Thermage™

Unlike prior generations, today's young adults are proactive about their health and appearance. They want to look as young as they feel. Our younger, more active patients are having the early signs of aging such as "crow's feet", frown lines and smoker's lines around the lips treated in increasing numbers.

Thermage™ is an exciting new non-surgical procedure that offers an innovative way to rejuvenate your face. It is a safe, clinically proven way to tighten and contour skin, with improvements in tone, contour, and texture occurring naturally through the stimulation of your own collagen.


Dr. Hopping performs Thermage™ for patients to gently smooth fine lines and wrinkles without surgery, so you can resume normal activities immediately. Thermage is a radio frequency (RF) system. The advanced Thermacool system incorporates a cryogen-cooling spray to protect the skin's outer surface while the RF energy heats and modifies the soft tissues beneath the skin. This causes the collagen to contract and tighten. Each treatment is customized through the system's computer to control the depth and degree of the heating process.

The Procedure
Thermage™ can be performed without anesthesia. Some patients may want an oral medication for the heat sensation.The procedure itself is normally done as a single treatment that takes approximately one hour depending on the treatment area. What's more, there is no downtime, so you can quickly resume your normal routine.

A single treatment tightens your existing collagen and stimulates new collagen growth. Improvements are both immediately visible and continue up to six months. Results can last for years depending on your skin condition and aging process.

Is Thermage safe?
Yes. Thermage™ has been improved and refined over years of experience with improved treatment methods and applicators of RF energy. With over 200,000 treatments performed worldwide, the safety record of this procedure has revealed very few adverse or temporary side effects.

Facial skin and the skin along the neck can be tightened providing a mild, non-surgical browlift or facelift effect. This treatment is often used for sagging jowls. The tightening effect may be used to firm up loose or sagging tissue in other parts of the body such as the abdomen or legs.

Thermage™ is best suited for those who are starting to see signs of aging: early jowling, loose skin, creases around the nose and mouth, and wrinkles around the nose and mouth. It is not designed to be a substitute for a face lift.

Can Thermage be used on the body?
With the development of newer tips for Thermage™, it is now possible to treat sagging or dimpled skin in areas like the legs, arms or abdomen. It may be used to even out irregular areas after liposuction. The treatment may take from 1 - 2 hours to treat a large area.

What are the benefits of Thermage over other procedures and surgeries?

  • It is non-invasive. There are no incisions and no tissue damage.
  • A level of control can be achieved that is difficult with other treatments.
  • There is no bleeding or bruising and the risk of scarring is minimal.

Recovery
After Dr. Hopping performs Thermage™ treatments, there is no recovery. You may resume all normal activities immediately. Slight redness may be seen for less than an hour and no more than 24 hours.

Expected Results
Most patients see results immediately. However, the results may be gradual over a 3 to 6 month period as the skin tightens and more new collagen is formed.

The full effect of your treatment develops over a few months following the procedure and can be expected to last for 1 - 3 years. As with any cosmetic procedure, the results can be expected to fade gradually over time, at which time the procedure can be repeated if desired.

Find out if you could benefit from this procedure. Schedule your consultation at The Center for Cosmetic Surgery today.