Thermage downtime: when can you return to daily life after treatment?

Thermage downtime is short, so you can go about daily life from the day of treatment. Your face may look red and slightly swollen right after, but this usually subsides within a few hours to a day or two. However, on the day of treatment, avoid saunas, drinking, and strenuous exercise, and for a week, take a break from treatments that irritate the skin, such as peels.

Why is Thermage downtime short?

Thermage FLX is a device that heats the dermis and the fibrous layer beneath it with monopolar radiofrequency. While the tip is in contact, the epidermis is cooled by the cooling function, so there is no process of the outer skin peeling or scabbing. No time is needed for wounds to heal, so downtime is short.

That does not mean there is no reaction at all. Since heat has been delivered, redness, warmth, and mild swelling occur right after, and the skin may feel dry and tight.

Reactions that appear during Thermage downtime

Redness usually fades within a few hours, and swelling tends to subside within a day or two. Areas where the skin is thin or that received many shots may stay swollen a little longer. Rarely, small blisters or red marks may remain where the tip touched; leave these areas alone and get an examination.

At our Suwon clinic, Thermage FLX is performed after applying numbing cream for about 30 to 60 minutes and finished with soothing care. It is best to wear makeup lightly with low-irritation products after the warmth has subsided.

Thermage downtime care: on the day and for a week

On the day of treatment, avoid hot saunas, drinking, and strenuous exercise. For a week, refrain from treatments that abrade or irritate the skin, such as peels and scrubs, apply plenty of moisturizer, and be sure to use sunscreen. This is because skin that has received heat loses moisture faster than usual.

If redness or swelling does not decrease after several days, or if blisters form, please contact the clinic. If you have an implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker, metal implants, or are pregnant, be sure to tell us before treatment.

Thermage in Suwon: what changes right after treatment and a few months later?

View Thermage FLX procedure information

FAQ

Q. Can I wear makeup right after Thermage?

A. Thermage does not wound the outer skin, so you can wear makeup with low-irritation products after treatment. However, skin that has received heat tends to be sensitive and dry, so on the first day it is best to avoid products with exfoliating ingredients and apply plenty of moisturizer.

Q. How long does swelling last during Thermage downtime?

A. Swelling usually subsides within a day or two, and may last a little longer in areas where the skin is thin or that received many shots. If it is decreasing day by day, consider it part of recovery, and if it gets worse instead, please contact the clinic.

Q. Can I exercise on the day of Thermage?

A. On the day of treatment, avoid strenuous exercise that makes you sweat heavily. This is because raising your body temperature can make redness and swelling last longer; light walking is fine, and high-intensity exercise can be resumed from the next day onward depending on your skin condition.