Focused ultrasound lifting
Ultherapy Prime in Myeongdong, Seoul
The reference lifting treatment, on Merz Aesthetics hardware, at a Seoul price. One table below shows the list, standard and first-visit prices together, with VAT added.
- KRW 979,000300 shots, first visit, VAT included
- 30–90 minin the chair
- Redness 1 dayjawline tender 2–3 days
Quick answer
Ultherapy Prime at Kind Global Clinic Myeongdong is microfocused ultrasound delivered on the Ulthera platform by Merz Aesthetics, placing energy at fixed depths of 4.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 1.5 mm. A 300-shot full-face session costs KRW 1,199,000 including 10% VAT on a return visit, or KRW 979,000 once on a first visit. It takes 30–90 minutes, and a physician plans and performs it.
Mechanism
Energy at a fixed depth, under a live image
What separates this from the rest of the lifting market is not the ultrasound. It is that the operator can see the tissue layer before firing into it.
Microfocused ultrasound works by concentrating acoustic energy into a small focal point below the skin surface, raising the temperature there to the range at which collagen contracts and a wound-healing response begins. The surface is not the target and is largely spared, which is why there is no open wound and no ablation to recover from. The response builds over the following weeks as new collagen forms, so nothing much appears to happen for the first month.
Depth is set by the transducer rather than by operator feel. Ultherapy Prime uses transducers calibrated to 4.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 1.5 mm; the 4.5 mm transducer places energy at the level of the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, the fibrous layer a surgical facelift repositions. A treatment plan is a sequence of passes at different depths across a mapped area, not a single setting applied everywhere.
The distinguishing feature of this platform is real-time visualization: the operator sees an ultrasound image of the tissue layers before delivering energy, and can confirm that the focal point is where it is supposed to be rather than inferring it. Merz Aesthetics markets this as the platform’s differentiator, and it is a genuine one — most focused-ultrasound devices, including good ones, fire without imaging. The US FDA has cleared Ultherapy Prime for non-surgical lifting, and it is registered with Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, the regulator for treatment performed in Seoul.
Shot count is the unit of pricing because it is the unit of dose. Three hundred shots is a full-face treatment at a normal density; 600 shots covers a larger area or a denser pass; 100 to 200 shots is a targeted single-area treatment. More shots is not automatically better — density beyond what the tissue needs adds discomfort and cost without adding lift, and a physician setting the plan should be willing to talk you down as readily as up.
Suitability
Who it suits, and who should not have it
The right-hand column matters more than the left. A physician confirms both in person before anything starts.
Likely a good fit
- Early to moderate laxity along the jawline, jowls and under the chin, where the skin has lost tension but not volume
- Someone who wants to avoid surgery and accepts a gradual, partial result rather than a dramatic one
- Skin with reasonable thickness and elasticity — the response depends on there being collagen to remodel
- A visitor with a short trip, since there is no open wound and daily activity is generally possible the same day
- Anyone who has had a good result from focused ultrasound before and wants to hold it, rather than someone trying the category for the first time
- People who want the treated depth confirmed by imaging rather than estimated
Not suitable, or needs review first
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding — there is no safety data supporting treatment, so it is deferred
- Significant volume loss rather than laxity: ultrasound tightens tissue, and cannot replace fat that is gone
- Severe skin laxity that has passed the point a non-surgical treatment can address; a surgical opinion
- Active infection, open lesions, or inflammatory acne in the treatment area
- Active electronic implants such as pacemakers or defibrillators, or metal implants in the treatment area — disclose all implants before booking
- Keloid tendency, or a history of abnormal scarring in response to thermal injury
- Isotretinoin within the last six months, recent filler or thread placement in the treatment area, or active autoimmune connective tissue disease — each needs review before, not on, the day
On the day
How long you are actually there
Each step carries its duration so a visit can be planned around a flight rather than the other way round.
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01
Assessment and mapping
15–20 minutes
A physician examines skin thickness, laxity pattern and prior treatments, then maps the treatment area and decides the depths and shot distribution. Anything that rules the treatment out surfaces here.
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02
Cleansing and topical anesthetic
20–30 minutes
A nurse applies the topical numbing and leaves it to work. This is dead time in the schedule — build it in rather than being surprised by it.
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03
Coupling and imaging
5 minutes
Gel is applied and the operator confirms the tissue layers on the live ultrasound image before delivering the first pass.
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04
Delivery, pass by pass
20–50 minutes
Passes run deepest first, then shallower. Sensation is a deep, brief heat with each line; most people describe it as tolerable rather than comfortable, and it stops the moment the pass does.
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05
Cooling
10 minutes
Cooling to settle surface warmth and redness, in the powder room rather than the treatment room.
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06
Aftercare briefing
5–10 minutes
Written aftercare, what to expect over the next two months, and when to message if something is not settling as described.
Allow about 75 to 125 minutes for the steps above, for a 300-shot treatment. Reception, first-visit paperwork and payment sit outside them. Schedule it early in your trip rather than on the morning you fly.
