrasonic waves.
- An imaging test is used to confirm that the targeted tissue was effectively treated.
