Hello, I'm Dr. Ho Lee, medical director of Glory Clinic, a dermatology clinic in Nonhyeon-dong, Gangnam, where I personally handle every one-on-one consultation and treatment.
Today I'd like to talk about a question many people ask: what's the difference between 300 and 400 shots of Ultherapy?
Are 300 Ultherapy shots enough?
I recommend 300 shots for women with small faces and for people who mainly want treatment on the double chin and jawline. 300 shots isn't too few for everyone — but in most cases, sagging above the nasolabial folds below the front of the cheekbones and sagging at the sides of the cheekbones happen together, so 300 often isn't enough.
If your face is very small, or you don't have much fat along the jawline or under the chin, 300 shots may be enough. Keep in mind, though, that Ultherapy isn't something you have often. It's a lifting treatment with a relatively long interval — about once a year, or every 8 to 10 months if you want to keep things tighter — because the tissue needs time to recover afterward.
Rather than having too few shots, being disappointed, and having Ultherapy again later, it's better to decide on a sufficient number after a consultation with an experienced doctor who will perform your treatment.
What do 400 Ultherapy shots cover?
With 400 shots, we treat the entire face except the forehead, plus the double chin. That's usually enough, and Titanium Lifting or Onda Lifting is often added for extra firmness or brightening. As I explained above, Ultherapy isn't meant to be repeated at short intervals; it's meant to deliver decisive energy in a single session to get results. So rather than turning down the energy for a moderate treatment, it's important to keep the energy as high as appropriate and do it properly, once. Because Ultherapy is a high-intensity focused ultrasound device that skips the skin and delivers strong energy to the subcutaneous fat and fascia, the energy doesn't go into the skin itself. So it's best to stimulate the fat and fascia with energy that's as strong as possible.
What determines the number of Ultherapy shots
Many factors go into deciding the number of shots: how thick your fat layer is and how much fat there is, your skin thickness, how much your fascia has sagged, your age and sex, and more. Just as important is which lifting devices you've had recently, and which other devices may be combined with Ultherapy. I don't think it's a good choice to reduce your shot count just because it sounds scary or painful. If numbing cream is applied properly for 30 to 40 minutes or more, most people can comfortably tolerate around 400 to 500 shots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the number of shots the most important thing with Ultherapy?
Shot count does matter, but as with other devices, the doctor sets the energy level for Ultherapy too. There are as many as four energy levels, and at the lowest level the treatment can deliver even less energy than Shurink — so it's easy to feel the effect was minimal. Choose a clinic where an experienced doctor adjusts the energy to your face and handles your consultation and treatment.
I've never heard of Ultherapy energy levels.
Ultherapy is usually priced by shot count, so people outside the medical field naturally focus only on the number of shots. But the energy setting is just as important. Inexperienced practitioners lowering the energy out of worry about side effects is a habit that goes back a long way. What matters most is setting the energy high within an appropriate range, so enough total energy is delivered in a single session. As I explained above, Ultherapy skips the skin and delivers energy to the fat and fascia, so raising the energy doesn't damage the skin — there's no need to worry.
Key Summary
- When choosing between 300 and 400 Ultherapy shots, always consult an experienced doctor and decide on a sufficient number.
- Combining other lifting devices can make up for Ultherapy's limitations.
- The number of shots matters, but so does the energy level — so choosing an experienced doctor matters most of all.