HIFU

Lower face

A sharper jawline, firmer skin

HIFU skin tightening in Hale, Altrincham

HIFU can lift and firm mildly sagging skin, helping your jawline look more defined without injections or time off to recover.

Your jawline doesn't look as sharp as it used to, and you're starting to feel a bit jowly. Perhaps it's the sagging beneath your chin, or the heaviness you notice in photos. You'd quite like things to stay where you left them.

HIFU uses focused ultrasound to stimulate collagen and firm the tissue beneath your skin. Over the following months, that can mean less sagging, a clearer jawline and skin that feels tighter.

Dr Alex will look at the changes that bother you and explain where HIFU could make a difference. Treatment is needle-free, and you can usually get straight back to your day.

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Dr Alex teaches medical professionals about HIFU internationally and has presented at IMCAS World Congress in Paris. He'll assess your face, plan your treatment and carry it out himself.

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Treatment cost
From £550
Downtime
Usually none
Seeing your results
Develop over 3-6 months
Time to allow
Around 1-2 hours

Does this sound familiar?

It's the sagging that bothers you

You don't need to know whether it's skin laxity, fat or something else. Start with what you can see and how it makes you feel. Dr Alex can work out the rest with you.

You're starting to look a bit jowly

The lower part of your face looks heavier, and the line of your jaw isn't as sharp. You're interested in firming that area and improving definition, particularly if you don't want to add more volume there.

Your profile has lost some definition

You notice sagging or fullness beneath your chin when you catch a side view. You'd like a clearer distinction between chin and neck, and want to know what could help without injections.

Your skin feels less firm

It feels looser when you wash your face, or creases more than it used to when you smile. You'd like it to feel tighter and look less lax, while still getting on with everything else in your diary.

The practical bits

HIFU at a glance

There's usually no recovery time to organise. The main thing you'll need afterwards is patience while the collagen develops.

Treatment cost
From £550
Per session for the jawline, upper face or neck. Prices for larger areas are below.
Downtime
Usually none
Mild redness can appear, but generally settles quickly. You can normally carry on with your plans.
Seeing your results
Develop over 3-6 months
You may feel tighter sooner. The fuller improvement takes time as new collagen forms.
Time to allow
Around 1-2 hours
Appointment length depends on the area. The whole face and neck takes longer than the jawline alone.
Number of treatments
Often a course of 3
At least one month apart. Dr Alex usually recommends three where suitable, although one can still help.

What could change?

Less jowly, more defined

For the right face, HIFU can improve early sagging and help restore some of the sharpness you've noticed slipping away.

The jawline, jowls and area beneath the chin are where Dr Alex particularly likes to use HIFU. Depending on what's causing the heaviness, treatment can firm loose tissue and reduce selected small pockets of fat.

You might feel tighter straight afterwards, and some people see an early lifting effect. The more gradual change comes over three to six months as collagen develops. Checking the mirror every morning is understandable, but photographs a few months apart are much more useful.

Dr Alex often sees patients return with firmer skin that creases less when they smile. The improvement can be something you feel as well as see: less looseness, better definition and a face that looks a little less heavy around the jaw.

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A sharper-looking jawline

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Less noticeable early jowls

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Firmer skin with less creasing

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Improved definition beneath the chin

Is HIFU a good fit?

The cause of the sagging matters

Two people can both feel jowly and need quite different treatment. Dr Alex checks how much is loose skin, how much is fat and whether your face has lost volume or support.

You've noticed the earlier signs of sagging
Your jawline is less defined or your skin is beginning to droop, but you don't have a large amount of excess skin. HIFU may help firm the tissue and improve those milder changes.
You want a treatment that fits normal life
No needles and usually no downtime are a large part of the appeal. You'd like to improve your skin without arranging a recovery week, and you're happy for the result to build over several months.
You want tightening in the right places
Reducing a pocket under the chin may help, while losing fullness from your cheeks may be the last thing you want. Dr Alex plans each area accordingly, choosing settings for the tissue he intends to treat.

When HIFU isn't enough

A lot of loose skin needs a different approach

HIFU won't give the result of a surgical facelift. Surgery can remove excess skin and reposition tissue much more substantially, making it the better option for significant sagging when you're suitable for it.

If lost volume or facial support is causing the change, tightening alone may also miss the problem. Dr Alex will explain that at your consultation and discuss what would make more difference.