Recovery
What happens over the following weeks
Individual response varies. What follows is the usual pattern, not a promise about yours.
| Phase | What you may notice | Do | Avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Day 0 | Redness, surface warmth, mild swelling. Occasionally small welts along treatment lines. | Moisturize generously, use sun protection, keep the day light. | Sauna, jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouse), alcohol, strenuous exercise, hot showers. |
| Day 1–3 | Tenderness to pressure, a bruised feeling on the jawline, occasional visible bruising. Chewing may feel odd. | Continue sun protection. Soft food if the jaw is tender. | Facial massage, strong exfoliation, high heat, deep pressure on the treated area. |
| Week 1–2 | Tenderness fades. Little visible change yet — this is the phase people misread as failure. | Return to normal skincare and exercise. Take a reference photograph in the same light. | Judging the result. Booking a second treatment out of impatience. |
| Month 2–3 | The collagen response completes, and this is when change is most visible if it is going to be. | Compare against your day-zero photograph in the same lighting, and review with the clinic. | Expecting a surgical result. This treatment tightens; it does not lift the way surgery does. |
Individual response varies, and a proportion of people see little change. Contact the clinic if redness lasts beyond 48 hours, or if you develop blistering, numbness or visible depressions in the treated area. If you suspect a complication, seek medical care promptly; messages cannot replace an examination.
Prices
List, standard and first-visit prices in one table
Three prices exist for many items, so all three are shown together. The final column is what you hand over.
Focused ultrasound lifting
| Treatment | List price (KRW) | Standard price (KRW) | First-visit price (KRW) | You pay, VAT included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ultherapy Prime100–200 shots | 540,000 | 450,000 | — | KRW 495,000≈ $370 |
| Ultherapy Prime300 shots | 1,308,000 | 1,090,000 | — | KRW 1,199,000≈ $897 |
| Ultherapy Prime600 shots | 2,508,000 | 2,090,000 | — | KRW 2,299,000≈ $1,721 |
| Ultherapy Prime200 shots · eye area | 948,000 | 790,000 | — | KRW 869,000≈ $650 |
| Ultherapy Prime300 shots · body | 1,428,000 | 1,190,000 | — | KRW 1,309,000≈ $980 |
| Ultherapy Prime300 shots · first visit only | — | — | 890,000 | KRW 979,000≈ $733 |
A dash in the list-price column means the clinic currently publishes two different figures for that item, so none is shown here until it confirms which is correct. The standard and first-visit prices for those items are not in dispute.
The other 5 treatments in the focused ultrasound lifting group belong to Shurink Universe, priced on its own page — or see the full price list for the group side by side.
The last column is what you hand over — the applicable price plus 10% VAT, which Korean clinics exclude by convention. Korean and foreign patients pay the same. US figures convert at KRW 1,336.2 to $1 (September 9, 2026).
The price page carries every treatment, how the three price columns work, and what changed with the tourist VAT refund in 2026.
Comparison
Against the alternatives in the same clinic
The honest comparison includes where the cheaper option is the better buy. Both columns to the right are treatments the same clinic offers.
| Dimension | Ultherapy Prime | Shurink Universe | Thermage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy type | Microfocused ultrasound | Focused ultrasound (HIFU) | Monopolar radiofrequency |
| Manufacturer | Merz Aesthetics | Classys | Solta Medical |
| Live tissue imaging | Yes — the operator sees the layer before firing | No | No |
| Primary target | Discrete points at set depths, to SMAS at 4.5 mm | Discrete points at set depths | Bulk heating of the whole dermis |
| Best answer for | Jawline and jowl laxity, defined edges | The same complaint at a fraction of the cost | Overall skin tightness and texture rather than an edge |
| Sensation | Brief deep heat per line | Similar, generally reported as milder | Repeated surface heat pulses |
| Where it wins | Precision and confirmation of depth | Cost, by a wide margin | Diffuse laxity and skin quality together |
If cost is the binding constraint, Shurink Universe is where to start, and no one at the clinic will argue otherwise. Ultherapy Prime earns its price through imaging-confirmed depth, not through being the same treatment with a better name.
Physicians
Who decides the plan, and who performs it
The physician sets the energy level, the depth and the treatment area at consultation, after examining your skin.
Dr. Lee Won Jin, Dr. Lee Kang In and Dr. Oh Se Won — the physicians of Kind Global Clinic Myeongdong — assess the treatment area in person and set the plan before anything begins. All three are licensed physicians practicing at a dermatology clinic, and the two representative directors have held senior elected office in the Korean Public Health Doctors Association.
If you want to know who will be holding the handpiece for your session, ask when you get in touch and you will get a straight answer in writing before you travel.
Evidence
What the literature actually says
Every citation below was checked against CrossRef and PubMed on August 17, 2026, and each carries its own limitation.
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Fabi SG. Microfocused ultrasound with visualization for skin tightening and lifting: my experience and a review of the literature. Dermatologic Surgery. 2014;40(Suppl 12):S164–S167.
A single-author clinical experience report and literature review on microfocused ultrasound with visualization for skin tightening and lifting.
