Equipment profile · Solta Medical
Thermage FLX: Price, Specs, FDA Clearance and Alternatives
Thermage FLX is Solta Medical’s monopolar RF system for needle-free treatment of wrinkles and laxity on the face, eyes and body. It is the successor to Thermage CPT, and every treatment uses a single-use tip, so tip pricing shapes your cost per treatment as much as the console does.
The short answer
Thermage FLX is FDA cleared for wrinkles, including the upper and lower eyelids, and with its vibration feature for temporary improvement of cellulite. FDA found it identical to Thermage CPT in uses, frequency and power. Solta doesn’t publish prices, and it doesn’t support systems bought from unauthorized US resellers.
Who should buy a Thermage FLX?
Shortlist it if
- Patients already ask for Thermage by name for the face, eyes and body.
- You can price each treatment to cover a single-use tip and supplies.
- You’re buying from Solta, or Solta confirms in writing that it will support a used unit.
Our take: buy Thermage FLX new or used?
Buy new, or buy used only with Solta’s written support. Solta states that it doesn’t authorize third-party resellers in the US and has no obligation to support their systems, and every treatment needs a Solta tip. A used console that can’t get tips isn’t a saving.
Then price the tips, not just the console. Get per-tip prices and pulse counts for the tips your menu uses, and test your treatment price against tip cost plus return pad, coupling fluid and cryogen. If the margin is thin, get a Density quote to compare.
Comparing it with Ultherapy PRIME? See Thermage FLX vs Ultherapy PRIME, side by side.
Document-based buying analysis. Not a NuWays MD hands-on test of this device.
Thermage FLX specifications at a glance
Before you compare
| Specification | Thermage FLX | What it means for your practice |
|---|---|---|
| RF energy | 6.78 MHz monopolar RF; up to 400 W average power (FDA record) | The same frequency and power Density’s FDA record lists, which is why the two are compared. |
| Treatment tips | Total Tip 4.0 cm² (Solta says up to 25% faster than the 3.0), Total Tip 3.0 cm², Eye Tip 0.25 cm² and Body Tip 16.0 cm²; all single use | Tips are your main per-treatment cost. Price each tip you will use and the pulses it holds. |
| Comfort | Cryogen cooling of the skin with vibration built into the cooling cycle | Ask how your providers will manage comfort for eyelid and body treatments. |
| Energy control | AccuREP automatic tuning for each patient (Solta); FDA describes RF tuning across a range of tissue impedances | Built to keep energy delivery consistent between patients. |
| Handpiece | One handpiece for face, eyes and body; only the tip changes | |
| Per-treatment supplies | Treatment tip, return pad, coupling fluid, cryogen and skin-marking grid (FDA record) | Add each to your cost per treatment, not only the tip. |
Sources: Solta Medical · FDA 510(k) K170758.
See it next to the alternativesSpecs, cleared uses and ownership questions in one table.
Thermage FLX vs. Thermage CPT: what the FDA record compares
FDA’s 2017 comparison found Thermage FLX identical to Thermage CPT in intended use, frequency and power. The changes are in the console, handpiece and tips, so ask Solta whether it still supplies tips and service before you price a used CPT.
| Feature | Thermage FLX | Thermage CPT |
|---|---|---|
| FDA clearance | 2017 | 2009, updated 2013 |
| Cleared uses | Identical to CPT in FDA’s comparison | Identical to FLX |
| Frequency | 6.78 MHz | 6.78 MHz |
| Maximum average power | 400 W | 400 W |
| Controls | Touchscreen | LCD screen |
Sources: FDA 510(k) K170758.
What is the Thermage FLX FDA cleared for?
Each 510(k) number links to its record in the FDA database. The summary PDFs are listed under Sources.
510(k) K170758 (Thermage FLX System and Accessories), cleared September 22, 2017. Product code GEI; Class II medical device. No clinical study; cleared on bench testing and comparison with Thermage CPT (K090580, K132431).
| Energy delivery | Cleared uses (summarized) |
|---|---|
| RF only | Electrocoagulation and hemostasis in dermatologic and general surgical procedures; non-invasive treatment of periorbital wrinkles, including the upper and lower eyelids; non-invasive treatment of wrinkles. |
| RF with skin vibration | The same uses, plus temporary improvement in the appearance of cellulite, relief of minor muscle aches, pains and spasms, and temporary improvement of local circulation. |
Source: FDA 510(k) K170758.
Clearance describes what a device may be marketed for; it does not predict results for a given patient.
