ALTERA OR MORPHEUS: WHAT TO CHOOSE?

Ultherapy and Morpheus 8 are two related procedures. They are designed to lift the skin of the face and certain parts of the body without surgical intervention. Suitable for mature skin. 

Altera is German technology, and Morpheus is Israeli. Altera has a longer history: it was created in 2010 and has undergone much research. Morpheus is a younger technology that received the 2018 Best Innovation Award from Aesthetic Everything in the USA.

Altera uses ultrasound, and Morpheus uses radio frequency energy. Altera can penetrate the level of SMAS – the superficial musculoaponeurotic system. This layer also involves a surgical facelift, so the procedure is a complete non-surgical alternative. 

Morpheus works at the level of fatty tissue, which is located directly under the skin. But it also allows you to achieve the effect of a non-surgical facelift. 

What is unique about Altera?

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Deep lifting with the Altera System device includes tightening the skin, and subcutaneous fat, mimicking muscles, collagen, and elastin fibers. Such a tightening gives a pronounced and long-term effect of rejuvenation. 

With the help of Altera therapy, it is possible to lift and tighten the skin of the face, neck, and décolleté, as well as correct wrinkles. In other words, a multi-level effect is achieved – lifting or circular tightening and complete skin rejuvenation by smoothing wrinkles. This combination is unique! 

The effect after the procedure is gradual but increasing. In other words, rejuvenation will be natural.  

MORE ABOUT THE UNIQUENESS OF ALTERA THERAPY

The Altera therapy procedure is done on the Alter System apparatus, created by the international company Merz Aesthetics (a German holding with branches in Europe and the USA). The device is approved by the FDA (US Food and Drug Administration). This is an authoritative agency. And all products, medical products, devices, and medicines that go through strict management control are of the highest quality. Today, the Altera System device is approved for use in the USA and Western Europe.

Altera is an ultrasonic device. Focused ultrasound can penetrate to a depth of 4-4.5 mm. This is the level of SMAS – superficial musculoaponeurotic system. It is located under the skin and is connected to it in a single frame. When the muscles contract, they pull the skin along with them. As a result, sagging and deep creases have appeared over the years. Plastic surgeons doing a circular facelift excise tissue just at the level of the SMAS. In the case of Altera, tissue excision does not occur. Circular tightening (lifting) is done without a single incision. 

Altera therapy’s operation principle is as follows: with the help of a safe sensor exposure with micro-focused ultrasound to various layers of the skin – from superficial to SMAS (muscle-aponeurotic system) – they are heated pointwise.

When the temperature in the skin and subcutaneous fat increases, the collagen fibers and connective tissue of the fatty layers become denser. The skin begins to tighten.

And for the effect to be natural and long-lasting, an internal renewal process begins in the skin. During the Altera therapy procedure, micro-focused ultrasound energy is delivered to a precise depth and at a temperature that stimulates the growth of new, young collagen and elastin fibers. The surface of the skin is not damaged. 

The Altera System device has a unique patented visual control system – “deep vision” (DeepSee). Thanks to it, the doctor can see tissues at a depth of up to 8 mm. Such control helps to choose the optimal depth of exposure and avoid unintentional damage to structures. In addition, proper contact of the device’s sensor with the skin surface is monitored, significantly reducing the risk of adverse events. DeepSee is a guarantee that ultrasound will penetrate exactly where it is needed without damaging, for example, blood vessels. 

Altera is a one-time procedure without a downtime period. But don’t expect immediate results. 

The fact is that ultrasound therapy gradually affects the treated area, stimulating the natural production of collagen. This takes time, so most patients will feel the little benefit for at least two weeks. After that, the production of collagen will begin to increase. The process will take up to 90 days. During this time, the skin will noticeably tighten – sagging under the lower jaw will disappear – one of the main manifestations of age, eyebrows will rise, and deep folds and wrinkles will smooth out.

Important! Men perfectly tolerate Altera!

Representatives of the stronger sex, no less than women, want to look young and well-groomed. But often, they are afraid of going to cosmetologists. 

They fear both pain and the fact that they will look ridiculous after manipulations on the face; Altera Therapy is the best treatment for an invisible face and body lift. In addition, the SMAS lifting procedure is performed delicately and painlessly, considering the anatomical features of the facial structure in men. 

With the help of Altera therapy, you can solve the most common “male” problems:

• Reduce hernias in the lower and upper eyelids.
• Smooth out deep nasolabial folds.
• Remove excess fatty tissue in the chin and lower jaw. 

The result after Altera therapy is maintained for three years or more. 

What is unique about Morpheus 8?

