So, I started looking into treatment alternatives. A full-fledged face lift was not for me, because of the expense and the risks that come with major surgery. Out of all the options available, Thermage®, offered by Dr. Christine Glavey of Alpharetta Dermatology Associates, seemed to make the most sense for my needs. It is non-invasive and uses radiofrequency to deliver heat to the underlying skin structure. This heat causes immediate tightening of the underlying tissue and also stimulates the collagen, which supports the skin, to rebuild itself over time.

Dr. Glavey impressed me with the thoroughness of her discussion about Thermage: how it works, what it does, what it can’t do, how much it costs, and whether this type of treatment was right for my skin. In addition to her medical training and experience, Dr. Glavey has a master’s degree in cell membrane biochemistry, which adds to her expertise and her ability to explain just how the structure of your skin reacts to and is improved by Thermage treatment. After a thorough discussion of all the alternatives, we agreed that Thermage was the way for me to go. It offered promising results for the lines around my eyes, the folds on either side of my nose, and the sagging around the corners of my mouth and my chin.

The time required for this procedure varies according to the individual treatment plan. Mine took a couple of hours. My treatment began with signing consent forms, and then Dr. Glavey gave me Vicodin (for pain) and Xanax (for relaxation). She and her nurses reviewed my treatment plan, explained how things would go, and then got to work. I put on a cap to keep my hair out of the way. Then, a grid was put on my face with transfer paper, so I had squares and circles all over my face. This helps the nurses keep track of which sections have been treated. Dr. Glavey also drew lines with eyebrow pencil on top of the grid to mark out additional sections of skin for treatment. The treatment plan was based on office visits, photos, and the specific condition of my skin and what needed to be accomplished in the treatment.

Different sections of my skin were treated a certain number of times, depending on the needs of each part of my face. Some “sculpting” can be done with Thermage as well as tightening, and Dr. Glavey lined that out as well. Certain sections were treated six times and others 10 times, depending on the desired result and also on the reaction they were seeing in my skin.

The skin is first coated with a cooling gel that helps conduct the radio waves into the skin. Each small area of skin is then heated by the Thermage wand. The strength of the pulse from the wand can be adjusted up or down, depending on the patient’s comfort level and the needs of the area being worked on. Some areas of my skin received repeated pulses to build up heat in that particular area and others received pulses that were spaced out as the nurse moved from one section of my face to another and then back again until all the needed pulses were administered.

When a pulse is applied to the skin, there is a sensation of warmth and then a sharp sting for a second. Then the wand is lifted and moved to another spot. During every Thermage procedure, the patient is asked to rate her discomfort level from a one, which is nothing, to a four, which is intolerable. Dr. Glavey and her nurses emphasized over and over that they wanted me to stay at a level two, and they adjusted the strength of the pulses accordingly. Some spots on my face were more sensitive than others, even some right next to one another varied greatly in sensation. Keep in mind, too, that there is also a great variation in pain tolerance from individual to individual. One of the physicians who observed my treatment said she had a patient who slept through her whole procedure. I had mostly mild discomfort, with just a couple of spots where the discomfort was a level three.

One thing everyone needs to understand before having Thermage is that a lot of energy pulses are required to get a good reaction in the collagen under your skin. And a good reaction, with tightening and firming of your skin, is what it’s all about. So, the relaxant medication is very important in helping you tolerate the repeated pulses.

After one side of my face was treated, Dr. Glavey had me sit up so she and her nurses could get a good look at my results thus far and tailor treatment of the other side to match. Many people have noticeable tightening right away, and so did I. Even with all the guidelines still on my face, I was pleased with how my skin was reacting to the treatment.

Following the treatment, I had slight swelling along my jaw line and at the corners of mouth, along with some tenderness and numbness in those areas. When she called to check on me, Dr. Glavey said that these symptoms usually indicate a good result. She gave me instructions for light massage techniques to deal with the swelling, which is caused by lymph fluids in the tissue, and it was gone in a few days.

As for the results, my husband said that my skin looked smoother and better right away. Within a couple of weeks, a friend said she thought I had on heavy make up to make my skin look so smooth. There was definite lifting and tightening along my cheek bones and down the sides of my face and also right under my jaw.

Most patients find that their good results keep developing for six months to nine months as the collagen reacts to the heat and works to tighten and rebuild itself under the skin. And this has certainly been the case for me. My face is smoother, tighter, and “lifted.”

Along with my Thermage treatment, I also decided to stop coloring my hair and let it grow out to see how much gray is mixed in with the dark brown. My hair is also much shorter now. It probably seems contradictory to have my face treated to look younger and let my hair look older, and maybe it is. But, it all is part of a process of discovery and experimentation.

Well, between the new hair and my new and improving skin tone, there were people at church who did not recognize me when they saw me in the choir. Everyone has exclaimed over how much younger I look. Most don’t know about the Thermage treatment, but the hair is obvious. A close friend who knows about my Thermage treatment scrutinized my face and said, “You look 15 years younger!” I think she was being generous, but Dr. Glavey’s skill, along with that of my hairdresser, has made a huge difference for the better in my looks and in my attitude toward myself. As is almost always the case, our appearance and our well-being depend upon more than one thing. So, if you are considering Thermage, also look at what else might need a “lift” or a change. Be open to new possibilities.