Limitation A narrative review and personal case series, not a controlled trial.
These are small studies. None of them is a large randomized trial, and none of them was run at Kind Global Clinic Myeongdong. They are here so you can read the primary sources and judge them yourself. They also show the size of the evidence base, which for aesthetic devices generally is thinner than marketing implies.
Questions
Questions people ask about this treatment
Answered with numbers and intervals rather than a referral to consultation.
How much does Ultherapy Prime cost in Seoul in 2026?
Ultherapy Prime at Kind Global Clinic Myeongdong costs KRW 1,090,000 excluding VAT for 300 full-face shots, which is KRW 1,199,000 including 10% VAT. The clinic runs a separate first-visit offer on the same 300 shots at KRW 890,000 excluding VAT, available once and conditional on terms the clinic sets. That first-visit listing carries a different list price from the main one, so this page shows no list price for it until the clinic confirms which is correct — the amounts above are not in dispute. Larger and smaller doses are priced separately: 100–200 shots, 600 shots, an eye-area 200-shot treatment and a body 300-shot treatment all appear in the price table on this page. Korean and foreign patients pay the same amounts, and there is no coordination fee added on top.
How long does Ultherapy Prime last?
The clinic does not publish a repeat interval for Ultherapy Prime, and this page does not invent one. The peak of the effect arrives about two to three months after the session, not immediately, and then declines gradually rather than stopping. How long it holds depends on your starting skin quality, age, sun exposure and smoking more than on the shot count. A single figure quoted for everyone is an average rather than a prediction about you.
What is the difference between Ultherapy and Ultherapy Prime?
Ultherapy Prime is the newer generation of the Merz Aesthetics platform, with revised 1.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm transducers and faster pulse delivery than the original Ultherapy system, while keeping the real-time ultrasound visualization that distinguishes the line. In practice the treatment concept is the same — energy at confirmed depths, delivered in mapped passes — and the differences are in speed and comfort rather than in a different mechanism. Kind Global Clinic runs the Prime platform.
Does Ultherapy Prime hurt?
Ultherapy Prime is uncomfortable rather than intolerable for most people, and topical anesthetic is applied for 20 to 30 minutes beforehand. Each delivered line produces a brief deep heat or prickling sensation that stops when the pass stops; the deeper 4.5 mm passes are felt most, particularly over bone along the jawline. Tell the operator during the treatment if a particular area is too much — energy and density can be adjusted mid-session, and there is no clinical benefit to enduring it silently.
How many shots of Ultherapy Prime do I need?
Three hundred shots is a standard full-face dose and covers the great majority of first treatments at Kind Global Clinic. Six hundred shots is for a larger treatment field, a denser pass, or the addition of the neck; 100 to 200 shots suits a single targeted area such as the jawline alone. The number should come out of the physician’s assessment of your laxity pattern and skin thickness, not out of a budget conversation — extra density beyond what the tissue needs costs money and comfort without adding lift.
Can I have Ultherapy Prime if I have filler in my face?
Existing filler is not an automatic bar to Ultherapy Prime, but it changes the plan and has to be disclosed before the day. Focused ultrasound heats tissue at depth, and heat can affect some fillers and threads in the treatment field, so the physician needs to know what you have had, where, which product, and how recently. Recent placement usually means waiting. Bring the details, or a photograph of your treatment record, when you get in touch.
How soon before flying home should I have Ultherapy Prime?
The timing of your flight after Ultherapy Prime should be agreed with the treating physician before you book. Share your arrival and departure dates, and leave time for any follow-up the clinic recommends. Visible redness or swelling is only part of recovery; feeling well enough to travel does not rule out a later complication. Avoid scheduling treatment on your departure day, and confirm how to obtain care if a concern develops after you return home.
Is Ultherapy Prime cheaper in Korea than in the United States?
Ultherapy Prime at Kind Global Clinic costs KRW 1,199,000 including VAT for 300 full-face shots, which is roughly $897 at the exchange rate published on this page. To compare a US quote, check the device model, treatment area, shot count and total fee; a full-face label alone does not establish equivalent treatment. Include flights, accommodation and follow-up care in the comparison. This page does not maintain a verified US price survey, so it cannot promise a particular saving.
What can go wrong with Ultherapy Prime?
The common effects of Ultherapy Prime are redness, swelling, tenderness to pressure and occasional bruising, all settling within days. Less common problems include welts along treatment lines, and temporary numbness or altered sensation. Rarer still are a visible area of hollowing where energy has affected subcutaneous fat, and transient weakness of a facial muscle if a nerve is in the path. These are why depth mapping and an examined face matter.
Should I have Ultherapy Prime or Thermage first?
Choose between Ultherapy Prime and Thermage by what is actually bothering you rather than by price. If the complaint is a lost jawline edge, jowls or sagging under the chin, focused ultrasound at depth is the better match. If it is overall looseness and skin quality across a broader area, bulk radiofrequency heating addresses that better. They are not interchangeable and they are not competitors so much as answers to different questions — the full comparison sets out the reasoning.