Lifting
Ultherapy vs Thermage in Korea: Which Depth Your Face Needs, and What It Costs
Thermage vs Ultherapy is a choice of depth: Ultherapy Prime lifts at the SMAS, Thermage FLX tightens the dermis. At 600 shots our list reads 1,990,000 KRW for Thermage FLX and 2,400,000 KRW for Ultherapy Prime.
Written and medically reviewed by Dr. Jang Dong-hoon · Founder & Medical Director
Published · Updated · 13 min read
Ultherapy vs Thermage: your jowls have started to drop or your skin has thinned, and you do not want to spend a Seoul trip on the wrong depth.
Read this before you book either one.
You will know how each works, how a session feels, what our list charges per shot count, how the depth gets decided, and when a face needs both.
Hello, I'm Dr. Jang Dong-hoon, Founder & Medical Director of THE Beautiful Clinic in Seoul. Both devices are on our list, the consultation begins with a 3D skin scan, and the doctor who examines you plans and treats you.
I wrote this because the two are sold as rivals, as if one were simply better. Neither is better in general, and many faces need both.
The choice comes down to which layer has loosened. Ultherapy Prime focuses ultrasound as deep as the SMAS at 4.5 mm and is the one to ask about when cheeks, jowls or brow have dropped, while Thermage FLX heats the dermis with monopolar radiofrequency for skin that has thinned. Thermage vs Ultherapy, in four lines:
- Dropped jowls, cheeks or brow: Ultherapy Prime, because HIFU reaches the SMAS at 4.5 mm.
- Thin, crepey skin on the neck, jawline or eyelids: Thermage FLX, because radiofrequency works in the dermis.
- Both at once: the clinic plans them together, Ultherapy for the deep layer and Thermage for the skin, with the order set at consultation.
- Price at 600 shots: Thermage FLX 1,990,000 KRW and Ultherapy Prime 2,400,000 KRW, on the list of 20 August 2026 before VAT.
Ultherapy vs Thermage at a glance
Every line in this table comes from the two treatment pages on this site. Prices are list prices in Korean won.
| Question | Ultherapy Prime | Thermage FLX |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | HIFU: focused ultrasound at 60–70 °C | Monopolar radiofrequency |
| Target depth | 1.5 / 3.0 / 4.5 mm, dermis to SMAS | Dermis |
| How it is guided | DeepSEE real-time imaging | Photo design and a chart per zone |
| Sensation | Moderate, brief per line | Moderate, with vibration and cooling |
| Downtime | None | None |
| Typically lasts | 6–12 months | About 12 months |
| From (KRW) | 400,000 for 100 shots | 1,990,000 for 600 shots |
The short version: Ultherapy Prime reaches the SMAS, and Thermage FLX works in the dermis. Tissue that has dropped from the fascia and skin that has thinned are two different problems. Each device answers one of them.
What each device is aimed at
Ultherapy Prime is aimed at cheek descent and nasolabial folds, a heavy brow or upper eyelid, the jawline, fullness under the chin and neck lines. Thermage FLX is aimed at creping on the neck, the line under the jaw, eyelid skin, and fine lines across the forehead and around the mouth.
Thermage vs Ultherapy: which one fits your face?
Thermage vs Ultherapy comes down to where the problem sits. Ultherapy Prime reaches the SMAS at 4.5 mm, so it is the one to ask about when cheeks, brow or jawline have dropped. Thermage FLX works in the dermis, so it is the one to ask about when skin has thinned, as with neck creping or fine lines. When both are true, the plan can cover both layers, and the order is set at consultation.
Ultherapy vs Thermage by area: eyes, jawline and neck
Most people arrive with one area in mind rather than a layer. This is what each device is aimed at, area by area, from the two treatment pages.
| Area | Ultherapy Prime (HIFU, to the SMAS) | Thermage FLX (RF, dermis) |
|---|---|---|
| Brow and eyelids | A heavy brow or upper eyelid | Eyelid skin, with the 0.25 cm² eye tip |
| Cheeks and mouth | Cheek descent and nasolabial folds | Fine lines around the mouth |
| Jawline | A jawline that has softened | The line under the jaw |
| Under the chin and neck | Fullness under the chin and neck lines | Creping on the neck |
| Forehead | Not its main target | Fine lines across the forehead |
When your area sits in both columns, the deciding question is still the layer: dropped tissue points to HIFU, thinned skin to radiofrequency, and both together to a combined plan. For eyes alone, non-surgical eye lift options compares the three eye treatments on our list.
Thermage vs Ultherapy: how we choose, depth first
We choose a lifting device by depth. Radiofrequency works in the dermis, HIFU reaches the SMAS, and microwave targets fat. The consultation assesses where your laxity actually originates, and the device follows from that.
Sagging rarely comes from one layer. Skin loosens, fat pads shift, and the fascia beneath gives way. That is why the clinic keeps eleven platforms rather than one.
