Ultherapy vs. Thermage – which is right for you?
Ultherapy and Thermage are two of our most popular non-invasive skin treatments at DSC, and for good reason. They’re both non-invasive skin treatments with almost no downtime and offer natural results that get better with time. They build and restore collagen non-invasively, giving skin a refreshed, tightened, and contoured appearance. Think of these treatments as long-term investments for your skin’s “collagen bank”: returns may take a while to be noticeable, but they compound with time. So if you are considering a skin tightening treatment like Thermage or Ultherapy, how do you pick between the two and which one is more suitable for you?
Thermage
Thermage is a monopolar radiofrequency (RF) treatment that is designed to tighten, tone, and contour skin. RF energy contacts the skin from the handpiece and is converted to heat via impedance. Akin to cracking an egg in a hot pan, immediate collagen contraction occurs along with denaturation of collagen for regeneration and regrowth. This treatment induces the wound healing response to remodel and grow new collagen in specific areas (treatment locations). Without external stimulation, large-scale remodeling of the skin generally does not happen spontaneously as an adult.
Thermage is a great treatment option for building collagen and tightening, toning, and contouring crepe-y skin. Because it has various treatment tip sizes, Thermage can treat the face and neck, eye contour and mobile eyelids, and even large areas of the body like the abdomen, thighs, knees, or arms.
The RF energy passes out of the body via the return pad, which is a sticky pad adhered to the back or thigh. The return pad directs energy back to the Thermage device. Because of this monopolar design, Thermage is not appropriate for those with pacemakers or any other implanted electrical devices. Bipolar or multipolar RF treatments may possibly be suitable for those with pacemakers, but all such treatments should be first cleared by a doctor or medical professional. For these instances, non-RF treatments like Ultherapy may therefore be more appropriate for those with pacemakers.
See More About Thermage
Ultherapy
Ultherapy uses micro-focused ultrasound energy to lift and tighten skin noninvasively. It features real-time visualization like an ultrasound scan and treats skin at three different depths to build collagen, lift, and improve skin laxity and loss of elasticity. Ultherapy can treat the face, neck, and décolletage. While the mechanism of action is different from Thermage, they both rely on the same principle of kickstarting the wound healing process to induce collagen growth. In fact, most collagen-stimulating devices and treatments rely on this principle. Ultherapy is a great non-surgical option for treating laxity and sagging skin to give lift. This is probably the main difference between Ultherapy and Thermage.
Because Ultherapy is more limited in treatment areas, many may choose to combine treatments, e.g. Ultherapy for the face/neck and Thermage for the eye area. Some may also choose to alternate treatments in order to get the best of both worlds.
Ultherapy PRIME: the latest Ultherapy Treatment
If you are interested in Ultherapy, Ultherapy PRIME, or Thermage FLX treatments in Los Angeles, give DSC a call! We offer complimentary consultations and our experienced consultants can help you pick a treatment or design a personalized treatment plan.
DSC Laser & Skin Care Center
www.dscbeauty.com
(626)285-0800
info@dscbeauty.com
889 S. San Gabriel Blvd, San Gabriel, CA 91776