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Morpheus (Morpheus 8) is a minimally invasive procedure with minimal downtime. Results can be seen after one treatment. The results are stable. No bruises or scars. The handpiece has built-in safety measures to ensure patient comfort. The nozzle removes not only wrinkles but also excess fat deposits. Each procedure is individually customized depending on what the patient requires. Morpheus 8 does the procedure in less than 45 minutes. It’s shorter than a lunch break.

MORE ABOUT THE UNIQUENESS OF MORPHEUS 8

Morpheus 8 is an innovative technology used to lift, plump, contour, and smooth sagging skin and uneven soft tissue textures. With the help of Morpheus, it is possible to carry out a non-surgical lifting of the neck, face, and eyebrow area, as well as a general thickening of the body’s skin.

It is a hybrid of two RF technologies. The result is a system of bipolar radiofrequency coagulation of subcutaneous fat and non-ablative dermal remodeling.

The Morpheus 8 handpiece is equipped with silicone-coated needle electrodes inserted through the skin into the superficial fatty tissue just below the skin. The tips of the positively charged bare needle electrodes release powerful RF energy, which causes local coagulation of adipose tissue and its thickening and contraction of the fibro septal network connected to the skin. Contraction of adipose tissue and fibro septal network causes skin tightening. The RF energy then flows from the tips of the positively charged needle electrodes to the diamond-shaped surface of negatively charged electrodes through which the needle electrodes protrude. The RF flow to the negatively charged external electrodes has a soft, non-necrotic character and thickens the dermis. 

The Morpheus handpiece delivers the energy of 24 silicone-coated monopolar electrodes under the skin to the superficial adipose tissue. A patented pulse of RF energy is applied to the adipose tissue. It heats adipose tissue to 70 °C, coagulates (shrinks) subdermal adipose tissue, and, importantly, shortens horizontal, oblique, vertical connective tissue fibers that go to the skin, called FSS (fibro septal network). This ensures significant compaction of soft tissues and eliminates overlying wrinkles, scars, uneven skin relief, pores, and even stretch marks and scars after acne. The silicone coating of the microneedles protects the skin from any thermal damage.

Such a non-thermal dermal effect is more delicate. It does not require a long recovery period compared to fractional light ablation, which makes the Morpheus 8 handpiece safer when working with dark skin phototypes.

Behind all these scientific explanations lies a rather simple meaning: thanks to the multidirectional action of radio frequency energy, tissues are powerfully pulled up from the outside and inside. It has a wonderful lifting effect! And no incisions and long rehabilitation are needed! 

Morpheus shows high results in tissue lifting in the neck, face, eyebrows, upper and lower eyelids, and in areas of the body with severe skin laxity. 

Performing several passes (2–3) with the nozzle with the introduction of a needle electrode at different depths, it is possible to increase the volume of coagulation and contraction of the FSS and adipose tissue, which leads to a more pronounced skin tightening and dermal remodeling.

Morpheus non-surgical lifting is recommended for patients who want skin tightening, wrinkle reduction, or skin texture improvement but are wary of the risks and downtime associated with surgical procedures. Morpheus 8 is the optimal means of lifting the eyebrows, lower eyelids, cheeks, jawline, and sagging skin of the neck.

Radiofrequency lifting is ideal for patients with dark skin phototypes (skin phototype IV-VI), in which protection of the epidermal-dermal junction from thermal exposure is important. The silicone-coated part of the needle electrodes ensures that thermal damage to the epidermal-dermal junction is minimized. 

On average, the course of radiofrequency lifting is designed for 2-3 procedures. One procedure can be carried out per month. 

The non-surgical skin tightening procedure is performed under local anesthesia. 

A mixture of anesthetics is applied to the skin of the correction zone 30 minutes before the procedure. They completely block pain, after which the doctor treats the skin using a nozzle. 

If you do one procedure, then it will be more powerful in its effect. However, after it, there is no pronounced formation of crusts, as after some laser procedures. But still, after such a procedure, the affected areas should be protected. Patients undergoing three moderate energy density corrective treatments require one day off after each treatment. Therefore, Saturday is an ideal day for the procedure. 

Since Morpheus8 results in significant remodeling of the deeper tissues of the face and the skin, the lifting and tightening results can last for years.

To prolong successful lifting, a combination of radio frequency soft tissue heating treatments is recommended, which are painless and non-invasive and maintain increased skin collagen, smooth texture, and reduced wrinkles.

To enhance the lifting effect, is it possible to combine Altera and Morpheus 8?

Theoretically, it is possible, but it makes no practical sense. After all, the mechanism of action on tissues in these technologies is similar. Both there and here, there is a point coagulation of tissues. These devices have different physical effects: in one case, electric current, in the other – ultrasound; nevertheless, the effect of the procedure will be similar.