Thermage - To do or not to do?

Doing freelance without an office has really made my life go upside down trying to keep up with the stuff I have to do. Recently I have just been appointed as a consultant and module writer for a Basic Aesthetic Course for supporting staff under Open University Malaysia. Its a tedious job, but I feel honoured to be given the chance to contribute to the younger generation. So on and off, I see some of my aesthetic patients in Gleneagles. Its not really the Shangri-La, but for the time being, it will do to keep the service running. Perhaps the coolest thing there is my Consultant owns a Thermage that he barely uses, so he's allowed me to use it instead. Yay.

So what is Thermage?

Thermage is a machine created for skin tightening. Using radiofrequency technology, it generates a controlled heat at the end of the tip to allow equal heating of the dermis. Studies have shown that controlled thermal injury to the skin leads to collagen remodelling subsequently which takes between 4-12 weeks depending on extent of stimulation. Thermage technology has been around for more than a decade with constant improvements to the machine. So far it is still one of the best technologies for skin tightening that is able to deliver results with just 1 treatment. Other radiofrequency devices usually require 4 or more treatments for similar effects. I have been studying this technology since I started Starhill and it has been impressive.

Areas of treatment

The Thermage was initially created for face tightening with focus on to the eye area to delay need for eye lid surgery. As we age, the skin becomes lax and starts to droop. Some physicians use botox to keep the lid up, but even botox requires a good skin elasticity to allow the effect to occur. Thermage made its name as the first non-surgical device to give eye lid tightening. And the results are pretty much impressive.

Other indications would be face tightening, jaw line definition, neck and body. But as all other aesthetic procedures, results will vary based on individual and also the doctor who conducts the treatment. 

Pain Concerns

Yes, I admit many people claim Thermage is painful. Personally, I would give it a rating of 9/10 for pain for the older generations. The newer ones i.e. the CPT with built in vibrator functions drops the pain score to around 7/10 without any topical anaesthesia. Although some may argue that topical anaesthesia is a placebo effect, all my patients admit it is less painful on areas with local and areas without. I can also offer some Ultracet prior to the procedure to make it more comfortable. Other factors influencing pain is the steadiness of the hand doing the procedure, the speed and the area that is being done. In a well trained practitioner, the pain felt is negligible and confined to perhaps at most 1 hour after the procedure.

Downtime

The coolest thing about this treatment, there is no social downtime. Yeah, there maybe some redness up to 1 hour after the procedure, or maybe slight oedema swelling the next day, but its still concealable and does not look so obvious. 

The Cost

Well this is the real pincher. The cost for 1 treatment properly done at 900 shots is between RM 10- RM 12K locally. Yes, I said it, it costs a bomb. But the justification for this is that you only need 1 treatment done properly and the results will last you between 6 months to 2 years, depending on the severity of your problem. But look at it this way, 1 treatment for 10K spread over 12 months, it's only RM 833 spent a month compared to other tightening treatments for example Gentle-YAG (Yes, you can use this machine for tightening) RM 1200 per session X 4 weekly during the initial stage, then monthly X 3 and then probably repeat after 6 months (RM 9600 over 8 visits per annum) or other medical tightening devices whose selling price is usually approximately RM 800/session but you will need around 10-16 sessions to get close to the tightening effects of thermage. When you add up the transport and time costs, sometimes it could be more. And let's not even mention the beauty salon grade RFs - Yes, they look nice immediately but you will not have any lasting effects because of the Joules limitation on their machines. In order to start the collagen remodelling cascade, the dermis and up to 20mm into the subcutaneous tissue needs to be heated up to the range of 42-55 degrees. 

What to Expect?

Initially you will see instant tightening of the skin due to dehydration of the cells from the heat and you may appear a little bit flushed. The results may be good or average on the first day with subsequently there may be mild oedema lasting up to 3 days. After 2 weeks you will start to notice improvement in skin texture. The pores start to appear smaller and many say they feel the skin softer. The initial tightening effect will start after the first month with the best results seen after 3 months, so be sure to keep a photo to compare. Sometimes, the changes appear subtle, sometimes very marked. Depending on your initial skin condition, if your skin is still supple, effects can last up to 2 years. If you are very sagged, lax or you are targeting shaping a fleshy face, you may need to repeat every 6 months to achieve the desired results.

Results?

Here are the few results obtain from a good treatment.

Pretty amazing results huh? For more information or to enquire treatments, contact us via email at faceworksclinic@gmail.com or call us at 014-2233268. Please be reminded that we are no longer in Starhill so please contact us before dropping by. Thermage is available in Gleneagles for a limited time only so do contact us early to avoid disappointments.