qd full face ultherapy prime
Full Face Ultherapy PRIME treats the whole face — the cheeks, the jawline and lower face, the under-chin and the brow — in one mapped session. Focused ultrasound reaches three depths (1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm), and the 4.5 mm depth reaches the SMAS layer that a surgeon addresses in a facelift. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, we plan the zones and the number of lines after assessing your skin; a session usually takes about 40–60 minutes with little downtime. (Results vary by individual.)
is this for me
Who it’s for
Even if none of these describes you, we will look again at the consultation.
- Mild to moderate laxity across more than one area of the face
- People who want overall firmness rather than a single spot
- Early cheek descent, a softening jawline and under-chin fullness together
- Anyone who prefers a non-surgical approach with little downtime
Ultherapy PRIME is not a replacement for surgical lifting. Whether it suits you is confirmed during consultation.
Before you pick a treatment name, start with the cause of your concern.
start with your concern
Even a treatment with the same name takes on a different role and scope depending on your current structure, the change you want, what you have had before and the recovery time you have.
01
Where you are now, and where we start
Sagging across the whole face and the depth needed in each area
02
The change you want, the impression you keep
Rather than how much to lift, we first decide what impression to leave, then mark out how much expression and volume to keep.
03
How it differs from similar options
We compare how deep ultrasound, radiofrequency and microwave energy reach and what each does, alongside thread lifting and surgery.
04
Health information and recovery schedule
We check medication and conditions, any implant in the area, possible pregnancy and the dates that matter, then set the timing and intensity.
the
principle
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 is delivered zone by zone across the face at 1.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm, prompting the skin's own collagen renewal over the following months. The 4.5 mm depth reaches the SMAS, while the shallower depths address the dermis for firmness and surface quality. With PRIME, real-time ultrasound imaging lets the doctor see each layer before delivering energy. Ultherapy PRIME is an ultrasound 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 zone 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.
The same treatment, never the same plan.
the qd standard
Rather than a fashionable name or a fixed package, we weigh the structure found at examination, safety, recovery and the limits within one plan.
- 01DIAGNOSIS FIRSTCause before nameWe first separate out the tissue and the function behind your concern.
- 02LESS, PRECISEOnly as much as neededRather than an excessive change, we plan the smallest scope with a clear role.
- 03HONEST LIMITThe limits, explained tooWe explain the change you can expect, the alternatives, individual differences and the risks.
From consultation to follow-up, planned as one flow.
personal plan
Full Face Ultherapy PRIME treats the whole face — the cheeks, the jawline and lower face, the under-chin and the brow — in one mapped session. Focused ultrasound reaches three depths (1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm), and the 4.5 mm depth reaches the SMAS layer that a surgeon addresses in a facelift. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, we plan the zones and the number of lines after assessing your skin; a session usually takes about 40–60 minutes with little downtime. (Results vary by individual.)
Layer-by-layer diagnosis
We examine whether the sagging, the lines or the volume sit closer to the dermis, the fat or the deep supporting layer.
Mapping by area
We mark what to treat, what volume to keep and what to avoid, so the settings differ even within one face.
A plan built on response
Taking in how your skin reacted, how it felt and any earlier energy treatments, we set the intensity, the area and the follow-up point.
What the procedure is like
- Consultation and skin assessment
- Cleansing and mapping of treatment areas
- Ultrasound delivery by depth and area
- Cooling and aftercare guidance
Time: A full-face session takes about 40–60 minutes.
Please read this before treatment
- Little to no downtime; most people return to daily activities the same day.
- Temporary redness, mild swelling or tenderness across the treated zones may occur.
- Use sun protection and follow the moisturizing and soothing guidance we provide.
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
what to expect
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
Warmth as the ultrasound is delivered across the mapped zones; 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 across the face 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 across the cheeks and jawline. This varies from person to person.
2-3 MONTHS
Collagen renewal
As new collagen forms, a gradual lift and firmness across the face 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 full-face 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
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.
| Ultherapy PRIME | Thermage FLX | Sofwave | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | Focused ultrasound (imaging-guided) | Monopolar radiofrequency | Ultrasound (SUPERB) |
| 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.
Before you decide, the questions people always ask
before consultation
We plan the whole face at once, from the forehead and above the brows down to the cheeks, the jawline and under the chin. Skin thickness and the amount of fat differ by area, so we do not run at one setting throughout: we check the layers on imaging and divide the depth and density zone by zone. Whether the neck is included as well is decided at the consultation, once we see where the sagging begins.
If the sagging runs across the whole face, then yes. Lifting one area alone can make the area beside it look relatively more sunken, and a visible edge appears. Conversely, if your concern is clearly limited to the jawline, treating just that area precisely looks more natural. Which one fits is something we look at together at the examination.
For the whole face it is usually about 40–60 minutes, with the wait for the numbing cream added before that. There is no incision, so most people return to their day the same day; redness or mild swelling can linger for a few hours, so it is easier on your mind not to book it the day before something important.
That can happen if too much energy goes into a face with little fat. So in places where volume needs protecting, such as the cheeks, we lower the depth and the shot count and concentrate only on the layer where the sagging began. This is exactly why we work while watching the thickness of the fat layer on imaging — and if an area worries you, please tell us at the consultation first.
It depends what you had and when. If you have recently had another energy-based treatment, thread lifting or filler, the heat can overlap and become a burden, so we adjust the timing. Tell us the name of the treatment and roughly when you had it, and we will set the interval and the order.
The medical information on this page was reviewed by Hong Sahyeok, plastic surgeon and Medical Director of QD Clinic.
personal consultation
Tell us what bothers you now, the change you want, what you have had done before and any dates that matter. We will compare the possible approaches and their limits, calmly.
Consult now