Ultrasound treatment emerges as effective alternative to cosmetic surgery

• Marilou Butcher-Roth of Kenwood, Ohio, decided to try the newest technique available: ultrasonic skin rejuvenation.
• This procedure uses ultrasound -- the same technology used to view unborn babies and clogged arteries -- to repair skin imperfections like fine wrinkles, discoloration and minor scarring.
• More Americans are choosing nonsurgical options, like Botox injections or chemical peels, to repair damage done by the sun and time without going under the knife.
• In 2003, Americans received 2.9 million Botox injections -- and "brow lift" surgeries dropped 24 percent, according to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons.
• �Chemical peels using alpha hydroxy acids and other acids are used to smooth out fine wrinkles and eliminate acne, acne scars and uneven pigmentation by removing the top layers of skin.
• The procedure is simple: A technician spreads a gel containing amino acids, antioxidants and skin lighteners to the affected area.
• The heat generated by the wand helps the gel penetrate to the deepest layers of the skin and lets the ingredients work more intensively than if they were applied only on the surface of the skin, Columbus says.
• The heat also stimulates collagen growth, which helps skin look firmer and tighter.
• Since starting the treatments, her skin looks firmer, smoother and pinker and is more moist, she says.
• Ultrasonic skin rejuvenation can be used to correct fine wrinkles and discoloration as well as acne or post-surgical scars, Columbus says.
• Procedures like ultrasonic skin rejuvenation are the latest trend in nonsurgical cosmetic procedures, says Dr. Jennifer Butterfield, a plastic surgeon at the University of Cincinnati.
• Consumers have several nonsurgical procedures to choose from, and they work well to erase fine wrinkles, smooth skin and eliminate blemishes and sunspots.