Thermage FLXin Seoul

Skin laxity starts in the dermis, the thick middle layer of the skin, where collagen and elastic fibers thin out with age and sun exposure. The first signs are subtle: a jawline that blurs, cheeks that settle a little lower, and fine creasing that appears when you smile. Thermage FLX is aimed at that early stage, because heat delivered evenly through the dermis can firm loosened tissue without cutting it.

A study of non-ablative radiofrequency tightening in Asian facial skin reported satisfactory results and noted that settings may need to differ from those used in Western studies (Kushikata et al., 2005). Radiofrequency heat does not target pigment, which is one reason it is used across a wide range of skin tones.

The reasons to wait or choose differently come down to safety and expectation. An electrical current passes through the body during treatment, so implanted electronics rule it out. Heavy, folding skin has stretched past the point where heat alone can draw it back, and one session does not reproduce the result of a surgical facelift.

Radiofrequency is an electrical current that changes direction millions of times a second. In a monopolar system such as Thermage FLX, the current runs from the treatment tip through the face to a return pad placed on the body, and the natural resistance of the tissue turns it into heat. That heat builds in the dermis and in the fibrous strands that run down toward the fat layer, so the deeper tissue warms while the surface stays intact.

Two responses follow. Collagen fibers that reach a critical temperature contract straight away, which can bring a slight firmness on the day itself. Over the next months the heated tissue goes through a repair process in which new collagen is laid down, and any tightening shows gradually during that period.

Each pulse comes with a burst of cooling spray onto the skin before, during and after the heat. The cooling protects the outer layer and is the reason the sensation arrives as short bursts of heat. Thermage FLX is made by Solta Medical and is the current generation of the Thermage system.

Energy is set with your feedback. A survey of 5,700 monopolar radiofrequency treatments found that several passes at lower energy, adjusted to how hot each pulse feels to the patient, were a sound way to choose the dose (Dover et al., 2007). A multicenter study of the lower face reported tightening with the same multiple-pass, low-energy method (Bogle et al., 2007). In a split-face trial, monopolar radiofrequency and micro-focused ultrasound both improved laxity of the face and upper neck, with no difference between them in results or satisfaction (Alhaddad et al., 2019). These studies used earlier Thermage systems or compared energy types, none measured the FLX model on its own, and the size of change they reported was moderate.

Eye Thermage for the skin around the eyes

Eye Thermage uses a smaller tip suited to the thin skin around the eyes, including the crow's feet region and the upper lid area. It is a separate plan of 225 shots. A multicenter study of radiofrequency around the eyes recorded fewer wrinkles and a change in brow position after one treatment (Fitzpatrick et al., 2003), measured with an older device.

Thermage FLX is priced by shot count. A shot is one pulse of radiofrequency, and the face plan here is fixed at 600 shots; the price list states that a 300-shot face plan is not available. Eye Thermage is its own plan of 225 shots, so treating the face and the eyes means booking both cards.

A large part of what any Thermage session costs is the treatment tip. Each tip is single-use and holds a set number of pulses, which is why plans are sold by shot count and a new tip is opened for every patient.

The amounts on the cards leave out tax. The 10% VAT is added when you pay, and the VAT-inclusive figure printed under each card is the one to budget for. A written quote that names the plan and the shot count keeps the final total in line with what you planned before the flight.

Thermage FLX works by heating tissue under intact skin, and its possible effects follow from that heat:

• Redness, warmth and swelling lasting from hours to a few days.
• Tenderness when the treated area is touched.
• Heat discomfort during pulses, which is handled by lowering the energy.
• Burns, blisters or crusting where heat builds up in one spot.
• Small dents or a hollow look from loss of fat under the skin, a rare complication of radiofrequency heating.
• Temporary numbness or altered feeling in the treated skin.
• Little visible change: the response to radiofrequency differs between people, and most of the research behind it is observational.

Before treatment, tell the clinic about any implanted device, metal in the face, recent filler or a history of cold sores. Message the clinic promptly if a blister forms, an area stays sore after the first few days, or a dent appears.