Thermage for Body

Thermage FLX tightens loose and crepey skin on the body using monopolar radiofrequency, with no surgery and no downtime. It is the technology we use for body laxity, because unlike Ultherapy it heats a broad volume of tissue and works across large areas. Body treatment is $3,000 per area at Naficy Rejuvenation Center in Bellevue, Washington, and is typically a single session.

For how Thermage works, how it compares with Ultherapy and Fraxel, and facial treatment, see Thermage for the face.

Where on the body can Thermage be used?

• Abdomen — loose or crepey skin after pregnancy or moderate weight loss
• Upper arms — laxity on the back of the arm
• Thighs — inner and outer
• Above the knees — where crepiness is common and few treatments help
• Buttocks — skin quality and mild laxity
• Back and flanks
• Cellulite — see Thermage for cellulite

Each treatment area is priced separately at $3,000.

Before and after Thermage on the body  * Individual results may vary.

Thermage treatment to abdomen  * Individual results may vary.

Why Thermage rather than Ultherapy for the body?

Both stimulate collagen, but they deliver energy differently and that determines where each is practical.

Ultherapy focuses ultrasound to precise points at set depths. That precision is exactly what makes it excellent for lifting the face and neck — and impractical for covering an abdomen or a pair of thighs.

Thermage heats a volume of tissue through monopolar radiofrequency, with a large tip covering substantial area per pulse. That makes it the appropriate tool for large surfaces, which is why we use Ultherapy mostly on the face and neck, and Thermage all over the body.

What can Thermage realistically achieve on the body?

Worth being direct, because this is where expectations most often go wrong.

Thermage tightens skin. It does not remove skin, and it does not remove fat.

• Good candidate: mild to moderate crepiness and laxity, skin that has lost firmness, someone near their target weight who wants better skin quality without surgery.
• Not a good candidate: significant hanging skin after major weight loss or pregnancy. That needs surgical removal — a tummy tuck, arm lift, or equivalent. Thermage will not lift it, and the money is better spent on the operation that will.
• Wrong treatment entirely: if the concern is fat rather than skin, that is CoolSculpting or liposuction.

The improvement is real but moderate. Patients who understand that are pleased; patients expecting a surgical result are not.

Before and immediately after Thermage treatment to loose abdomen skin * Individual results may vary.

Before and 6 months after Thermage treatment to loose abdomen skin * Individual results may vary.

How much does Thermage for body cost?

$3,000 per treatment area. A $500 non-refundable deposit is required for single treatments of $1,000 or more.

Full non-surgical pricing · Current specials · Financing

How many treatments and how long does it take?

Typically one treatment. A body area takes 90 minutes or more depending on size. Many patients repeat every one to two years to maintain the result.

When will I see results?

Some tightening is often apparent immediately from collagen contraction. The substantive result builds over two to six months as new collagen forms, and is judged at around six months.

Is there downtime?

None. You can return to normal activity, including exercise, the same day. Mild redness or warmth settles within hours.

Does it hurt?

Most patients tolerate it well — a brief deep heat with each pulse followed immediately by a cooling spray. Thermage FLX is considerably more comfortable than earlier generations, because its AccuREP technology adjusts energy to your tissue pulse by pulse.

Thermage treatment to arms  * Individual results may vary.

Thermage treatment to arms  * Individual results may vary.

Who should not have Thermage on the body?

• Pacemaker, defibrillator, or other implanted electrical device — radiofrequency is contraindicated. This is absolute.
• Metal implants in the treatment area.
• Significant excess skin requiring surgical removal.
• Excess fat rather than lax skin.
• Pregnancy or breastfeeding.
• Active infection or open wounds in the area.

Thermage is suitable for all skin types, including darker skin — radiofrequency is not absorbed by pigment, so it does not carry the hyperpigmentation risk that limits laser treatment.

What are the risks?

Common and short-lived: redness, mild swelling, and warmth or tenderness for a day or two.

Less common: blistering or surface burn, temporary numbness, small depressions from excessive energy at one point, and under-response where the patient does not produce enough new collagen. Rare: scarring, persistent irregularity, or fat loss in the treated area.

Thermage body before and after photos

Before and after photographs of Thermage FLX body treatment at Naficy Rejuvenation Center. Results build over two to six months. Individual results vary.

Thermage treatment to thighs (rectangle marked by dots shows treated area)  * Individual results may vary.

Thermage treatment to lower thighs and knees  * Individual results may vary.

Next steps

A consultation establishes whether your concern is skin laxity, excess skin, or fat — three different problems with three different answers. Because we perform body surgery as well as energy treatments, that assessment is not limited to what we can treat non-surgically.

Naficy Rejuvenation Center is located in Bellevue, Washington, and serves patients from Seattle, the Eastside, and throughout the Pacific Northwest.

Schedule an appointment · Ask a question · Thermage for face

Medically reviewed by Sam Naficy, MD, FACS, board-certified by the American Board of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery.