Would you like to reduce the signs of aging skin, giving you a more youthful appearance? Does the thought of a surgical face lift make you slightly wince in pain? Well, now you can reevaluate your options because Thermage, Non-Surgical Tissue Tightening gives you all the benefits of an invasive face-lift operation, with no scalpels or needles.
How does Thermage work?
Thermage is made possible by a technological breakthrough called the ThermaCool TC system. ThermaCool TC is a patented Capacitive Radio Frequency (CRF) technology, designed to tighten facial tissue. The patented ThermaTip wand sends radio frequency energy through the skin, heating deep skin layers while protecting the skin's surface with a cooling action.
With age, collagen fibers (collagen is a building block that provides structure to skin) start to thin, shorten, and rigidify. The epidermis then wrinkles, collapses, and eventually begins to sag. Thermage works by stimulating the collagen fibers with safe radio frequency technology. This stimulation promotes health and growth of collagen fibers, tightening the skin and reducing wrinkles.
What is the Thermage procedure like?
With the Thermage system, you can attain dramatic anti-aging results and improved appearance of skin with only one single visit to the doctor. This single treatment typically takes only 15 to 90 minutes depending on the specific area being treated.
There is absolutely no recovery time required. You can walk out of the doctor's office and go about your daily routine straight away.
Since the Thermage process does not put anything directly into your body, but rather promotes the health and growth of skin, results can, and usually do continue to improve for several months afterward. The effects of the Thermage procedure will continue to last for several years.
Is the Thermage system safe?
Thermage and the ThermaCool TC system were cleared by the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) in 2002 and recognized as a safe, non-invasive option to surgery.
Is there any pain felt during or after the procedure?
Thermage promoters describe the process as a painless, short, deep heating sensation. The patented ThermaTip wand, which is used to apply the radio frequencies, uses a cool spray to both protect the surface of the skin, as well as to provide comfort to you. Some patients who have undergone the Thermage process have reported mild pain felt at first, but then quickly disappearing. Patients are usually given a mild pain reliever to alleviate any discomfort.
What are the side effects of the Thermage procedure?
Thermage technology is now being used world-wide. With over 70,000 treatments already performed, the reported side-effects come from less than 1% of patients. The most common side-effect is described as mild redness, such as a sunburn. These temporary effects are normally gone in 3-10 days.
Will my insurance cover Thermage?
Since Thermage is considered an elective procedure, most insurance companies will not cover the procedure. Check with your insurer to find out more.
Is Thermage applicable to other parts of the body?
Thermage treatment has also shown positive results on the abdomen, upper arm, and inner thigh. This practice is called Body Thermage.
If it's good enough for Joan Rivers, it's good enough for you. In her latest book, Men Are Stupid...And They Like Big Boobs: A Woman's Guide to Beauty Through Plastic Surgery, the mega-star has admitted the she has had loads of operations, on her eyes, arms, lips, breasts, tummy and nose. Plus, she regularly gets Botox injections as well as a host of other anti-aging treatments to keep the Grim Reaper at bay - or at least allowing him to see her looking damn good before she passes on.
As Rivers - who's amazingly now 75 years old - knows, the more we age, the more we tend to droop and sag. It's sad fact of life, as the effects of gravity begin to take their toll on those with even the most elastic of skin. Clever plastic surgeons, however, have ways to revere the effects of aging, and make us look younger than we really are. But which procedures are really right for us?
While every individual is different, most of us follow a similar pattern when it comes to aging - and most of us can benefit from procedures designed for people at a certain age in their lives. Here are the most commonly performed operations for people in a specific age group. Read about them and see if they appeal to you - or if they make you want to run the other way!
The 20s
Most of us still look youthful at this age, and aging doesn't play an enormous role when it comes to the type of cosmetic procedures offered to people in this age group. Skin care treatments are usually popular, both to get rid of leftover acne and/or scars, and to ward off wrinkles in future. Remember, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure!
