I’ve always followed the skincare holy trinity: good nutrition, adequate sleep, and lots of SPF. But when I turned 35, I started to think about something that had never crossed my mind before: skin laxity. I found myself examining my face in the mirror more closely. Is that a new wrinkle? Am I getting jowls? Suddenly, my daily collagen drinks didn’t seem like enough.
Last week, I finally decided to undergo my first in-office treatment. No, I didn’t get Botox or fillers. Instead, I went with something non-invasive that promised to address my biggest concern: collagen loss.
My treatment of choice? Thermage FLX, which is FDA-approved and marketed as one of the most powerful in-office radiofrequency treatments on the market. According to one recent scientific analysis that looked at 52 surveys among dermatologists, Thermage FLX was considered 57.4% more effective than older Thermage devices. I figured that if it was good enough for Jennifer Aniston and Gwyneth Paltrow, it was good enough for me.
What is Thermage FLX?
Thermage FLX is a non-invasive monopolar radiofrequency treatment that “ensures stimulation of endogenous collagen with just one treatment,” says Dr. Óscar Suárez, founder and medical director of Barcelona’s MD Cliniques. He says it’s so effective that a once-a-year treatment is enough for most people.
But what exactly makes Thermage FLX so effective? “It’s specially designed to reverse skin flaccidity and improve wrinkles and expression lines,” explains Dr. Maria Dolores Antón, an aesthetic doctor and the medical director of Antón Clinic in Valencia, Spain. “It tightens and firms the skin through an extremely precise delivery of energy. The device can be used to treat all areas that show the effects of flaccidity: cheeks, eyelids, jawline, bags, buttocks, arms, abdomen, knees, and thighs.”
How does Thermage FLX work?
Basically, Thermage FLX emits low-frequency electromagnetic waves to generate heat below the surface of the skin. “The heat penetrates deep into the skin to stimulate the production of collagen, which is responsible for tissue tightening, rejuvenation, and improved elasticity,” explains board certified dermatologist Dr. Tanya Kormeili, a clinical instructor at UCLA. “Because collagen and elastin are essential for skin firmness and youthfulness, the more you build the more youthful your skin can be in theory,” she says.
Thermage FLX heats the deepest layer of the skin to around 140°F to stimulate the fibroblast to increase collagen production. “Thermage FLX acts directly on the deep dermis in a very specific way: It causes shrinkage of old collagen and gives a message to the fibroblast to generate new, high-quality collagen,” Anton says.
In other words, the heat causes the skin’s collagen fibers to contract, resulting in subtle tightening and more visible firmness. Best of all, the effect is both instantaneous and long-term. According to Suarez, “the dermal contraction produces an immediate tightening effect and, over time, the contraction of the fibrous septa produces a three-dimensional tightening which results in greater definition of the facial contour and a generalized rejuvenation of the skin.”
In a study led by Jeffrey S. Dover M.D., Brian Zelickson M.D. and a 14-Physician Multi-specialty Consensus Panel, 26% of patients demonstrated immediate tightening, 54% observed skin tightening six months after treatment, and 68% of patients found the treatment results met their expectations.
What are the results?
Like any in-office treatment, Thermage FLX results can vary and are dependent on the technician. For my treatment, I visited Dr. Jaime Tufet at the Pedro Jaén Group in Madrid, and I can affirm that immediately after undergoing the procedure, my skin looked tighter, my pores looked smaller, and my contours more defined.
Now, I just have to wait two or three months for the newly created collagen to provide more firmness; results typically take a few months to fully develop and can last for a year or two.
Is there is any downtime?
Unlike radiofrequency microneedling treatments, which Kormeili says carry a “higher risk profile,” the heat from Thermage FLX is generated deep inside the skin and does not puncture the epidermis. “The nice thing about radio frequency is that it has minimal to no downtime,” says Kormeili.
Immediately post-treatment you might see some redness and swelling, but “when performed correctly, it is rather safe and does not carry a big risk profile,” notes Kormeili.
Is Thermage FLX painful?
Though there’s little to no downtime, Thermage FLX is not exactly known for being painless. In fact, in the aforementioned Dover-Zelickson study, 45% of people found the procedure “too painful.”
That said, I personally didn’t find it “too painful”—or at least, not as painful as I’d expected. Yes, I did experience discomfort at times—mostly, a hot tingling sensation on my forehead and jawline—but nothing more. My hour-and-a-half treatment was actually surprisingly tolerable and I was definitely able to go about my business right afterwards. As a bonus side effect, my acne, eczema, and minor blemishes seem improved.
Speaking of side effects, as with any treatment, there is the possibility that you could experience some that are less desirable, of course. Common side effects include temporary redness, swelling, and discomfort. It’s also possible to experience burns, blisters, scabbing, and even scarring—but that mostly occurs when the treatment isn’t performed correctly, so it is definitely a good idea to do your research and seek out an experienced provider. As always, you should discuss your specific skin concerns with a professional and check their credentials and reviews before booking any treatment.