Thermage Skin Tightening medical treatments from Solta Medical have created a new type of anti-aging and skin laxity treatments for cosmetic dermatologists, plastic surgeons and medical spas that adds another nonsurgical treatment to any cosmetic medical practice Radio Frequency Skin Tightening. But there are potential troubles that both Thermage and patients may face.
Thermage has also implemented a change in cosmetic medicine. Pricing strategies that charge the plastic surgeon or cosmetic dermatologist for each Thermage treatment by 'killing' the Thermage tip after a preset number of treatment pulses or predetermined length of time, even if the Thermage tip could still be used for additional pulses. This leaves the plastic surgeon or cosmetic dermatologist (and patient) in the position of paying for a Thermage treatment tip that would still work, except that they've been turned off by Thermage.
Since Thermage tips cost up to $800 for a single tip and with plastic surgeons or cosmetic dermatologists under increasing pressure to maintain profitability, many cosmetic dermatologists and plastic surgeons are turning to the dark-gray secondary market to 'reactivate' these Thermage tips for prolonged use by bypassing the set counter inside the chip and effectively 'refurbishing' the Thermage tip to allow for additional pulses.
According to Thermage, Thermage tips are disabled to ensure patient safety.
Thermage's position on reusing 'refurbished' Thermage tips is this:
"The largest study we know of involving Thermage is a four year study conducted by Weiss,1 and it only involved 600 patients. In addition, the claims in the Stevens publication are also wildly inconsistent with immense quantities of Thermage quality and reliability data we have compiled on our own products over the years. We know for a fact the dielectric membrane on our treatment tip will break down when subjected to a tiny fraction of the repeated use this publication alleges can be done. Dielectric breakdown can result in patient harm."
There are certainly potential complications that can arise from treating patients with damaged Thermage tips that can include burns or the destruction of underlying fat that can leave permanent depressions. But, with more and more physicians looking to squeeze out a profit wherever they can and grey-market suppliers able to sell a reactivated Thermage tip for hundreds of dollars below the retail price, this trend may grow in popularity. - 15437
Thermage has also implemented a change in cosmetic medicine. Pricing strategies that charge the plastic surgeon or cosmetic dermatologist for each Thermage treatment by 'killing' the Thermage tip after a preset number of treatment pulses or predetermined length of time, even if the Thermage tip could still be used for additional pulses. This leaves the plastic surgeon or cosmetic dermatologist (and patient) in the position of paying for a Thermage treatment tip that would still work, except that they've been turned off by Thermage.
Since Thermage tips cost up to $800 for a single tip and with plastic surgeons or cosmetic dermatologists under increasing pressure to maintain profitability, many cosmetic dermatologists and plastic surgeons are turning to the dark-gray secondary market to 'reactivate' these Thermage tips for prolonged use by bypassing the set counter inside the chip and effectively 'refurbishing' the Thermage tip to allow for additional pulses.
According to Thermage, Thermage tips are disabled to ensure patient safety.
Thermage's position on reusing 'refurbished' Thermage tips is this:
"The largest study we know of involving Thermage is a four year study conducted by Weiss,1 and it only involved 600 patients. In addition, the claims in the Stevens publication are also wildly inconsistent with immense quantities of Thermage quality and reliability data we have compiled on our own products over the years. We know for a fact the dielectric membrane on our treatment tip will break down when subjected to a tiny fraction of the repeated use this publication alleges can be done. Dielectric breakdown can result in patient harm."
There are certainly potential complications that can arise from treating patients with damaged Thermage tips that can include burns or the destruction of underlying fat that can leave permanent depressions. But, with more and more physicians looking to squeeze out a profit wherever they can and grey-market suppliers able to sell a reactivated Thermage tip for hundreds of dollars below the retail price, this trend may grow in popularity. - 15437
About the Author:
For current information on Thermage and other nonsurgical cosmetic medical treatments visit the Thermage & Fraxel physician forums at Medical Spa MD, a cosmetic medical community of Plastic Surgeons, Cosmetic Dermatologists, and Aesthetic Physicians with more than 2,000 Members worldwide.Medical Spa MD.
