Dear Dr Seckel, My doctor has recommended that I have Thermage to tighten my neck. I have also heard of Titan and something called Faces. What do you recommend? Thank you, Myra, New York, NY.
Dear Myra,
I really cannot recommend one therapy over another because I have not examined you. I assume that your physician has recommended the treatment he or she is comfortable with. A skin tightening procedure is not a face lift.
I am happy however to tell you what I do know about the different skin tightening therapies. I also recommend that you read my other blogs on skin tightening and if you can, read my book Save Your Face in which I discuss the technologies used for skin tightening in some detail. These machines do not produce a non-surgical face lift, they tighten skin. Only a face lift produces a face lift
Skin tightening is a fairly new high tech non-surgical facial rejuvenation procedure. The treatments are based on the theory that if you can heat the collagen in the deeper layers of your skin to 63 degrees centigrade the collagen will shorten and remodel. When the collagen shortens it is theorized that the skin will tighten.
To heat the collagen, some type of heat energy has to be passed through the surface of the skin without burning the skin surface as the heat is passed to the deeper layers of the skin where the collagen is present.
All of the skin tightening technologies have some type of cooling system that is applied to the skin while the heat energy is being passed through the skin, so that the surface of the skin stays cool and is not burned.
Thermage® and Aluma with FACES® use radiofrequency energy to heat the collagen. Titan® uses infrared energy as does another skin tigtening technology called LuxIR by Palomar, and Refirme by Syneron. Both types of energy will heat the skin and if they reach the deeper layers of the dermis, will heat the collagen.
I believe all skin tightening machines, LuxIR, Refirme, Thermage®, Titan®, and Aluma with FACES® will tighten skin if used properly by someone who is trained and experienced in their use. There is variation in how well different people respond to the treatments. Generally thinner people with less fat beneath their skin, and people with less sagging and facial aging will respond better to treatment.
Thermage® treatments are painful and usually require a nerve block or an anesthetic. Titan® and LuxIR are less painful, but in my opinion it still produce some . Aluma is probably the least painful. Both Thermage® and Titan® procedures take a long time, 45 minutes to 1-½ hours for a full-face treatment.
Aluma with FACES® is a new skin tightening treatment which also uses radiofrequency energy. Early results are very promising. The FACES® machine uses a new technology in which the skin is gently pulled into a small chamber by suction (somewhat similar in principle to the microdermabrasion procedure) where the skin is subjected to the radiofrequency energy.
Initial studies report that patients do not experience much pain with Aluma with FACES® skin tightening treatments and the treatments take only 15 to 45 minutes. The photographs of results are very impressive. If Aluma with Faces® lives up to expectations it will be a very improved and successful skin tightening and non-surgical facial rejuvenation treatment.
Remember that these skin-tightening treatments are no substitute for a face lift if you need a face lift. They are not a non-surgical face lift as often advertised. Skin tightening is best for younger people with early skin laxity and mild to moderate facial aging changes. People who have significant facial sagging will still need a face lift to achieve a good result.
Finally, whichevr skin tightening machine you chose you will need several treatments usually 3 to 4 to see a result. Also the results take several months to become apparent. Collagen remodeling takes time. So don’t expect to see a good result immediately.
These technologies are new and will continue to improve with time. They are much better today than 2 years ago, mainly because the doctors are learning how to use the machines more effectively and how to select patients more appropriately. The Aluma with FACES® treatment which is part of a machine called Aluma® made by Lumenis® appears to be a significant new development in the treatment of facial aging.
I hope this helps. For further information on non-surgical facial rejuvenation visit my Boston Plastic Surgery Practice read Save Your Face or contact me.
Boston, Massachusetts
Peabody, Massachusetts