Is Thermage Effective for Sagging Skin?

Adriana Rae's picture
Submitted by Adriana Rae on June 17, 2006 - 10:48.

Many doctors have doubts about some of the new procedures that claim to smooth sagging skin or get rid of your cellulite. There was a very good article summing this up in the Wall Street Journal yesterday.

"Lasers and other devices that claim to firm and smooth aging skin are among the fastest-growing cosmetic procedures. But increasingly, doctors who have used the equipment question its effectiveness and criticize aggressive promotions by manufacturers, laser centers and medical spas.

Skin-tightening treatments like Thermage and Titan, or regimens such as VelaSmooth and Endermologie, which are supposed to reduce cellulite, are hotly marketed by clinics. Web sites tout before-and-after images that show dramatic improvements in flabby chins, dimpled thighs and sagging tummies. And baby boomers are plunking down hundreds, and often thousands, of dollars for these nonsurgical "face lifts," "body lifts" and cellulite reductions."

But for most patients, the results will be modest at best, many physicians say. "I've tried almost all of these technologies. They work on a microscopic level, but in most cases that doesn't translate into a clinical result," says Julio Garcia, a plastic surgeon in Las Vegas, who says he has learned this lesson through hard experience. "I've wasted a lot of money on lasers. I have a Thermage (machine) here in my office that I use to hang my clothes on."

See the full story below.


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( categories: Cosmetic Surgery )
price and beauty
Submitted by Drug Detox (not verified) on November 5, 2008 - 09:18.

The first thing that everybody should know is that such a treatment can cost a lot of money and not many people can afford... I saw some shows that offered a complete make-over and they simply transformed people... but of course it was a televised contest with just a few participants.

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Velasmooth experience
Submitted by Recent user (not verified) on July 31, 2007 - 09:08.

Sharing my recent experience in using Velasmooth. It;s over rated and don't bother trying and it's expensive too. I've had 6 sessions on my thigh so far, twice a week each lasting 40 mins (both thighs). I'm a size 8 but has stubborn fat on inner and outer thigh, with cellulite near the back thigh. After 5 sessions, I don't see much improvement and the treatment itself is actually not as relaxing. I suffered burning sensation around area of inner and outer thigh esp more sensitive area, or where skin is not as firm. This makes me feel tense throughout the whole treatment as I've to scream out when the heat burn my skin. The design of the suction head is such that the heat metal position is too near the roller surface hence looser skin got sucked further in and tough the hot metal plate causing the skin to burn. It's almost like you touching a near boiling kettle with bare hand. When I tried asking the therapist what's the result in other patient, she always gave quite evasive answers and said of course their cellulite is less obvious but she can't confidently said that out. So don't try it. As the news article said, effective repeatable result is still in question !

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