Getting Non-Surgical Lifting in Seoul: Thermage, Ultherapy or Sofwave?

Planning a lifting treatment in Seoul: where do you start?

Start with your concern, not the device name. Has your skin thinned and lost its bounce? Have your cheeks and jawline started to drop? Or is your skin thin enough that you worry a lifting treatment will leave your cheeks looking hollow? Each of these calls for heat at a different depth, and that depth is what decides the device.

If you're fitting treatment into a vacation or business trip, there's one more thing to plan for. Lifting results don't finish on the day of treatment. They build over weeks to months, so you'll want to decide how the first few days of recovery, and the weeks that follow, fit around your travel. This guide goes in that order: concern, then device, then schedule.

Thermage FLX vs Ultherapy Prime vs Sofwave: what's the difference?

None of the three involves an incision or threads. Each creates heat beneath the skin. Heated collagen first denatures and contracts, and as the tissue heals, new collagen forms and the skin gradually tightens; that principle is shared ^[2][3]. What differs is the type of energy, the depth at which heat forms, and the shape of the heated zone.

Sofwave™ uses seven transducers (the parts that emit ultrasound) firing parallel ultrasound beams at the same time. They create a broad, cylinder-shaped heat zone in the mid-dermis, 0.5–2 mm below the surface and centered at 1.5 mm ^[1]. Each pulse warms the dermis to 60–70°C for 4–5 seconds, while Sofcool™ cooling at the contact surface measures skin temperature in real time to protect the epidermis ^[1]. Subcutaneous fat starts at about 3 mm, so this heat doesn't reach it ^[1]. A full-face treatment takes 30–45 minutes, and a single session is standard ^[1]. The Sofwave used at Cheongdam RETOO Clinic runs at an ultrasound frequency of 11.5 MHz.

Ultherapy PRIME® focuses ultrasound to a single point, much like a magnifying glass concentrating sunlight, creating 60–70°C thermal coagulation points at depths of 1.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm ^[2]. The 4.5 mm transducer reaches the SMAS, the thin fibrous layer beneath the dermis that supports the skin. The same transducer shows ultrasound imaging (DeepSEE®) down to 8 mm, so the provider can confirm the target layer before delivering energy ^[2]. One session is standard; the skin lifts gradually over 2–3 months, improvement continues for up to 6 months, and results last a year or longer ^[2].

Thermage® FLX is a fourth-generation device that uses monopolar radiofrequency (RF) rather than ultrasound ^[3]. Resistance to the current passing through tissue generates heat that warms the dermis evenly across a broad surface, while cooling protects the skin's surface ^[3]. AccuREP™ reads skin resistance with every shot and adjusts the energy. The face is treated with the 4.0 cm² Total Tip and the thinner eye area with the 0.25 cm² Eye Tip, and every tip is single-use, for one patient only ^[3]. It was cleared by the US FDA in 2017 and approved by Korea's Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in 2018 (approval No. 18-245). A session takes 30–60 minutes, one session is standard, improvement continues over 2–6 months, and results last 1–2 years ^[3].

Device	Energy	Heat depth · shape	Session time · sessions
Sofwave	Parallel ultrasound · 7 transducers	Dermis 0.5–2 mm (centered at 1.5 mm) · broad heat zone	Face 30–45 min · 1 session standard
Ultherapy Prime	Focused ultrasound · 8 mm imaging	Single points at 1.5 · 3.0 · 4.5 mm · down to the SMAS	1 session standard
Thermage FLX	Monopolar RF · 4th generation	Broad, even heating of the dermis · surface cooling	30–60 min · 1 session standard

Cheongdam RETOO Clinic also offers Hyper Titanium, which runs Alma's Soprano Titanium (Israel) with both a 2 cm² and a 4 cm² tip. The device fires three laser wavelengths, 755 nm, 810 nm and 1064 nm, simultaneously from one handpiece. Alma Lasers Korea recommends three sessions 3–4 weeks apart and notes that you can wash your face and wear makeup right after treatment ^[4]. Because it's done as a series, it's hard to complete the full plan in a single short visit, which is worth knowing in advance.

