Eye Thermage: how it works, how long it lasts, and how radiofrequency is used for drooping eyelids

If your eyelids have thinned and begun to cover your double eyelid line, or fine lines around your eyes bother you, it is worth first checking whether the sagging comes from the skin. Eye Thermage delivers Thermage's radiofrequency heat to the dermis of the eyelid and eye-area skin; the heated collagen first contracts, and regeneration is then stimulated over several months.

Whether Eye Thermage is suitable depends on the cause of the sagging. If the eyelid skin is thin and loose with multiple layers of wrinkles, we consider radiofrequency heat, but if the eyebrows themselves have dropped or excess skin covers much of the eye, it may be a case that requires a surgical consultation. At our Suwon clinic, we first check eyelid skin thickness, the cause of sagging, and any previous eye surgery through examination, then decide the approach.

In this article, we outline in turn why eyelids droop, how to identify eye areas suited to Eye Thermage, how radiofrequency acts around the eyes, recovery and care, side effects, and what to check before treatment.

Eye Thermage: key points

• Drooping eyelids result from a mix of reduced skin elasticity, drooping eyebrows, and protruding eyelid fat.
• Eye Thermage delivers radiofrequency heat to the eyelid dermis with a small dedicated tip.
• Right afterward, there is a tight feeling, and collagen regeneration is gradually stimulated over 2 to 4 months.
• If there is a lot of excess skin or the eyebrows have dropped, it may be a case that requires a surgical consultation.

Why do eyelids droop and wrinkle?

Eyelid skin is among the thinnest on the face, and it folds and unfolds countless times a day every time you blink and smile. As collagen and elastic fibers in the dermis decrease with age, this thin skin stretches and falls over the double-eyelid line, and fine lines remain toward the outer corners of the eyes.

Not every reason the area above the eyes looks heavy comes from the skin. It can look similar when the forehead muscles weaken and the eyebrows drop, or when fat inside the eyelid pushes forward. Fine lines under the eyes form as the skin thins and its ability to hold moisture declines, and crow's feet that appear when you smile deepen as the muscle around the eye repeatedly folds.

How do you identify eye areas suited to Eye Thermage?

Even with the same drooping eyelids, the approach considered first differs by cause. In consultation, we look at eyebrow height, the amount of excess skin when the eyelid is gently lifted, and how much the double eyelid line is covered when the eyes are open.

For wrinkles caused by loss of skin elasticity, we look at heating the dermis with radiofrequency, and for wrinkles caused by muscle movement, we also consider methods that ease muscle strength, such as Botox. If the causes are mixed, we first separate how much each contributes.

How does Eye Thermage act around the eyes?

The principle of using a dedicated tip and protective lenses

Radiofrequency passes an electric current through the skin so that heat is generated within the tissue itself. Thermage spreads heat evenly throughout the dermis across the entire area the tip touches, and the tip's cooling function cools the surface to protect the outer skin while heating the dermis.

Eye Thermage is generally described as using a dedicated eye tip much smaller than the one for the face. With a tip whose contact area has been reduced to fit narrow, curved areas like the eyelids, the upper eyelids, outer corners of the eyes, and areas of fine lines under the eyes are treated separately, and protective lenses covering the corneas are worn during the procedure to keep radiofrequency heat from reaching the eyeballs.

Thermage FLX packages and schedule

Thermage FLX in the Suwon clinic's treatment information proceeds in the order of personalized consultation, pre-treatment photos, numbing cream (about 30 to 60 minutes), treatment, and soothing care, with 300- and 600-shot packages; there is no package that treats only the eye area. Thermage results are generally known to last about 1 to 2 years, but there are individual differences, so whether to include the eye area and the timing of the next treatment are decided in consultation after examination.

View Thermage FLX procedure information

Recovery and care after Eye Thermage

• On the day of the procedure, avoid hot saunas, drinking and strenuous exercise.
• For a week, refrain from irritating care such as peels and scrubs.
• The eye area tends to dry out, so apply plenty of moisturizer, and when going out, shade your eyes from sunlight with sunscreen and sunglasses.
• If your eyes feel dry and gritty after the protective lenses are removed, do not rub them; let them rest.

Right after the procedure, you may feel tightness as collagen contracts from the heat. Unlike double eyelid surgery, this is not a method that changes the shape all at once, so comparing pre-treatment photos with how you look a few months later under the same lighting helps confirm the change.

Side effects and precautions of Eye Thermage

After the procedure, redness, heat, and mild swelling of the eyelids may occur, usually subsiding during recovery. After the protective lenses are removed, your eyes may feel dry or gritty, and the degree of reaction and speed of recovery vary from person to person.

In rare cases, small burns or blisters may occur if heat overlaps in the same spot, and in people with little fat around the eyes, hollowness may become more noticeable due to the heat. If you recently had double eyelid surgery or vision correction surgery, have eye inflammation, are pregnant, or have a pacemaker, please let us know in advance.

If your eyes continue to hurt, your vision becomes blurry, blisters form on your eyelids, or redness and swelling persist for a long time, contact the clinic right away.

What is checked before Eye Thermage?

If these apply to you, start by checking the cause of sagging

• Your eyelid skin has begun to cover your double eyelid line.
• When you close your eyes, multiple layers of fine wrinkles form on your eyelids.
• Your eyebrows have dropped compared with before, making the area above your eyes look heavy.
• You have had eye surgery or vision correction surgery in the past.

If two or more apply, it is best to first check whether the sagging comes from the skin, or from the eyebrows or fat, before deciding on Eye Thermage. Whether to proceed, and the method and extent of treatment, are decided together in consultation after the medical team's examination.

In short, the key with Eye Thermage is first determining whether the cause of drooping eyelids is skin elasticity, then watching changes over several months.

FAQ

Q. Does Eye Thermage hurt a lot?

A. The skin around the eyes is thin and has many nerves, so you feel a momentary hot sensation when the tip touches. Thermage FLX is performed after numbing cream, its cooling and vibration functions ease the heat, and how much you feel varies from person to person.

Q. Isn't Eye Thermage dangerous for the eyes?

A. Generally, protective lenses covering the corneas are worn during the procedure to keep radiofrequency heat from reaching the eyeballs. After the lenses are removed, your eyes may feel dry or gritty, and if they continue to hurt or your vision is blurry, you need to be examined right away.

Q. When will I start to feel the effects of Eye Thermage?

A. Right afterward, there is a tight feeling from collagen contraction, and regeneration is gradually stimulated over 2 to 4 months. Because the shape does not change all at once, we compare pre-treatment photos with how you look a few months later under the same lighting.

Q. How long does Eye Thermage last?

A. Thermage results are generally known to last about 1 to 2 years, but there are large individual differences depending on eyelid skin thickness and lifestyle habits. The timing of the next treatment is decided in consultation based on the condition of your eyelid skin and the degree of sagging at that time.

Q. Are facial Thermage and Eye Thermage done on the same day?

A. Eye Thermage is generally described as being done on the same day as facial Thermage, continuing after switching the tip. The Suwon clinic's treatment information does not include a dedicated eye-area package, so for eye-area concerns we first examine the condition of your eyelids and then decide the approach.

Q. How can I find out the cost of Eye Thermage?

A. The cost depends on the treatment range and number of shots. We explain it after confirming the cause of your eye-area concerns and the range to treat through examination and consultation, and you can also check Thermage FLX packages by number of shots on the treatment information page.