What a Thermage treatment tip is
A Thermage treatment tip is the single-use surface electrode that couples radiofrequency into the skin, and it is the consumable that drives the cost of running a Thermage system. Each tip is metered by shots, called REPs, and carries a fixed allotment: the console counts the REPs down during treatment and locks the tip out once it reaches zero. Tips differ by surface area and the treatment area they suit, and the shot count is recorded in each tip's FDA device listing. The reusable handpiece holds the tip, but the tip itself is for one patient.
For a clinic, that means tip selection is a procurement decision as much as a clinical one. The surface area sets which area the tip is built for, and the REP count sets how many shots it delivers before it locks. Both are fixed at manufacture and read by the console. The rest of this guide covers the tip families, the lockout, the other per-treatment consumables, and why tips do not cross between the two Thermage generations. This builds on the Thermage overview.
Tip types by area and surface size
Thermage tips are grouped by surface area in square centimeters. The areas and REP counts below come from the tips' FDA device listings in AccessGUDID, where the shot count is part of the registered device name. The common names (Total Tip, Eye Tip, Body Tip) are how the field refers to them; AccessGUDID itself identifies tips by catalogue number and surface area rather than by those names, so treat the name-to-size mapping as the industry convention.
| Tip (common name) | Surface area | REP shot counts | Built for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Tip 4.0 (FLX only) | 4.0 cm2 | 300, 600, 900 | Face and body, FLX generation |
| Total Tip 3.0 | 3.0 cm2 | 400, 600, 900, 1200 | Face |
| Body Tip | 16.0 cm2 | 1200 | Large body zones |
| Eye Tip | 0.25 cm2 | 225, 450 | Periorbital area and eyelids |
The 0.25 cm² eye tip is the smallest and is the tip used for the upper and lower eyelid area; it does not carry the vibration feature found on larger tips. The 4.0 cm² Total Tip is specific to the FLX generation and has no equivalent on the older console. Because a single tip is sold in several REP counts, the same tip family can appear as different stock items, which matters when planning shots per tip and cost per treatment.
Single use and the console countdown lockout
Every Thermage tip is for single-patient use. The FDA device records list the tips as single use, and Solta's clearance documentation states the tips are for single patient use and are not to be reused or reprocessed. The lockout is enforced at the console: per Solta's technical documentation, the tip stores its REP allotment, the console decrements the count as energy is delivered, and at zero the console refuses further treatment and prompts for a new tip. Time and shelf-life limits apply alongside the shot count.
The mechanism is often described in the field as an "RFID tip." That label is industry shorthand. Solta's technical documentation and the FDA records describe a tip-stored allotment that the console reads and counts down, but they do not use the term RFID, so it is best treated as a colloquial description of the lockout rather than a manufacturer specification.
Other per-treatment consumables
The tip is not the only disposable in a Thermage treatment. Each session also uses a coupling fluid that maintains electrical contact at the skin, a single-use patient return pad that completes the radiofrequency circuit, and cryogen that cools the skin surface and depletes as shots are fired. The handpiece that carries the tip is reusable, not a consumable, though manufacturer documentation notes it has a finite working life and is retired after a set number of pulses. When ordering, a clinic is restocking the tip plus these per-treatment items, not the handpiece.
CPT and FLX tips are not interchangeable
Thermage runs in two generations, CPT on the TG-2B console and FLX on the TG-3A console, and their tips are registered separately in the FDA database, attach to different handpieces, and include the FLX-only 4.0 cm² tip. There is no manufacturer statement that the two tip lines cross between consoles, and the separate registrations and handpieces indicate they do not. Treat tips as generation-specific and confirm the tip against the exact console and handpiece before ordering. The differences between the two lines are set out in the CPT and FLX tip differences.
Professionally sourced Thermage tips
Pinova carries professionally sourced Thermage treatment tips along with coupling fluid and return pads for clinics running CPT and FLX systems. Because tips are single-use and generation-specific, compatibility is based on industry-standard usage and clinical experience; verify the tip surface area, REP count, and generation against your console and handpiece before ordering. Tips ship as single-use stock items, so matching the REP count to the planned treatment area keeps a clinic from buying more or fewer shots than a case needs.
Frequently asked questions
Are Thermage tips reusable?
No. Each tip is for single-patient use, and the console locks it out once its REP shot count reaches zero. Time and shelf-life limits also apply. The handpiece that holds the tip is reusable.
What is an REP on a Thermage tip?
A REP is one treatment shot. Each tip carries a fixed REP allotment recorded in its FDA device listing, and the console counts it down as energy is delivered until the tip locks out.
Which tip is used for the eyes?
The 0.25 cm² eye tip is the smallest tip and is the one used for the upper and lower eyelid area. It does not carry the vibration feature found on the larger tips.
Can a CPT tip run on an FLX system?
Treat the tips as generation-specific. CPT and FLX tips are registered separately and attach to different handpieces, so confirm the tip against your exact console before ordering.
Is the handpiece a consumable?
No. The handpiece is reusable. Manufacturer documentation notes it has a finite working life and is retired after a set number of pulses, but it is not a per-treatment disposable like the tip.
