QD Full Face Thermage FLX
Full Face Thermage FLX uses monopolar radiofrequency to heat the deep dermis across the whole face, tightening skin and stimulating collagen. The FLX handpiece adds a vibrating tip and cooling spray for comfort and surface protection, and AccuREP technology tunes the energy for each pulse. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, we map the face with a treatment grid after assessing your skin; a session usually takes about 45–90 minutes with little downtime. (Results vary by individual.)
QD Full Face Thermage FLX is available at QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, Korea.
is this for me
Who it’s for
Even if none of these describes you, we will look again at the consultation.
- Mild skin laxity and loss of firmness across the face
- People who want to address skin texture and tightness together
- Those who prefer a single radiofrequency session per cycle
- Anyone who prefers little downtime
Radiofrequency tightens and improves texture; for deeper lifting an ultrasound approach may suit better. The right plan is decided at consultation.
start with your concern
Before you pick a treatment name, start with the cause of your concern.
Even a treatment with the same name takes on a different role and scope depending on your current structure, the change you want, what you have had before and the recovery time you have.
Where you are now, and where we start
Dermal elasticity and skin texture across the whole face
The change you want, the impression you keep
Radiofrequency tightens and improves texture; for deeper lifting an ultrasound approach may suit better. The right plan is decided at consultation.
How it differs from similar options
These are all non-invasive, energy-based lifting treatments — but they use different energy and reach different depths, so they suit different goals.
Health information and recovery schedule
Little to no downtime; most people return to daily activities the same day. Temporary redness, mild swelling or warmth across the face may occur. Use sun protection and follow the aftercare guidance we provide.
the principle
How it works
Monopolar radiofrequency delivers heat to the border between the dermis and the subcutaneous layer, with intensity and density adjusted to your skin thickness and how much fat there is.
Monopolar radiofrequency heats the deep layers of the skin across the face while the vibrating tip and cooling spray keep the surface comfortable and protected. The heat contracts existing collagen for an immediate firming effect and prompts gradual renewal over the following months. AccuREP adjusts the energy in real time for more even heating. Thermage is a radiofrequency technology cleared by the US FDA for the non-invasive treatment of wrinkles.
How it works
Radiofrequency heats the deep dermis
Monopolar radiofrequency heats a broad volume of the deep dermis across the face, rather than focusing energy to separate points — a different way of delivering heat than ultrasound.
An early effect, then renewal
The heat contracts existing collagen for an immediate firming effect, and prompts gradual collagen renewal over the following months.
Cooling and vibration for comfort
The FLX handpiece pairs each pulse with a cooling spray and a vibrating tip, which protect the surface and ease the sensation of heat.
Energy tuned per pulse
AccuREP technology reads and adjusts the energy for each pulse, helping the heating stay even across the treatment area.
the qd standard
The same treatment, never the same plan.
Rather than a fashionable name or a fixed package, we weigh the structure found at examination, safety, recovery and the limits within one plan.
- DIAGNOSIS FIRST
Cause before name
We first separate out the tissue and the function behind your concern.
- LESS, PRECISE
Only as much as needed
Rather than an excessive change, we plan the smallest scope with a clear role.
- HONEST LIMIT
The limits, explained too
We explain the change you can expect, the alternatives, individual differences and the risks.
personal plan
From consultation to follow-up, planned as one flow.
Full Face Thermage FLX uses monopolar radiofrequency to heat the deep dermis across the whole face, tightening skin and stimulating collagen. The FLX handpiece adds a vibrating tip and cooling spray for comfort and surface protection, and AccuREP technology tunes the energy for each pulse. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, we map the face with a treatment grid after assessing your skin; a session usually takes about 45–90 minutes with little downtime. (Results vary by individual.)
Layer-by-layer diagnosis
Consultation and skin assessment
Mapping by area
Cleansing and mapping with a treatment grid
A plan built on response
Many people have a single session per cycle, with changes appearing gradually over about 2–6 months as collagen renews. Your plan is decided at consultation. (Results vary by individual.)
What the procedure is like
- Consultation and skin assessment
- Cleansing and mapping with a treatment grid
- Radiofrequency delivery with cooling and vibration
- Soothing and aftercare guidance
Time: A full-face session takes about 45–90 minutes.
Please read this before treatment
- Little to no downtime; most people return to daily activities the same day.
- Temporary redness, mild swelling or warmth across the face may occur.
- Use sun protection and follow the aftercare guidance we provide.
