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Frequently Asked Questions

Dr Rakus is now ranked 5^th busiest
Thermage clinic in the world

Call +44 (0) 20 7460 7324 for your FREE THERMAGE CONSULTATION
or contact Dr Rita Rakus

Read about NEW FDA approved Cellulite, Thermage, Body Thermage pages or Thermage After Care

Below are some of the most frequently asked questions and answers relating to Thermage^® treatment
(Please click on the question to get to the answer)

• How does the process work?
• How long does an actual treatment take?
• How long does it take to work and how long do the effects last?
• Can I combine Thermage^® with other cosmetic procedures like Vistabel^® or Restylane^® injections?
• Can anyone have a Thermage^® treatment regardless of age?
• How painful is the treatment?
• Will I feel pain after my treatment?
• How long has Thermage^® been available?
• Who invented Thermage^®?
• Did Thermage^® start life as a medical treatment?
• Is it really safe?
• What are the risks, if any?
• Are there any short or long-term side effects?
• How many people have had a Thermage^® treatment?
• Have any international or UK authorities approved Thermage^®
• Where else is Thermage^® available outside the UK?
• Will my skin go back to normal when the treatment expires?
• Will my skin feel any different to the touch after a Thermage^® treatment?
• Will it make my skin more sensitive?
• Does the Thermage^® heat effect mean that ultra violet rays are penetrating my skin? If yes, could it cause deep damage or skin cancer?
• Why doesn't the Thermage^® 'beam' go right through my head?
• What is the difference between Thermage and other laser skin treatments like Polaris or aurora?
• Should I apply a sun block before my Thermage^® treatment and follow-up with an after-sun lotion?
• How soon after my first Thermage^® treatment can I have another one?
• Would it be safe to have Thermage^® every 2 years for the rest of my life?
• If I have repeated Thermage^® treatments does it get less effective over time and will the collagen in my skin eventually become 'exhausted'?
• Can Thermage^® be performed on the body?
• What are the minimum qualifications required to be a Thermage^® practitioner?
• How are practitioners trained?
• Is Thermage^® safe if am pregnant or breast feeding?
• Which medical conditions are contra-indicated for Thermage^®?
• I have very freckly skin: will this mean that my Thermage^® treatment will be more painful?
• Is it safe to have Thermage^® if I suffer with skin conditions like vitiligo, psoriasis, eczema and acne?
• Is there an age where a Thermage^® treatment becomes pointless?
• Where can I find out more about Thermage^®?
• Have any celebrities had a Thermage^® treatment and if so, who?

HOW DOES THE PROCESS WORK?

Thermage^® is the only clinically FDA approved proven non-ablative, non-invasive system that uses radio frequency energy to tighten tissue. It heats the collagen causing an immediate collagen contraction, which in turn remodels the collagen creating a neocollagenises over a period of time.

HOW LONG DOES AN ACTUAL TREATMENT TAKE?

This varies from patient to patient, but as a guideline a forehead will take approximately 30 minutes with a full face taking approximately 60 minutes.  The application of a topical anaesthetic is normally left on for 40 - 60 minutes prior to the treatment and most patients can expect to spend up to 2 hours in the clinic to complete the treatment.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO WORK AND HOW LONG DO THE EFFECTS LAST?

Approximately 5% of patients may see a clinical response immediately on the day of treatment; the majority will see a clinical response between 4-12 weeks with the clinical end result being seen as long as 12 months.

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CAN I COMBINE THERMAGE^® WITH OTHER COSMETIC PROCEDURES LIKE BOTOX^® OR RESTYLANE^® INJECTIONS?

Thermage^® makes a very nice companion treatment to some other aesthetic procedures. Your physician will advise you further.

CAN ANYONE HAVE A THERMAGE^® TREATMENT REGARDLESS OF AGE?

Your physician is the best person to assess a patient to determine if they are an suitable candidate for this treatment. Clinical data would show that our focus age group is ideally between 35 and 55 years of age.

HOW PAINFUL IS THE TREATMENT?

On a scale of 1-4 (with 1 being comfortable and 4 being painful), most patients experience a treatment response between levels 2 and 3. It is normal to 'feel heat', but this should not be uncomfortable and patients are normally able to complete their treatment.

WILL I FEEL PAIN AFTER MY TREATMENT?

No.  You may feel some tissue tightening.

HOW LONG HAS THERMAGE^® BEEN AVAILABLE?

Thermage^® has undergone extensive research and development over the past 8 years and has been commercially available for the past three years.

Combine with SmartLipo, Thermage Body and Velasmooth for best results

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WHO INVENTED THERMAGE^®?

It was originally developed by Edward Knowlten, a plastic surgeon and Keith Mullowney, a businessman.

DID THERMAGE^® START LIFE AS A MEDICAL TREATMENT?

Thermage^® was specifically developed for cosmetic purposes and is currently used by over 2000 physicians worldwide.

IS IT REALLY SAFE?

When used by a 'certified physician Thermage^® is a totally safe procedure.

WHAT ARE THE RISKS, IF ANY?

Complications (that are now at a rate of incidence at less than 0.2%) are burns, scarring, temporary nerve damage, surface irregularities and unwanted fat lysing.  These complications occurred under prototype use and are rarely seen now.   Thermage systems are now into their 3rd generation with over 24 safety interlocks.

ARE THERE ANY SHORT OR LONG-TERM SIDE EFFECTS?

No.

HOW MANY PEOPLE HAVE HAD A THERMAGE^® TREATMENT?

Over 450,000 patients worldwide.

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HAVE ANY INTERNATIONAL OR UK AUTHORITIES APPROVED THERMAGE^®?

Thermage^® is approved by the FDA in the USA and CE marked in Europe.

