How does Radiage compare to laser skin tightening treatments like Titan or Thermage?
Asked by: Anonymous
Answers (2)
Light vs RF - it is the heat that does the trick.
Let me start with a simple fact - heating the skin to tighten it is what all of the methods have in common, the method of heating is the core to their differences. This means that they all take time to see the final results - months.
The first difference would be that Radiage is not yet FDA approved, although it is available from a limited number of physicians within the US.
The second difference would be that light-based devices, such as the Titan, provide a range of skin surface improvements - depending on the device - mainly improvement of brown/red spots. Because these devices (especially IPLs like the Titan) tend to deliver alot of energy to the skin, the skin gets hot - sometimes very hot ... the skin tightening is a beneficial side-effect of this heating.
The third difference between the two RF devices you asked about is more subtle, Thermage is associated with more aggressive heat energy delivery and has (mainly in the past) had inconsistent and sometimes damaging results. Radiage, on the other hand, is a very gentle treatment.
The final difference between the RF devices and the light-based devices is that there is no need to avoid sunlight or tanning beds. Being in South Florida, this is a very large advantage for many of my patients.
I have found Radiage to provide excellent results in both skin tightening as well as skin texture. For my patients that have skin coloration issues, I combine Radiage and laser 'feather facial' treatments to get the best of both worlds.
A Radiage treatment is very relaxing - a gel is applied to both help keep the surface of the skin cool as well as to aid in movement of the device over the skin's surface. The device is then gently rubbed over the target skin (not that it can be used in any area on the body - not just the face). you feel a slight warming sensation, no pain, no displeasure. A facial treatment takes about 20 to 30 minutes and the recommended course is 4 treatments at 1 month intervals.
Radiage vs. Titan or Thermage
Radiage is a novel treatment. There is little information on it in the US since it is still not FDA approved. It has been around in Europe and there is growing experience with it in several European countries.
Having said that, there is no study out there that has compared these treatments. The results from all such treatments are very subtle. They allow us to treat the subset of patients who do not want any/much discomfort and are accepting of subtle results.
Lasers like the Fraxel non-ablative laser do provide a much more significant improvement in skin coloration, tone, texture, scarring, and also help tighten skin. It would be my first line of choice (outside of a surgical procedure).
Next in line are treatments like Thermage, Radiage, and Titan. Thermage and Titan have been around longer than Radiage and there is more information available regarding them. Thermage and Radiage are both radiofrequency based devices, while Titan is an intense pulse light device. None of them are lasers.
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