Songpa Thermage vs. Ulthera? Read This First to Make a Smart Decision

Nice to meet you.

I’m Jin-Young Lim, CEO of Piap Clinic.

There are times when you felt fine

just yesterday,

but when you look today,

the nasolabial folds seem especially

deep.

If your skin elasticity has also dropped

and your facial contour feels like it is

sagging?

You naturally start thinking,

“Maybe I should get a lifting treatment too.”

But when you actually start looking into it,

terms like Songpa Thermage and Ulthera

already feel complicated,

and many people are left unsure

about which one to choose.

So today, I prepared this post

to help ease those concerns.

If you focus for just 3 minutes and

read this article,

you will understand the differences

between these two procedures,

as well as what the key factor is

that determines lifting results.

Thermage vs. Ulthera?

They are different in this way.

Songpa Thermage vs. Ulthera? Read This First to Make a Smart Decision

Both are well-known lifting devices,

but the depth of the skin layer they target

and the way they lift are different.

This matters because lifting is not simply

about pulling the skin surface tighter,

but about stimulating a specific layer

within the skin to lift the structure itself.

First, Thermage uses radiofrequency to

stimulate the dermis, which is closer to

the skin surface, causing collagen fibers

to contract.

This adds firmness and density to the skin.

Ulthera, on the other hand, delivers

ultrasound deeply into the face,

all the way to the SMAS layer,

which surrounds the muscles.

As a result, it tightens the SMAS layer

and lifts the overall facial structure upward.

It can also be compared this way.

Thermage is more like replacing the wallpaper

on a wall and reinforcing the insulation

inside it,

whereas Ulthera is like rebuilding

the pillars of an old building.

So rather than saying one is better,

it is more important to first identify

which layer your concern starts from

and reinforce the necessary area.

The key factor that determines lifting results

Songpa Thermage vs. Ulthera? Read This First to Make a Smart Decision

“Isn’t a higher shot count better?”

Most people think this way,

but what determines lifting results is

the exact placement rather than the number

of shots.

That is because even with the same 300 shots,

the result differs depending on where

and how deeply they are delivered.

For example, let’s say there is a woman

in her 40s whose left cheek has sagged

significantly while the right side is

relatively fine.

What happens if 150 shots are divided

evenly and delivered to both cheeks?

The less sagged right side may be pulled

too much, creating facial asymmetry,

and

the more sagged left side may still show

only minimal improvement, resulting in

low satisfaction.

That is why these days, what matters most

is not simply having more shots,

but more personalized targeting.

I believe this is

what lies at the heart of lifting.

After precisely analyzing the facial structure,

elasticity, and the degree of sagging,

personalized targeting can achieve better

results than simply increasing the shot count.

In addition, the technique of delivering

the treatment to the exact place at the exact

depth is what determines patient satisfaction.

Why personalized

treatment matters

“My friend got Songpa Thermage

and looked so much better.

I saw on YouTube that celebrities got Ulthera?”

If your friend had a certain procedure

and it worked well, will you get the same

result if you have that exact same procedure?

Probably not.

Every person’s face is different, so there is

no certainty; therefore, these kinds of reviews

are not very meaningful.

That is why personalized treatment is

so important in lifting.

This is because everyone has a different face shape,

fat distribution, skin thickness, degree of elasticity,

and direction of sagging.

Some people think the cheeks are sagging because

the area under the cheekbones looks hollow,

but

in reality, the cause may be volume loss,

and

for others, what feels like a sagging jawline may

actually be due to fat accumulation under the chin.

As a result, an exact cause analysis through

precise facial assessment is needed,

and to do that, tools such as 3D facial analysis

equipment are widely used these days.

In the end,

it is important to precisely determine

where the sagging area is,

how deep it is,

and how much elasticity remains.

Without this information,

if you choose based only on guesses like

“Thermage is good” or “Ulthera might be better,”

the effect will be limited and satisfaction

will be low, leaving you no choice but

to regret it.

So lifting must start with properly understanding

your own face,

and only with precise analysis and planning

can the procedure results change.

Closing remarks

So far, we have looked at the differences

between Thermage and Ulthera,

and what really matters in lifting.

To summarize the key points:

Rather than the specific machine itself,

what matters much more is which skin type

it is used on and for what purpose,

and treatment tailored to the individual face

increases satisfaction.

So rather than immediately worrying about

whether to choose Songpa Thermage or Ulthera,

I recommend finding a clinic that can properly

understand and analyze your face first,

and then receiving a detailed consultation.

Thank you for reading this long post.

This has been Jin-Young Lim,

CEO of Piap Clinic.

Recommended column to read together

Piap Clinic
Main number: 02-420-8883

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