Which lifting treatment is right for my concern?

"I look saggy" can describe several different changes. When the dermis has thinned and loosened, a device that heats the dermis does the work. When the SMAS and retaining ligaments have descended, you need a device that reaches the deeper layers. So the starting point comes from sorting your concern into one of three groups.

• Firmness · fine lines · eye areaThermage FLXBroad dermal heating · 0.25 cm² Eye Tip for thin skin around the eyes
• Sagging cheeks · jawline · facial contourUltherapy Prime3.0 · 4.5 mm to the SMAS · depth confirmed on imaging
• Thin skin · worried about hollowing · eyes · mouth · neckSofwaveHeat stays at 1.5 mm in the dermis and doesn't reach fat, which starts at about 3 mm

If your skin has lost firmness overall and fine lines around your eyes bother you, Thermage FLX is the starting point. If your cheeks and jawline have dropped and your facial contour has softened, look first at Ultherapy Prime, which reaches the SMAS. If you have a lean face and thin skin and worry your cheeks might hollow after lifting, consider Sofwave first, since its heat stays in the dermis.

Most faces show more than one of these at once. In that case, Cheongdam RETOO Clinic layers devices with different roles. Softhera splits the work between Sofwave for the dermis and Ultherapy Prime for the deeper layers; Ultherti builds on Ultherapy Prime and Thermage FLX and adds Titanium. More treatment doesn't automatically mean better results, though. Where the heat overlaps, and in what order, has to be planned together.

For some faces, lifting isn't the first answer. If lost volume in the front of the cheeks is the main issue, pulling the skin won't bring back that fullness, so volume restoration comes first. A double chin with distinct fat under the jaw calls for a fat-targeting treatment first. And wrinkles caused by facial muscle movement aren't something ultrasound lifting addresses.

I have thin skin. Will lifting make my cheeks look hollow?

Thin skin and hollow cheeks aren't the same problem. Thin skin refers to the thickness of the epidermis and dermis; hollowing happens when the fat and soft tissue underneath lose volume. Thin skin alone isn't a reason to rule out lifting. The real question is whether energy reaches the fat layer, so the first thing to check is how deep the heat forms.

Sofwave is designed so that heat stays 0.5–2 mm deep in the dermis and doesn't reach subcutaneous fat, which begins at about 3 mm ^[1]. Ultherapy Prime does treat deeper layers, but it's designed so the provider selects depth while watching 8 mm ultrasound imaging of where the focal point will land ^[2]. During Ultherapy Prime treatment, Cheongdam RETOO Clinic checks the subcutaneous structure of each area again with a portable ultrasound and leaves out the 4.5 mm transducer or narrows the treatment area where there's little fat.

At your consultation, pointing to exactly where your face looks hollow is more useful than asking for a "gentle" treatment. Recent rapid weight loss, previous fat-reduction treatments, and any history of fillers or collagen-stimulating injections also tell us about the shape of your face, so mention them up front.

What happens at a lifting appointment at Cheongdam RETOO Clinic?

Cheongdam RETOO Clinic starts from the premise that even with the same device, every person's skin thickness, fat distribution and areas of sagging are different. The first step is a 3D precision skin diagnosis. Your face is photographed under four light sources (standard, gloss, polarized and UV light), and about 70 facial landmarks are measured for length, depth, proportion and angle to assess wrinkles, pores, pigmentation and firmness.

1. 013D precision skin diagnosisImaging under four light sources · about 70 facial landmarks measured
2. 021:1 consultation with the Medical DirectorDevice · depth · shot distribution · areas to leave out
3. 03Treatment guided by HeatViewA thermal imaging camera tracks skin temperature in real time
4. 04Aftercare from a dedicated teamDedicated coordinator · care team · home-care prescription

With those measurements in hand, Medical Director Dr. Kim Jae-rim decides in a one-on-one consultation which energy to use at which depth, which areas to leave out, and how to distribute the shots. Identifying areas that are better left untreated for now is part of this step too. If you're concerned about discomfort, the consultation is also where you'll choose an approach, such as numbing cream or MATRX nitrous oxide sedation.

