Where it hurts: areas close to bone are the most noticeable
I have had Thermage myself. The most painful areas were the cheekbones, the back of the jaw and the jaw angle, where the bone sits just beneath the skin. The skin under the eyes is thin, so that area also hurts somewhat more than others.
What to remember is that these spots hurt because they are close to bone, not because the effect is better there. Pain is not a measure of effect, and more pain does not mean a better result; for how to judge the result afterwards and how long it takes to show, read Thermage results in Korea.
You don’t have to grit your teeth to get results
Thermage is for looking better, not a pain-endurance test. If it hurts you too much, I consider that to have gone too far.
So if one spot hurts particularly during treatment, tell me exactly where. Telling me the location doesn’t mean your tolerance is low; it lets me know which area needs adjusting. When I reach these places, I slightly adjust the intensity for that area and spread the energy as appropriate.
“Spreading the energy” here only means I pay attention to which areas the energy goes to. It does not mean lowering the energy across the whole face because one spot hurts too much. I deliver as much energy as I can within what you can tolerate, balancing comfort and effect.
Numbing cream is standard; discuss Airnox in advance
For Thermage we first apply numbing cream and do not use injected local anesthesia. Numbing cream is included in the listed price and is usually not charged separately.
If you have had a very uncomfortable experience with Thermage before, tell us first which area was hardest to bear at the time. If you worry that numbing cream won’t be enough, you can also discuss Airnox (nitrous oxide) in advance; it is charged separately, and when combined with the treatment the fee depends on the treatment and how long it takes. For how to work out the total including VAT, read Thermage prices in Korea; the Airnox price on its own is on the price list.