- FDA’s wording is wrinkles and rhytids, not tightening or lifting. Keep patient-facing claims close to the cleared uses.
Thermage FLX clinical studies
Published studies we found on this system, its earlier models and related technology, each labeled by what it tested. Most are small, and some have manufacturer-affiliated authors, so use them to frame questions for the demo rather than as proof of results.
What we found: 1 on this system, 1 on an earlier model.
- This systemCombination Use of 1440-nm and 1927-nm Nonablative Fractional Laser With Monopolar Radiofrequency for the Treatment of Facial Skin Laxity, Skin Texture, and PigmentationOne Thermage FLX treatment followed by four Clear + Brilliant Touch sessions; 77% were responders at 6 months, and laxity and photoaging scores improved. Both devices are Solta products, and there was no FLX-only group.
- Earlier model: Thermage CPTEfficacy and safety of a novel monopolar radiofrequency device for skin tightening: a multicenter, randomized, 6-month, assessor blind, positive parallel-controlled, non-inferiority trialA newer RF device was tested against Thermage CPT, the generation before FLX. At 90 days, 98.1% of the Thermage group had improved on the aesthetic scale, and the newer device was not inferior.
Links open the PubMed record.
How much does a Thermage FLX cost?
| Price evidence | What we found |
|---|---|
| New system (manufacturer quote) | Solta does not publish prices, and we found no reliable public price for a new Thermage FLX. Ask for the console price and a tip price list together. |
| Used (asking prices) | One US dealer listed a Thermage FLX at $64,950 (asking price, observed November 7, 2026; year, included tips and Solta support status not shown). One listing is not a market price. |
| Documented sale prices | None found. |
Sources: MedProLasers.
What ownership adds after purchase
| Cost area | What to confirm |
|---|---|
| Tips | Each tip is single use and holds a set number of pulses. Get per-tip prices and pulse counts for every tip size you will use. |
| Accessories | Return pads, coupling fluid, cryogen and marking grids are per-treatment supplies. Ask what a full-face treatment costs in supplies. |
| Used systems | Get Solta’s written answer on tips and service for the serial number before you pay; a console Solta won’t support may not be able to get tips. |
| Service | Ask what the warranty covers and what service costs after it ends. |
Thermage FLX alternatives to compare
| Device | Technology | Why compare it |
|---|---|---|
| Jeisys Density | Non-invasive monopolar and bipolar RF | Jeisys’s monopolar and bipolar RF; its FDA record names Thermage FLX as the predicate. |
| Merz Aesthetics Ultherapy PRIME | Microfocused ultrasound with visualization | Merz’s microfocused ultrasound with imaging, the other main needle-free option. |
| BTL EMFACE | Synchronized RF and HIFES facial muscle stimulation | BTL’s RF with facial muscle stimulation, using single-use applicators. |
Different technologies are not interchangeable. Compare configurations, cleared uses and ownership costs before you book demos.
Questions to ask before you sign
- Which tips are included, how many pulses does each hold, and what do replacements cost?
- What do return pads, coupling fluid and cryogen cost per treatment?
- If the system is used, will Solta sell tips and service for this serial number? Please confirm in writing.
- Is any tip inventory included, and when does it expire?
- What does the warranty cover, and what does service cost from year two?
- How many training days are included, and what is the total with tax, freight and financing?
Plan the purchase
Plan your Thermage FLX purchase.
- Compare it side by side with its closest alternatives.
- Check what each quote includes: configuration, supplies, service and financing.
- Model the monthly payment against realistic treatment volume in the ROI calculator.
Other skin tightening machines to research
InModeDefineFull profileHands-free and handheld bipolar RF plus Morpheus8Read the full page →
Merz AestheticsUltherapy PRIMEFull profileMicrofocused ultrasound with visualizationRead the full page →
JeisysDensityFull profileNon-invasive monopolar and bipolar RFRead the full page →
BTLEMFACEFull profileSynchronized RF and HIFES facial muscle stimulationRead the full page →All skin tightening machines →More Solta Medical equipment →Full equipment catalog →
Sources
Show all 4 sources
- Solta Medical: Thermage FLX for professionals (November 7, 2026). Checked November 7, 2026.
- Solta Medical: Thermage indications and resale statement (November 7, 2026). Checked November 7, 2026.
- FDA 510(k) K170758: Thermage FLX System and Accessories (September 22, 2017). Checked November 7, 2026.
- MedProLasers: Thermage FLX listing (asking price) (November 7, 2026). Checked November 7, 2026.