Boston University Center for Cosmetic and Laser Surgery

Thermage: Skin Tightening Without Surgery

Loose and sagging skin of the face and neck often develop with aging. Traditional treatments include CO2 laser resurfacing, neck liposuction or one of the many varieties of face-lifts. Recently the FDA has approved Thermage, a non-invasive procedure to tighten skin by a non-surgical, non-invasive approach that requires no healing and no downtime. Through radiofrequency technology which uniformly heats the deeper layers of the skin and underlying tissue, collagen is contracted.

Before Treatment ...............Two Months After Treatment

Following the immediate contraction, there appears to be gradual remodeling of collagen with visible tightening over 2 to 6 months, producing healthier, smoother skin and a more youthful appearance. The result is much subtler than that of a facelift and, since it appears gradually, most patients do not have to reveal that they had a procedure. Unlike with most lasers, patients with all skin types can be treated with Thermage. The degree of skin tightening varies among patients. Since the procedure is still new, it is difficult to predict which patient will see strong tightening and who will not.

The Thermage procedure should not be done over areas that recently were treated with fillers such as collagen or Restylane but is compatible with many other procedures that our center offers, including liposuction, blepharoplasties, Botox or surgical browlifts.

For patients who desire a no-downtime procedure with a more subtle change than a facelift, this new technique is an excellent option.

Learn what's inside Medical Transformations Magazine by subject.
(Click on the articles below):

• A Virtual Option for a Conventional Colonoscopy
• Repairing Fractures with Vertebroplasty
• A Multidisciplinary Approach to Endoscopy
• A New Road to Recovery from Eating Disorders
• A Special Environment for Treating Psychiatric for Neurological Disorders
• A Leading Resource for Treatment of Digestive Disorders
• An Area-Wide Network of Advanced MRI Centers
• A Non-Surgical Procedure for Tightening Skin
• Children’s Health Network Serves the Region

© 2004 Medical Transformations Magazine