Thermal lifting

Thermal lifting, also Thermage or Thermolifting, is a particularly gentle method of skin tightening and smoothing for patients with sagging skin and cellulite (orange peel). It can be used on different parts of the body. In contrast to surgical aesthetic interventions, which sometimes even cause unsightly mask faces, thermolifting only has slight side effects or after-effects in very rare cases.

What is thermal lifting?

Thermolifting is also called Thermage, Radiage, Thermal lift or Radio wave therapy called. The ThermaCool system developed in the USA describes a lifting method that is carried out using radio frequency technology (radio waves).

As the skin ages, the amount of elastin and collagen stored in the connective tissue decreases. This causes the tissue to lose elasticity. The skin sags and wrinkles. Thermolifting can smooth out fine lines and wrinkles in a gentle way when the skin aging process is not too advanced. Therefore, the gentle lifting procedure is usually used on patients between 35 and 60 years of age. The skin-smoothing effect is less pronounced in older people. The treatment method is particularly suitable for patients who do not want surgical intervention and for whom cosmetic surgery is not possible.

Thermage can be used on all skin types, as the procedure is individually adapted to the respective patient. In addition to smoothing out fine lines and wrinkles, the Thermalift method can also be used for holistic tightening of the body contours and for reducing acne scars and existing acne. The treatment is carried out in a few sessions and usually has no side effects. In addition, treatment after-effects such as short-term redness and slight swelling only occur in rare cases.

The short duration of treatment and the minimally invasive procedure enable the patient to resume their usual everyday activities on the same day. It is fully operational afterwards and usually does not require any special medical follow-up care. Since the doctor can automatically regulate the dose of radio wave energy emitted by the Thermage system, highly individual treatment solutions are possible.

Function, effect & goals

With the thermo-lifting the entire face can be smoothed: nasolabial folds, lines and wrinkles around the eyes, drooping eyelids, bags under the eyes, crow's feet and other wrinkles. The double chin and wrinkles on the neck are tightened with the help of the Thermalift. The doctor can also reduce wrinkles on the knees, thighs, arms, and buttocks and stomach.

It is used to treat sagging skin on the abdomen following severe weight loss and pregnancy. The cellulite treatment not only includes the smoothing of the contours, but also the removal of unsightly orange peel dents. The radio waves penetrate the upper layers of the skin and only heat the subcutaneous tissue, which is the source of the aging effect. The collagen fibers located above are destroyed in a controlled manner by the heat of 39 to 44 degrees Celsius, so that they are forced to regenerate and reorganize. The skin surface is cooled during the Thermage so that the patient only feels a slight burning sensation.

A positive side effect: the warmth promotes blood circulation in the skin. Metabolic waste stored in the tissue is discharged faster. Sometimes there is even a reduction in fat tissue as the membranes of the fat cells burst open and release the fat. The collagen in the skin's connective tissue contracts when exposed to heat, which tightens the skin and connective tissue. Before the treatment, the affected skin area is disinfected and an anesthetic cream is applied. Some doctors use anesthetic injections instead. A grid is applied to the skin area to be treated with the help of a film.

The doctor then follows the numbers drawn there with his probe and works off each one of them selectively. The patient only feels a brief burst of heat, which is immediately cooled by the probe. Before the energy is emitted, the affected area of ​​the skin is also cooled. The entire thermolifting takes 30 to 120 minutes, depending on the size of the skin area to be smoothed. The patient sees the wrinkle reduction immediately afterwards.

However, the longer-term treatment result can only be seen 2 to 4 months after the last session. Several lifting appointments are usually necessary to achieve an aesthetically satisfactory result. About 3 years later, the patient should undergo a Thermalift booster treatment.

Risks, side effects & dangers

The Thermalift procedure has no effect in around 20% of patients. The causes of this effect are not known. The lifting has hardly any side effects: In 0.2% of the patients, burns, small scars, dents, blisters and minor skin discoloration appear after the treatment. They usually go back on their own a few days later.

Special medical follow-up care is often not necessary. After the treatment, slight redness and swelling are sometimes visible, but these will disappear after a few hours. Thermolifting offers the patient a particularly natural, fresher look, as the wrinkles and fine lines are only smoothed, but not completely eliminated. A first result can be seen immediately after the last treatment. However, since the collagen fibers take several months to completely re-form and reorganize, the patient will not see the result of their beauty treatment until 2 to 4 months later.

Patients receiving local anesthesia with a pain injection should not drive or use machines for 24 hours after treatment. The Thermalift procedure is not suitable for treating discolored areas of skin and sunken areas of skin.