I Tried Ultherapy Prime For Firmer Arms & Have Zero Regrets

Standing Appointment is our review series that investigates the best new and notable cosmetic treatments in the aesthetics space and determines whether or not they are worth trying for yourself. This week, one writer tries Ultherapy Prime for firmer upper arms.

Confession: I’ve never been into weights. I’m a cardio girl all the way, and though I’ve flirted with lifting through the years, I’ve never stuck with a program long enough to make me a convert. Until that is, I entered my 40s. According to an article published by the National Institutes of Health, starting at the age of 30, women lose about 5% to 10% of muscle mass every year. Hormonal changes during perimenopause and menopause partly contribute, which is why I decided that it was time for me to preserve (and even grow) my muscle mass as I age.

So I began lifting weights diligently, and for the first time since I was a new mom and carried my infant around with me everywhere, my arms began to ache on a regular basis. I was secretly pleased with this outcome, for as the adage goes, “no pain, no gain.” Only, I wasn’t prepared for this net loss: skin laxity in my upper arms, even as my muscles grew. I began researching how loose skin can take up to two years to bounce back and contract around newly formed muscles, and that for women in my demographic, it could take even longer depending on a number of factors like hormonal changes and how much protein we consume. Serendipitously, I was invited to try out the procedure Ultherapy Prime. This ultrasonic device that tightens and lifts loose skin had just been cleared by the FDA for use on the upper arms. Would it work on my new guns? I wasn’t going to waste any time testing it out.

What Is Ultherapy Prime?

Ultherapy Prime uses two different types of ultrasound waves to help the body rebuild collagen and elastin, the proteins that give our skin structure and elasticity. Unlike radiofrequency devices or lasers, what’s special about Ultherapy Prime is that it uses a technology called collimated ultrasound, which allows the practitioner to visualize the different layers of skin in real time as you’re getting treated. The second type of ultrasound waves used by the device delivers energy to the skin in the form little dots, called TCPs, or “thermal coagulation points,” says Dr. Jennifer Levine, M.D., of the The Levine Center for Plastic Surgery in Manhattan, who treated me.

The TCPs are what Levine calls the action mechanism. “Heated to 65 to 70 degrees centigrade, the optimum temperature for collagen and elastin formation, the TCPs target a specific skin layer.” As a type of regenerative aesthetics medicine, Ultherapy Prime works by kickstarting the body’s own collagen and elastin.

“Collagen is what gives the skin structure and elastin is what gives it elasticity. So when you have more collagen, the skin will be firmer, tighter, and less wrinkled,” says Levine.

What Are The Benefits Of Ultherapy Prime For Upper Arms?

Unlike brachioplasty, which is a surgery that leaves a large incision and scar, and requires the use of a compression garment, there is no downtime with Ultherapy Prime, according to Levine. Plus, in my case, my journey began with wanting to build muscle with a consistent weights routine for my arms. Any surgery would prohibit this for at least eight weeks. “I can see the frustration because you’re working really hard, and you can see that you have some nice definition. But the hanging or crepey skin detracts from the aesthetics,” notes Levine.

What Are The Potential Risks & Side Effects?

There is little downtime associated with Ultherapy Prime, no sun sensitivity, and only minor redness or inflammation. I didn’t experience either of these side effects, and was able to comfortably wear a tank top to a dinner event later that same day. I did notice some minor bruising a few days posttreatment, but I’ve received worse bruising from injectables, so it was pretty minor and nothing a little body makeup couldn’t cover. Levine said that I could continue to lift weights as soon as the same day as my treatment. “This is a treatment that’s specifically for the skin,” she says. “So obviously you should continue to build the muscle, because that will make the arm look better.”

I will mention that pain is a side effect of the treatment. Even though my arms were treated with numbing cream, I experienced some spicy sensations, similar to being tattooed, but not as severe. To help her patients deal with this pain, Levine offers nitrous oxide. I found this made the experience more pleasant.

Who Should Get This Treatment?

When it comes to ideal candidates, Levine says this is probably “better for people with mild to moderate laxity. For people with more severe laxity, they’ll have some improvement, but they may either need to repeat the treatment, or they may need to combine it with other treatments.”

Levine notes that self-confidence, even for people younger than I am, can drop when people feel uncomfortable in clothing that exposes arms. “If you’re not confident about your arms, then you don’t want to wear certain shirts or dresses, and that becomes very annoying, for sure, especially during spring or summer. Not exposing your upper arm is a big deal.” Certainly, any body can wear any type of garment, but as per Levine, upper arms are an area that bothers a lot of her patients, especially prior to black-tie events.

How Much Ultherapy Prime for Upper Arms Cost?

The price can vary from practitioner to practitioner, but Ultherapy Prime for the upper arms can cost anywhere from $3,000 to $6,000.

My Experience Getting Ultherapy Prime

I was treated in Levine’s Upper East Side office, where it took about an hour after the numbing cream was applied. Levine performed two passes targeting different layers of the skin. The areas where I tended to have more stubborn hanging fat (the undersides of my arms) tended to be more painful, and I was grateful for the nitrous oxide. It helped to calm me down and also gave me a slight euphoria which made the time pass more quickly. After photos, I was on my way, and didn’t experience any further discomfort.

The one downside to the treatment is results can take three to six months to become visible, because that’s how long it takes to build new collagen and elastin. However, only one treatment is necessary to see results. “You’re aging during that time,” Levine notes, adding that the treatment lasts one year. The more muscle you build during that time, the more visible the results will appear. The once per year treatment is incredibly appealing to me and also an incentive to keep building my muscle not only to gain strength, but for the visible proof of toned, muscular arms — something I’ve never had in my life.

The After Care

There really wasn’t anything I had to do differently to treat my arms after my Ultherapy Prime session. As I previously mentioned, I noticed some bruising about three or four days posttreatment, so I applied Arnica Gel to speed healing on these areas. I also covered the discoloration with Kevyn Aucoin Face Forward Color Corrector.

I’ve also started using the doctor-created Dr Sue Skincare Sculptisse Body Contour Cream as a topical skin tightening cream to help sculpt my arms, and make sure my skin is fully hydrated so it appears less crepey.

My Takeaway

Overall, I’m pleased that I took steps to help address skin laxity on my upper arms. I’m a little more than one month in, and I am beginning to see the horizontal line that defines my biceps come in more sharply. I have a high pain threshold, so I didn’t mind the discomfort of the treatment, and I feel like it’s worth the longevity of the results. (Again, the nitrous oxide went a long way in making the procedure more tolerable, so it’s definitely worth asking your practitioner if it’s available if you’re on the more squeamish side.)

Although Ultherapy Prime won’t help you retain muscle mass — why I began lifting weights in the first place — its effects will help you see the visible proof of your efforts. This is what’s helping me stay motivated to keep on my dumbbell journey.