When your mirror starts to tell you that age is creeping up, it can certainly help to use good creams and lotions for moisturizing the skin. And a sunblock will help prevent future wrinkles. But there are more causes of lines and wrinkles than just sun damage or dryness of skin. An important one is how much collagen is present in your skin. Collagen in the Skin Skin has three layers:

• Epidermis on the top – consisting of dying and dead cells in the process of being sloughed off
• The dermis – containing many structures such as hair follicles, sweat glands, blood vessels, oil glands and a matrix of collagen strands for support
• The sub-cutaneous layer – containing fat cells and more structures such as blood vessels

Support for youthful skin comes from the network of collagen fibers in the dermis. Collagen is a tough fibrous connective tissue found throughout the body. As we age, less collagen is produced and the skin’s supporting matrix weakens. This helps to cause lines and wrinkles. Although some skin lotions and creams contain collagen, this is not an effective way to put collagen into the skin. Lotions and creams enter the epidermis but do not penetrate to the dermis. How Thermage Works Thermage treatments are an effective way to tighten the skin’s collagen and stimulate growth of new collagen. It is done with radio energy.

A special wand called a ThermaTip™ sends radio waves through the epidermis and into the dermis and sub-cutaneous layers. This heats the three skin layers and the heat causes the collagen to tighten. The skin’s surface is not burned by this heat, as the Thermage system includes a cooling device. Results are both immediate and gradual. Over two to six months, the skin produces more new collagen fibers which restore support to the sagging skin. The new fibers are tighter because the existing ones were tightened by the Thermage treatment. Typically only one treatment is needed. This will be determined ahead of time between you and your cosmetic surgeon. No particular preparation is necessary and there is little time needed for recovery. You may have a little redness or swelling but they will fade in about 24 hours.

Results last for about six months, but may last for several years, depending on your particular skin condition and aging process. Thermage is most often used on facial areas – around the lips and eyes, on the forehead, jawline and nasolabial folds. It can also be very effective on the abdomen, hands, buttocks, arms, and thighs. Thermage treatments should be done only by qualified health professionals.

If you are in or near Orlando, Florida, you could visit the Bougainvillea Clinique, which is an excellent medical spa and cosmetic surgery center. Why not contact cosmetic surgeon Dr. Jeffrey Hartog today and schedule a personal consultation?