Safety & considerations
Possible reactions
- Temporary redness, a warm feeling, or mild swelling
- Tenderness in treated areas for a short time
- Occasionally small areas of bruising
- Rarely, temporary changes in skin sensation, or surface marks, that typically settle
When to take extra care
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding — let us know at consultation
- A pacemaker or other implanted electronic or electrical device — important for radiofrequency, tell your doctor
- Active skin infection, inflammation or open lesions in the treatment area
- Metal implants in the treatment area, or recent fillers or threads — tell your doctor so timing can be planned
- A history of keloid or difficulty with wound healing
Radiofrequency tightens skin and improves texture but does not lift as deeply as some ultrasound approaches; the right method depends on your skin. Whether it is right for you is confirmed during consultation. Effects and downtime vary by individual, and side effects may occur.
what to expect
What to expect over time
A general guide to how the days and months after treatment usually unfold. Results vary by individual.
DAY 0
Treatment day
Brief heat with each pulse across the face, eased by cooling and vibration; some people feel an immediate tightening. Afterwards mild redness or warmth that usually settles within hours. Most people return to daily activities the same day.
DAY 1-3
Settling
Any redness, mild swelling or warmth generally eases. Makeup and normal skincare can usually resume as advised.
WEEK 2-8
Early firming
Early firming may be noticeable as the skin responds. This varies from person to person.
2-6 MONTHS
Collagen renewal
As collagen renews, a gradual tightening and improved texture across the face become more noticeable for many people. This is typically when results are assessed. (Results vary by individual.)
~6 MONTHS
Review & maintenance
Thermage is often repeated per cycle; your doctor reviews the outcome and discusses timing for a further session based on your skin.
Sessions & results
Many people have a single session per cycle, with changes appearing gradually over about 2–6 months as collagen renews. Your plan is decided at consultation. (Results vary by individual.)
how it compares
How it compares
These are all non-invasive, energy-based lifting treatments — but they use different energy and reach different depths, so they suit different goals.
| Thermage FLX | Ultherapy PRIME | Sofwave | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | Monopolar radiofrequency | Focused ultrasound (imaging-guided) | Ultrasound (SUPERB) |
| Main depth | Broad heating of the dermis | Up to ~4.5 mm — reaches the SMAS | Mid-dermis (~1.5 mm) |
| Often chosen for | Overall tightening and texture | Deeper lift; jawline and neck laxity | Fine lines and early laxity |
| Sensation | Warm heating cycles with cooling | Brief warmth at each point | Warmth with integrated cooling |
| Downtime | Little to none | Little to none | Little to none |
Neither is “better” — they work differently and suit different goals. The right choice is decided after we assess your skin.
before consultation
Before you decide, the questions people always ask
It depends on the size of your face and on what we are aiming for, and the result is decided less by the total number of shots than by where they go and at what density. Around the cheekbones and cheeks, where volume needs protecting, we work at a lower density, and we place more where laxity has started. At your consultation we tell you in advance which areas we plan to treat and roughly how many shots that will take.
Some people feel an immediate tightening as the tissue responds to the heat, but that is not the final result. The real change appears gradually over three to six months, as new collagen forms. Rather than judging from a photograph taken right after the session, we suggest taking another one a few months later in the same light and at the same angle, and comparing the two.
That can happen if a high density is used on a face with little fat. Fat atrophy and contour irregularity are rare, but they have been reported, so please tell us at the consultation if your cheeks are on the thin side. We mark the volume that has to be preserved and pass over those areas at a low density.
On the day itself, please avoid rubbing or pressing firmly. It is also better to put off the sauna, strenuous exercise and alcohol for about a day. You can cleanse and use your basic skincare as usual; with harsh exfoliants and retinoids, take a few days off and then start again.
The season makes little difference. That said, a lot of sun exposure afterwards can leave pigmentation behind, so in summer you will need to be more diligent with sunscreen and a hat. If you have caught a lot of sun recently, it is safer to postpone the treatment until your skin has settled.
Yes. The words "full face" alone do not settle whether the eye area and neck are included or which tips are used. Check the actual treatment zones together with the type of tip and the number of shots. When comparing it with a partial treatment, first make sure the scope and make-up of the session are the same.
Look at the examination and the plan rather than the treatment name. First, what the clinic checks before deciding — at QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, the first thing we look at for this treatment is “Dermal elasticity and skin texture across the whole face”. Second, whether it explains why it recommends that scope and method, compared with the alternatives. Third, whether it reviews your progress with you when results are expected. Our doctor goes through these three points at consultation before the treatment is decided.
At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea. We are at 3F, 502 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Nonhyeon-dong, Seohee Building), a 4-minute walk from Exit 3 of Nonhyeon or Sinnonhyeon Station. Call +82-2-514-1650 or use the consultation form on this site to book a doctor’s consultation first.
Related treatments
personal consultation
Tell us what bothers you now, the change you want, what you have had done before and any dates that matter. We will compare the possible approaches and their limits, calmly.
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