What Exactly Is Different About a Gangnam Dermatology Specialist?

Hello, this is Leejiham Dermatology, Gangnam Branch.

When I meet dozens of patients in the consultation room every day, I find that many come in with similar concerns. “Doctor, I’ve started avoiding looking in the mirror lately.” It may sound like a casual remark at first, but I know well how much emotion those words can contain. As changes such as reduced firmness, sagging cheeks, and deeper nasolabial folds gradually accumulate, they can eventually shake a person’s confidence as well.

This article is for those of you who have these concerns. Today, in particular, I would like to talk honestly and warmly about Thermage FLX. Rather than using difficult and rigid medical terminology, I will explain it naturally through the story of a patient I actually met in the consultation room. By the time you finish reading, you will have a much clearer understanding of skin sagging.

A few months ago, a patient in her mid-40s carefully opened the door to the consultation room and came in. I could tell from her expression that she had come after a long period of concern. “Doctor, I feel like I suddenly look old. I never used to worry about my skin, but these days I don’t want to look in the mirror in the morning,” she said. When I asked more questions, she explained that her skin had changed rapidly as she entered menopause.

She was concerned about the feeling that her cheeks had sunk downward, that the area under her eyes looked heavy, and that her nasolabial folds had become much deeper than before. She had searched for various lifting procedures, but said that the amount of information had only made her more confused.

I carefully examined her face, checking her skin condition, the degree of sagging, and her skin thickness in detail. I then decided to first explain Thermage FLX as the procedure best suited to her. Among the many conversations I have had with patients as a Gangnam dermatology specialist, concerns about this type of skin sagging are always ones I listen to with particular sincerity.

What Is Thermage FLX?

Thermage FLX is a lifting procedure that delivers radiofrequency (RF) energy to the deeper layers of the skin to promote collagen regeneration and create a skin-tightening effect. This may sound a little difficult, so let me explain it with an analogy. The collagen inside our skin is like an old spring. As time passes, the spring stretches and loses its elasticity.

You can think of Thermage FLX as applying thermal energy to that stretched spring to restore its elasticity and stimulate the formation of new springs. The key point of this procedure is that the radiofrequency energy reaches not only the dermal layer but also the area around the boundary between the dermis and subcutaneous fat, rather than stopping at the skin’s surface. This allows changes to be brought about from the deeper layers without damaging the skin’s surface.

In particular, Thermage FLX is an advancement over the previous Thermage CPT model, with the addition of a vibration function and improved uniformity in the energy delivered during a single treatment. The causes of reduced skin elasticity are complex: collagen and elastin production decrease with age, the skin itself becomes thinner as estrogen levels decline after menopause, and fat moves downward under the influence of gravity.

Thermage FLX takes an approach that addresses this aging process from within. From the perspective of a Gangnam dermatology specialist, Thermage FLX is one of the procedures I often explain to people who do not want surgery but do want a noticeable lifting effect.

Thermage FLX: Treatment Principles and Effects

When I explain Thermage FLX to patients, the question I hear most often is, “When will I start to notice the effects?” To be honest, you may feel some degree of firmness immediately after the procedure, but more significant changes begin to appear between 4 and 12 weeks. This is because collagen production takes time.

Just as you must wait for a flower to bloom after planting a seed, collagen gradually builds up inside the skin, and the clearest changes are experienced after 2 to 3 months. The duration of the effects varies from person to person, but generally lasts about 6 months to 1 year. It differs depending on skin-care practices, lifestyle, and age. To maintain the effects, considering repeat treatments every 6 months to 1 year may be appropriate.

Thermage FLX can be applied not only to tighten the skin but also to various areas such as the eye area, forehead, and neck. Treatment of the entire face takes approximately 1 hour. Swelling or redness may temporarily occur after the procedure, but it subsides within 1 to 3 days, and washing your face and carrying on with daily activities are generally possible on the same day. As a Gangnam dermatology specialist, I especially want to emphasize that setting the energy level and treatment pattern according to the condition of the skin is important for Thermage FLX. Even with the same procedure, the approach should vary depending on skin thickness, the degree of sagging, and moisture levels.

Proper Prevention and Care After Thermage FLX

Care after the procedure is just as important as the procedure itself. Because the skin may become temporarily sensitive after Thermage FLX, following a few precautions can be very helpful in maintaining the effects. For one week after the procedure, it is best to avoid activities that rapidly raise your body temperature, such as saunas, heated bathhouses, and strenuous exercise.

This is because additional heat stimulation immediately after heat has been applied to the skin may instead cause irritation. The importance of sun protection cannot be overstated. It is important to make a habit of carefully applying sunscreen with an SPF of 50 or higher every day, even indoors. Because ultraviolet rays are one of the main causes of collagen breakdown, sunscreen plays a key role in protecting the collagen that has been regenerated. Adequate fluid intake and moisturizing care are also directly related to maintaining the effects.

This is because collagen can function properly only when there is sufficient moisture in the skin. Along with drinking 1.5 to 2 liters of water a day, please consistently use a gentle moisturizer on the treated areas. Not smoking and maintaining regular sleep are also important factors in skin regeneration. Because skin-regeneration hormones are released during sleep, getting enough sleep is one of nature’s most powerful forms of support—more powerful than any skin-care routine.

Every Skin Is Different. That Is Why Diagnosis Comes First.

Leejiham Dermatology views dermatological care not simply as treatment, but as a process of completing your beauty. Above all, what matters is a natural result without excess and lasting trust. All lifting procedures, including Thermage FLX, should be performed after an accurate diagnosis suited to the condition of the skin.

Even when the degree of sagging is similar, some skin is better suited to ultrasound lifting, while other skin is better suited to radiofrequency lifting such as Thermage. Rather than automatically following whatever procedure happens to be popular, first examining what this person’s skin needs now—that is what I consider most important as a Gangnam dermatology specialist.

Leejiham Dermatology will continue providing honest and careful care so that we can become the name that first comes to mind when you have concerns about your skin. I hope this article has been of even a little help to those of you who are thinking about skin sagging and lifting.

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