Thermage FLX

The Thermage® FLX treatment starts with a consultation. At this point, we will determine whether the treatment will be suitable for your needs and desired goals.

Your aesthetician will trace a grid on to the skin, which helps to guide the application. The aesthetician will then make several passes over the treatment area with the handpiece in pulses which last for around half a second until the treatment is complete.

We also have the previous Thermage Comfort Pulse Technology (CPT) system available.

CPT uses a revolutionary vibrating handpiece that delivers a skin tightening effect – Thermage CPT allows the heat to penetrate deeply while still maintaining comfort for the patient.

Thermage FLX and Thermage CPT is suitable for those who are looking for firmer and tighter skin. Due to its technology, it’s a suitable treatment for crepey and thin skin. It’s a versatile treatment that can be used on most parts of the face and body. This treatment is suitable for all skin types.

The consultation process plays an integral part in the overall outcome. At this point, we will discuss your expectations and what you’re hoping to achieve. Your age, the number of areas being treated and skin quality can influence the result and when the results will be seen.

You may see some immediate lifting, but the results of this treatment are usually progressive, with optimal improvement at around the six-month mark and improved when combined with other treatments and skincare. As the treatment works by stimulating collagen levels, the results continue to improve over time.

The results can last for one to three years, varying from patient to patient. Avoiding smoking, drinking, sun exposure and poor lifestyle habits will also prevent accelerated depletion of collagen and elasticity levels.

Treatment time varies from around 30-90 minutes depending on the number and the size of the treatment area. Thermage® FLX takes around 60 minutes for the face and neck, and 20 minutes for the eyes, approximately 33% faster than its predecessor.

Thermage® FLX provides a larger one-use tip per patient, covering a larger area at any time in comparison to the old generation of Thermage, meaning a quicker treatment without hindering the final result.

With sun damage a great contributor, our collagen levels begin to decrease. Elastin fibres, which give skin its stretch, also wear down and break over time. This causes accelerated ageing, that presents itself in the form of early jowls, crepiness of the skin on the face and the body, and lower facial sagging.

Thermage® FLX and CPT uses radiofrequency energy, delivering it deep within the dermis to remodel existing collagen and elasticity, simultaneously inducing the production of new collagen which gives a tightening and plumping effect on the treated area.

There is no downtime with Thermage, but you may feel a little warm and red after treatment.

Just a single session, but we recommend yearly treatments to maintain results.

Each person will experience a different sensation depending on their pain tolerance and the area treated. Typically, areas close to the bone can be more sensitive to the heat. The new system has an optional vibration mode which helps make the treatment more tolerable by distracting from discomfort. The latest Thermage® FLX system has been designed to be less painful than Thermage® CPT.

We do not use any numbing creams before this treatment. The treatment is targeting a level of the skin where numbing cream isn’t effective. Using a topical anaesthetic can increase the risk of an adverse reaction such as a blister or burn. We strictly advise against applying any numbing cream before the appointment, though you can take paracetamol before treatment.

Thermage® FLX requires just one treatment, but the results take several months to reach their peak. In contrast, Accent requires a series of treatments in order to achieve a comparative result, with results improving with each subsequent treatment.

Both technologies use radiofrequency energy – however, Thermage® FLX uses monopolar, and the other uses bipolar. Monopolar devices are stronger, making the Thermage® FLX treatment a little more uncomfortable comparatively to Accent; however, the CPT of the new Thermage® FLX makes the treatment more comfortable.

Yes. The most popular Thermage treatment areas are the eyes, face and neck, so yes Thermage can tighten your neck.

For a total rejuvenating effect, we also recommend tightening the lower face too, so that way you’ll see a more streamlined effect overall.

Price can reflect many things: the technology, the results, the device itself, the tips used – but it is justifiable. The immediate tightening and contradiction of the water molecules in the skin, the thickening of the dermal layer, results that last for years and the infrequency of treatments needed (just one a year) makes it a must-try.

It is tough to say as they are two different treatments that use different technologies, so in some sense they are incomparable.

Thermage uses radiofrequency while Ultherapy uses ultrasound, and while both work to tighten the skin and only require one treatment over the years, the real question that needs to be asked would be if whether Thermage or Ultherapy is better for you. So, patient suitability will need to be determined upon consultation.

These techniques can both be categorised as bio-collagen stimulators and both methodologies can produce great results. One downside to microneedling would be that a course of treatments would be required before you see significant results, compared to Thermage’s annual treatment.

But, if you’re looking for the perfect middle ground between both, you could try our Potenza RF Microneedling treatment which combines radiofrequency with microneedling.

During a Thermage treatment, you can expect your Aesthetician to cleanse your skin and then apply the marking paper – which is akin to a stencil – which outlines the treatment vectors for increased accuracy and evenness when treating.

They will then apply a cooling gel to your skin and begin treating the skin in even sections.

The treatment is not the most comfortable but combined with the cooling gel and the vibration of the device, any discomfort is minimal. As this treatment uses radiofrequency, it heats up the skin so you can expect a gradual warming sensation.

Another thing you can expect during your Thermage treatment is customisation. There are many different tips that are interchangeably used for our Thermage device, and these are matched to you depending on what area you wish to target.

For example, you may choose the 600 tip to treat the neck and half the face, or a 900 tip for full face, or the eye tip for the peri-orbital area and eyelids. The ‘600’ or ‘900’ stands for the number of times the device will treat the skin. So, you really do get a thorough treatment if you choose to experience Thermage in all it’s glory.

he benefits of Thermage are long-lasting and you can expect to reap the benefits for two years, and over! As this treatment is stimulating collagen and elastin fibres, the natural life of these proteins varies, but you can at least expect results for two years.

When administered by an inexperienced Aesthetician or Practitioner, Thermage could cause skin damage. However, this is generally rare as long as you go to a licensed clinic, use legitimate devices and are looked after well by an experienced Aesthetician who knows the treatment protocols thoroughly. Luckily, our Aestheticians at 111 Harley St. check all those boxes.