Ultherapy Prime — PECHE Clinic, Gangnam Station
HIFU lifting that focuses heat on the SMAS layer to re-tighten the face's loosened support structure · Right by Gangnam Station Exit 4
Ultherapy Prime
Ultherapy Prime is a lifting treatment that focuses ultrasound energy on single points deep in the skin (HIFU), delivering heat to the SMAS — the layer of connective tissue that supports your face from within — so that this loosened layer tightens again. It works entirely beneath the surface without breaking the skin, so you can return to your day right after treatment.
It is used when a sagging jawline or a double chin has blurred your facial contours, or when sagging brows and eye corners have started to change how you look.
▲ Each tip depth places heat in a different layer
When to Consider It
- Your jawline is losing definition and a double chin makes your face look larger
- Your cheeks have drifted downward and the folds beside your mouth look deeper
- Your brows and eye corners have settled lower, making you look tired
- Neck lines and neck sagging bother you as well
- Your schedule doesn't allow for a long recovery period
▲ Brows, cheeks, jawline, double chin, neck — the lifting direction is planned for each area
If your skin is thin and your face carries little fat, a radiofrequency treatment that builds heat in the skin's elasticity layer (the dermis) rather than the SMAS may be the right fit for you. If this is your first ultrasound lifting and you feel hesitant, there is also the option of starting with an ultrasound treatment taken in several smaller sessions. We decide together, based on your assessment results, which direction fits best.
How It's Done
1. 3D skin analysis A 3D MetaVu scan captures your facial contours, left–right balance, and skin surface condition. This becomes the basis for planning the treatment areas and lifting directions.
2. Treatment plan Looking at the scan together, we walk you through the treatment range, the number of shots (a shot = one delivery of focused ultrasound energy), the changes you can expect — and the limits.
3. Numbing cream Applied and left to absorb for 30–40 minutes.
4. Treatment Energy is delivered following the depth and shot plan set from your assessment results. We check in on pain as we go and adjust the energy level.
5. Soothing care The session ends with soothing care.
▲ Ultherapy Prime treatment in progress
Results and Recovery
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Working depths | 4.5 mm SMAS (the layer that supports the face) · 3.0 mm dermis (the layer that builds elasticity) · 1.5 mm superficial dermis (the shallow part of the dermis) |
| Treatment areas | Jawline · double chin · brows · eye area · neck |
| When results show | Immediate contraction right after → contour changes typically from around week 4 → peak around 2–3 months (individual results vary) |
| How long it lasts | 6 months to 1 year for structural SMAS lifting (varies with skin thickness and age) |
| Repeat cycle | Typically once a year — we reassess the right interval from how your skin has responded |
| Pain | A brief, sharp sting each time a pulse of heat lands · a dull, pressing warmth when it reaches the SMAS · more noticeable near bone — the jaw, forehead, and cheekbones |
| Pain control | Numbing cream before treatment · tell us what you feel during the session and we adjust the energy area by area |
| Downtime | Almost none · you can wash your face and wear makeup the same day |
The tightening you feel immediately afterward includes some swelling. The real change unfolds over 2–3 months. This treatment does not transform your face in one step. What it does is move a sagging contour line back toward where it used to be.
▲ Contraction starts right away; the lift settles in over 2–3 months
Because natural sagging gradually resumes over time, maintenance is typically considered about once a year — the right timing is reassessed from your skin's condition rather than set automatically. Radiofrequency treatments, which rebuild density in the dermis, serve a different goal — depending on your skin, the two can complement each other when combined.
Expected Reactions and Possible Side Effects
Common, temporary reactions — part of the normal response; they settle on their own:
- Some swelling, which is part of the tightness you feel right after treatment
Downtime is otherwise almost none — you can wash your face and wear makeup the same day.
Anything beyond this is uncommon. If a reaction lasts longer than expected or worsens, contact us and we'll check it with you.
When Treatment Is Postponed
If any of these apply to you, let us know during your consultation. We postpone or adjust the timing.
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- An implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker (contraindicated per the manufacturer)
- Metal implants in the treatment area
- Very little facial fat with thin skin (cheeks could look hollow — we consider other approaches together)
- Filler, fat grafting, or thread lifting within the past 1–2 months (we recommend waiting until filler has fully settled into the tissue)
How PECHE Clinic Does It
We treat by standards built on 90,000+ documented treatments. With Ultherapy Prime, the result comes down to how many shots go into which depth. Standards for each area and depth, built from over 90,000 treatments, mean every PECHE physician works to the same criteria — whoever treats you.
We plan from measurements. Where the shots go matters more than how many. The 3D scan maps your contours, left–right balance, and skin surface; we look at the screen together, then set a distribution that concentrates energy on the sagging jawline and double chin while easing off areas that shouldn't lose volume. This is how we avoid treating by feel.
▲ We look at the measurements together
Genuine tips only. In HIFU treatment, the tip accounts for much of the result and the safety. We use only genuine tips approved by Korea's MFDS (Ministry of Food and Drug Safety), and the actual shot count is displayed on the device screen as delivered.
Our prep room is behind glass. You can watch treatment preparation and hygiene management through the glass wall from the waiting area.
▲ The prep room, seen through the glass from the waiting area
We only recommend what you need. Before treatment, we tell you what to expect — and what this treatment will not solve. No same-day payment pressure, no package push. You're welcome to come in just for a consultation.
Pricing
The cost of Ultherapy Prime depends on the treatment areas and the number of shots. We set the shot count after your assessment and quote from there.
Location
PECHE Clinic 3F, 364 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul Right in front of Gangnam Station, Exit 4
This isn't a multi-session treatment, but some patients come back for a follow-up check, so an easy-to-reach location helps.
FAQ
Q1. Who performs the treatment? A: PECHE physicians who all work to the same area-and-depth standards, built from over 90,000 documented treatments. Because Ultherapy Prime results hinge on how many shots go into which depth, the shot count and coverage are set by your assessment results and these standards — not by feel. The standards stay the same no matter who treats you.
Q2. How do I know the tips are genuine? A: We use only genuine MFDS-approved tips. The prep room is open to view through the glass wall from the waiting area, and the actual number of shots delivered is displayed on the device screen.
Q3. How is the shot count decided? A: Based on the extent of sagging confirmed during your assessment and the skin condition of each area. More shots do not mean proportionally more effect — and over-concentrating them where fat is thin can leave the cheeks looking hollow.
Q4. Can I just come in for a consultation first? A: Yes. You're welcome to come in just for the assessment and consultation, then leave. Decide after you've heard your measurements, the changes to expect, and what this treatment won't solve. We won't push extra shots or ask for same-day payment.
Q5. I've had this done elsewhere — can I continue here? A: Yes. It helps to tell us when your last treatment was and, if you know, the device and shot count. How much of the previous heat stimulus remains affects how the SMAS responds, so we set the interval and intensity accordingly.