Lifting
Volnewmer vs Thermage in Seoul: which monopolar RF your skin needs first
Both heat the dermis with monopolar RF, so the choice turns on your skin, the cooling and how much you commit, not on strength. At 600 shots our 20 August 2026 list reads 890,000 KRW against 1,990,000 KRW.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Jang Dong-hoon · Founder & Medical Director
Published · 10 min read
If you are typing Volnewmer vs Thermage, you have probably already decided on radiofrequency and are now looking at two prices that sit a long way apart. The question underneath is simple: is the cheaper Korean device doing the same job, or are you paying less for less?
Both devices heat the dermis with monopolar RF and both are on our price list. That changes what we can tell you. We have no reason to steer you towards one of them, because whichever your skin needs, it is the director who treats you.
By the end you will know what the two have in common, where they really differ, what each costs here by shot count, and when we suggest the other one or neither. Our position is short: the scan and the consultation come first, and the device, the shot count and the price follow from them.
Volnewmer vs Thermage: the same energy, a different commitment
Strip away the branding and the two are built on the same idea. A single electrode sends radiofrequency into the dermis, the heat contracts collagen, and new collagen forms over the following months. Neither device cuts the skin, and neither lists downtime on our pages.
| Question | Volnewmer | Thermage FLX |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Monopolar RF at 6.78 MHz | Monopolar RF |
| Where it works | Deep dermis | Dermis |
| Surface cooling | Water cooling, running throughout each pulse | The tip cools the surface between pulses |
| Tips | I 0.25, F 3.0, V 4.0 and S 16.0 cm² | 4.0 cm² total tip, 0.25 cm² eye tip |
| Sensation | Moderate, cooled and damped | Moderate, with vibration and cooling |
| Typically lasts | 6–12 months | About 12 months |
| Our list starts at | 158,000 KRW for 100 shots | 1,990,000 KRW for 600 shots |
The real difference is how much you commit in one visit. Volnewmer can be booked from 100 shots, so a single zone or a first try is possible. Thermage FLX starts at 600 shots on our list, and it is planned as a full appointment once or twice a year.
Prices are from the list of 20 August 2026 and exclude 10% VAT. The full price table, with every shot count, is further down this page.
Is Volnewmer the Korean version of Thermage?
People often call Volnewmer the Korean version of Thermage, and it is easy to see why. Classys, a Seoul company, makes it, and it uses the same kind of energy. Classys states that the device is approved by the US FDA and by Korea's MFDS, and Thermage FLX is FDA- and MFDS-cleared as well.
The label hides two real design differences. Classys describes continuous water cooling that runs while the energy is delivered, not only between shots. It also describes a recessed tip edge, so the energy lands evenly instead of gathering at the rim, where most surface irritation from an RF tip starts.
Thermage FLX answers the same problem in its own way. Its tip cools the surface between pulses, and the energy is set per zone and adjusted during the session. Different engineering, same aim: heat below, protection above.
When Volnewmer is the one we suggest
Volnewmer works in the deep dermis and coagulates tissue in a controlled way, so collagen rebuilds through the healing that follows. Density and volume recover together. That is why it suits a face that looks thinner or slightly hollow across the mid and lower face, more than one that has dropped.
- A first RF treatment, or a modest budget. You can start at 100 or 300 shots and see how your skin responds.
- Areas of different sizes. Four tips, from 0.25 to 16.0 cm², on a tilting handpiece that follows the curve of the face.
- Around the eyes. The Volnewmer eye tip is one of three options we use for the eye area, alongside Eye Thermage.
- A short trip. No downtime is listed, so a dinner the same evening or a flight the next day is workable.
What the published evidence says, and does not say
One 2024 study in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open measured Volnewmer with a 3D scanner. It looked back at 30 Korean women who each had 300 shots across the face on the 4.0 cm² tip. The mid-cheek lifted by an average of 1.88 mm straight after treatment and 1.93 mm at one month, and the neck by 2.66 mm and 2.80 mm.
Read it as one small, retrospective study by a single author, with a one-month follow-up and no Thermage group to compare against. Its protocol also added gas cooling and a topical stem-cell medium, so not every millimetre can be credited to the device. The author reported no adverse effects within that month, which is a finding about 30 people, not a promise about Volnewmer side effects for everyone.
Volnewmer reviews online tend to leave out the tip and the shot count, which are the two things that decide what you are paying for. We do not quote reviews here. Ask for both numbers in any quote, including ours.
When Thermage FLX is the one we suggest
Thermage FLX is the one we reach for when you would rather have one full appointment and skin that has thinned on the neck, under the jaw, on the forehead or around the mouth. Existing collagen contracts on the day, and new fibres keep forming for three to six months.
We use only genuine Solta tips: the 4.0 cm² total tip for the face and the 0.25 cm² eye tip around the lids. Each tip is single-use and counts its own shots, so your quote names the shot count, 600 or 900 for the face, 255 or 450 for the eyes. The director fires every shot himself.
Solta's labelling rules Thermage out for anyone with a pacemaker, a defibrillator or another implanted electrical device. If side effects are what is holding you back, read what to check before a Thermage treatment before you decide.
Volnewmer vs Thermage cost, shot by shot
Both lines are priced per session, by shot count. Each figure below is one visit, and a repeat is charged at the single-session rate on the list in force at that time.
| Treatment | Shots | Price (KRW) |
|---|---|---|
| Volnewmer | 100 | 158,000 |
| Volnewmer | 300 | 470,000 |
| Volnewmer | 600 | 890,000 |
| Volnewmer | 900 | 990,000 |
| Thermage FLX | 600 | 1,990,000 |
| Thermage FLX | 900 | 2,690,000 |
| Eye Thermage | 255 | 990,000 |
| Eye Thermage | 450 | 1,890,000 |
Prices are from the list of 20 August 2026 and exclude 10% VAT. The final figure is confirmed at consultation, after the 3D Meta-Vu scan and before anything is started.
