San Diego Thermage® FAQ

What is Thermage®?

Thermage® is a non-invasive, no-downtime procedure that tightens the skin, improves contours, and strengthens the collagen in the skin. 

How does Thermage work?

Thermage works by treating the deeper layer of the skin, the dermis without affecting the visible layer of the skin, the epidermis.  It accomplishes this by using a precise frequency of radio waves that pass through the outer layer of the skin and penetrate into the dermis at a precise depth, where they cause the tissue to heat.  Meanwhile, cooling of the epidermis keeps it from being affected by the heat.

What is the effect of dermal heating?

When exposed to heat, the collagen in the dermis realigns and tightens, which results in a tightening of the skin.  In addition, the heating stimulates the body to produce additional collagen, leading to a long-term improvement in skin tone.

Where is Thermage used?

Thermage can be used on the entire face.  We have seen great results using it on:

• The forehead
• Wrinkles around the eyes
• Cheeks
• Nasolabial area
• Jowls and the jaw
• Neck

Because it is non-invasive, and not an injection or other targeted procedure, it is easy to have Thermage performed on your entire face at the same time.

How long does the procedure take?

The Thermage procedure takes from about 20 minutes to an hour, depending on the areas you want treated.

Will I need multiple treatments?

In general, only one treatment is needed to see good results.  Depending on your response, a second treatment may be used to improve results.

How long before I see results?

Some of Thermage's results are immediately visible, but the results continue to improve over time.  The results improve for two to six months.

How long will results last?

The results of the Thermage procedure can last for years, depending on your response and the aging process.  You can also extend the lifetime of results by practicing good skin care.

Does Thermage have any side effects?

Thermage has very few side effects, but they do occur in less than 0.2 % of patients.  These side effects are swelling, redness, bumps, or blisters, and generally last only a few days or, at most, a couple weeks.  A very rare (less than 0.04 % frequency), long-lasting side effect is skin irregularity.

How does Thermage compare to other treatments?

Thermage has some advantages over BOTOX® Cosmetic and other injectables in that it can be used over a wide area and it has longer-lasting results.  However, for more targeted problems like nasolabial folds, facial fillers are definitely recommended.  Thermage does not treat the surface of the skin like Laser Skin Resurfacing or IPL, and it does not remedy acne scars in the way that Fraxel® does.

To learn more about Thermage, please request a complimentary consultation at our multi-specialty practice and discover how affordable San Diego facial rejuvenation can be. Or you can call us in Vista at 760-726-6451 today to schedule your appointment.