Thermage FLX Price and Side Effects: 10 Questions Answered

Collagen loss begins after age 25. As it declines, facial skin gradually sags and lines such as nasolabial folds and forehead lines appear. Without good care, the collagen in your skin at 35 is only 50% of what it was at 20. To win back lost collagen, the most popular choice is the Thermage FLX treatment, which effectively stimulates collagen production and delivers noticeable results.

But why is Thermage FLX so remarkable? What should you watch out for when getting Thermage FLX? Is the high price really justified? Here are the answers to the 10 questions people ask most.

Q1. How does Thermage FLX work?

Thermage FLX is a non-invasive radiofrequency skin-tightening treatment. It uses monopolar radiofrequency to deliver heat to the deeper dermis and subcutaneous tissue, where collagen is most abundant, stimulating new collagen formation and remodeling. Even a single session can noticeably improve skin laxity and aging, smoothing wrinkles and lines, tightening the skin, and restoring elasticity.

Q2. Does Thermage FLX hurt? Is anesthesia needed?

Thermage FLX is non-invasive, so no anesthesia injection is needed. You give the physician real-time feedback on how the heat feels during the treatment, and the physician uses it to adjust the energy level that is most suitable for you.

In addition, when the Thermage FLX handpiece begins heating the skin, you first feel a brief sensation of warmth, and a few seconds later a burst of cooling spray is released. This cooling not only makes the treatment more comfortable but also protects the skin's surface from burns, keeping discomfort during Thermage FLX to a minimum.

Q3. Which areas can be treated with Thermage FLX?

Thermage FLX is best suited to the full face and the body.

On the face, treatable areas include the upper and lower eye area, eyelids, forehead, double chin, neck lines, apple cheeks, nasolabial folds, marionette lines, and baby fat. On the body, they include the upper arms ("bat wings"), abdomen, thighs and calves, loose skin on the buttocks, and cellulite.

Q4. What are the differences among the 4 Thermage FLX tips?

Purple Diamond tip: for tightening small areas of skin

Suitable for the face and body. Treatment is 25% faster than with the conventional tip, with better contact and more precise improvement of fine lines for a firming effect.

Treatment depth: deep
Shots per tip: 600 / 900

Blue Diamond tip: for fine lines across the whole face

The classic Thermage FLX tip, suited to fine lines on the full face and neck. A single tip delivers up to 1,200 shots, covering a wider treatment area.

Treatment depth: deep
Shots per tip: 1,200

Eye tip: for lifting the skin around the eyes

Improves aging concerns such as upper eyelid laxity, fine lines under the eyes and at the outer corners, and sagging around the eyes, smoothing lines and tightening the skin.

Treatment depth: superficial
Shots per tip: 450

Body Gold tip: for large body areas

Suitable for large body areas such as the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, and arms. It effectively improves skin laxity after pregnancy or rapid weight loss, sagging aging skin, and cellulite.

Treatment depth: deep
Shots per tip: 500

Q5. Are there any side effects from Thermage FLX?

In the week before getting Thermage FLX, avoid prolonged sun exposure and stop using acid-based skincare products and medications, such as AHA (fruit acid) and retinoid (vitamin A acid) products. After Thermage FLX, you may have mild swelling or a feeling of warmth, which can be eased with a local cold compress. For a week afterward, avoid exfoliating or applying irritating skincare products, stay away from hot environments, and step up moisturizing and sun protection.

Also, people who are pregnant or have a pacemaker cannot receive Thermage FLX treatment.

Q6. How soon does Thermage FLX take effect?

Thermage FLX is currently the most powerful radiofrequency skin-tightening treatment. Right after treatment, the heat produces an immediate tightening effect on the skin. As collagen is stimulated to regenerate, you reach about 80% of the expected result after one month. After six months, collagen has regenerated and repaired, and the full result is visible and can last 18-24 months.

Q7. Is the high price of Thermage FLX really justified?

Because the device and consumables for Thermage FLX cost more, this is reflected directly in the treatment price. Depending on the treatment area, the cost ranges from NT$100,000 to NT$150,000. If you see a cheaper Thermage FLX offer, it is usually for the eye area using the lower-priced Eye tip, at roughly NT$50,000-60,000.

Q8. How can you avoid counterfeit Thermage FLX devices?

The reasons Thermage FLX prices may be lower were explained above. But if the treatment area is not the eye area and you still see a cheap price on the market, be careful and check whether the device is an authorized, genuine Thermage FLX system. The simplest test is whether the machine works normally once the tip is attached! The genuine device has a special chip that recognizes Thermage FLX tips, so if it starts up, the tip must be genuine.

As a consumer, however, you never touch the device during treatment, so how can you confirm that a clinic's Thermage FLX is a genuine, authorized device? Here are 3 tips for telling whether a treatment uses a genuine tip, which in turn tells you whether the device is authentic.

1. Genuine anti-counterfeit laser label

The outer box of a Thermage FLX tip carries the manufacturer Solta Medical® anti-counterfeit laser label.

2. Chinese-language label approved by Taiwan FDA

Tips from Taiwan's authorized distributor have a Taiwan FDA-approved label on the packaging, and the barcode on the box carries a code unique to genuine tips. Scanning it confirms where the tip came from.

3. Have the tip box opened in front of you

The packaging of a genuine tip has a layer of shrink wrap, which can be used for identification. A Thermage FLX tip is a single-use consumable that must not be reused or shared with other people, so if the box has no shrink wrap when opened, be extra cautious.

Q9. Is Thermage FLX right for me?

If your skin is not firm enough, your facial contours are not well defined, you look older, you have lost collagen, or your skin is not elastic and plump, meeting any one of these makes you a good candidate for Thermage FLX. The treatment can bring your skin back to a firmer state and help you look naturally younger, as if turning back the clock.

Q10. Can Thermage FLX be combined with ultrasound lifting?

Thermage FLX heats tissue in 3D volumetric fashion, conducting heat to the deep dermis and subcutaneous tissue to stimulate collagen regeneration and remodeling and smooth fine lines. Ultrasound lifting, on the other hand, heats in focused points that reach as deep as the fascia layer, and works very well for lifting and tightening the cheeks. Radiofrequency and ultrasound can be done at the same time. Because they act on different layers of the skin, combining them is actually complementary, and the two do not conflict.