Radiage is a novel skin tightening treatment that has been in use in Europe and is now pending FDA approval in the US.
It is not a laser. It is a radiofrequency-based system that is based on a completely different idea than photothermal reactions, which are important in laser technology. It works by using electrical current to generate heat, which passes through the epidermis (outer layer of the skin) and into the dermis (deeper layer of the skin) to cause some degree of thermal or heat injury. The body then reacts to this "injury" and regenerates, thereby tightening the skin.
You need to understand that this is a pain-free nonsurgical method of skin tightening, but is not a "home run." The best results for skin tightening come from a surgical procedure. The next is from a laser (either ablative or nonablative). This technology is well-below the effect of a laser. It is capable of some mild tightening of the skin and can give somewhere between 25-40% improvement in most patients.
There will still be patients who do the treatment with very little (if any) benefit. It is a good tool for those who would like to do something for skin tightening, but don't want to go through the downtime/pain of laser treatments.
