HIFU is a high-intensity focused ultrasound that heats tissue with acoustic sound energy in a controlled and focused manner. The thermal injury within the tissue leads to focal necrosis and cellular damage of the tissue, resulting in a remodelling of the layers after an inflammatory response creates a cascade of healing processes similar to that of ablative and non-ablative laser treatments. However, as HIFU uses ultrasonic energy to penetrate deep into the tissue causing thermal coagulation, it avoids adverse side-effects of the superficial skin layers.

Some devices also include high-resolution ultrasound imaging to more precisely deliver energy to the precise depths to perfectly target the SMAS layers. Focused ultrasound can penetrate the skin up to 5mm hitting deep below the dermal layers. This safe and effective clinically proven treatment has been shown to be a safe and effective method of improving skin laxity through subdermal tissue coagulation and tightening.