Fourth-generation Thermage tightens loose skin and softens wrinkles, using radiofrequency to heat the dermis while cooling the surface, stimulating collagen contraction and renewal. It measures skin resistance and adjusts the energy with every pulse. We use topical anesthesia, and you can return to your routine right after treatment.
The right pulse count for your face matters more than simply increasing the number.
Dr. Chang-Hwan Cho Speaker at Solta Medical’s SOMA MTL ForumResults typically peak around 6 months
Topical anesthesia; stronger heat around the mouth and temples
Occasionally 1–2 days; daily activities can continue
Energy adjusted
with every pulse:
for firmer skin
Thermage is a radiofrequency skin-tightening device known for stimulating collagen renewal. FLX uses the same underlying principle as earlier generations and CPT systems, with AccuREP™ technology that measures tissue impedance and automatically adjusts the energy for each pulse.
A larger tip reduces treatment time by about 25% compared with the previous tip. Consistent energy delivery across each treatment area also helps make treatment more effective.
Radiofrequency heats the dermis while cooling the epidermis, contracting collagen to soften lines on the forehead, around the eyes, in the nasolabial area and on the neck.
Skin becomes firmer over the months after treatment as heat contracts existing collagen fibers and new collagen forms.
Heating and tightening loose dermal tissue beneath the chin gives the lower face a more defined contour.
Results depend on how treatment is planned and performed. We take time with every patient. A doctor handles your consultation and performs your treatment personally.
Solta Medical invited Dr. Chang-Hwan Cho to speak at its SOMA MTL Forum on Eye Thermage FLX for eyelid laxity after LASIK and presbyopia surgery. He draws on this experience to choose treatment areas and pulse counts for each face.
Your doctor recommends a pulse count based on your skin, rather than simply recommending more. Patients have noted this approach in their reviews.
Before your procedure, we show you the Thermage tip packaging and explain how its authenticity is verified.
They recommended the right pulse count for me
It was my first Thermage treatment, and I appreciated how kind and thorough everyone was. Honestly, I’d heard so much about the pain that I was nervous. I thought I should have as many pulses as possible and get it over with in one go, but the doctor explained that more isn’t always better. He recommended a number that suited my skin, which made me feel much more comfortable about it.
After a week, my skin started to feel tighter
About a week after having Ultherapy and Thermage together, my skin started to feel as though it was tightening. The area under my chin and around my cheeks looked more defined, and my facial contours became clearer. My face looked neater overall.
My double chin and jawline look more defined
I had Thermage and Ultherapy together, and my skin definitely feels firmer. The area under my chin and my facial contours look more defined too. Dr. Cho did my treatment!
My skin felt a little tighter right away
I chose Thermage FLX because my skin felt loose and the sides of my jaw were starting to sag. There were hot, prickly moments on my forehead and jawline, but it was more manageable than I expected. Straight afterward, my skin felt a little tighter and my contours looked more defined. I’m waiting to see how the results develop.
Invited to Solta Medical’s physician leadership forum, Dr. Chang-Hwan Cho taught fellow doctors about Eye Thermage FLX for eyelids after LASIK and presbyopia surgery.
How does radiofrequency tighten skin? Each pulse combines cooling with controlled heating.
A tuning pulse measures local tissue impedance before each treatment pulse.
Cooling and vibration protect the surface and help reduce discomfort.
Radiofrequency heats the dermis, contracting collagen fibers.
Collagen renewal improves firmness and softens wrinkles over time.
Our approach
We have offered Thermage since the CPT generation. Dr. Soyoun Koo advised on Thermage CPT for Allure’s January 2014 feature on lifting treatments.
Allure, January 2014: feature on lifting treatments
ForeheadAround the eyesUnder the eyesNasolabial foldsJawlineUnder the chinNeckCompare skin tightening treatments side by side. The right choice varies from person to person, so your doctor will help you decide at your consultation.
| Treatment | Results | Duration | Comfort | Recovery |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermage | Gradual improvement | Lasts around 10 months | Brief bursts of heat | Redness and swelling for a few hours |
| XERF | Visible right away | Lasts around 6 months | Tolerable stinging | Minimal swelling |
| EXION | Visible right away | Lasts around 6 months | Needle-like prickling | 1–3 days of redness or roughness |
| Sofwave | Gradual improvement | Lasts around 6 months | Heat and tingling | Redness for a few hours |
| Ultherapy | Gradual improvement | Lasts around 12 months | A deep ache near the bone | Swelling and soreness for 1–2 days |
From actors preparing for filming to patients planning a wedding or presentation, many people visit us ahead of an important date. Your doctor plans the timing and combination of treatments around your facial features and schedule.
