Tummy Shrink Lift

The tummy shrink lift is a relatively new procedure sweeping the plastic surgery field. Yes, it is the procedure you see performed on many of the makeover television shows.

Tummy Shrink Lift

Many people wonder how celebrities can lose a dress size so fast with apparently doing anything. The answer is tummy shrink lift, a procedure also known as body thermage, generally used in the treatment of facial and neck laxity. Tummy shrink lift is considered an innovative and safe cosmetic option, which is based on radio frequency energy applied to the skin.

The method of a tummy shrink lift is often referred to as radiothermaplasty, therma-lift or therma-cool. The tummy shrink lift is a non-surgical procedure that has shown effectiveness to temporary correct lax abdominal skin, but thermage can be also applied to lift other parts of the body, including buttocks, thighs and arms.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the thermage procedure in 2002, originally for the treatment of facial wrinkles and rhytids. Since then, increasing references from TV Shows promoting the results of facial and tummy shrink lift made the procedure receive additional clearance for the extensive use of treatment anywhere on the body.

Although almost anyone can undergo a tummy shrink lift treatment, people whose age is between 35 and 60 are the ideal candidates for the procedure due to the mild to moderate skin laxity of the tummy at that age. The skin tightening procedure is meant to be permanent, but this can only be achieved with corresponding maintenance and follow-up programs.

Tummy shrink lift also is used to successfully treat stretch marks and loose abdominal skin after pregnancy or remarkable weight loss, particularly in obese patients. However, this procedure is not recommended for women immediately after childbirth, except if they are done having children because the effect will be lost with a following pregnancy.

A typical tummy shrink lift procedure will last from 30 to 90 minutes depending on how much area of the abdomen will be treated. People with implanted cardiac devices, including pacemakers, should avoid undergoing thermage procedures due to the radio frequency energy below the surface of the skin into the collagen. Specifically, the energy can interfere with the functioning of cardiac devices, a true disaster.

Thermage does not require incisions, injections, or surgery. However, individuals taking non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), such as naproxen, prednisone, and ibuprofen, must avoid it and who are not qualified candidates for tummy shrink lift.

The decision to have a tummy shrink lift procedure is not one that should be taken lightly. Make sure to consult with a qualified plastic surgery to determine if it is solution to your condition.

<< Back to Tummy Tucks

Plastic Surgeons By State