Ultherapy Prime: three fixed depths down to the SMAS
Ultherapy Prime focuses ultrasound at 60–70 °C into three fixed depths. The 1.5 mm transducer treats dermal texture and fine lines, 3.0 mm passes through the fat layer, and 4.5 mm sits at the SMAS, the fascial layer a surgeon would tighten. DeepSEE imaging shows the tissue in real time, so the operator is aiming rather than estimating.
Thermage FLX: heat in the collagen-rich dermis
Thermage FLX sends monopolar radiofrequency into the dermis. The heat contracts existing collagen and provokes new fibres over the following months, while the tip cools the surface between pulses. It is FDA- and MFDS-cleared, and it is the platform we reach for when skin has thinned rather than simply dropped.
What a session is like on each device
An Ultherapy Prime session
- Imaging. DeepSEE shows the tissue under the transducer, so each line is placed in a plane the operator can see.
- Three depths. The 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm transducers are used where your face needs them. It rarely needs only one.
- Sensation. Moderate, and brief along each line.
- Afterwards. There is no dressing and no recovery period. Tissue contracts on the day, and new collagen arrives over eight to twelve weeks.
A Thermage FLX session
- Photo design. Your face is photographed and the treatment is designed from it.
- A custom chart. Energy level and shot count are set for each zone before a single pulse is fired.
- Treatment. The 4.0 cm² total tip covers the face, and the 0.25 cm² eye tip is used around the lids. The sensation is moderate, with vibration and cooling.
- Real-time adjustment. Levels are adjusted as the session runs. There is no downtime afterwards.
Neither device is judged in the mirror that evening. Both work through collagen, and collagen takes weeks to months. So a Thermage vs Ultherapy before and after comparison only means something when the after photo was taken months later, not the same week.
| Stage | Ultherapy Prime | Thermage FLX |
|---|---|---|
| On the day | Tissue contracts | Existing collagen contracts |
| The weeks after | New collagen over 8–12 weeks | Collagen renewal builds for 3–6 months |
| Typically lasts | 6–12 months | About 12 months |
Aftercare differs by energy. After Ultherapy Prime, as after other HIFU, a dull ache and some swelling for 1 to 3 days is common; a cold compress is fine, and the clinic asks you to skip saunas and hard exercise for a week and alcohol for 24 to 48 hours. After Thermage FLX, redness or warmth usually fades within hours, you can wash and wear makeup the same day, and only the sauna waits until tomorrow.
Neither leaves a wound, so flying home the next day is fine after both. The window for every other treatment is in flying after skin treatment in Korea.
Because neither device lists downtime, you do not need recovery days built into your trip. Ultherapy Prime is described as one session with a gradual result.
Ultherapy and Thermage prices by shot count
Shot count, tip type and the number of areas vary from person to person. Each figure below is the list price for one session at that shot count, and the final figure is confirmed at consultation.
| Shots | Ulthera (KRW) | Ultherapy Prime (KRW) | Thermage FLX (KRW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 100 | 280,000 | 400,000 | Not listed |
| 300 | 840,000 | 1,200,000 | Not listed |
| 600 | 1,680,000 | 2,400,000 | 1,990,000 |
| 900 | 2,520,000 | 3,600,000 | 2,690,000 |
| Shots | Eye Thermage (KRW) |
|---|---|
| 255 | 990,000 |
| 450 | 1,890,000 |
Our list carries Ulthera and Ultherapy Prime as two separate lines, so ask which one a quote refers to. Eye Thermage has its own line, from 990,000 KRW for 255 shots, and it uses the 0.25 cm² eye tip on eyelid skin.
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.
Ultherapy vs Thermage: which one costs more?
At 600 shots, Thermage FLX is listed at 1,990,000 KRW and Ultherapy Prime at 2,400,000 KRW, so Thermage costs less in Seoul at the same shot count. At 900 shots the lines read 2,690,000 and 3,600,000 KRW. Ulthera sits below both, at 1,680,000 KRW for 600 shots. The shot count your face needs is set per device at consultation, so compare quotes for the whole plan rather than one line.
Each device also has its own price guide, with every shot count and what moves a quote: Thermage FLX prices in Korea and Ultherapy prices in Korea.
Can Ultherapy and Thermage be combined?
HIFU and radiofrequency can be planned together, and that plan has a name here: THE Beautiful Total Lifting. It is not a single machine. It decides which device, at which depth and in which order, across the dermis, the fat layer and the SMAS.
- Two platforms in one visit only make sense when they target different planes.
- Where two devices overlap, we space the sessions out instead of stacking them.
- Every platform in the line-up runs contact or gas cooling, so the surface stays out of the treatment.
- How much downtime your week can absorb is part of the plan. Total Lifting runs from none to same-day flushing.
The combined result typically lasts 3–12 months, depending on the device. Total Lifting has no single line on the price list, so ask for a range once the plan is drawn up.
Who each device suits, and who should ask first
Ultherapy Prime suits sagging that starts deep: cheeks that have descended, a heavy brow, a jawline that has softened. Thermage FLX suits skin that has thinned, from neck creping to fine lines around the mouth. If side effects are what holds you back on Thermage, the checks that lower the risk of a bad Thermage treatment go through each cause and how it is handled.
