before                                          after

   before                                            after

before                                after

Thermage

Patients who are looking for a non-invasive solution to help correct areas of skin laxity, and wrinkles in the facial area, may want to consider Thermage. This procedure will benefit patients who are not ready for a face lift, but who would like to have the subtle appearance of tighter, more youthful facial skin. Thermage can be used safely on all skin types in both males and females.

This procedure will also benefit patients who want to correct the "jowling effect". These are the little pouches, or loose skin, that begin to form along the jaw line.

Thermage will help to lift and or tighten the skin, and soften wrinkles. In some cases the patient may experience a slight lift in the eyebrow area, and hooding of the upper eyelids may become less pronounced. The tightening of skin in the jaw area, will reduce the jowling effect.

Thermage is geared at the regeneration of the collagen in the skin. The collagen is heated by the radio frequency energy, and it contracts or tightens. This gives the skin a tighter appearance, and softer or diminished lines and wrinkles.

Thermage is a non-invasive Radio Frequency Energy System. Its volumetric and uniform heating is passed into the subcutaneous tissue layer causing immediate collagen contraction. This is followed by gradual collagen tightening, followed by a growth in collagen, which lifts the skin without damage to the epidermis. During this procedure cryogen cooling is used to protect the epidermal surface (upper layers of skin) before and after the radio frequency. The patient will feel the cooling and heating sensation of this process.

The patients facial area is thoroughly cleansed prior to the procedure. A topical anesthetic is applied at this time for patient comfort, nerve blocks may be used on the forehead. After approximately 45 mintues to 1 hour the topical freezing is removed from the treatment area. The targeted treatment area is then marked with a grid pattern that corresponds to the size of the treatment tip. Just prior to treatment the area is covered with a conductive fluid, which is used to enhance the radio frequency energy.

There is minimal patient recovery time, due to the fact that this is a non-invasive procedure. The patient may experience some redness in the areas that have been treated. The redness usually disappears shortly after the treatment. There are no restrictions on activities following the treatment.

Some patients will notice results soon after the treatment. In most cases the results can take between 2-6 months to fully appear.

There is a very small risk of being burned during the procedure. This a very rare and uncommon occurrence. The burn is seen immediately, and further treatment is ceased.