People can be understandably skeptical about plastic surgery procedures that promise to smooth and contour your skin. Thermage, however, has a great reputation – and according to Dr. Thomas Liszka, of Ballantyne Plastic Surgery in Charlotte, North Carolina, for good reason. Here he explains why Thermage may be what you have been looking for.
Thermage is a safe, non-invasive procedure. It is designed to help smooth, tighten, and contour skin anywhere on the body, and give it a naturally younger-looking appearance. It works by using radiofrequency to heat the deeper structures of the skin, including collagen fibers. The heat tightens fibers that have become loose and stretched with age. Best of all, Thermage will also stimulate new collagen growth to make your skin feel smoother over time.
Although Thermage has been around for a number of years, the latest breakthroughs in technology have made the procedure better. Its use has been expanded beyond facial aesthetics and now includes body contouring, including the treatment of cellulite. In fact, it is the only FDA-cleared single treatment for temporary improvement of cellulite.
Thermage is performed in one treatment, and most patients report immediate results that improve over four to six months and last for three to five years.
Thermage can be used to:
- Increase jaw line definition on the face
- Tighten skin around the neck
- Reduce jowls
- Improve the texture and tone of the skin
- Rejuvenate the eye area
- Reshape and tighten the abdominal skin as well as reduce inches around the abdomen and waist
- Tighten and refine upper arm skin
- Tighten skin on the thigh
Disadvantages of Thermage
The downside to Thermage is that it is less predictable than surgery. And the result that someone may get depends a lot upon their own body’s process of healing. We tell patients who undergo Thermage that the results may be anywhere from subtle to dramatic.
The results are not always immediate and it takes approximately six months to get the final results. Saying that, it definitely is safe. I have never seen a complication such as a burn or volume loss in anyone that I have treated.
The information in the article is not intended to substitute for the medical expertise and advice of your healthcare provider. We encourage you to discuss any decisions about treatment or care with an appropriate healthcare provider.