WHERE ELSE IS THERMAGE^® AVAILABLE OUTSIDE THE UK?

USA, Mexico, Brazil, Argentina, Asia, Italy, Switzerland, Germany, Spain, Ireland. It is due for release in Australia, New Zealand and Korea in the very near future.

WILL MY SKIN GO BACK TO NORMAL WHEN THE TREATMENT EXPIRES?

Your skin will continue to 'age' as normal.

WILL MY SKIN FEEL ANY DIFFERENT TO THE TOUCH AFTER A THERMAGE^® TREATMENT?

It may feel a sense of tightening. Skin tone will usually alter over the course of the first 4-12 weeks.

WILL IT MAKE MY SKIN MORE SENSITIVE?

There is no clinical evidence to indicate that this is an issue

DOES THE THERMAGE^® HEAT EFFECT MEAN THAT ULTRA VIOLET RAYS ARE PENETRATING MY SKIN. IF YES, COULD IT CAUSE DEEP DAMAGE OR SKIN CANCER?

Thermage^® is NOT a laser. Radio-frequency has been utilised over the past 75 years and we have no clinical evidence of any evidence of this problem occurring.

Combine with SmartLipo, Thermage Body and Velasmooth for best results

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WHY DOESN'T THE THERMAGE^® 'BEAM' GO RIGHT THROUGH MY HEAD?

Because Thermage^® is NOT a laser.

WHAT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THERMAGE AND OTHER LASER SKIN TREATMENTS LIKE POLARIS OR AURORA?

Thermage is NOT a laser. It creates a 'volumetric heating effect' at depths more than that of other treatments whilst protecting the epidermis.

SHOULD I APPLY A SUNBLOCK BEFORE MY THERMAGE TREAMTENT AND FOLLOW-UP WITH AN AFTER-SUN LOTION?

Because Thermage^® is cooling consistently during the procedure there is no after-care required- the epidermis is protected at all times.

HOW SOON AFTER MY FIRST THERMAGE^® TREATMENT CAN I HAVE ANOTHER ONE?

Because it can take up to six months for the clinical end result to be observed you should not have another treatment before this time.

WOULD IT BE SAFE TO HAVE THERMAGE^® EVERY 2 YEARS FOR THE REST OF MY LIFE?

At this point Sigmacon have no clinical data in this respect, but a Thermage^® treatment should last between 3-5 years.

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IF I HAVE REPEATED THERMAGE^® TREATMENTS DOES IT GET LESS EFFECTIVE OVER TIME AND WILL THE COLLAGEN IN MY SKIN EVENTUALLY BECOME 'EXHAUSTED'?

Thermage^® targets between 5-35% of the collagen during the course of one treatment dependent on the number of passes.  Whilst collagen is constantly stretching and becoming more and more lax there is the ability to target that collagen and create contraction.

CAN THERMAGE^® BE PERFORMED ON THE BODY?

There is constant on-going research regarding Thermage technology and treatment to help improve the skin on the upper arms and abdomen may be appropriate for some patients.

WHAT ARE THE MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED TO BE A THERMAGE PRACTITIONER?

Practitioners need to be a qualified plastic surgeon, cosmetic doctor, dermatologist or physician with a minimum of six years laser experience.  This is a PHYSICIAN operated device —you will not see Thermage^® in beauty spas.

HOW ARE PRACTITIONERS TRAINED?

Sigmacon spend a total of 20 hours with each physician familiarising them with the system and treating their first six patients alongside tern. Sigmacon then return to them after they have completed six patients on their own to observe another four patients before we certify them. Only then are these physicians listed on their web site as 'certified users of Thermage^®' under 'Physician Locator 'for consumers.

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IS THERMAGE^® SAFE IF AM PREGNANT OR BREAST FEEDING?

No.

WHICH MEDICAL CONDITIONS ARE CONTRA-INDICATED FOR THERMAGE^®?

Diabetes, heart conditions, patients with pacemakers, hearing implants, metal devices inserted in the body or compromised sensitivity.

I HAVE VERY FRECKLY SKIN: WILL THIS MEAN THAT MY THERMAGE^® TREATMENT WILL BE MORE PAINFUL?

No.  Thermage is 'colour blind' and does not target chromophores to operate. It does not affect the epidermis and can be used on most skin type.

IS IT SAFE TO HAVE THERMAGE IF I SUFFER WITH SKIN CONDITIONS LIKE VITILIGO, PSORIASIS, ECZEMA AND ACNE?

We do have some clinical results on acne, however, this is something that requires assessment by each independent physician.

IS THERE AN AGE WHERE A THERMAGE^® TREATMENT BECOMES POINTLESS?

Thermage^® is more focused on the 'age of skin' rather than the 'age of the patient'. Each patient needs to be independently assessed by a qualified practitioner to ensure that they are a suitable candidate for the treatment.

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WHERE CAN I FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THERMAGE^®?

www.sigmacon-treatments.co.uk

HAVE ANY CELEBRITIES HAD A THERMAGE TREATMENT AND IF SO. WHO?

Patient confidentiality does not permit us to convey this information, but Carole Malone (journalist) has been featured in the Mirror newspaper and appeared on Celebrity Fat Club having her Thermage^® treatment.  Thermage^® has been shown on Oprah no less that 8 times in the USA to date and featured on Cosmetic Live and on Richard and Judy in the UK.

For more information on Thermage treatments please visit

• Our Thermage page
• Our Body Thermage page
• Cellulite Treatment by Themage
• Thermage after care information

For optimum results combine Thermage with Fraxel and SmartLipo

Call +44 (0) 20 7460 7324 for your FREE THERMAGE CONSULTATION
or contact Dr Rita Rakus

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