Ultherapy PRIME Liftingin Gangnam, Seoul
Ultherapy PRIME is a non-invasive lifting treatment that uses focused ultrasound to deliver heat to the deep layers of the skin, including the SMAS layer that surgeons address in a facelift. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea, we assess your skin first, then decide the treatment areas and the number of shots. A full-face session usually takes about 40–60 minutes, with no incisions and little downtime. (Results vary by individual.)
Who it’s for
- 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.
How it works
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.
THE MECHANISM, STEP BY STEP
01Focused, not spread out
Instead of heating the surface broadly, the ultrasound is focused to precise points below the skin, leaving the surface largely untouched.
02Three 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.
03Guided 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.
04Your 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.
Treatment areas
- Full face
- QD Full Face Ultherapy PRIME — overall lift and firmness across the face.
- Eye area
- Around the brow and eyes, where skin is thin.
- Neck line
- For horizontal neck lines and under-chin laxity.
- Body
- For areas of body skin laxity, decided at consultation.
What the procedure is like
- 1Consultation and skin assessment
- 2Cleansing and mapping of treatment areas
- 3Ultrasound delivery by depth and area
- 4Cooling and aftercare guidance
Time: A full-face session takes about 40–60 minutes.
Recovery & aftercare
- 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.
What to expect over time
A general guide to how the days and months after treatment usually unfold. Results vary by individual.
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.
DAY 1-3 Settling
Any redness, mild swelling or tenderness to the touch generally eases. Makeup and normal skincare can usually resume as advised.
WEEK 2-6 Early firming
Some people notice the skin feeling a little firmer. This varies a lot from person to person.
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.)
~6 MONTHS Review & maintenance
Your doctor reviews the outcome and, if appropriate, discusses timing for a maintenance session based on your skin.
Sessions & results
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.)
How it compares
These are all non-invasive, energy-based lifting treatments — but they use different energy and reach different depths, so they suit different goals.
| Comparison | Ultherapy PRIME | Thermage FLX | Sofwave |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | Focused ultrasound (imaging-guided) | Monopolar radiofrequency | Ultrasound (SUMS) |
| Main depth | Up to ~4.5 mm — reaches the SMAS | Broad heating of the dermis | Mid-dermis (~1.5 mm) |
| Often chosen for | Deeper lift; jawline and neck laxity | Overall tightening and contour | Fine lines and early laxity |
| Sensation | Brief warmth at each point | Warm heating cycles with cooling | Generally comfortable |
| Downtime | Little to none | Little to none | Little to none |
Neither is “better” — they work differently and suit different goals. The right choice is decided after we assess your skin.
Safety & considerations
Possible reactions
- Temporary redness, a flushed feeling, or mild swelling
- Tenderness or a tingling sensation in treated areas for a short time
- Occasionally small areas of bruising
- Rarely, temporary numbness or nerve-related sensations that typically settle
When to take extra care
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding — let us know at consultation
- Active skin infection, inflammation or open lesions in the treatment area
- Implanted electrical devices, or metal implants in the area — tell your doctor
- Recent fillers, threads or other energy treatments — tell your doctor so timing can be planned
- A history of keloid or difficulty with wound healing
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.
Your care at QD Clinic
Performed by a board-certified doctor
Your treatment is performed and medically reviewed by a board-certified doctor, not delegated unsupervised.
Imaging-guided PRIME
We use the PRIME system, which shows the skin layers on real-time ultrasound before energy is delivered.
Care in your language
Consultation in English, with 中文 and 日本語 support arranged on request — including questions before you travel.
A short walk from Gangnam Station
Central Seoul location with guidance from the airport and nearby hotels, and hours shown in KST.
Frequently asked questions
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.
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.
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.
Most people return to their daily activities the same day. Redness or a flushed feeling right after treatment usually settles within hours, while mild swelling or tenderness to the touch generally eases over the next one to three days. Makeup and normal skincare can usually resume as advised, and sun protection plus the moisturizing and soothing care we suggest help the skin settle.
Ultherapy PRIME is not repeated on a fixed schedule. We first assess the result at around two to three months, once the new collagen has formed, and then decide on the next session according to how much the sagging has returned. Because how long the change holds differs with age and skin thickness, we do not recommend the same interval to everyone.
The two use different energy. Ultherapy PRIME focuses ultrasound at set depths down to the SMAS layer, so it leans toward lifting deeper sagging, while Thermage uses radiofrequency to warm the dermis over a wider area for overall tightening and texture. Neither is better in itself; what matters is which layer the change is coming from. We look at that during the skin assessment and recommend accordingly.
They are the same focused-ultrasound lifting treatment, and Ultherapy PRIME is the latest device in that line. In Korea people often just call it "Ulthera" for short. The Ultherapy performed at QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul is Ultherapy PRIME, carried out while the skin layers are checked on real-time ultrasound imaging.
We first check whether assessment and any necessary follow-up fit your stay. Share your arrival, departure and important event dates before booking. For this treatment, the expected course is as follows. 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.) Temporary redness, mild swelling or tenderness may occur. Use sun protection and follow the moisturizing and soothing guidance we provide. Examination may lead to postponement or additional visits. Confirm contact arrangements after returning home and when in-person medical care may be needed. What the doctor checks first for this treatment: “The target depth the focused ultrasound must reach, and how far the sagging goes into the SMAS”.
Often considered together
Treatments that are sometimes planned alongside this one, decided at consultation.
+Botulinum toxin
For dynamic lines from muscle movement (forehead, frown, crow’s feet), often planned alongside lifting for a balanced result.
+Thermage FLX
Radiofrequency tightening can be combined with ultrasound lifting to address different depths — sequencing is decided by your doctor.
+Skin boosters
Injectable hydration and skin-quality treatments address surface texture and glow, which lifting alone does not target.
For international patients
Consultation in English / 中文 / 日本語 · WhatsApp · WeChat · KakaoTalk · a 4-minute walk from Sinnonhyeon / Nonhyeon Station (hours in KST).
How many days should I stay?
Surgery and course-based treatments need a check-up. We tell you before you book whether that means staying longer or coming back another time.
For International Patients