Radiofrequency skin tightening
Radiofrequency (RF) energy treatment is a new and promising technology for non-surgical tightening of the early signs of loose or sagging skin; ideal for those people who either don’t want, or don’t believe they are old enough to have a surgical procedure.
Pure RF energy alone (such as the Accent™, Thermage™ and Tripollar™ devices) is primarily used to treat skin laxity by facial tightening, and is best suited to patients with mild to moderate sagging of facial tissues, usually those in their mid thirties to fifties, with any skin colour. It is commonly used to treat the forehead, under the eyes, cheeks, mid-face, jaw line, and the neck.
Based on current RF technologies, most people should see at least a mild improvement in their skin tightness, with minimal risks and downtime compared to surgery.
Prices for radiofrequency facial tightening treatment depend on the area(s) treated and the device used.
Types of Radiofrequency delivery
Monopolar (also called Unipolar)
Monopolar or unipolar refers to a device having one pole or electrode.
With monopolar delivery, the current from the generating machine flows through the body from a single electrode (handpiece) and meets maximum resistance in the area around the tip of the handpiece, where tissue heating in the subdermal layers then occurs. A grounding, or “return pad” may also be used, attached to the patient’s lower back or abdomen, to provide a low resistance path for the current to flow back to the generating machine, to complete the electrical circuit.
An example of a monopolar RF only device used for facial rejuvenation and available in the UK is the ThermaCool™ by Thermage®.
Biopolar
Biopolar refers to a device having two poles or electrodes.
With bipolar delivery, the current from the generating machine flows only through the tissue which is between the two electrodes on the handpiece; these electrodes start and complete the electrical circuit. Hence, with bipolar delivery, no current flows through the rest of the body, so no grounding or return pad is needed.
In all cases of radiofrequency delivery types, it is the resistance to the current flow in the tissue, not the electrode that generates the heating effect.
The pros and cons
The radio frequency can give great results giving a permanent way of tightening the skin and is the only proven method which gives you a quicker recovery time meaning less time taken off from work. However, this type of procedure once caused extreme discomfort during the actual procedure and in most cases a general anaesthesia was given.
The cool tip procedure was then introduced and this reduces the pain felt greatly, it has been found that by using a local anaesthetic and using a setting where the patient can feel the heat without causing too much discomfort is the most appropriate way to go with the procedure.
