“I heard Thermage lasts for a year”

— What really remains at 6 months

Last Tuesday, in the consultation room,

a client in her mid-50s who had Thermage last fall

came in.

“Doctor, I had it because I was told it lasts a year,

but after about six months it feels like it’s slowly coming back.

Did I do something wrong with my care?”

I hear this question in the clinic

more than ten times a month.

To get to the point, it’s not a skincare-management issue.

Thermage Duration,

What “1 Year” Really Means

Thermage uses radiofrequency (RF) energy to

contract collagen in the deeper layers of the dermis and

stimulate new collagen production.

If Ultherapy tightens the SMAS layer directly with ultrasound,

Thermage heats a broad area of the

dermis to improve skin firmness.

So, “it lasts a year” more precisely means

“the effect drops to zero at around 12 months.”

It absolutely does not mean the result stays at 100%.

Why do results already start to fade

by the 6-month mark?

Thermage effect for 12 months?

In reality, about 50% remains at 6 months,

and only around 20% at 12 months.

Collagen remodeling is like rearranging furniture:

if you don’t repeat the treatment after a year,

it returns to its original place.

— Dr. Wi Young-jin (Beautystone Clinic, Hongdae)

Let me compare Thermage to rearranging furniture.

When you rearrange the living room furniture,

it may look more spacious at first,

but as people move around, the furniture shifts,

and eventually it ends up back where it started.

Newly formed collagen is also affected by gravity and facial muscle movement,

so it gradually stretches again in the direction of aging.

According to clinical data,

the effect peaks around 3 months after treatment,

is about 50% at 6 months,

and only about 20% remains at 12 months.

Areas with strong facial muscles, such as the jawline,

may relax more quickly.

The Importance of Shot Count and Genuine FLX

“Why don’t you recommend the 300-shot promotion?”

some people ask.

Thermage needs energy delivered over a sufficient area.

600 shots is the minimum needed to

cover the entire face without gaps.

If you space 300 shots out sparsely, it won’t even last 3 months.

The latest FLX device

delivers energy faster than the previous CPT,

and its vibration function helps deliver energy

more deeply and more evenly.

Only with a genuine tip and the proper shot count

can you draw that 12-month curve.

When Is the Right Time for My Retreatment?

Find your case in the table below.

Sunscreen and adequate protein intake

can improve retention by more than 10%

— great habits.

Three Questions I Hear Most Often in the Clinic

Q1. Does one treatment leave anything permanent?

Even newly formed collagen

eventually breaks down over time.

However, because you start with more collagen

than someone who hasn’t had treatment,

the cumulative effect of slowing the aging clock

definitely remains.

Q2. If it hasn’t been a year but I feel no effect,

can I get it again?

You should wait about 3 months after the procedure

to see the peak result.

If there’s still no change after 6 months,

the shot count may have been insufficient,

and a touch-up treatment can be considered then.

Q3. If I get it too often, will my skin become thinner?

If you keep a one-year interval with appropriate energy output,

skin may actually become thicker.

The problem is only

very short intervals under 6 months or

using excessively high energy.

If you take just one thing away today,

— Thermage is not something that “stays unchanged for a year,”

but rather a treatment that “fades slowly over the course of a year,”

and you need to go back in when about 20% remains

to keep building collagen over time.

In the next article,

I’ll explain the

supportive treatments that create synergy at the 6-month point after Thermage.

This has been Dr. Wi Young-jin.

Read more

• “No effect from Thermage?” Honest lifting stories from the clinic - Hongdae Thermage

• Thermage 600-shot price: 3 reasons custom design matters more than choosing the cheapest place

Frequently asked questions

Q. Is there anything that lasts permanently after just one treatment?

A. Even newly produced collagen eventually breaks down over time.

Q. If it hasn’t been a year yet and I’m not seeing any results, can I get it again?

A. Please wait three months after the procedure to see the full peak results.

Q. If I receive it too often, will my skin become thinner?

A. With the proper energy settings and a one-year interval, it can actually become thicker.

Q. What daily habits or routines can I adopt to help make my Thermage results last as long as possible?

A. Using sun protection and consuming sufficient protein can boost the retention rate by more than 10%. The effects peak at 3 months, with about 50% remaining at 6 months, and 20% remaining at 12 months. Getting a touch-up treatment when 20% remains will help accumulate the results.