claire59

It has been just over 3 weeks since I had both Eye by Thermage and the Thermage treatment on my face. The eye area is where I had trouble. My face looks and feels fine ... though it looks like I got punched in the eye! This is my take on the whole thing ... The procedure was performed by a dermatologist. My consultation was with a staff member (aka consultant). I believe the consultant is hired to take the time to explain the procedure and "sell" services. She is young, fresh-faced, enthusiastic and has NEVER had the need for most of the procedures offered. I never saw her again. She did not see me when I left. I don't know if she has ever seen someone who has just had the procedure other than her training video! She did her job. I have no problem with that or her. It is a business. She told me that there was no downtime. Just a bit of redness and that I could reapply make-up before leaving. I was not told about any possible blistering or burning of the outer layer of skin. Though I did sign the waiver releasing them from liability. There was a bit of swelling and lots of redness right after the procedure. Applying make-up and going into a social setting was not an option. Keep in mind that you will have taken a valium and percocet. Not only would I not be in any condition to go back to work, I would hate to see what my make-up would look like while under the influence of the meds! The adverse effects transpired a couple days later with the blistering and swelling around my eyes. This was due to the Eyes by Thermage treatment. The doctor is trying to remedy the situation and is very sympathetic but assures me everything will be okay. We'll see. The ultimate test as far as firmness is this ... when I bend over in Yoga class does my face fall forward also???? LOL ... it still does. I'm willing to give it time, however.

My face feels and looks the same! I have not seen any results as I have been distracted by the area under my eye that sustained some burns. The procedure is uncomfortable. You will need the anti-anxiety and pain medication before the procedure. I have a high tolerence for pain, but it was still uncomfortable. Afterwards, I felt fine. No burning, etc. I am willing to give it time. If it works ... great. If not, it may not have been the right procedure for me. I am not a treatment junkie. My goal is to be able to wear the least amount of make-up possible by the time I'm 50. I will soon be 49 and needed to get busy with it! I have had foto-facial that has dramatically addressed any sun damage and I am very pleased with that. I took a chance that Thermage might help with a bit of firming. I will be pleasantly surprised with any results at this point. But i will have to just wait and see.

My procedure was done by a reputable dermatologist who also offers spa services. The advantage to going to a dermatologist is that he/she will be able to address any adverse reactions to the procedure with appropriate prescription grade cream or alternative treatment. In my case, at no charge.

The aforementioned blisters have scabbed over and are actually a series of 1/8 inch rectangles. Some have sloughed off and the skin is pink and easily covered by concealer. The area under my brow is still a bit swollen and the hooding I was trying to correct is worse because of the swelling! The rest of my face that got the Thermage treatment is just fine. No swelling, redness or blisters. It appears that the eye area ... with the more delicate skin, took a bit of a beating, even though the "special", smaller tip was used. The blistering, etc. is such a distraction. I did not expect to be concentrating on healing. I expected to be pleasantly surprised by the subtle changes over the next 6 months. Still ... I remain positive and will keep you posted.