Facial Harmonization · Non-Surgical
Skin Tightening and Quality: medical devices for texture and firmness
You look up close and notice your pores, a sun spot, the marks acne left behind or a less firm jawline. It is rarely just one thing, which is why no single device addresses everything. These technologies use controlled energy to stimulate your collagen and renew your skin. Dr. Thuel chooses the device based on what she sees in your skin and accompanies you at every session, so you can feel comfortable in your skin again.
Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Dr. Thuel personally sees every consultation, so her appointment availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.
Dr. Irene ThuelMED10355 · More than 17 years
- Duration
- 30 to 90 minutes
- Recovery
- Same day to one week, depending on the device
- When it shows
- Firmness in 3 to 6 months
- How long it lasts
- Generally, about a year
Starting with a little and adjusting at the follow-up visit.
Dr. Irene Thuel · Physician and Surgeon, Expert in Aesthetic Medicine and Surgery · MED10355
The essentials before you decide
What Skin Tightening and Quality sessions are like, step by step
General information so you arrive at your consultation with a clear idea. In your case it may vary; Dr. Thuel will confirm it during the consultation.
It may be right for you if…
- You look in the mirror up close and your pores or acne marks bother you.
- You notice sun spots or redness that makeup no longer fully covers.
- You feel your jawline or neck is less firm.
- You want to improve your skin without surgery and without putting your routine on hold for long.
- What it is
- Devices that apply controlled energy, such as radiofrequency, ultrasound, laser or light, to stimulate collagen and renew the skin. They do not cut or fill.
- How it is done
- The device is passed over clean skin, with settings adjusted to your skin type. Some use microneedles; others work from the surface.
- Advantages
- No operating room or incisions; with most devices you return to your routine the same day or the next. It can be combined with other treatments.
- Who performs it
- Dr. Irene Thuel, in the clinic's office.
- Anesthesia and discomfort
- Anesthetic cream or none, depending on the device; with the more intense ones it is applied 30 to 60 minutes beforehand. You feel heat, pricking or burning; most people describe it as tolerable.
- Duration
- Generally, 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the device and the area, not counting the time for the numbing cream.
- Sessions
- It depends on the device. Ultrasound is usually one session; radiofrequency microneedling and fractional laser, 3 to 4 sessions, one every 4 to 6 weeks.
- Recovery and care
- Many people return to their activities the same day or the next. Use sunscreen daily, avoid direct sun, and do not wear makeup on the first day if you had microneedling or laser.
- When it shows
- Texture may improve within a few weeks. Firmness builds slowly and is usually noticeable 3 to 6 months later.
- How long the result lasts
- Generally, about a year, sometimes longer. Sun exposure and time keep having an effect, so maintenance is usually planned.
- Who should not have it
- They are not performed during pregnancy, with an active infection or herpes in the area, or after recent isotretinoin use. Radiofrequency is not used in people with a pacemaker. The doctor reviews this at your consultation.
- Follow-up visits
- Between sessions, and about 3 months after the last one, to assess how your skin has responded.
What a device can and cannot do
What energy-based skin treatments cannot do
They work for skin quality and mild laxity. They do not restore volume and do not replace surgery. For those cases there are other options:
- Mild laxity, pores, scars or spots: this is where these technologies usually make sense.
- Lost volume in the cheeks, lips or folds: this is treated with Hyaluronic Acid.
- A jawline or double chin that calls for something more: Non-Surgical Double Chin Reduction treatments are evaluated.
- Marked sagging: it is worth talking about a facelift.
Devices and what each one is used for
What each technology treats, from radiofrequency to laser
Radiofrequency microneedling
Laxity, texture, enlarged pores and acne scars.
Microfocused ultrasound (HIFU)
Laxity along the jawline and under the chin; also the position of the brows.
Needle-free radiofrequency
Firmness and ongoing skin care.
Fractional laser
Fine wrinkles and texture, as well as scars and spots.
Intense pulsed light and vascular laser
Sun spots and redness.
Microneedling, peels and cleansing
They aim to improve texture and radiance, as well as the appearance of pores.
Session by session
How sessions are planned, from skin tightening to laser
Reading your skin
Before turning on any device, the doctor looks at your skin type (how fair or dark it is and how it reacts to the sun), laxity, texture and spots.
Session-based plan
Chooses the technology and whether to combine it with other treatments.
Session
With settings adjusted to your skin and anesthetic cream if needed.
Follow-up visit
We see how your skin responds and adjust the next sessions.
Sun and sensitive skin
Laser and radiofrequency: how your skin may react
What to expect
- Heat, pricking or burning during the session, depending on the technology.
- Temporary redness, swelling or peeling.
- Changes are gradual; recovery depends on each patient.
- Your skin becomes more sensitive to the sun: sun protection is part of your care.
Discomfort and risks
- Irritation, scabbing or sensitivity in the treated area.
- More intensive lasers require a longer recovery.
- Darker skin has a higher risk of dark spots; that is why we adjust every setting to your skin type.
- Uncommon: blisters, burns or scars.
Other related options
When technology is only one part
Is this treatment right for you? During the consultation, Dr. Thuel reviews your case and tells you frankly whether it suits you and what it involves. The consultation costs US$100, VAT included, which is applied in full toward your treatment or medical procedure if you confirm it with your payment the same day or within the following seven calendar days. This can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our most frequently asked questions about skin tightening and skin quality
Will it hurt?
You feel warmth or some discomfort, which varies by technology. Depending on the case, we use numbing cream to make it more tolerable.
Does it work if I have darker skin?
Many technologies can be used, but darker skin has a higher risk of dark spots. That is why the doctor evaluates your skin type before choosing.
Radiofrequency microneedling or ultrasound?
It depends on where the laxity is. Ultrasound focuses on the jawline, the double chin and the brows; microneedling also works on texture, pores and scars.
When can I return to my routine?
With most of these devices, the same day or the next. With microneedling or laser there may be redness or peeling for 2 to 5 days, and the more intense lasers require a week or more. We confirm this before starting, based on the technology and your skin.
What is the investment?
It depends on the technology and the number of sessions. We give you the price of the complete plan at your consultation.
The consultation costs US$100, VAT included. If you decide to have a medical treatment or procedure, that amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure when you formalize it with your payment on the same day as the consultation or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
To feel comfortable in your own skin
At your consultation, Dr. Thuel examines your skin up close and tells you frankly which technology is right for you, which is not, and why. She also explains the order and the cost of each stage. If your case allows, it can be done the same day; this is optional.
Medical consultation · US$100, VAT included. This amount is applied in full toward your treatment or procedure if you formalize it with your payment on the same day or within the following seven calendar days. It can be the full payment or a first payment of more than US$100.
Dr. Thuel personally sees every consultation, so her appointment availability is limited. We suggest booking in advance.