Ultherapy PRIME

• Mild to moderate laxity around the cheeks, jawline or neck
• Early sagging you'd like to address without surgery
• Anyone who prefers little to no downtime

Ultherapy PRIME is not a replacement for surgical lifting. Whether it suits you is confirmed during consultation.

• 01

  Where you are now, and where we start

  The target depth the focused ultrasound must reach, and how far the sagging goes into the SMAS

• 02

  The change you want, the impression you keep

  Ultherapy PRIME is not a replacement for surgical lifting. Whether it suits you is confirmed during consultation.

• 03

  How it differs from similar options

  These are all non-invasive, energy-based lifting treatments — but they use different energy and reach different depths, so they suit different goals.

• 04

  Health information and recovery schedule

  Little to no downtime; most people return to daily activities the same day. Temporary redness, mild swelling or tenderness may occur. Use sun protection and follow the moisturizing and soothing guidance we provide.

We confirm the tissue layers on live imaging, then design the depth and the shot placement of the focused ultrasound for you individually.

Focused ultrasound heats targeted depths — typically 1.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm — to prompt the skin’s natural collagen renewal over the following months. The 4.5 mm depth reaches the SMAS layer. With PRIME, real-time ultrasound imaging lets the doctor see the layers being treated before delivering energy. Ultherapy PRIME is an ultrasound lifting technology cleared by the US FDA for lifting the brow, chin and neck and for improving lines on the décolletage.

How it works

• 01

  Focused, not spread out

  Instead of heating the surface broadly, the ultrasound is focused to precise points below the skin, leaving the surface largely untouched.

• 02

  Three working depths

  Energy is delivered at roughly 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm. The 4.5 mm depth reaches the SMAS — the deep support layer a surgeon addresses in a facelift.

• 03

  Guided by real-time imaging

  With PRIME, the doctor sees the actual layers on ultrasound before delivering energy, so each area is treated based on what your skin looks like — not a fixed template.

• 04

  Your own collagen responds

  The controlled heat prompts the skin’s natural repair, and new collagen forms gradually over the following months. This is why the change is progressive rather than immediate.

1. 01

   Layer-by-layer diagnosis

   Consultation and skin assessment

2. 02

   Mapping by area

   Cleansing and mapping of treatment areas

3. 03

   A plan built on response

   Many people have a single session, with changes appearing gradually over about 2–3 months as collagen renews. A maintenance session may be considered after a period decided at consultation. (Results vary by individual.)

What the procedure is like

• Little to no downtime; most people return to daily activities the same day.
• Temporary redness, mild swelling or tenderness may occur.
• Use sun protection and follow the moisturizing and soothing guidance we provide.

Safety & considerations

Ultherapy PRIME is not a replacement for surgical lifting, and it does not suit every skin type or degree of laxity. Whether energy-based lifting is right for you is confirmed during consultation. Effects and downtime vary by individual, and side effects may occur.

1. DAY 0

   Treatment day

   Some warmth during treatment; afterwards mild redness or a flushed feeling that usually settles within hours. Most people return to daily activities the same day.

2. DAY 1-3

   Settling

   Any redness, mild swelling or tenderness to the touch generally eases. Makeup and normal skincare can usually resume as advised.

3. WEEK 2-6

   Early firming

   Some people notice the skin feeling a little firmer. This varies a lot from person to person.

4. 2-3 MONTHS

   Collagen renewal

   As new collagen forms, a gradual lift and firmness become more noticeable for many people. This is typically when results are assessed. (Results vary by individual.)

5. ~6 MONTHS

   Review & maintenance

   Your doctor reviews the outcome and, if appropriate, discusses timing for a maintenance session based on your skin.

Neither is “better” — they work differently and suit different goals. The right choice is decided after we assess your skin.

• Q. How is Ultherapy PRIME different from the original Ultherapy?

  The original Ultherapy also provides real-time ultrasound imaging to visualize tissue layers. PRIME retains that imaging approach while improving screen size, image clarity and field of view, and system performance. The difference is not the presence or absence of imaging. With either platform, tissue layers and skin condition guide treatment depth and shot placement; a newer device alone does not guarantee a greater result.

• Q. Can it replace a lifting operation?

  It cannot replace one. Ultherapy PRIME delivers heat to layers under the skin to prompt collagen renewal, without an incision; it does not remove loose skin or pull and fix it in place. Where sagging is already well advanced the change may fall short of what you hope for, so at the examination we will also tell you whether surgery suits your condition better.

• Q. How much does it hurt during the treatment?

  There is a short, sharp heat each time energy goes in. It feels stronger over areas close to bone, and it differs from area to area even in the same person. If you are sensitive to pain, tell us before we start — we prepare pain relief and adjust the strength and pace of the shots. Once the session is over, pain does not usually linger.

• Q. Do more shots mean a better result?

  No. What decides the result is whether the energy reached the right layer, not how many shots were delivered. On a face with little fat, a high shot count can push it towards looking hollow rather than firm, so the areas and the number of shots are set from your skin thickness and how volume is distributed. We tell you the planned range at the examination beforehand.

• Q. When does the effect show, and how long does it last?

  New collagen takes time to form, so it usually appears gradually over two to three months. You may feel slightly tighter right after the session, but that is not the final result. How long it lasts differs a great deal with age, skin condition and daily habits, so we look at how it goes and decide the timing of the next session together.

• Q. How do I choose a clinic for Ultherapy PRIME in Gangnam, Seoul?

  Look at the examination and the plan rather than the treatment name. First, what the clinic checks before deciding — at QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, the first thing we look at for this treatment is “The target depth the focused ultrasound must reach, and how far the sagging goes into the SMAS”. Second, whether it explains why it recommends that scope and method, compared with the alternatives. Third, whether it reviews your progress with you when results are expected. Our doctor goes through these three points at consultation before the treatment is decided.

• Q. Where can I get Ultherapy PRIME in Seoul?

  At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea. We are at 3F, 502 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Nonhyeon-dong, Seohee Building), a 4-minute walk from Exit 3 of Nonhyeon or Sinnonhyeon Station. Call +82-2-514-1650 or use the consultation form on this site to book a doctor’s consultation first.