! Yes They're Fake ! Visitors' Journals -Thermacool (Thermage) Treatment To Brow & Undereyes

Thermacool TC (Thermage) Treatment To Brow & Undereyes - Marianne

*this page is graphic intensive, click on photos for a larger image*

Why I Chose Thermacool TC (TC = Tissue Contraction)
I had always had hooded outer eyelids and have been wanting a brow lift for some time but thought at my age (I am 31), I should try a less invasive approach first -- then move to the big guns. I don't necessarily have forehead lines, but I do have brow ptosis (sag). I am JUST starting to see faint lines if I am not wearing moisturizer but it isn't very visible much of the time. I had heard about Thermacool (Thermage) from several people on our message board and had heard mixed reviews from various surgeons. Well, of course I had to see for myself, besides the outer brow sag was getting on my nerves.

I wanted to go to Dr. Gail Humble in Hermosa Beach, California for my procedures because of her skill and bedside manner and her absolutely wonderful personality. I have always liked Dr. Humble and highly recommend her to anyone!

I also had Botox to my glabella (frown line), Crow's feet and outer brows that day, as well as collagen to my lips and philtrum. So I look pretty rough, lol!

BTW I don't think you can have this procedure if you have a pacemaker. So please let your doc know!

Friday-- October 17, 2003

Preparing For The Treatment
We were getting the procedures filmed so I had to be coherent for the post-procedure interview -- so it was going to hurt. Granted we broke down and put on Ela-Max (a topical anesthetic) for an hour beforehand but the camera crew was a little late and also needed me to take it off and put make up back on to film the pre-procedure interview. The cream started to dry on my face by the time they got there. The interviews lasted almost a half an hour for both Dr. Humble and I so the anesthetic was wearing off. But that's okay, I'm tough! ;)

Before, but I kind of have my face tilted up so it looks better than it is. (with light makeup)

The Treatment
Dr. Humble put my hair back in a cap and cleaned off my "pound of make-up" (that's what she said, hehe!) I had on for the interview. I had to put on a lot on my upper face to cover the redness of removing the Ela-Max after it was dried on in some areas. You can cover it with a type of plastic wrap to keep it moist but we didn't, I had it on for almost an hour before the film crew got there. BTW when Ela-Max dries on it is clear but it looks like you have thick crinkled skin -- very weird.

She then attached a single use, self-adhesive "grounding pad" to my stomach (it can also be placed on the back). She wiped my treatment area and applied a coupling /fluid/gel right before beginning. She then touched the handpiece with the monopolar electrode to my forehead and began working her way across one side of my forehead, temple and undereye areas on the right side of my face. She didn't use the grid transfer. Remember I didn't have adequate anesthesia because of the filming so I was given a yellow foam ball to squeeze.

By the time I had the treatment on one side of my upper face, it was hurting so bad. Usually, Dr. Humble gives a complete block and sometimes a valium and maybe a pain pill, but this time she couldn't because of the interview and my needing to be coherent and able to speak without half my face being numb. So, if you see my wincing, there's a reason. Thermage uses radio-frequency to cause a thermal wound response which in turn caused some immediate collagen contraction and also triggers fibroblasts to form collagen over the next few months. Without anesthesia, it feels like tiny, little pokes of a red hot needle, one...two...three...then onetwothreefourfivesixseveneightetc...all at once! OUCH! First, there is a blast of cryospray to cool the epidermis, thereby prohibiting damage to the upper layer of skin, while heating the first 2/3 of the dermis. However, there was still pain and very intense, deep heat.


Before with Dr. Gail Humble	Ela-Max time	Waiting & looking at Featherlift info!


putting make up back on for interview	here we go!	note the ball being crushed!


okay give me a block, I can't handle it.	still hurts a little but better	note lumps on forehead forming - and those pesky nasolabials!!!

Halfway through we stopped and said you know what, forget the interview I will talk like I have had a stroke, I don't care, just PLEASE give me a block!! So Dr. Humble quickly gave me a block from the cheeks up. I am so thankful for that. I even started getting teary eyed. And I don't mean a little stinging sensation where your eyes water I mean, emotional TEARS and crying. I almost started bawling. Okay, so maybe I am not so tough after all. So, for the second half of the face I had a block. It felt a little better but still hurt as there were breakthrough areas. Dr. Humble is so sweet because she tries to keep your mind off of it and brings up other subjects and makes you laugh. I really like her so much.

Also, Dr Humble did say she could lower the level (I was presently getting I believe 13.5 on the forehead and 8.5 on the under eyes (if I remember correctly, don't hold me to it because that memory is fuzzy; even though I was looking right at the digital settings). But she said, "I can set it lower but you will probably be disappointed if I do" so of course I said, are ya' kidding me? Keep it cranked! No pain, no gain my friends. If I get improvement, I EARNED IT!

Next thing you know it was over before I knew it and she applied these damp gauze pads for a spell. By this time, the camera crew had to leave so she said "Okay lady, no luxury for you. Botox time." So, I got up for the next step in the makeover. But, the cameraman had to leave for another filmsite so they didn't film the Botox and collagen session. We almost skipped it and Dr. Humble said she wanted to do it so I would be very happy, plus the lip shaping was really something I was looking forward to. She is a perfectionist, and I love that! I really wanted to as well but knew we were pressed for time. She graciously and expertly administered both of these treatments. I LOVED IT!

