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.

Easy Dew - Simple solution for Asian skin....

                             

Happy Chinese New Year Peeps..... It seems like the New Years are pretty much closer together this year with a mere 1 month apart of each other. In Malaysia, Chinese New Year is celebrated with massive decorations, fireworks, reunion dinners, loh sangs and dragon dances. This year is the year of the horse and everyone is feeling the spirit of the wooden horse energising efforts of productivity for the year.

So to start of this year,  I would like to introduce a new medical cosmetic product from Korea. It's called Easy Dew.

Well, what is so special about this range of products? The Koreans are known for their enthusiastic approach towards medical aesthetics and the in depth research and development of products and techniques. EGF is not a new player in the world of aesthetics. Initially the technology was used mainly in scar treatment to aid treatment and reduction. The development of Easydew followed from a request of a patient receiving diabetic foot treatment from a sister product called Easyef dermal solution. Seeing as how the product was able to help with her healing diabetic wound, she wondered how it would affect her face. Dr Jun-Pyo Hong, M.D. , a plastic surgeon of ASAN Medical Center decided to take up the challenge and presented a cosmetic R&D proposal to Daewoong Pharmaceuticals. Together, they developed a medical cosmeceutical that helps to prevent post treatment unwanted side effects while maximizing treatment efficacy starting from the cells using the skin restoration mechanism of the protein EGF that exists in the system. Although initially the skincare range was designed for post procedures, we do find that it works for most normal to dry skin with very marked improvements.

This product came out in Korea in the year 2012 and has made quite an impression in the medical cosmetic world. Using the latest technology of DW-EGF, allows the creation of a stable safe skincare that gives wonderful results. 

So what are the effects of DW-EGF to our skin? Here's a simple diagram to demonstrate:

Here is a control study on the skincare that show's the improvements within weeks. 

Well, we did our own study with the product. We had 5 subjects who volunteered their faces. Each subject was given a treatment ranging from PRP to peeling to Dermaqueen facials and was given a sample of the products with instructions to use on only on the left side 2x daily. The study was suppose to go on for 4 weeks but after the 2nd week, we decided to stop because all of the participants experienced the left side being lifted more than the right side, thus was looking more obvious as the day went. Overall all 5 participants found that the product was easy to apply. The texture suited more of the Normal to Dry skin. All of the participants noticed an improvement as early as the first week, and the improvements seen were the skin textures, pores, lightening of pigments and lifting effects. Even after stopping the products after only 2 weeks of usage, the tightening effect lasted for another good 2-3 weeks after. 

I took a set to try out. The cleanser was pretty good. A small amount was required to clean the whole face and it strips of all the oil from your face. The active soothing serum is perhaps one of my favourites. The light texture serum absorbs almost immediately into the skin leaving it soft and smooth. I had an Obagi peel done on my face prior to using this product, and I do feel that it does reduces the downtime. Usually my face will peel for 5-7 days on Obagi Blue Peel Radiance, but this time round, I had minimal peeling or redness for 3-5 days. However, the most highest concentration of EGF is found in the Easydew EGF Repair Control which is also the most expensive product for the range. It comes in a long fancy bottle. You only need a little bit of cream to apply to your whole face. I loved the texture and how it absorbs almost instantly without a sticky feel. After these 2 steps, you may want to maintain with a good moisturiser. This range comes with 2 types of moisturiser - The Easydew Renewal Intense Moisturiser or the Easydew Renewal Moisturiser. The Intense moisturiser is designed for more elderly or dry skin and is a tad too rich for people below 45. However, if you have very dry skin, this is perhaps a good solution for you. It comes in a 50ml packaging but you will just need a small amount to apply on your face and neck. The Renewal moisturiser is a less thick cream which is more suitable for younger or oily skin. I've also tried out the sunblock which is an SPF 40 with both UVA and UVB coverage. My verdict, its a good sunblock but I think it made me look a bit white. Although it may feel sticky in the beginning, but it absorbs within minutes and the stickiness disappears. It also has some EGF in it that helps to lighten pigmentation.

So now we come to the most important bit, the price. To be honest, it is not exactly cheap. But for the results it can show within 2 weeks I would say its worth every penny. Especially when too many cosmetic products promise so much but delivers so little. The price for each product is between RM 88 - RM 160 with the Easydew EGF Repair Control priced at RM 268 per bottle. If we were to compare to the other cosmetic counter products like Lancome, La Mer or SK II, the price is acceptable. The best part is, there is also a trial kit you can purchase to try out this product before making a decision. 

This trial set consists of 6 items is only RM 248/= and consists of a toner, Active Soothing Serum, Repair Control EGF, Renewal Moisture, Sunblock and BB Cream. These products are available in the clinic with preorder, so if you are interested to purchase or try out, please feel free to contact as at 03-21440080 / 0142233268 or email your enquiry to faceworksclinic@gmail.com. You can also Like us on Facebook ( https://www.facebook.com/FaceworksClinic ) and send your enquiries there.