What's happening beneath the skin?

Ultrasound gives collagen production a nudge

HIFU means high-intensity focused ultrasound. It delivers energy through the skin to create small points of heat at carefully chosen depths, prompting tissue tightening and new collagen production.

At SONÜ, Dr Alex uses Focus Dual HIFU. It can treat different layers, including the SMAS - the supporting layer that plastic surgeons work on during many facelifts. Reaching that layer helps explain the treatment; it doesn't make the result the same as surgery.

Some tightening can happen early as existing collagen contracts. Your skin then makes new collagen over the following months, which is why the result takes time to develop.

Settings and depth also matter when treating fat. Dr Alex can target a suitable pocket beneath the chin, while adjusting treatment elsewhere to preserve fullness. Your cheek and your double chin don't necessarily need the same thing.

Coming in for HIFU

A treatment appointment, then back to your plans

Dr Alex talks you through the treatment before starting. You can ask questions, explain anything you're nervous about and tell him how it feels as he works.

At the consultation

Tell him what you want to improve

"I'm looking jowly" is a perfectly good place to start. Dr Alex will examine your face and neck, check your health and previous treatments, and explain what HIFU could achieve for the changes you've noticed.
Before treatment

Agree the areas and the aim

You'll discuss where you want more firmness or definition and whether reducing any local fat would help. He chooses the treatment areas and depths, then applies ultrasound gel ready for the handpiece.
During your appointment

Let Dr Alex work through the treatment

You'll feel brief pulses of warmth or tingling, sometimes with a deeper ache. Most patients find it quite manageable. There are no injections, and Dr Alex can adjust treatment or pause if an area feels particularly sensitive.
After treatment

Head back to your day

You may feel a little tighter or look slightly pink, but can usually return to work or your other plans. Dr Alex will give you aftercare advice and discuss the timing of any further sessions.

Experience that informs your treatment

Why choose Dr Alex for HIFU?

Dr Alex has presented on HIFU at IMCAS World Congress in Paris and at events in Poland, and has taught medical professionals at international device workshops. He also speaks on HIFU in the UK on behalf of Lynton and is a Key Opinion Leader for Eunsung, contributing his clinical experience to professional education.

For you, the appointment starts with a close look at your face. He assesses the sagging, the tissue beneath it and the fullness you want to keep, then explains where HIFU could help. That may mean tightening around the jawline, reducing a suitable pocket beneath the chin or treating another area differently.

He's also the doctor who carries out your treatment. You can talk through the recommendation with the person who'll actually be doing it, from the areas treated to whether one session or a course makes sense for you.

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What to expect afterwards

Usually very little to interrupt your day

HIFU normally has little visible recovery. Mild redness from the heat tends to settle quickly, and you may notice tenderness, tingling or a tight feeling. Bruising isn't usual in Dr Alex's practice, although it is possible.

Possible side effects

Occasionally a small raised red mark or scratch-like line appears. Dr Alex finds these minor marks generally settle within a day or two. Let the clinic know so he can advise you, particularly if a mark is painful or isn't improving.

Other possible complications include swelling, burns or scarring, altered sensation, unwanted fat loss or unevenness, and nerve effects such as temporary muscle weakness. Dr Alex will discuss the risks relevant to your treatment. Burns or persistent symptoms may need further care.

When to get in touch

Contact SONÜ promptly about blistering, increasing pain, persistent numbness or a new weak or uneven smile. Difficulty swallowing or breathing, or any change in vision, needs urgent medical attention.

Anything Dr Alex should know before treatment?

Tell him about medical conditions, medicines, pregnancy or breastfeeding, implanted devices, dental or other metalwork, previous surgery, filler and threads. The type, location and timing can affect whether or where treatment is appropriate.

An infection, open wound or inflamed skin in the area may mean postponing treatment. He'll also assess whether your face has enough tissue to treat and whether tightening would address the change that bothers you.

Ask everything you need to. You can take time to decide after the consultation.

Treatment costs

What does HIFU cost at SONÜ?

Jawline, upper-face or neck treatment is £550 per session. Lower face and jawline is £750; whole face or lower face and neck is £900. Treating the whole face and neck together is £1,200.

