"I'm looking into InMode, but there are so many modes I have no idea which to get."
"FORMA, FX… every time I search, the name comes up differently and it's confusing."
If you've looked into InMode, you've probably felt this kind of bewilderment at least once.
Hello.I'm Kwon Si-jin, the director preparing to open in Myeongdong ^^
We're getting ready to open our doors in Myeongdong soon, and since so many people have been asking about InMode ahead of our opening, we wanted to lay out, for your information, why the types are split up like this.
Let me be straight with you first.If you've known InMode only as 'the machine that melts fat,' you know exactly half of it.
InMode is a 'multi-platform' that fits several modes onto one device, so the mode that reduces fat and the mode that works on firmness are separate.That's why having it done without knowing 'which mode' easily misses what you expected. Let me show you exactly where they part ways.
InMode Is Actually a 'Device Name'
InMode is a multi-platform device that delivers radiofrequency (RF) energy to the skin.
To put it simply, there's one main body, and you swap out the handpiece (mode) depending on the purpose.
Picture a toolbox and it's easy to understand. Just as you don't undo every screw with a single screwdriver, you pick and fit the mode that suits each area and concern ㅎㅎ
So you should look not at "InMode, one thing," but at "which mode of InMode."
FORMA and FX, What's the Difference?
Let me lay out the two most commonly used modes first.
First, FORMA is a mode that delivers RF heat evenly over a wide surface to draw out the collagen response in the dermis.Since it warms areas with surface area, like the cheeks or jawline, and works on firmness, it tends to involve almost no pain.
FX, by contrast, puts its weight on reducing localized fat in sagging areas like drooping cheeks or a double chin to tidy up the line.It can feel slightly more stinging than FORMA.
To put it simply, FORMA is the side that warms the skin texture from the inside to bring out firmness, and FX is the side that trims the excess from sagging areas to shape the contour—picture it that way and you'll see it.
So depending on which modes you combine and how, even the same 'InMode' takes on a different character.(it differs from case to case)
Why Have It Split into Sessions Instead of Finishing It All at Once?
InMode is closer to a 'management-type' that you build up step by step, rather than a treatment that brings a big change all at once.
Collagen builds back up slowly, taking time after the heat stimulation.
So it's natural to have it several times across spaced-out intervals, refining the texture as you go.
Pouring a whole gush of water into a pot at once doesn't make the plant grow faster, right. Splitting it into the right amounts ends up growing it more healthily.
Rather than expecting a dramatic change after a single session, it's a treatment that suits the mindset of watching it over time.
Honestly, InMode Can't Do Everything
InMode has its strengths in working on firmness and contour with RF, but when the skin has sagged a lot or deeper-layer laxity is significant, it has its limits.
This is a point I really want to make clear.
In those cases, honestly, a different approach may suit you better, so we think it's right to talk it through together during the diagnosis.
One more thing: since RF is a treatment that handles heat, an excessive intensity carries a risk of burns.
So what matters isn't sheer intensity, but carefully adjusting the intensity to match your skin thickness and the area.
What "the modes are separate" means
InMode is confusing because things of different character sit under one device name.
The side that addresses firmness warms and tightens the surface, and is described as having almost no downtime; the mode that addresses fat goes deeper and is described as needing a few days of recovery.
So "I had InMode" doesn't tell you what was done. Checking "which mode, on which area" in consultation brings the session and recovery guidance back far more specific.
And when it's used on the face, the mapping is better done sitting up. Lying down pushes sagging tissue up and back, so where it has actually descended looks different.
How recovery runs
- Day 1 to 3the stretch where swelling is most pronounced. With injectables, bruising often comes alongside
- Around a weekswelling drops noticeably
- 2 to 4 weeksfrom around here it's close to the actual appearance
So there's no need to judge it in the mirror the next day. If anything it's most swollen right afterwards, so a conclusion drawn from that impression will be off.
During recovery, postpone anything that raises the body's heat for a few days, and drinking enough water helps. If you have an important date, leave room.
That said, if pain doesn't ease but worsens, if only one side swells with warmth, or if a firm lump persists, contact where you had the treatment.
What we're careful about on the face
There's less room to work on the face than on the body. Where there's little fat, excessive energy is associated with a hollowed look.
So a step that looks at skin thickness and fat volume together is needed before starting.Having little facial fat doesn't rule it out, but the approach becomes area-by-area and cautious.
And a longer treatment isn't automatically better either. A stretch of holding temperature is necessary, but beyond that it moves towards heat strain. Distribution by area matters more than time.
Set beside the other families
InMode belongs to the radiofrequency family.It warms and tightens the dermis, so it has limits where deeper layers have descended.
If sagging is the main concern, the ultrasound side (Ultherapy PRIME, Shurink Universe, Sofwave); if firmness and texture are, the radiofrequency side (Thermage FLX, XERF, Volnewmer, InMode); if a buried contour is, the microwave side (Onda).
We have all three families at our Myeongdong clinic because you can only say "InMode isn't the answer right now" if there are alternatives.
- InMode is the name of a device with several modes
- FORMA and FX are different modes
- It builds up across several sessions
FAQ
Q. About how many times should I have InMode?
A. InMode isn't a treatment you finish in one go; it's a management-type treatment you build up step by step over several sessions.Since the method induces a collagen response with RF heat, the texture is refined calmly when you repeat it at set intervals, rather than from a single stimulation.Usually it's done several times at intervals of a few weeks, after which many people continue on a cycle that maintains the condition. That said, the number of sessions and intervals needed change depending on the degree of firmness loss, the area being worked on, and which mode is used. So rather than giving you a set number as if it were the right answer, we think it's right to look at your skin condition and plan together.
Q. Does it hurt a lot during the treatment?
A. The sensation with InMode is fundamentally one of being warmed up, so rather than strong pain, many people say it's closer to "a pleasant heat." Since the principle is that RF warms the skin to draw out the collagen response, you feel a warmth that rises slowly to a certain temperature. Because we adjust the intensity in real time as we go, if it feels too hot we can lower it right away. How much you feel can differ a little depending on the area and on your skin's condition that day.After the treatment some redness may come up briefly, but it generally settles quickly, so you don't need to worry too much.
Q. Do I have to get both FORMA and FX?
A. You don't necessarily have to get both FORMA and FX. FORMA is a mode that works on the firmness of a wide surface, while FX puts its weight on reducing localized fat in sagging areas to shape the line. So the mode you need changes depending on whether your concern is overall firmness loss or tidying up the line of a specific area like drooping cheeks. Using the two together lets you work on the surface and the line at the same time, so there are cases where they're combined, but it isn't the right answer for everyone. It's best to first sort out which concern you want to address first, then decide the suitable mode and combination together during the diagnosis.
Choosing the mode comes first
It's long, but the conclusion is simple.
InMode isn't one treatment but a combination of modes. 'Which mode, at what intensity, in how many steps' is the standard.
I'd be glad if you feel differently now than you did when you started.
When the many types have you confused, instead of memorizing names, try sorting out first "whether my concern is firmness or contour." Then the path becomes clear wherever you go for a consultation.
DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon.We'll share news of our opening and treatment information first on our blog and Instagram ^^
Thank you for staying with me to the end.This was Director Kwon Si-jin at DA Clinic Myeongdong.
This column is an informational article meant to provide general medical information, and the effects and side effects of treatments may vary by individual. DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon. (Medical Service Act Art. 56)