After I got Botox and Collagen, we had to take off. Dr. Humble had to go (she normally doesn't even work on Fridays, I am so thankful she made time for us!) and we were going to hit the commute. For those of you who don't know what we Californians mean by 'the commute' as if it were some independent entity -- it is a difference between 15 minutes on the 405 (a freeway in LA) or several hours of being stuck in mind-numbing traffic.

Well, we hit the dreaded commute and were in traffic for a little more than 2 hours. I was a little worn out, with little bit of a headache and I was getting hungry. All I had eaten was a bowl of Total and some Guava nectar that the Hotel offered (free continental breakfast!) So, pretty much I was crashing from my insulin spike that morning. We stopped at McDonald's and I got something to eat and drink and felt a little better. I felt SO much better about three hours post. I wanted to nap a little, although I had to wait 4 hours before I could lay my head down lol!

That Evening -- Friday Night
I got home and the area started getting numb at about 11:30 PM I started getting numb on my forehead and temple -- the knots/lumps started getting bigger, too. I posted in the YTF message board and everyone was so supportive and nice! I went to bed and would see how it was the next day. I was feeling and looking pretty rough and had taken a Unisom so I could sleep well. I took a pic without a flash (using only a light above) because the flash kept washing the contours out and you couldn't see the lumps well. It is a bad pic but you can really see the lumps here. I also got a good pic of the large lump above my temple.


lumps above brows and temples (BAD PIC!)	check out above the temples - it is still a little swollen and fleshy

One Day Post-Treatment -- Saturday -- October 18, 2003
The next day they were a lot smaller, by the end of the day they were down considerably. By nightfall, I could feel the swelling still on my temples and cheeks but it was completely tolerable and all of my needle marks were gone. Excuse the remnants of the huge pimple at my jaw angle :( The below pic was taken about 36 hours post. I just had lip gloss on to show my new lips and philtrum sculpting with collagen. I may be getting Silikon 1000 and Dr. Humble wanted to show me what could be accomplished.

I took another Unisom to help me get some sleep that night. We have to get up early so I noticed right before bed that the numbness began again at the swollen areas. Very weird!

Two Days Post-Treatment -- Sunday -- October 19, 2003
I woke up still numb, fleshy in the areas where you could see the lumps. However they were not hard anymore. They were just fleshy and gave way when pressed. I left well enough alone and went about my day. I am a little sore when I wash my face and can feel there has been some sort of soft tissue trauma from the soreness. I have a small tiny bruise under one eye, it won't even come out on film it is so light. I tried though.

I will not take a Unisom tonight to see if I still feel numbness. There is still slight numbness right now in those fleshy, swollen areas as I type this at 5 PM. A doctor friend of my said that the swelling can commonly make an area feel numb as it puts pressure on the nerves.

Sunday night: left temple, outer brow and malar areas are still numb and a little swollen. I did not take a Unisom and therefore I am conjecturing it was purely coincidental the last two nights and just a matter of swelling. I have not noticed any lifting of my brows and still have the same amount of eyelid hooding. Patience grasshopper!

Three Days Post-Treatment -- Monday -- October 20, 2003
Still swollen, but not a hard lumpiness. Just a fleshy, loose feeling at my temple and outer brows. Also still numb on the temples and outer brows, mostly the left one though. My friend said tonight she noticed that my eyes looked different but couldn't put her finger on it. I noticed my upper eyelids were pretty swollen earlier today. I ate a lot of salty food last night and today, maybe that has something to do with it??

10 Days Post-Treatment -- Monday -- October 20, 2003
Believe it or not, I finally have no soreness above my temples. That area has been sore to the firm touch since day one. I don't notice any lifting or anything yet but I am, very hopeful. I do notice more wrinkling under my left eye and the skin feels looser under that eye. What gives? I don't get it. Marc thinks it is from my cheeks possibly being slightly swollen and pushing up the skin. Kind of like when you get a cheek lift and there is loose skin under the eye sometimes. I never 'got' that either. We will see over the next few weeks. :)

Now it is a waiting game so this isn't really the conclusion. Hopefully I will get some lifting of my brows. I have a lot of outer brow sag so I think I will need surgery in the end. Obviously I draw my eyebrows on and with that it looks as though I only have hooded, fleshy upper lids -- which I have always had -- and no actual sag. It looks as though they are way up there, but remember it is brow pencil and they are starting to sag more as I age, hiding the outer edge of my eyelid.

Update!! Friday -- 35 Days Post-Treatment -- November 21, 2003
The proof is in the pudding! I knew I had results and that my forehead was tighter and and the skin was thicker, plus my undereyes weren't as transparent and dark and my upper eyelids were less hooded but I didn't realize the difference until just now when I compared the pics!! I am thrilled!! I can't wait to get another one in a month or two! Check it out...

p.s. I do need to do something about the hollowness of the inner upper lid of my right eye (your left). Maybe a smidgen of fat?


With makeup, 3 days post	With makeup, 35 days post


Without makeup, 3 days post	Without makeup, 35 days post

By the way, Dr. Humble has such a light and considerate touch, she is also WONDERFUL in getting your mind off of the pain. She is so personable, I just seriously cannot say enough good things about her. It is so nice to come across a doctor who is both extremely skilled at what she does and knows how to treat you like a person -- like a friend! I just truly adore this woman, can ya tell??

Unfortunately the effects seemed to have worn off on my brow. mostly on the left side :( Here is a pic 6 1/2 months later. I did still notice the thickening of the skin under the eyes and a little better skin in the brow but, I decided to get a modified brow lift instead and successfully had one on May 5, 2004.

Without makeup, 6 1/2 months post

~Marianne

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