Once you make the decision to have Thermage, it is understandable to feel a little nervous or anxious. You should arm yourself with knowledge so you know exactly what to expect when the day arrives to receive your first treatment. This will bring a sense of security and peace as you already expect many things to come.
Picking a Provider
Knife Block
Thermage is a very safe, FDA approved procedure, but that doesn't mean that you should pick the cheapest person wiling to perform the procedure. There are some things that can go wrong if you don't select a doctor with a lot of experience operating the equipment and performing the procedure for the best results.
Take some time looking for a Thermage provider in your local area and make sure they are a legitimate medical professional specializing in plastic surgery or a wide variety of non-invasive beauty treatments like Thermage and Ulthera. Their experience and expertise will result in much better results and you will feel much safer putting your skin in their hands.
Scheduling Matters
Properly scheduling your Thermage treatments shouldn't be very difficult. There can be some visible signs that something has been done to your face right after the procedure, especially the first time you go through it. For that reason, you may want to take a half day off work or clear your schedule so you don't have to be anywhere right after the procedure.
Thermage can be performed on most areas of the face, so the amount of time the procedure will take varies. The more skin area to be covered, the longer you can expect the procedure to take. For instance, just doing around your eyes should take a half hour or less but you could be in the chair for an hour if you are doing your cheeks and eyes.
Give yourself some time the first time you go in for Thermage, then the next time you will have a more accurate prediction of whether you can go right back to work after the procedure and how much time the appointment may take.
You can also ask your medical professional how much time to expect the procedure to take at the time you book the appointment.
The Procedure
Thermage doesn't involve knives and cutting into the skin like a facelift, but it isn't entirely pain free either. A handheld device will be used to send radio waves deep into your skin. These waves will cause your skin cells to contract or shrink up. This stimulates the production of collagen over time which will strengthen and tighten the skin so it maintains that youthful, radiant appearance.
This procedure is entirely safe, but most people will require some type of pain blocking or relief to get through it comfortably. This can be done with an anesthetic cream or some patients may request intra-venous pain relief. You can discuss this issue with your doctor, but if you have reasonable tolerance for pain the cream should be adequate to get you through your Thermage treatment comfortably.
Thermage in the Future
Once you get your first Thermage treatment, you should see some noticeable results right away. Your skin will look tighter and there should be noticeable changes in lines, wrinkles and saggy skin in the areas of treatment. This should last for at least six months, with many people going 1-2 years without needing repeat treatments.
