Thermage FLX — PECHE Clinic, Gangnam Station
Monopolar radiofrequency tightening that reads your skin's resistance at every shot and matches the energy to it · Right by Gangnam Station Exit 4
Thermage FLX
Thermage FLX is a skin-tightening treatment that passes radiofrequency current through the body (monopolar RF) to heat the dermis — the skin's elasticity layer — down into its deeper layers. The heated collagen contracts right away, and new collagen builds up over the following 2–3 months. There are no incisions or injections, so you can return to your daily routine the same day.
It is used when the skin has loosened overall, or when fine lines around the eyes and mouth and stretched pores have become a concern.
▲ The surface is protected by cooling while the heat goes only into the dermis
When to Consider It
- Loose flesh along the cheeks and jawline is blurring your contour
- Fine lines around the eyes and mouth are increasing and makeup is starting to sit unevenly
- Pores look vertically stretched and your skin texture has turned rough
- Your face carries little fat and your skin is on the thin side — you want to rebuild elasticity in the dermis itself
- You want a firming treatment with no recovery period
If sagging has reached the SMAS — the deeper layer that supports the face — a dermis-only treatment may not be enough on its own. We decide the right combination together, based on your assessment results.
How It's Done
1. 3D skin analysis A 3D MetaVu scan captures your facial contours, sagging, and skin texture. This becomes the basis for deciding where the shots go and how many.
2. Treatment plan Looking at the scan together, we go over the shot count, tip configuration, and the changes to expect — including the limits.
3. Numbing cream Applied and left to absorb for 30–40 minutes. If you're sensitive to heat, or if pain is a real worry, Air Nox (an inhaled gas that eases discomfort while you stay awake) can be added.
4. Treatment At every shot, the device measures how well that spot of skin lets the radiofrequency through (its resistance) and raises or lowers the energy on its own to match (AccuREP) — so that strong energy doesn't go straight into thinner areas of skin. Cooling gas and vibration spread out the heat, and if you tell us what you feel during the session, we adjust the intensity area by area.
5. Soothing care The session ends with soothing care.
▲ Thermage FLX treatment in progress
Results and Recovery
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Working layer | The full dermis, from its shallow part (papillary dermis) to its deep part (reticular dermis) |
| Tips used | Total Tip 4.0 cm² (face, jawline, neck) · Eye Tip 0.25 cm² (eyelids and eye area, with protective eye shields) |
| Shot count | 600 shots standard for the full face · 900 for the full face plus the jawline area and neck · 300 for a focused area or a retouch · 225 or 450 for the eye area |
| When results show | A tightened feeling right away → builds to its peak over 2–3 months (individual results vary) |
| How long it lasts | Around 1 to 1.5 years, in terms of dermal elasticity and collagen density (varies by skin) |
| Repeat cycle | Typically once a year · around 6 months if you took a smaller shot count or your skin ages quickly |
| Pain | Not a stabbing pain — a heavy warmth that moves in and then out · a brief sharp sting is possible near bone: the jawline, cheekbones, and forehead |
| Pain control | Numbing cream as standard · cooling gas and vibration spread the heat · Air Nox can be added if heat is hard for you |
| Downtime | Almost none · you can wash your face and wear makeup the same day |
▲ Refilling the collagen takes 2–3 months
The tightening you feel right away is only part of the change. The main change unfolds over 2–3 months as new collagen is produced. This is not a treatment that changes the shape of your face — it refills the density of a loosened dermis.
Because it rebuilds density in the dermis, its goal differs from ultrasound lifting treatments that pull on the SMAS. Depending on your skin, the two can complement each other when combined.
Expected Reactions and Possible Side Effects
Common, temporary reactions — part of the normal response:
- A tightened feeling right after treatment
Downtime is almost none: there are no incisions or injections, and you can wash your face and wear makeup the same day.
Anything beyond this is uncommon. If a reaction lasts longer than expected or worsens, contact us and we'll check it with you.
When Treatment Is Postponed
If any of these apply to you, let us know during your consultation. We postpone or adjust the timing.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- An implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker or implanted defibrillator (monopolar RF passes current through the body — contraindicated per the manufacturer)
- Metal implants or metal threads in the treatment area
- Inflammation or wounds in the treatment area (we proceed after it clears)
- Filler within the past month · skin boosters within the past 2–3 weeks · fat grafting within the past 1–2 months (we recommend waiting until the injected material has settled)
How PECHE Clinic Does It
We treat by standards built on 90,000+ documented treatments. With Thermage, results come down to how many shots go to each area and in which direction. Standards for each area, built from over 90,000 treatments, mean every PECHE physician works to the same criteria — whoever treats you.
We plan the shot vectors from measurements. The same 600 shots give different results depending on where and in which direction they overlap. Based on the contours and sagging measured in your 3D scan, we plan the directions (vectors) — fewer shots where volume has hollowed, concentrated pull along the jawline and the upper part of the smile lines.
We don't push the energy. This is not a treatment where stronger means more effect. On thin skin, excessive energy raises pain and burn risk before it adds results. We match the energy to what your skin accepts, guided by each shot's resistance reading and your feedback.
Genuine tips only. A Thermage tip can only fire its set number of shots, so the count recorded on the device is exactly the count you received. Our prep room is also behind glass — you can watch preparation and hygiene management from the waiting area.
We only recommend what you need. Whether your skin needs dermal elasticity, or the real problem sits in a deeper layer, changes what this treatment can do for you. We tell you the expected changes — and what it won't solve — first. No same-day payment pressure, no package push. You're welcome to come in just for a consultation.
Pricing
The cost of Thermage FLX depends on the shot count and tip configuration (Total Tip, Eye Tip). We set the shot count after your assessment and quote from there.
Location
PECHE Clinic 3F, 364 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Right in front of Gangnam Station, Exit 4
It's a once-a-year treatment, but some patients stop by around the 6-month mark for a retouch or a progress check — an easy-to-reach location helps.
FAQ
Q1. Who performs the treatment? A: PECHE physicians who all work to the same area-by-area shot-distribution standards, built from over 90,000 documented treatments. Thermage results turn on where the shots go and in which direction, so distribution and vectors are set by your assessment results and these standards — not by feel. The energy itself is matched by the device at every shot from your skin's resistance reading, so the same standards apply whoever treats you.
Q2. How do I know the tips are genuine? A: We use genuine tips only. A Thermage tip is built to fire a set number of shots, so after your session the count on the device screen shows exactly how many you received. You can also watch preparation and hygiene management through the glass wall from the waiting area.
Q3. How do I choose between 600 and 900 shots? A: It's a difference of coverage. 600 shots is the standard for the full face; 900 when the jawline area and neck need tightening too. 300 shots is for a focused area, or a retouch about 6 months after a 600-shot session. We confirm the extent of sagging during your assessment and decide together.
Q4. Can I have just the eye area treated? A: The eye area is treated with the dedicated Eye Tip (0.25 cm²). With protective eye shields in place, we treat the eyelids and the fine lines around the eyes. The usual configuration is 600 shots for the face plus 225 for the eye area — 450 when eye-area sagging is more advanced.
Q5. Can I just come in for a consultation first? A: Yes. You're welcome to come in just for the assessment and consultation, then leave. Decide after you've heard your measurements, the changes to expect, and what this treatment won't solve. We won't push extra shots or ask for same-day payment.