While many procedures target weight loss, augmentations, and enhancements, the treating of sagging skin can be a bit more difficult to treat without resulting in countless surgeries, multiple injections, and a severe downtime. Thermage is an invasive anti-aging treatment used to tighten the skin by stimulating the body's natural renewal process. Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Michele Green sat down with Haute Beauty to discuss Thermage and how it can help with tightening and contouring skin with one single treatment.
What is Thermage?
Thermage is a minimally invasive anti-aging treatment used to tighten the skin. The procedure utilizes radiofrequency energy to uniformly heat the underlying dermis. This gentle hearing tightens existing collagen and stimulates the production of new collagen. The new collagen which is produced gradually tightens the skin to give you a more youthful appearance. The procedure is totally painful and without any “down time” at all. The end result is a more youthful appearance and the tightening of sagging skin. The “trifecta” that I use for the aging neck in my practice is a combination of Thermage to tighten the neck, Botox injections for the wrinkles or cords of the neck, and Coolsculpting or Kybella if there is any submental fat under the chin. This combination produces a beautiful long-lasting result in treating the aging neck.
What conditions can be treated with this procedure?
One of the most amazing things about Thermage is that it can be used on the skin anywhere on your body. While Thermage has been classically used to treat the face and in particular the jowls and neck, it is used to treat other area of the body as well. We frequently treat the arms with a combination approach. We first do Thermage to tighten the skin of the upper arms and often follow it with Coolsculpting to reduce any fat as well in that area. The arms are a frequently requested area. Other popular areas to treat with Thermage and tighten the skin is the abdomen, buttocks, and thighs. Again, Thermage is often combined with Coolsculpting in my practice in these areas to permanently reduce the fat or Vellashape to reduce cellulite.
Describe the process of using Thermage to treat aging necks?
The process of treating patients with Thermage is simple. The patients come to the office and we use a template to mark a grid on the area being treated. We use this grid to mark the area of the neck and jowls that is being treated. The Thermage is used to apply heat/energy in repeated motions and concentrating on “lifting the skin” with the handpiece. A special coolant is used with the Thermage so that the heat is minimized and a solution applied on the skin in every place that we use the handpiece so that the procedure is quite comfortable. There is no pain or down time at all from Thermage and patients can go back to work immediately after the procedure. The procedure time takes approximately 90 minutes.
How soon can patients see results using Thermage?
Patients see the results of Thermage after 4 months and still continue up to 6 months.
What follow-up treatments are needed with this treatment?
The results of Thermage last up to two years. Some patients return earlier and have the procedure every year or 18 months since they are so thrilled with the results and turns back the aging process.
Photos courtesy of Dr. Michele Green
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