Thermage Cost

• Thermage, a patented procedure that has been described as a non-surgical facelift, usually costs between $1,000 and $5,000 per treatment, with an average of $2,000, according to A Board Certified Plastic Surgeon Resource. Often, only one treatment is required, but some patients will need more. Since Thermage is still fairly new - it was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2002 - it is difficult to know how long results typically will last, but predictions range from two to 10 years. Costs vary depending on the areas treated - generally, getting one or two parts of the face treated is less expensive than the full-face treatment.

• During a Thermage procedure, which usually lasts a few hours, the surgeon uses a hand-held device that emits radiofrequency energy to heat the deeper layers of the skin, while using a fine mist of water to cool, and prevent damage to, the outer layers of skin. The heat causes the collagen in the skin to firm and plump, giving the face a younger appearance.
• Derma Network[1] gives a description of the Thermage procedure. After the procedure, some improvements will be immediately visible, but skin should continue to get tighter and firmer for about six months afterward. The procedure is usually done in the surgeon's office, sometimes using local anesthesia or anesthetic cream if any is used at all.

• Patients may require additional treatments to maintain results. A small number of patients experience complications such as scarring or dimpling of the skin, and a tiny percentage have loss of facial fat, which some choose to correct with cosmetic injections that can cost $500 to $1,000 per shot.

• Some surgeons offer online coupons for a few hundred dollars off a Thermage procedure for first-time patients, or will run limited-time special offers. Sometimes, packages that combine Thermage with other procedures - for example, Botox or filler injections - are less expensive than if you were to get the procedures individually. And, finally, a package of two Thermage treatments usually is cheaper than purchasing treatments individually.

• Tip: When considering Thermage, keep your expectations realistic. Although it has been compared to a surgical facelift, which can cost two to three times the price, the effects of Thermage are subtler, and patients with very loose skin might see almost no improvement. If a dramatic effect is desired, surgery might be necessary. Thermage.com provides before and after photographs of patients.
• Tip: Look for a board-certified plastic surgeon with experience performing Thermage. The American Society of Plastic Surgeons[2] provides a free referral service. Be aware that, because Thermage is so new, its long-term effects have not been studied. In the short term, it generally has few side effects, but in a small number of patients, it has caused redness, blisters or dimpling of the skin.

1.  www.dermanetwork.org/information/thermage.asp
2.  www1.plasticsurgery.org/find_a_surgeon/

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