People online often ask whether three Volnewmer sessions equal one Thermage. Shot counts are not interchangeable between devices. The tip size, the energy per shot and the number of passes all differ, so 600 shots on one machine and 600 on the other are two different treatments at two prices, not one treatment at a markup.
How many sessions you need follows from that. We list Volnewmer as lasting 6–12 months and Thermage FLX as about 12 months, and neither is sold here as a course. A repeat is a conversation for when the effect has faded. The shot-by-shot detail for each device is in our Volnewmer price guide and our Thermage FLX price guide.
Who should ask first, and when we suggest neither
The limit comes before the benefit. Both devices work in the dermis, and neither will do the work of a treatment that reaches the SMAS or moves tissue back into place.
- Cheeks, brow or jawline that have dropped: Ultherapy Prime focuses ultrasound down to the SMAS. The Volnewmer vs Ultherapy question is really dermis against SMAS, and Ultherapy vs Thermage explains that split.
- Sensitive or reactive skin: Oligio is a sensor-guided monopolar RF on our list, and a reasonable first RF for that skin.
- A pacemaker or other implanted electrical device: tell us before anything is booked. Solta's labelling rules Thermage out for you.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding, recent filler or threads, isotretinoin, or medication that affects healing: tell us your medical history in consultation, before an energy level is set.
A consultation that ends in "neither" is the plan working. If you are also weighing the dual-frequency option, Xerf vs Thermage sets it against Thermage on the same terms.
How we decide between them, before any price
Because both devices sit in the same clinic, the choice is made from your skin, not from what we need to sell that day. The order never changes.
- 3D Meta-Vu analysis. Makeup comes off and the face is photographed in 3D. It takes about 10 minutes and is included in the consultation.
- Consultation with the director. Dr. Jang Dong-hoon, Founder and Medical Director, reads the scan with you and decides whether your laxity is in the dermis at all.
- Device and shot count. Volnewmer, Thermage FLX, something else or nothing, and how many shots on which tip.
- The price, before treatment. The final figure is confirmed at this point, with no obligation to go ahead and no deposit.
- Treatment by the director. If you agree, the session often follows the same day, and the consultation fee is waived when it does.
We are a 2-minute walk from Exit 5 of Nonhyeon Station. Interpreting is done by our own staff, free of charge, and messages are answered within 24 business hours. Questions after you fly home go to the same WhatsApp thread.
If you cannot decide on Volnewmer vs Thermage from a page, do not. Send us your photos and we will tell you which one, or neither. When you are ready, tick Volnewmer in the booking selector or tick Thermage FLX and send your dates.
The short version
- Volnewmer and Thermage FLX are both monopolar RF that heats the dermis; Volnewmer runs at 6.78 MHz into the deep dermis with continuous water cooling.
- On the list of 20 August 2026, before 10% VAT, Volnewmer is 158,000 to 990,000 KRW for 100 to 900 shots, and Thermage FLX is 1,990,000 KRW for 600 shots and 2,690,000 KRW for 900.
- Shot counts are not interchangeable between devices, and both are priced per session, never as a course.
- The one published Volnewmer 3D study is small and retrospective: 30 women, 300 shots, about 1.9 mm of mid-cheek lift measured at one month.
- At THE Beautiful Clinic, the director sets the device and shot count after a 3D Meta-Vu scan, and the price is fixed before treatment with no obligation.
Questions patients ask
Is Volnewmer better than Thermage?
Neither is better for everyone. Both are monopolar RF in the dermis; Volnewmer can be booked in smaller shot counts and uses continuous water cooling, while Thermage FLX is planned as a full session once or twice a year. The scan and the consultation decide which one your skin needs.
Is Volnewmer the Korean version of Thermage?
It is made by Classys, a Korean company, and uses the same kind of energy, monopolar radiofrequency. The design differs: Volnewmer runs at 6.78 MHz with water cooling throughout each pulse, so the two are not copies of each other.
How much do Volnewmer and Thermage cost in Seoul?
At THE Beautiful Clinic, Volnewmer is 158,000 KRW for 100 shots up to 990,000 KRW for 900, and Thermage FLX is 1,990,000 KRW for 600 shots and 2,690,000 KRW for 900, on the list of 20 August 2026 and before 10% VAT. The final figure is confirmed at consultation, before treatment.
How many sessions of Volnewmer do I need?
Each session is priced and booked on its own. The clinic lists the effect as lasting 6–12 months, so a repeat is considered once it has faded rather than sold in advance as a course.
Does Volnewmer or Thermage hurt?
Both are moderate. Volnewmer is cooled with water and damped throughout each pulse, and Thermage FLX brings deep warmth with vibration and cooling; how it feels varies from person to person.
What are the side effects of Volnewmer?
No downtime is listed, and redness after RF usually lasts a few hours. The one published 3D study reported no adverse effects in 30 patients over one month, which is a small sample; tell us your medical history before an energy level is set.
Can I decide between them before I fly to Seoul?
Send a front and a 45-degree photo with your dates on WhatsApp. We reply within 24 business hours with which device is worth discussing, or neither, and the plan is confirmed after the scan in Seoul.
Results and recovery vary between individuals, and every treatment can have side effects. Prices are from the clinic's price list and are confirmed at consultation. This article is general information, not a diagnosis.
Sources
About the author
Dr. Jang Dong-hoon
Founder & Medical Director
Founder and medical director of THE Beautiful Clinic in Nonhyeon, Gangnam. He sees every patient's skin analysis before a plan is drawn, and reviews every article on this blog against what the clinic actually does.
Credentials in full
