Seeking smooth skin? Seeking smooth skin? Go for a thermage experience

Seeking smooth skin? Seeking smooth skin? Go for a thermage experience - Beauty care would become an increasingly technology driven industry,” predicted Ed Artzt, a Procter & Gamble Chief Executive, in 1992. This is true for the multibillion dollar business of creams, hair products and perfumes in which major companies are investing colossal sums on research. It is also true for the lucrative business of looking young and beautiful. Patients are no longer only middle-aged or older, young women in their twenties are also coming for BOTOX injections!

A new procedure, Thermage, is now available in the Middle East. Since its release in 2002, it has been the most popular outpatient treatment worldwide. Thermage is a radiofrequency device, which is FDA approved for the treatment of skin laxity and wrinkles in a single session.

In a few words, Thermage is a skin lift with no surgery and no anesthesia. This nonsurgical skin-tightening procedure uses radio waves to tighten facial skin and smooth wrinkles. This technique can also be used to rejuvenate stomach, knees, arms or legs. Thermage is a good choice for people who do not want a full facelift, and for those who believe that a skin filler, such as restylane or juvederm, won’t have long-lasting results.

Tightening skin in certain key areas can be advantageous for cosmetic improvement. For example, treating the skin of the forehead can lift sagging eyebrows and enhance the appearance of eyes to make them appear more open, less tired and more alert. Other areas of the face, such as the skin on the cheeks, can be treated to reduce flaccidity and accentuate the shape of the cheekbone. Moreover, Thermage can tighten wrinkled facial skin, improve the appearance of double chins and eliminate the signs of aging on the hands.

Thermage also works for acne. The treatment leads to normalization of the function of sebaceous glands, and probably has an anti-bacterial effect. Therefore, it has a positive effect on acne, especially in the case of cystic acne. In many cases, the treatment allows the avoidance of potentially toxic treatments like RE-Accutane.

Thermage is typically performed in a doctor’s office and may take up to an hour, depending on the size and condition of the area to be treated. Thermage delivers radio frequency energy to heat collagen located in the deep layers of the skin. The procedure helps contract the collagen, which then tightens the appearance of the skin’s surface. During each pulse, the outer layer of the skin is cooled while the deeper layers of skin and fat are heated to induce collagen tightening. The entire face may require 400 to 600 pulses with each energy pulse taking between two to seven seconds. The procedure itself may take anywhere from 15 to 45 minutes, depending upon the size of the area treated.

Thermage results may be apparent after only one session. In fact, some women who have undergone body contouring can lose up to 1.5 inches around their abdomen after just one treatment. The skin tightens during the initial process and continues to tighten for three to six months afterward. The procedure also stimulates your body’s healing process, which produces more natural collagen over time.

The experience is often described as a deep heating or mild pinching sensation, but a new vibrating hand piece has significantly reduced discomfort. Additionally, an anesthetic cream can be applied one hour before the treatment to make it more tolerable. The heat sensation lasts only fractions of a second and is followed by a cool sensation, which also helps improve comfort. This is the result of the use of cryogen spray, which is delivered before, during and after the application of heat. Occasionally, painkillers or local injections of anesthesia are given for additional comfort.

Thermage side effects are rare, but can include swelling, blisters, peeling, bumps or dimpling. However, if a side effect occurs, it usually goes within a few days to a few weeks. As for the minimal redness seen in some patients, that normally disappears within an hour.

“Trained physicians should be the only people who perform the procedure because results are technique dependent and the procedure is rather expensive,” said Nada Soueidan, M.D. “A good Thermage treatment costs anywhere from $2,000 to $3,500 depending on how many shots are given. If Thermage is done on the right candidate then one session is usually enough and would be repeated every 18 months on the average. Sometimes, in patients who have severe laxity and do not want to undergo surgery, we can combine it with another procedure such as FRAXEL to tighten the skin. I strongly recommend Thermage, however, not as an alternative to BOTOX, as they are not comparable. BOTOX is not for laxity; rather it is for expression lines. They can be done together for a younger and much more youthful look.” ( arabnews.com )