From this article you will learn:
- RF face lifting: what is it, reviews,
- thermolifting, facial thermage – reviews from cosmetologists, photos.
RF lifting (English: Radiofrequency) is a technology for non-surgical tightening of skin that has the first signs of aging. In Russia, this procedure is often called thermage or thermolifting. This procedure is ideal for those who (due to their still young age) do not want or do not trust surgical rejuvenation procedures.
Radiofrequency energy in cosmetology is used to treat sagging skin, face lifting and is best suited for patients aged 30-45 years, who still have a high level of production of their own collagen. The most famous devices for RF lifting are: “Thermage”, “Accent”, “Pelleve”, “Tripollar”.
Operating principle and purpose of the device
The Thermage device uses comfort pulse technology. It allows you to carry out the radiofrequency lifting procedure much more comfortably than with previous generations of devices. The main purpose of the device is to restore contours by tightening and tightening the skin.
The kit includes various tips. This allows for lifting of the face, eyelids, and lips. Using a handle to work on the body, the cosmetologist quickly treats large areas. Loose skin is tightened and its quality improves.
Executing the procedure
According to cosmetologists, facial thermage lasts between 30 minutes and 2 hours. The exact duration depends on the condition of the person’s skin and the size of the part being treated. The procedure is performed according to the following rules:
- It is necessary to clean and disinfect the skin.
- Then the problem part is divided into sectors (special copy paper is used for this).
- Then general processing is performed. Sliding effect along the massage lines of the face without stopping. You need to do this twice.
- It is necessary to work out the problematic parts in detail.
- The tightening is carried out according to tension vectors. This creates a pronounced lifting effect.
Unique properties of the device
Thermage is the most powerful RF device available today. Thanks to contact cooling technology, the procedure is absolutely safe. Volumetric inductive heating technology allows for maximum skin tightening in one procedure. The device can be used to treat any area of the body and face, regardless of skin phototype.
Thermage is the only non-invasive device that can safely treat the skin of the mobile eyelid. The technology is also used for lifting the hips, buttocks and abdomen. During the procedure, the patient does not experience discomfort.
Is it possible to tighten facial skin at home? Yes, Thermage Mini can help you!
Professional-level lifting, namely full-fledged Thermage at home, is quite possible. In 2013, the Swiss cosmetology brand introduced a unique new product to the market - Thermage Mini, specially designed for use at home. By strictly following the instructions, you can achieve very good results with this device.
But experts strongly do not recommend its use to anyone who knows absolutely nothing about cosmetology. Before you independently influence the deep layers of your skin, it is better to first consult with a specialist, learn about all the nuances of its use and possible contraindications.
Indications for using the Thermage device
Using the Thermage device, the cosmetologist performs tightening, three-dimensional tightening and contouring of the skin. The device is used in the presence of the following indications:
- sagging, gravitational sagging of the skin;
- wrinkles on the face;
- drooping eyelids;
- loose skin on any area of the face and body.
The radiofrequency lifting procedure using the Thermage device is performed for patients with excess skin and overhanging skin in the abdominal area. It allows patients to effectively recover after sudden weight loss and after childbirth. The device is used to tighten the skin of the upper and lower extremities and treat cellulite and acne.
Areas of application of radioultrasonic thermolipolysis
Thermage for face:
- prevention of aging;
- improving skin quality;
- smoothing wrinkles, folds, creases;
- fight against flabbiness;
- getting rid of bags under the eyes;
- strengthening skin turgor;
- strengthening facial contours;
- elimination of the “double chin”, “jowls”, etc.
Thermage for body shaping:
- reduction of body fat;
- reduction in body volume;
- improvement of body contours;
- skin lifting;
- elimination of cellulite, etc.
There are also contraindications to the procedure (for example, cancer, the presence of a pacemaker, diabetes, infectious diseases, skin diseases, pregnancy, etc.), therefore, before a course of procedures, each patient is recommended to consult a dermatocosmetologist.
1 Exilis in MedicCity
2 Exilis in MedicCity
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Thermage – innovative RF technology
Cosmetologists perform the Thermage procedure on the day the patient visits, without special preparation. Its duration is no more than one hour. Patients go home after the procedure and continue to do their usual activities. They don't need rehabilitation.
Patients appreciate the Thermage VIP procedure because the maximum effect occurs with a single use. After a radiofrequency lifting session, there is no need to carry out complex skin care. People around do not notice that beauty required correction. Cosmetologists use the Thermage technique to delay plastic surgery, and aesthetic surgeons recommend it to clients who are not ready for surgery.
Thermage is a popular and expensive procedure. It is no less effective than plastic surgery. Unlike laser techniques, radiofrequency lifting is performed at any time of the year, even for patients with photosensitive skin.
The difference between a fake
Many women who performed the procedure note that the effect did not fully manifest itself. This may be due to the master’s unprofessionalism or ignorance of contraindications. But this phenomenon is often observed when performing work in a highly qualified center. The reason for this is believed to be the use of counterfeits.
Not all beauty salons have Thermage devices. Often clients are offered radiofrequency lifting. This type of procedure allows you to treat your facial skin at a lower price, which attracts many clients. But this does not bring the desired result, so problems remain even after the procedures are completed.
For facial thermage, a device called Therma Cool should be used. It is produced by Thermage. The company tests devices before use. The manufacturer notes the constant improvement of the device, innovations are proposed.
It is easy to distinguish a fake from a real Thermage. It is necessary to consider the device itself - the name or brand is large on it. Nowadays, improved devices are used that have a cooling effect and the presence of a vibrating tip, which is used to treat facial skin.