If your event is tomorrow
This treatment has no downtime and can be performed close to an event, but results develop gradually. If your event is tomorrow, your doctor may combine it with a treatment that gives more immediate results.
If your event is a month away
We work backward from your event date to plan a course of treatment around Thermage FLX. Our broad range of devices lets us choose a combination that suits your face.
Heat contracts dermal collagen, tightening the skin.
Wrinkles soften as new collagen gradually forms.
Collagen remodeling reaches its peak effect.
The benefits of collagen remodeling slowly decrease.
Your doctor handles both your consultation and treatment. A patient coordinator can help with pricing.
Your doctor assesses your concerns and recommends a suitable pulse count.
Makeup and lotion are removed to prepare your skin.
Topical anesthetic is applied to the treatment area.
The tip is placed systematically across each area, delivering cooling and radiofrequency energy.
After soothing care, you can apply makeup and go home.
Conference lectures and seminars with doctors from around the world.
Our doctors explain skin concerns relevant to skin tightening in clear, practical terms.
Thermage results depend less on the pulse count alone than on how an appropriate number of pulses is distributed across your face.
The doctors at Dong-An Joongsim Clinic
Focused ultrasound creates small thermal coagulation points down to the SMAS layer, contracting tissue and encouraging new collagen.
The doctors at Dong-An Joongsim Clinic
Skin tightening devices work at different depths. The choice should reflect the layer where sagging begins.
The doctors at Dong-An Joongsim ClinicResults depend on planning and technique. Check who conducts your consultation and procedure, whether authentic devices and supplies are used, and whether treatments can be combined to suit your face. Dr. Chang-Hwan Cho has been invited by Solta Medical to lecture on Thermage FLX. At Dong-An Joongsim Clinic, a doctor handles both the consultation and treatment, with time to discuss your individual concerns.
The underlying principle is the same, but FLX adds AccuREP™ technology to measure tissue impedance and adjust energy with every pulse. A larger tip also reduces treatment time by about 25%.
Thermage uses a reverse thermal gradient: the epidermis is cooled while radiofrequency heats the dermis. Heat contracts collagen fibers, followed by remodeling that improves firmness and wrinkles. FLX adds AccuREP™ technology to adjust energy to tissue impedance for each pulse.
Immediate collagen contraction may give the skin a tighter feel. New collagen develops over 2–3 months, with the greatest change often seen around six months. Judging the result immediately can miss these later changes; compare your skin again after a few months of collagen renewal.
Clinical material shared by Solta Medical (Sadick et al., ASLMS 2014) describes peak effects at six months, sustained around ten months, with collagen-remodeling benefits gradually decreasing over two years. Your doctor considers this pattern alongside your skin’s condition when recommending a treatment interval.
We use topical anesthesia. Each pulse produces a brief sensation of heat, often stronger around the mouth and temples. Cooling and vibration help reduce discomfort. Some patients report that it was less painful than expected.
You can return to daily activities and apply makeup without special post-treatment care. Redness and swelling may occur but usually settle within hours, occasionally taking 1–2 days. Avoid alcohol, smoking and saunas for about a week and wear sunscreen. Implanted electrical devices, including pacemakers and defibrillators, are a contraindication, so tell your doctor during the consultation.
Thermage uses radiofrequency to heat the dermis broadly while cooling the surface. Ultherapy focuses ultrasound into small thermal points, reaching the deeper SMAS layer. Ulthermage combines the two to address both levels. Our Ulthermage Penta System has combined these treatments according to each face since 2016.
Yes. Eye Thermage uses a 0.25 cm² eye tip for fine lines and laxity on the upper and lower eyelids and around the eyes. This smaller tip allows precise treatment of thin eyelid skin. Dr. Chang-Hwan Cho lectured on Eye Thermage FLX after LASIK and presbyopia surgery at Solta Medical’s SOMA MTL Forum.
Cost depends on the area, the pulse count (such as 300 or 600 pulses) and whether an eye tip is used. Your doctor selects the count based on your skin and explains the cost during your consultation. We show you the authentic tip packaging and verification process before treatment.
| Manufacturer | Solta MedicalUSA · Bausch Health |
|---|---|
| Energy | Monopolar radiofrequency (RF)Reverse thermal gradient |
| Technology | AccuREP™ · Comfort Pulse™ |
| Tips | Total Tip: 4.0 cm² · Eye Tip: 0.25 cm²About 25% faster than treatment with the 3.0 cm² tip |
| Certifications | FDA · MFDSFDA clearance: 2017 · Korean MFDS authorization: 2018 (18-245) |
We take time with every patient. Your doctor leads the consultation and performs the treatment, with a plan based on your facial features.
