Follow-up: Can smoking impact the results of ThermiTight RF?

Question

I went to see my doctor for a 1 year follow-up and she said I do not have results because I smoked (4 cigaretts a day.) Doctor knew I smoked going in perhaps she should have never suggested the procedure if in the end I have worse loose skin. On my previous post I stated I recall during the procedure the doctor telling the assistant "she is tolerating this heat well." My arms are worse. Please advise

William Groff, DO · Answer

I typically advise my patients to stop smoking 2-4 weeks before a ThermiTight procedure and to continue that for up to six months afterward. Smoking impacts the body’s ability to build collagen in the dermal structure, which will affect your ThermiTight results. Nicotine is also a vasoconstrictor, which means it limits your blood flow so your body cannot heal as well after treatments. In your case, I cannot tell you if your results are solely from smoking or if you had too much skin laxity going into your procedure. I recommend scheduling an appointment with a board-certified dermatologist with expertise in body contouring treatments for further assessment.

Jason Emer, MD · Answer

I suggest posting photos, you may not have been a candidate. and if you were , we would need to see if the treatment was the right one for you.  All our patients get Thermi plus Sculptra and then maintain with venus legacy or exilis treatments long term.  Best, Dr. Emer.

Renata Wix-Harris, MD · Answer

Smoking does affect the results of ThermiTight because it negatively impacts the circulation of the skin and connective tissue. That is why most smokers look much older than they are. I advice my patients to quit smoking at least 4 weeks before the procedure to get the best results. However there can be other factors that determine the result; like amount of skin laxity before treatment, treatment temperature, treatment time, level of treatment depth, amount of subcutaneous fat etc. It is impossible to determine exactly what factors had an impact on your results. You could consider doing a combination of Sculptra with Exillis to get better results. Good luck!

Follow-up: Can smoking impact the results of ThermiTight RF?

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Follow-up: Can smoking impact the results of ThermiTight RF?

Answers (3)

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Everything you need to know about ThermiTight

Our mission is to create a world where every investment in modern beauty is Worth It.