THE PROBLEM: Specific problems that plague an individual, regardless of age. While most people in this age group respond well to exercise, genetic problems might still remain, such as a saggy butt, flat cheeks (on the face, that is), flat chest or skinny legs.
THE RECOMMENDATION: The most common procedures performed in the US among people in their 20s were liposuction, boob jobs and rhinoplasty ops (that's a nose job, dummy). Less invasive procedures such as Botox (yes, even in your 20s!) and dermal fillers to augment the lips are also popular among the twenty-something set. A butt, cheek of calf implant may be desired as well, for those who are active at the gym but still can't achieve the perfect body - or face - they so desire.
The 30s
Youth is beginning to wane, and wrinkles are accumulating on the face, as well as fat deposits collecting in the chin and other areas. The body is also showing signs of wear and tear, and doing it on your own just doesn't cut it.
THE PROBLEM: Good skin elasticity means a variety of facial treatments are available that can work to good effect. However, diet and exercise don't have quite the same effect they did in the past - plus the result of pregnancy may have taken a toll - so body contouring treatments might be warranted. Your metabolism has slowed down, and everything is harder work. Surgery can help.
THE RECOMMENDATION: Loads of skin care treatments can turn back the clock, such as microdermabrasion, Thermage and laser skin tightening. To make it look like you've never had a baby - and certainly never breastfed one - why not try a breast uplift and augmentation, as well as a tummy tuck, stretch mark removal surgery and a course of lipo?
The 40s
Things are starting to slide south faster and faster, the skin is losing its elasticity and it takes about five hours to work off one Krispy Kreme donut. Why? Welcome to the 40s!
THE PROBLEM: Loose skin makes the face - and other areas of the body - look saggy and droopy. Excess fat is accumulating faster than you can say "Malibu Beach Diet", and for those who postponed having kids until now, the post-baby jelly belly is here to stay. Nobody wants to watch every mouthful they eat, so there has to be another way...
THE RECOMMENDATION: Get rid of fine lines and wrinkles, or at least the appearance of them, with non-invasive treatments such as Botox and Thermage. More invasive measures would include a brow lift and eyelid surgery. Some people even have complete face lifts at this age, or at least a thread or mini lift (studies have shown that people in their late 40s who get face lifts are the most happy with the results). Old faves include tummy tucks, boob jobs and lipo, and if your neck is showing signs of looking like a turkey, you might want to have a neck lift - or at least some lipo - in the neck area before it gets a lot worse.
The 50s
Facial surgery is a big thing for women and men of this age, as the first real signs of aging appear on the face. Lack of volume in the face plus gravity can make you droop and look haggard and/or constantly tired. Perk yourself up with a spot o' surgery!
THE PROBLEM: Saggy face and neck, hollow cheeks, lack of vitality in the face, a youthful visage that has disappeared with age. Even if you splashed out $3,500 on a fab designer outfit, spend a grand on a haircut and eat nothing but lettuce leaves for a month, your face will still give you away.
THE RECOMMENDATION: Anything that can plump up the face and make it look younger is popular among people this age. This can include obvious techniques such as a face lift and fillers, but also can include the less obvious: cheek implants, neck lift, browlift. Non-invasive treatments to look better are also popular, such as laser and pulsed-light therapy. Women who have had surgery for breast cancer etc might also be investigating reconstructive surgery at this age. Saying that, most people who want boob jobs etc will have already had one - or two, or three - by the time they hit the big 5-0.
Beyond...
As Joan Rivers has proven, anyone can look younger - or drastically altered, as if they'd had a myriad number of procedures performed on their body and face - through plastic surgery. Whether you're 21, 51 or 81, there is a surgery out there to suit you - and a surgeon willing to do it.
If you are considering surgery, however, do your homework first and think long and hard about whether the outcome is really what you want. If you don't have realistic expectations of what surgery can do for you - give you better breasts, for example, not give you a better life - then the whole plan could hideously backfire.
"I believe in plastic surgery," Rivers said in an interview not long ago. "Eventually, you will look in the mirror and you will know. You will hit 40 and