Velashape Vs Thermage For Loose Belly Skin

Question

I am 34, have some wrinkly skin under my belly button from two pregnancies. I am trying to decide between VelaShape or Thermage. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Rian A. Maercks, MD · Answer

Skin Tightening Lasers- Do Not Get Caught Up In Brand Names

	First of all you should ask -"Do they really work?" I would urge you to find a responsible and knowledgable plastic surgeon and not focus on brand names as this is the least important part of your decision.  As far as longevity- the six week results of your intervention are as permanent as anything in your body can be.  you will continue to age depending on your genetics and environmental factors.

	The problem with noninvasive skin tightening is that everyone wants it and everyone wants to believe it works.  The result is practitioners of all sorts capitalizing on this demand.  The truth about skin tightening interventions is that almost all of them work AND NONE OF THEM WORK.  What I mean by this is that there are many ways to convert energy into heat inside or below the skin causing contraction.  The problem is that to deliver clinically effective results the tissue needs to reach at a minimum 43 C which is uncomfortable and can be scary for the patient and the practitioner.  This often results in ineffective treatment and wasted time and money.  I have developed extensive experience with noninvasive technologies mot because I'm a fan but because my patients demand it.  After using several "best in class" technologies to deliver definitive results, my patients were relatively pleased but I was underwhelmed.  THis is why I started using  a treatment that we call Maerckks Multimodal Therapy(MMT) in my practice.  All this is is an intelligently designed multitechnology treatment customized for the individual patient.  I use multiple diffferent frequencies and administration systems for radiofrequency delivery, three different ultrasound frequencies, infrared pulsed light, two different laser systems in concert to deliver immediate significant results that are hard to argue with and continue improving for weeks.  I think the only way to get real results is to combine technologies under the direction of a plastic surgeon that understands the capabilities and limitations of noninvasive skin tightening.  No one technology really delivers anything significant.  Also realiize that even my MMT results that I am very proud of do not remotely compare to what I can achieve with surgery and the cost can approach or exceed that of surgery depending on location and individual patient findings

Sofia Rubbani, MD · Answer

That is an excellent question. In my experience, I have found thermage to be the best treatment for the crepiness and laxity under the belly button. I can provide you with a basic science answer as a comparison.
First thermage is FDA approved for skin tightening, if you look at the FDA clearance on Velashape, it is indicated for dermal heating, not skin tightening. Thermage is also a stronger machine, working at the highest Mg Hz on the market for a RF device. Being that thermage is monopolar it is able to work deeper into the skin to effect change, thereby penetrating at least 4.2 mm into the skin, while velashape at its max is 1.5mm.  Since the Dermis, which is the main collagen structure of your skin is deeper than 1.5 mm it makes more sense to utilize the machine that treats the dermis. 
Hope that helps!

Velashape Vs Thermage For Loose Belly Skin

Answers (2)

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