Even those who live healthy lives, take intensive care of their skin and do not expose it to the sun too often will notice wrinkles on themselves at some point. People who find the natural signs of aging of the skin unpleasant often go to the plastic surgeon and have them injected with Botox or even have a facelift. However, there are now gentler procedures for skin tightening. One of them is radiage.
What is radiage?
Radiage is a gentle skin tightening procedure. Wrinkling occurs due to the decreasing tension of the subcutaneous collagen fibers. Patients have several procedures to choose from when they want to have unsightly wrinkles, crow’s feet and even folds removed. However, most of them involve bleeding, more or less visible scars and time off for the patient. A very gentle method, where this is not to be feared, is called Radiage. It was developed in the USA and has been used in medicine for several decades. Radiage was originally developed only for sclerosing varicose veins. Since 2007, German physicians have also been using it to smooth wrinkles. The manufacturer of the radiage equipment is Ellman International Inc. which has been selling its medical product since 1969. This minimally invasive procedure, which was initially approved only for the skin and face, uses high-frequency radio waves to heat the connective tissue and the collagen it contains, causing the collagen fibers to contract and tighten the layer of skin above. Later, scientists discovered that radiofrequency devices could just as easily be used to treat legs, arms, buttocks and abdomen. The device can even be used to reduce cellulite. Radiofrequency therapy is similar to thermal lifting, which has been used up to now, but it is even gentler and also less expensive than it. Radiage is markedly effective because, unlike tightening skin creams that treat only the upper layer of skin, it reaches the surface of the subcutaneous fat layer where most age-related changes take place.
Function, effect and goals
The treatment goal of radiage (radiofrequency therapy) is to smooth the skin without first surgically opening it or injecting it with certain substances. Therefore, no scars are formed after the treatment, as it is common for most aesthetic procedures. The wrinkles disappear after the collagen fibers located in the subcutaneous tissue contract (collagen shrinking). The energy generated by the radiofrequency device heats the connective tissue to 48 to 50 degrees Celsius. Before the treatment, a special cooling gel is applied to the patient, which on the one hand is intended to prevent possible skin damage, but at the same time to further support the hot-cold effect that causes the smoothing. Thanks to the gel, the patient does not experience the treatment as unpleasant. However, during the radiofrequency treatment he can additionally tell the doctor when the skin becomes too hot for him. Radiofrequency therapy also promotes the formation of new collagen (collagen neogenesis). This further enhances the skin tightening effect in the weeks and months following the treatment. Initial results are already visible after the first treatment. Depending on the intensity of the desired wrinkle reduction, radiage is performed 2 to 4 times. The interval between the individual sessions is at least 2, preferably 4 weeks. Depending on the size of the skin area to be treated, the treatments last 10 to 20 minutes. The procedure is performed on an outpatient basis. The patient can go about his usual daily activities immediately after the treatment. The consequences of radiage are not visible externally. The gentle skin smoothing method is particularly suitable for wrinkles on the face (eye area), neck and upper lip area. In addition, younger patients in whom the formation of wrinkles is not yet too pronounced can have it performed. Radiofrequency therapy is also used for varicose veins. In endovenous treatment, an ultrasound measurement is performed first. Then the doctor inserts a flexible probe through a puncture of the lower leg. The upper end of the probe emits targeted high-frequency energy while being slowly withdrawn. This heats all the surrounding tissue so that the cellular fluid is vaporized and the vein is permanently closed.Subsequently, the varicose vein is transformed into connective tissue and degraded by the body. In this application, endovenous radiage is similar to endovenous laser therapy. However, it works with a different wavelength and penetration depth. Another procedure for varicose vein sclerotherapy is the Closure FAST therapy. With it, a special catheter heats and closes the vein at equal intervals. Endovenous radiotherapy is performed under local anesthesia.
Risks, side effects, and hazards
Radiage is not associated with any risks. Because it is a proven safe procedure, skin damage occurs only in very rare cases. It does not cause pigment irritation. After the treatment, the heat effect leaves slight redness on the treated skin areas, which usually fades by itself within several hours. Since it is a painless method, anesthesia is not usually administered unless the patient has very sensitive skin. Like other cosmetic procedures, high-frequency radio wave therapy does not have a permanent effect: depending on the skin type, the skin-tightening effect diminishes after 12 months, or 36 months at the latest. Then the patient should repeat the treatment. In order to avoid possible skin damage due to improper use, it is recommended to have skin tightening performed only by medical specialists as a matter of principle.
