Looking to subtly, yet effectively rebalance your skin texture without surgery? When topicals and other resurfacing treatments aren’t quite cutting it, Ellacor® encourages your body’s natural healing processes to promote smooth, rejuvenated skin. Our team at the Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute proudly offers the Ellacor® treatment platform to a diverse range of patients looking to address wrinkles and other common aesthetic concerns.
As active patient advocates, we’re always looking for opportunities to provide you with the context you need to make informed decisions about your treatment plans. To aid in your research, this guide to all things Ellacor® will explain how it works, who it’s for, and more so you can do just that. When it’s time to commit to this highly effective skin tightening treatment, contact us and we’ll work with you to create a customized treatment plan.
What Is Ellacor?
The Ellacor® System with Micro-CoringTM Technology is indicated for use by medical professionals for the treatment of moderate and severe wrinkles in the mid and lower face in adults aged 22 years or older with Fitzpatrick skin types I-IV. While this non-invasive skin rejuvenation treatment primarily targets wrinkles, it also optimizes and balances the skin’s texture for a younger and more refreshed aesthetic.
How It Works
The Ellacor® System is a first-of-its-kind technology for the treatment of moderate and severe wrinkles.
The breakthrough device uses specially designed hollow needles that precisely remove micro-cores of skin. After the skin is removed, the body’s natural healing response goes into effect as the skin quickly realigns to close the cores. The cores are spaced in such a way that they leave small columns of residual skin between them. This creates a sort of scaffolding structure that tightens in on itself as the healing processes take hold, resulting in smoother and healthier-looking skin.
The key mechanism by which Ellacor® enhances skin texture and elasticity is collagen induction. This is the practice of triggering the production and proliferation of collagen, a vital structural protein that gives healthy skin a firm, youthful look and feel. The body immediately registers Ellacor® treatment as an injury to the targeted tissue(s), and immediately goes to work laying down collagen. This is how Ellacor® produces natural-looking results that improve over time—by stimulating healing processes that are already in place.
The procedure is typically finished in less than 30 minutes. Keep in mind that treatment time can vary slightly depending on several unique factors, including the size and number of treatment areas, your skin type, and more. Our experienced providers at the Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute will give you a more detailed projection on treatment time and other aspects when consulting with you in person.
Explore Ellacor’s Benefits and Applications
The results of non-invasive Ellacor® treatment are improved skin architecture and natural-looking aesthetic.
- 90% of patients showed improvement on the Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale
- 86% overall patient satisfaction when considering all treatment sides
- 3 days – in the pivotal clinical trial, 70% of patients felt comfortable going out in public or returning to work 3 days post treatment.
Specifically, these dramatic aesthetic improvements include the tightening and lifting of sagging skin, both to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and to lend a more youthful appearance. Ellacor® is approved by the FDA for treating several areas of the face that are typically more resistant to anti-aging treatments. These areas include around the mouth, just under the chin, and the cheeks.
Unlike surgical anti-aging procedures, Ellacor® effectively resolves fine lines and sagging skin without any incisions or scarring to deal with. The results are visible almost immediately, but as mentioned, they will continue to improve in the weeks following your last session. Additional benefits of Ellacor® skin tightening treatment include its ability to target laugh lines, jowls, and more. Finally, while Ellacor® is most commonly used for facial rejuvenation, the treatment has also demonstrated its efficacy for treating loose skin around the abdomen, inner arms, and neck.
What to Expect From the Treatment Process
Starting from the first point of contact, the first step in successfully undergoing Ellacor® treatment is to consult with one of our expert providers at the Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute. In a consultation, we will carefully evaluate both your aesthetic presentation as well as your medical eligibility (medical history, medications and supplements, skin condition, etc.) in order to create a targeted, safe, and highly effective treatment plan.
Pre-Treatment Guidelines
Once it’s time to move forward with treatment, we will provide you with a set of pre-treatment guidelines to ensure that everything goes smoothly, including the following:
- Cease use of certain medications and supplements as directed by your provider within a certain number of weeks prior to your procedure
- Minimize sun exposure and tanning beds as much as possible
- Refrain from having any other cosmetic procedures in or around the treatment area
- If applicable, shave any hair surrounding the treatment area the day before your treatment
Keep in mind that your particular pre- and post-treatment guidelines may vary based on your unique situation. Always defer to your provider when it comes to pre- and post-treatment practices.
Treatment
When it’s time for the treatment itself, the first step is to ensure you are comfortable and ready to go. This typically includes applying a local anesthetic to reduce any possible discomfort. We will then adjust the parameters of this skin rejuvenation treatment to provide the best results for your skin type and aesthetic concerns. Skin removal amount and core depth are two key parameters that allow us to target a variety of issues accurately and effectively.
Once the parameters are set, the applicator will be placed over the treatment area. The fine needles will go to work systematically creating micro-cores throughout the skin. Each time the needles are inserted in the skin, the tissue is removed via gentle suction.
Once the target area has been fully treated, we will assess your skin’s response to ensure that it falls within normal ranges. Thanks to the size of the micro cores and the lack of thermal energy used in this treatment, it is less likely to cause scarring, and comes with minimal downtime. Read on for a more comprehensive breakdown of Ellacor recovery, including what to expect immediately following the procedure, how to maintain your results, and more.