- Tell us your medical history in consultation, including recent fillers, isotretinoin, or any medication that affects healing.
- If your skin is sensitive or reactive, ask about Oligio, a sensor-guided monopolar RF that is a reasonable first RF treatment for that skin.
- If fat needs to come down with the sag, microwave is the depth in question. ONDA reaches 3 mm into the dermis and 7 mm into fat.
Other lifting devices on our list
| Device | Energy and depth | Typically lasts | From (KRW) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shurink Universe | HIFU, dot and linear, at 1.5 / 3.0 / 4.5 mm | 3–6 months | 55,000 per 100 shots |
| Doublo Gold | Dual-plane HIFU, dermis and SMAS at 3–4.5 mm | 3–6 months | 169,000 per 300 shots |
| Volnewmer | 6.78 MHz monopolar RF in the deep dermis | 6–12 months | 158,000 per 100 shots |
| Oligio | Sensor-guided monopolar RF in the dermis | 6–12 months | 109,000 per 100 shots |
| ONDA | Microwave, 3 mm dermis and 7 mm fat | Around 6 months | 69,000 per 10 kJ |
| Xerf | Monopolar RF at 6.78 and 2 MHz, not a laser | 6–9 months, per the maker | 1,290,000 per 300 shots |
Every platform is listed on our medical devices page, and each treatment sits under lifting and tightening.
What changes the cost of Ultherapy or Thermage in Korea
A line on the price list is where a quote starts. Four things move it.
- The device. Ulthera, Ultherapy Prime and Thermage FLX are priced as separate lines.
- The shot count. The Ultherapy lines run from 100 to 900 shots. Thermage FLX is listed at 600 and 900.
- The tip. Thermage FLX uses the 4.0 cm² total tip on the face and the 0.25 cm² eye tip on the lids. We count shots against a certified tip, because that is the only honest way to price it.
- The areas. The eye area treated with Eye Thermage is its own line, at 990,000 KRW for 255 shots or 1,890,000 KRW for 450.
If the Ultherapy vs Thermage question is still open, ask for a range before you fly and you will get an honest one. When you are ready, tick Ultherapy Prime in the booking selector and send the list on WhatsApp. If this is your first visit, read the questions patients ask before they come.
The short version
- Ultherapy Prime is HIFU at three fixed depths of 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm, down to the SMAS. Thermage FLX is monopolar radiofrequency in the dermis.
- We choose a lifting device by depth: where your laxity originates decides between them.
- Ultherapy Prime is 400,000 to 3,600,000 KRW for 100 to 900 shots; Thermage FLX is 1,990,000 KRW for 600 shots and 2,690,000 KRW for 900, per the price list of 20 August 2026, before 10% VAT.
- Both are listed as moderate in sensation with no downtime. Ultherapy Prime typically lasts 6–12 months, Thermage FLX about 12 months.
- The two energies can be planned together as THE Beautiful Total Lifting, which stages treatment across the dermis, fat layer and SMAS.
Questions patients ask
Thermage vs Ultherapy: which is better for me?
It depends on which layer has loosened and what bothers you, not on the device. Ultherapy Prime reaches the SMAS at 4.5 mm, so it fits tissue that has dropped; Thermage FLX works in the dermis, so it fits skin that has thinned on the face, neck or eyelids. Neither is better in general, and many faces need both layers treated.
Which is more expensive, Ultherapy or Thermage?
At THE Beautiful Clinic, Thermage FLX is 1,990,000 KRW for 600 shots and Ultherapy Prime is 2,400,000 KRW for 600 shots, per the price list of 20 August 2026, before 10% VAT. Ulthera is a separate line, from 280,000 KRW for 100 shots. The final price is confirmed at consultation.
Is Thermage more painful than Ultherapy, and is there downtime?
Both are listed as moderate in sensation. Ultherapy Prime is felt briefly along each line, and Thermage FLX comes with vibration and cooling. Neither lists downtime, and neither needs a dressing.
How long do Ultherapy and Thermage results last?
Ultherapy Prime typically lasts 6–12 months, with new collagen arriving over eight to twelve weeks. Thermage FLX lasts about 12 months, with collagen renewal building for three to six months.
Can I do Thermage and Ultherapy together?
HIFU and radiofrequency can be planned together as THE Beautiful Total Lifting. Two devices in one visit only make sense when they target different planes; where they overlap, the sessions are spaced out.
Which is better for sagging jowls, Thermage or Ultherapy?
For jowls that come from tissue that has dropped, Ultherapy Prime is usually the one to ask about, because it reaches the SMAS. When the jaw line looks loose because the skin itself has thinned, Thermage FLX fits better. Many faces have both, and the plan is set after the 3D scan.
Ultherapy vs Ultherapy Prime: what is the difference?
On our list they are two separate lines: Ulthera at 280,000 KRW and Ultherapy Prime at 400,000 KRW per 100 shots, before 10% VAT. The Ultherapy Prime described on this page works at 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm with DeepSEE real-time imaging. Ask which line a quote names; the shot count is set at consultation.
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
