Treatment Diary: I Tried Thermage on My Chin and Neck

My experience with Thermage

There are certain treatments at LaserAway that elicit a certain response when you sign in at the front desk. Case in point: Thermage. I’ve now experienced Thermage three times over the last few years, and every single time, the person signing me in goes, “Ooh! Thermage!” This treatment diary will explain why that tends to be the case.

After arriving at the LaserAway location in Brooklyn Heights, I was reintroduced to my nurse, Azemina, whom I recognized from doing my Potenza treatment at the Park Slope location. I immediately knew I was in good hands, as she’d done such a solid job with my micro-needling. As Azemina took “before” photos, she asked me all the requisite questions regarding my pregnancy status and whether I had any medical devices in my body. In turn, I asked her a whole slew of questions about what kind of pain levels I could anticipate and what my recovery would be like. Despite having experienced Thermage twice before, I seemed to have forgotten all the details.

Unlike other energy-based treatments, there was no need for numbing cream. I also didn’t have to be extra careful with sun exposure before and after the treatment. This is because the Thermage goes deep into the skin, unlike, for example, Clear + Brilliant, which penetrates the outer layers of the dermis. Azemina began the procedure by placing a return pad on my lower back. Next, she placed what I could best describe as a temporary tattoo of a grid across my face. This would help set a path for her as she moved the device handpiece across my face. From there, she covered my face in gooey coupling fluid and moved the Thermage device across my face and then eventually across my neck. The device made a slight “revving” sound, and then she’d move it to the next square in my face grid.

Since getting Thermage, I’ve been asked about the pain levels associated with the treatment. Throughout all the LaserAway treatments I’ve tried, I’ve noticed my friends having a broad range of responses. In my case—despite being an absolute weenie with generally no tolerance for pain—I tend to be pretty tough when it comes to my face. This likely has to do with the fact that my nerves might be buried deeper under my skin than is the case for other people. The first time I got Thermage—two years ago—I felt virtually no pain. The treatment felt like a warm hug. The second time I got the treatment, each zap felt like a small electric jolt in my jaw. As you might imagine, this was less pleasant! This most recent time felt more like my first treatment. Overall, it really didn’t hurt (although, again, some other people feel otherwise), with the exception of a few zaps that were right on my jawbone or close to my molars near the corners of my mouth. I’ve noticed if I don’t take any caffeine on the day of treatments and avoid getting the procedure while I’m on my period, it tends to hurt a bit less. This is totally anecdotal and not based on any specific science, but seems to be the case for me.

A little more background on Thermage: The goal of Thermage is to tighten, smooth, and contour loose skin across multiple parts of the body. It’s one of the more high-end treatments at LaserAway, as it takes a bit longer than other treatments—and in my case, I was focused exclusively on the neck and chin area—which took about an hour. There are some immediate results you’ll see from Thermage, such as a younger-looking appearance, but the real benefits appear about six months following treatment. It’s at this point that I’ve noticed my skin is smooth and appears more youthful. One thing I love about the Thermage treatment is that it is totally non-invasive, reaching its full effect after only one single treatment, and has little to no downtime.

When it comes to anti-aging, it really is a miracle treatment. As we age, collagen continuously breaks down, which diminishes our skin’s elasticity and results in aging, sagging skin. Thermage delivers radiofrequency energy to the skin that causes collagen fibers to tighten and contract. This causes an immediate contraction and tightens the skin. Over time, new collagen grows and tightens, turning out a younger-looking overall appearance. Amazing, right?

It’s for this reason that Thermage has a bit of a cult following. I’ve heard one persistent rumor flying around about Thermage—that one miraculously aging pop star (we shall not name her, but I hear she used to ride the 6 train), who looks about 30 years younger than her age, uses it on her full body and keeps a Thermage machine in her home. Consider me sold.

Blair Smith is a lifestyle and beauty writer who currently resides (and will likely stay forever) in Brooklyn, New York.