Jawline
£550per session
Upper face
£550per session
Neck
£550per session
Lower face and jawline
£750per session
Whole face
£900per session
Lower face and neck
£900per session
Whole face and neck
£1,200per session
The recommended areas, number of sessions and total course cost are agreed before treatment.
A consultation with Dr Alex costs £75. If you choose to have treatment within 3 months of your consultation, you can put this fee towards it, including at a later appointment. It cannot be used towards skincare products. If you decide not to have treatment, the fee covers your consultation.
Book a consultation
Consultations are £75. Dr Alex will explain the recommended areas, number of sessions and total course cost before you decide. You can also discuss starting with one session.

A few more things you might be wondering

Questions about HIFU

From how it feels to how long you'll wait for the change.

Will I look lifted when I leave?
Possibly, although an early feeling of tightness is more common than a dramatic visible change. Some patients do notice a lift straight away. Much of the result develops over three to six months as collagen forms, so the day you have treatment is the beginning of the process.
Why do you recommend three sessions?
Dr Alex often recommends three where suitable to build on the response to treatment. Sessions are at least a month apart, and he'll assess how you're getting on along the way. One session can still produce an improvement; the recommendation depends on your skin and what you're hoping to change.
How long will the improvement last?
There's no single expiry date. The collagen response develops over months, and your skin continues to age afterwards. Once you can see the result, Dr Alex can discuss whether further treatment would help maintain it. Your skin's response, the area treated and changes such as weight loss all affect that advice.
Does HIFU hurt?
Most of Dr Alex's patients find it manageable. You may feel warmth, tingling or a brief ache beneath the skin, with some areas more sensitive than others. Tell him if you need a pause or adjustment. There's no prize for pretending you're comfortable if you're not.
Is it really a lunchtime lift?
That's a common name for HIFU because there's usually no downtime afterwards. Whether it fits your lunch break depends on the area and the length of your break: SONÜ appointments range from around an hour for the jawline to two hours for the whole face and neck. Check your booking time before promising you'll be back at your desk.
Could HIFU make my cheeks look hollow?
It can if fat is lost where you wanted to keep it. Dr Alex looks at your facial volume before recommending HIFU and chooses depths and settings accordingly. Reducing a pocket under the chin is a different plan from firming your cheeks. If your face is already lean, another treatment may suit you better.
Can it help a double chin as well as jowls?
It can help when suitable loose tissue or a small pocket of fat is contributing. Dr Alex examines the area to see which is responsible and chooses treatment accordingly. A double chin isn't always just fat, and reducing fat isn't always the answer to jowls. He'll explain what he thinks would improve your profile.
What about drooping around my brows or eyes?
Selected forehead and brow-area concerns can be treated with HIFU. Dr Alex will assess where the drooping comes from and which areas can be treated appropriately. Loose eyelid skin may need a different treatment, so show him the specific change rather than feeling you have to choose the procedure yourself.
Can I have HIFU after filler or other treatments?
Often there are ways to plan treatments together, but Dr Alex needs to know what you've had, where and when. Filler, threads, previous surgery and other energy treatments can affect timing and the areas treated. Bring those details to your consultation so he can advise on the order and spacing.
How is HIFU different from RF microneedling?
HIFU delivers focused ultrasound from a handpiece on the skin, without needles. RF microneedling uses fine needles to deliver radiofrequency energy. Both can stimulate collagen, but they have different uses and recovery. Dr Alex can discuss which suits your sagging, skin texture or other concerns, and whether combining treatments would help.

If you'd like to explore further

More detail on jowls, double chins and skin firmness

The area-specific HIFU pages explain jowls and double-chin treatment in more detail. You can also read about RF microneedling if skin texture is bothering you alongside the loss of firmness.

Radiofrequency microneedling in Hale, Altrincham

Focus Dual RF microneedling for smoother texture, less obvious pores, softer fine lines and mild wrinkles, and firmer skin.

Come and talk it through

Let's look at what's bothering you

Book a consultation with Dr Alex at SONÜ in Hale, Altrincham. Whether it's jowls, sagging skin or a jawline that's lost its sharpness, he'll examine the area and explain what could help you get the improvement you're after.

Book a consultation Contact the clinic
SONÜ Medical Aesthetics

34 Hale Road, Hale, Altrincham, WA14 2EX

Doctor-led treatment in a relaxed, private clinic

Close to Hale station and easy to reach from Altrincham, Manchester and Cheshire