Dec 8, 2008 11:30 pm US/Eastern
HealthWatch: Combat Frown Lines With Heat
Radio Frequency Energy Used To Smooth Out Appearance
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
Bye bye Botox!
Some patients are smoothing out frown lines with heat. CBS 2 HD got a look at how the hot new treatment works.
Marlene Rodriguez starting noticing her frown lines when she turned 40, and eight years later …
"They're horrible," she said.
"So this is a nerve stimulator probe, and what we're going to do is we're going to do is we're going to map out the little nerve that supplies the frown muscle," facial plastic surgeon Dr. Paul Nassif said.
Instead of Botox or injectibles, some surgeons are using heat to get rid of the lines. They are using radio frequency energy.
"We're marking off the nerve that we're going to treat, so we're softening this muscle right here by putting a little bit of a small injury to the nerve that supplies that muscle," Nassif said.
"We're delivering heat to the nerve and that's going to make the nerve not function as well."
A small probe is moved along the eye area along the nerve, but only the tip will be heated. They also work on the side of the nose.
"So this is the second nerve that supplies the frown muscle," Dr. Nassif said.
Clinical trials have shown the results from the heat nerve ablation lasts between six and 18 months.
"So we are producing a very selective and safe type of treatment in the same fashion that a cardiologist uses this exact same energy to treat some of the nerves in the heart," Dr. James Newman said.
About 40 board certified surgeons are doing the procedure across the country.
The heated nerve ablation procedure takes about an hour. The device is approved by the Food and Drug Administration to limit nerve function, but is not yet cleared for cosmetic uses.
The maker expects approval for treating frown lines sometime next year.
The frown line procedure costs about $1,500 a treatment.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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