HIFU 7D in Palamós: non-surgical face and body lifting

HIFU 7D is a high-intensity focused ultrasound device. Instead of passing through tissue as in an ordinary scan, the energy is concentrated into very small points at a set depth, where the temperature rises enough to form tiny coagulation zones. These points are placed in the deep dermis and in the SMAS, the muscular and fibrous layer that supports the face, without injuring the skin surface. The body repairs them with new collagen, and that process gradually tightens the tissue.

Devices of this kind work at frequencies of roughly 4 to 10 megahertz: on the face they reach depths of 3 to 4.5 millimetres, and on the body up to 10 or 13. «7D» refers to the device's seven interchangeable cartridges: according to the manufacturer's specifications, the 1.5, 2, 3 and 4.5 millimetre ones are for the face and neck, and the 6, 9 and 13 millimetre ones for body areas.

Who HIFU 7D suits

The best candidate has mild to moderate laxity and wants to improve it without an operation. When the skin already sags a lot, what a non-invasive treatment can achieve is limited and other options should be discussed.

• Lower third of the face, jawline and double chin.
• Neck and décolletage.
• The area around the eyes, with the most superficial cartridges and never over the eyelid.
• Abdomen and thighs, with the body cartridges.

What an HIFU 7D session involves

• Assessment: the doctor examines the area, the degree of laxity and your history, and decides which cartridges to use.
• Preparation: the skin is cleansed, the areas are marked and a gel is applied so the ultrasound passes through properly.
• Treatment: the handpiece rests on the skin and delivers the energy in lines, at the depth of each cartridge.
• Afterwards: there may be some redness or slight swelling, which clear on their own, and you can carry on as normal the same day.

It feels like heat and small pricks where the energy is concentrated, more intense over bone. In studies, the average pain patients report is mild, around 3 out of 10.

HIFU 7D results: what the studies say

The effect is not immediate, because it depends on new collagen. That is why studies assess the result at three months and review it again at six. The systematic review published in 2025 in the Aesthetic Surgery Journal, covering 45 studies, puts the improvement in laxity at 18 to 30 % in the lower face, neck and periorbital area, and the reduction in circumference at 2.5 to 4.5 centimetres on the abdomen and thighs.

One figure helps set expectations. In a review of HIFU in dermatology, doctors rated an overall improvement in 92 % of patients at three months, maintained at one year, whereas patients themselves noticed it in 42 % at three months and 53 % at one year. The result is real but gradual and subtle, which is why it helps to take photographs before starting.

Side effects and contraindications

The usual side effects are transient redness and swelling; less often, in around 2 %, temporary changes in sensation or small bruises. The FDA adds blisters, burns and nerve damage as possible complications.

Special care is needed near the eyes. A case report describes a patient with injuries to the cornea, iris and lens after HIFU was applied over her upper eyelid without eye protection, and the authors recommend protecting the eye and never applying it directly over the eyelid.

It is not used over open wounds or damaged skin, in people with a pacemaker, defibrillator or other active implants, or where there is metal under the skin in the area, as the FDA guidance sets out. If you are pregnant, mention it at the consultation.

HIFU 7D and other treatments

HIFU 7D works on laxity. If your concern is skin quality (radiance, texture, fine lines), Meso Skin Dual is a better fit, and for body contour there is DetoxBody. All the options are compared on the advanced aesthetic medicine page.