Therefore, before performing the procedure, you must ask to see the device; the specialist must tell you about its features. If there is no required mark on the device, and the cosmetologist advises you to perform the procedure, it will still not be Thermage.
If a specialist advises to perform several procedures, then this is not Thermage. This event must be carried out 1 time - the result is noticeable immediately or after a few months. The secondary procedure should be performed no earlier than one year later.
Scientific background of Thermage technique
Thermage is the only device in which the skin and subcutaneous fat are heated using RF energy. Volumetric heating technology is implemented using a Thermage tip and hardware-software control of a radio frequency pulse. The tip is a kind of antenna. It focuses an alternating electromagnetic field of a given configuration in the skin and subcutaneous fat. The design of the tip allows for uniform heating of an entire volumetric layer of tissue located under the tip area.
During the procedure, the cosmetologist applies a special washable marking to the skin. It allows you to move the handle so that the heating zones are connected to each other. This allows the entire treated surface to be heated evenly, due to which most of the connective tissue fibers are involved in the process of subsequent remodeling. In just one procedure, the skin is tightened and tightened.
If everything is so wonderful and effective, then why is Thermage banned in Europe and America?
Controversy over this technique is very relevant in European clinics. In a number of countries it was completely banned due to the absolute incomparability of the effect and delayed consequences. Many gurus of European plastic surgery claim that this technique is irreversible and severely traumatizes the skin from the inside. “Sintering” collagen fibers when exposed to heat of +60C, they curl up, the skin naturally tightens, but at the same time its structure changes dramatically - it becomes hard, very dense. After Thermage, other rejuvenation procedures cannot be performed, especially injections. And plastic surgeons refuse to do a circular lift, since the skin is not at all the same, it is covered in micro adhesions. That is, by exerting a remodeling effect on collagen with monopolar radiofrequency heating, some scarring occurs inside the skin, due to which it becomes thicker, as a result, more taut on the outside.
Essentially, the Thermage CPT machine “cooks” the collagen protein.
Expert opinion
Useful advice from the editor
For presentation. When we fry raw egg white in a frying pan, it changes its structure, becoming dense and non-flowing. In approximately the same way, collagen is cooked under the influence of radio waves. In addition to the fact that you can get a negative effect in the future, Thermage is recognized as the most painful hardware procedure.
We hope you found the article useful. If you have read it, it means that the issue of rejuvenation is relevant to you, and now you know for sure whether to “cook” your collagen or not in order to get the desired result.
Thermage Technology Benefits
Patients do not feel discomfort during the procedure. This is explained by the fact that the working handle of the new Thermage contains a special vibrating device. When the cosmetologist presses the handle against the skin during the procedure, it begins to vibrate and the sensitivity of pain receptors decreases.
Thanks to the presence of control elements in the new ergonomic handle, the procedure parameters change “on the fly”. The cosmetologist does not waste time accessing the touch screen of the device. The handle has a built-in liquid crystal display. It displays the procedure parameters. This minimizes the risk of medical error.
Thermage CPT is the first device to use comfort pulse technology. Its use increases the comfort of the procedure by 50%. New generation tips used with Thermage CPT heat tissue evenly. Thanks to this, the skin is better tightened and thickened.
The basis of the comfortable impulse technology is an innovative algorithm for delivering energy to the skin in combination with the use of a special vibration handle. The impulse is divided into five parts. In the interval between them, cooling is supplied. Vibration of the handle reduces pain and thermal sensations.
During the pulse, the device injects a special inert cryogas under the outer surface of the working tip membrane. This allows heat to be effectively removed from the skin. Sensors constantly record skin surface temperature and transmit it to a computer. The program automatically calculates the duration of supply and the amount of cryogas. The skin is cooled to safe temperatures.
The Thermage handpiece is equipped with a system for determining the total skin resistance and temperature sensors. It also has built-in sensors that determine the density of contact between the surface of the tip and the skin. The Thermage tip is a complexly designed antenna. It focuses an alternating electromagnetic field into the skin at a given depth. The metal elements of the tip do not contact the skin, as they are delimited from it by a dielectric polyamide membrane.
Thermage technology uses radiofrequency energy, which has a controlled effect on the connective tissue of the skin and subcutaneous fat. This is a type of electromagnetic energy. The RF device transmits it to the skin at the point of contact of the tip. During operation, the special Thermage tip forms an alternating electromagnetic field in the skin under the contact point. It constantly changes its polarity, which causes the molecules to “sway”, heating the tissues. A specially selected frequency allows you to penetrate deep enough into the tissue and heat the “old” collagen.
Thermage refers to monopolar RF devices. All the electricity it generates passes through the tip only. An electromagnetic field is formed outside the tip. Thermage energy does not pass through the body. It goes into the return electrode, which determines the total resistance of the patient’s skin and body and at the point of contact of the tip. This guarantees the absolute safety of the technology.
What Thermage promises to do for your face:
We list the declared effects of this procedure:
- Activation of collagen protein synthesis processes while fully maintaining the integrity of the skin.
- The visible result after 1 session is a reduction in deep and expression wrinkles, the skin is tightened, the complexion improves, the oval is clearer.
- The pronounced lifting effect manifests itself within 5-6 months, then consolidates and lasts from 2 to 5 years.
The declared results are very impressive. And if we add to this that after the procedure there is no rehabilitation period required, and its implementation is completely independent of the season and weather, then we can say that Thermage is an ideal rejuvenation technique. One minus is that the procedure is quite expensive (about 135,000 rubles). As for the age limits for use, experts define no earlier than 35 years and no later than 70.