Ellacor Recovery and Maintenance Tips
What should Ellacor patients expect in terms of post-treatment effects? While the chance of scarring is very low, there are several other effects you’re likely to experience, including redness and swelling, some dryness, a feeling of tightness, bruising, and mild discomfort. These are indicators that the treatment has successfully stimulated a healing response from the body.
As with pre-treatment guidelines, the most important practice when it comes to navigating the post-treatment scenario is to follow the individualized instructions of your provider. Here are some common examples of how patients are instructed to care for their skin in the first few days immediately following treatment:
- Activity modification: It is typically recommended that you avoid shaving, applying makeup, and applying sunless tanning creams or a variety of other topicals in the days immediately following your treatment. It’s also important not to submerge the treated area in water, expose it to high-heat environments, or engage in any more intense activities (like sports) that could involve unwanted contact to the area.
- Cleaning the treated area(s): It’s important to cleanse the treatment area with water and mild cleansers multiple times a day, but make sure not to scrub the area dry after application. Pat trying with a towel is a safer option in this case.
- Protecting the skin: This is a multifaceted and somewhat individualized effort. Protect the skin from sun exposure, do not sleep on your face, avoid picking at the treatment area, and avoid more powerful and/or potentially irritating topical products until cleared by your provider.
You may be recommended to use certain products throughout the earlier phases of your post-treatment healing, so make sure to follow all of these instructions to enhance results.
As for the recovery timetable you can expect, most patients are able to resume their normal schedules within just a few days, but it can vary based on several factors. Most of the post-treatment guidelines issued above will apply for 1-5 days following your treatment.
Ellacor vs. Microneedling
Understandably, many prospective patients who have yet to receive both of these treatments often express some confusion in terms of how microneedling and Ellacor® differ. While it’s true that both treatments rely on making small perforations in the skin to create an immune response that boosts collagen, multiple key differences set them apart in ways that affect treatment results.
Starting with the most important distinction, where Ellacor® actually removes a small amount of skin with each treatment, microneedling does not. The needles used in Ellacor® treatment are hollow, allowing for the skin to be excised, while microneedling needles are only intended to create controlled injuries in the skin. This difference may seem small on the surface, but by strategically excising the skin, Ellacor® allows for more potent results when it comes to skin tightening.
Another key difference in Ellacor® and microneedling involves the skin tones that each treatment can accommodate. While both skin rejuvenation treatments are FDA-approved to treat skin laxity and wrinkles, Ellacor® has not yet been sufficiently tested on skin tones beyond Fitzpatrick type 4, where microneedling has.
Overall, Ellacor® is the preferred solution among those looking for more dramatic results, but both treatments have been shown to improve skin texture and elasticity.
Pair Treatments to Elevate Your Results
While complementary procedures aren’t always available to have on the same day as your Ellacor® treatment, they can still be used to enhance your results and target a wider range of aesthetic concerns and treatment areas. Procedures that have been paired with Ellacor® include dermal fillers, neuromodulator injections, laser resurfacing treatments, and more.
- Ellacor® and Dermal Fillers: Both Ellacor® and dermal filler injections like Juvederm and Voluma are effective for treating fine lines, but pairing them together provides the added advantage of addressing loss of facial volume. For example, Ellacor® can be used to reduce skin laxity around the mouth or under the chin, while dermal fillers help add volume to the lips, cheeks, or under-eye areas for a more comprehensively rejuvenated aesthetic.
- Ellacor® and Neuromodulator Injections: Combining Ellacor® with neuromodulator injections like Botox allows for precise targeting of dynamic wrinkles as well as skin laxity. Botox relaxes the muscles that contribute to fine lines, creating a natural-looking and youthful rejuvenation that is enhanced by the ability of Ellacor® to smooth sagging skin in various areas.
- Ellacor® and Laser Resurfacing Treatments: Finally, lasers and broadband light treatments can be combined with Ellacor® to address a broader range of imperfections. Where Ellacor® improves laxity, laser resurfacing treatments can drastically reduce the appearance of dark spots, acne scars, and more.
Though pairing Ellacor® with complementary procedures may improve your results dramatically, doing so safely and effectively requires careful planning and implementation. At the Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute, we will work with you to customize a treatment plan that works best for you.
Ellacor FAQ
How many Ellacor® sessions will I need?
The optimal number of Ellacor® treatments for your situation varies according to a number of unique factors (aesthetic concerns, age, etc.). In most cases, two to three sessions spaced roughly a month apart produces the best results.
How long will my results last?
The results of Ellacor® treatment typically last between several months to a year or longer. The age at which you receive the treatment can significantly affect this number.
How much skin does Ellacor actually remove?
Ellacor® can remove up to 8% of excess skin. This treatment parameter can be adjusted in either direction to best accommodate your presentation.
Choose the Chicago Aesthetic Surgery Institute for a Rejuvenating Ellacor Treatment Plan
Our team of friendly and experienced providers is passionate about exceeding every patient’s expectations with customized treatment plans. Having seen its dramatic results firsthand, we believe firmly in the ability of Ellacor® to meet our standards of efficacy and safety.
Contact us today for a consultation, and make a commitment towards youthful, beautifully renewed skin.
