Differences and Effect Comparison Between Eye Thermage and Eye Ultherapy

Hello, I’m Dr. Jo Won-jin, and I’ve been providing skin treatment in Hongdae for 10 years.

What treatment is good for fine lines around the eyes?

What is more effective for drooping eyelids?

If the skin around the eyes is thin and has many fine wrinkles, Eye Thermage is suitable.

If the under-eye fat is bulging out or the sagging extends from the brow bone to the eyelids, Eye Ultherapy is more appropriate.

Because the two treatments differ in the depth and principle of the energy used,

you need to choose according to your own eye area type to get a clear effect without wasting money.

Under the topic of Differences and Effect Comparison Between Eye Thermage and Eye Ultherapy,

I’ll go over the characteristics of each treatment in detail and help you figure out which one is right for you.

The photo above shows the Eye Thermage treatment monitor screen.

Table of Contents

• Difference 1: The targeted skin layer is different

• Difference 2: Whether treatment on the eyelid is possible

• Eye Thermage, Eye Ultherapy: Which treatment is right for my eye area concerns?

• Key summary for eye-area lifting (Eye Thermage vs Eye Ultherapy)

Difference 1: The targeted skin layer is different

The biggest difference is the depth to which the energy reaches.

HIFU devices such as Eye Ultherapy or Eye Shurink use ultrasound energy

to apply heat to the deep SMAS layer inside the skin, causing the tissue to contract.

Simply put, it strengthens the deep pillars supporting the skin and lifts sagging tissue.

The photo above shows Ultherapy being performed.

On the other hand, Eye Thermage delivers monopolar radiofrequency energy to the dermis layer of the skin.

This thermal energy immediately contracts aged, loosened collagen,

and then encourages new collagen to be produced over the following months.

Rather than pulling from deep within, it is specialized for tightening the thin, loose surface skin itself.

The photo above shows Thermage being performed.

Difference 2: Whether treatment on the eyelid is possible

There is also a big difference in the treatment area.

Because ultrasound devices like Eye Ultherapy need to deliver energy deeply based on areas with bone and fascia,

it is very difficult to directly treat the thin eyelid skin that covers the eyeball.

The treatment is mainly performed along the brow area or the bony lines around the eyes to aim for an indirect lifting effect.

(The blue area in the photo below can be considered the Eye Ultherapy treatment area.

The purple area is the area that can be treated with Eye Thermage.)

Eye Thermage and Eye Ultherapy treatment coverage areas

However, when using a dedicated tip, Eye Thermage

can be performed precisely and directly even on the eyelid where there is no bone.

Of course, it is designed so that the thermal energy does not reach the eyes,

but a dedicated plastic eye shield must be worn to doubly protect the eyeballs.

The black plastic in the photo above is the eye shield worn before Eye Thermage treatment.

With this safe preparation, energy can be delivered carefully and thoroughly from the eyelid to under the eyes.

The photo above shows the Eye Thermage tip, and its surface area is much smaller than a regular Thermage tip.

Eye Thermage, Eye Ultherapy: Which treatment is right for my eye area concerns?

So, which treatment should you get?

If the under-eye fat is bulging out, or if the skin around the eyes is relatively thick

and there is a strong overall feeling of heaviness and sagging, Eye Ultherapy may be appropriate.

It is advantageous for tightening deep tissue and reducing that heavy feeling.

Eyes suitable for Eye Ultherapy

On the other hand, if the skin around the eyes is as thin as paper and there are fine wrinkles all over to the point that makeup settles into them,

or if your eyelids feel visually heavy because the double-eyelid line is covered by sagging eyelid skin, Eye Thermage is a good choice.

It helps increase the density of the dermis, making the skin around the eyes gain firmness

and feel plumper.

Eyes suitable for Eye Thermage

Key summary for eye-area lifting (Eye Thermage vs Eye Ultherapy)

To summarize what I’ve said today,

Eye Ultherapy is strong for addressing heavy sagging and defining contours,

while Eye Thermage is strong for improving fine wrinkles in thin eye-area skin and tightening the eyelids.

Because everyone has different eye-area skin thickness, the pattern of sagging, and the amount of fat,

there is no single answer that is always correct.

The photo above shows what I looked like when I performed a self-treatment with Shurink.

In actual medical settings, these two characteristics are often mixed,

so during consultation, the treatments may be combined or the priority may be adjusted.

Ultimately, the most important thing is to accurately diagnose the current condition of your eye area

and find a place that can safely perform the appropriate energy treatment for that condition.

If you’re curious about the criteria for choosing a trustworthy clinic that can handle the details, please read the post below.

Start with a simple self-check at home,

and then get a careful consultation from medical staff who have solved the same concern many times. That is the most accurate approach.

Thank you. This has been Dr. Jo Won-jin.

[Another eye wrinkle treatment worth looking at together, Eye Serf]