During treatment, the clinic's own patented HeatView™ system uses a thermal imaging camera to show skin temperature in real time. Areas that haven't received enough heat can be reinforced, and output is adjusted where heat builds up, a safeguard against unwanted reactions such as burns or hollowing. Treatment takes place in a private single room with genuine tips and the full shot count. Afterwards, a dedicated coordinator and care team guide you through recovery, and a home-care prescription sets out what to do on your own.

How long should I stay in Seoul after Ultherapy or Thermage?

None of the three devices leaves a visible wound, so you go back to your day right after treatment. The reactions manufacturers describe are similar. With Sofwave, redness and swelling fade within a few hours ^[1]. With Ultherapy Prime, redness settles within a few hours, while mild swelling, tingling and tenderness to the touch can linger temporarily ^[6]. Thermage FLX can cause temporary swelling, redness, mild pain or bruising, which mostly settle within a few days ^[5].

For about a week after treatment, avoid saunas, jjimjilbang (Korean bathhouses), strenuous exercise, heavy drinking, smoking and peeling products, and keep up with sun protection and moisturizing ^[5]. These are exactly the things that tend to show up on a travel itinerary. Hot springs or sauna visits, days of heavy sweating, nights out drinking and long midday sightseeing outdoors are better scheduled before treatment than in the first week after it. On treatment day, wash your face gently with lukewarm water in the evening and don't rub the treated area.

1. Treatment dayRedness · mild swelling · gentle wash with lukewarm water
2. First weekAvoid saunas · jjimjilbang · strenuous exercise · heavy drinking · smoking · peeling produ
3. 1–12 weeksSome Sofwave changes start to show and continue over 12 weeks
4. 2–6 monthsChanges continue over 2–3 months with Ultherapy Prime and over 2–6 months with Thermage FL

Put the timing of results on your calendar too. With Sofwave, some change starts to show within a week and continues over 12 weeks ^[1]; with Ultherapy Prime and Thermage FLX, it continues over several months ^[2][3]. Changes often become visible after you're back home, so don't treat the tightness right after treatment as your final result. How long you stay and when you fly home are decided together at your consultation, based on the treatment area and how your skin responds.

Know which symptoms to watch for while you're still in Seoul. If pain gets steadily worse, redness is still spreading a day or two later, you see blisters or oozing, numbness or dull sensation persists, or one side is noticeably more swollen than the other, don't wait. Contact the clinic and get it checked. Taking photos will speed up the assessment.

Can a clinic plan my lifting treatment from photos?

Photos you send before your visit are enough to talk about your areas of concern and a general direction. Skin thickness and firmness, fat distribution, the treatment area and the shot count can't be decided from photos; they're determined after you arrive, through the 3D precision skin diagnosis and your consultation with the Medical Director. Photos of the areas you're concerned about are all we need. Please don't send photos of your ID.

Before your consultation, it helps to note the area that bothers you most and the change you'd like to see; any previous lifting, filler or collagen injections and when you had them; recent weight changes; and how long you'll be in Seoul, including your plans for the first week after treatment. Thermage FLX can't be performed on people with electrical implants such as a pacemaker, and treatment over fillers or during pregnancy or breastfeeding has not been studied ^[3]. Because this information can change which device is chosen, let us know before your consultation. Cost depends on the device, the treatment area and extent, the shot count and any treatments combined, and the final figure is given after your in-person consultation.

How does Cheongdam RETOO Clinic plan lifting for overseas visitors?

Cheongdam RETOO Clinic is in Cheongdam, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, on the 5th and 6th floors of First Light Tower, 417 Dosan-daero, a 500 m walk from Exit 4 of Apgujeongrodeo Station on the Bundang Line. Hours are 10:00–19:00 on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday, 10:00–21:00 on Thursday and 10:00–16:30 on Saturday; the clinic is closed on Sundays and public holidays, so plan your visit around a clinic day within your Seoul itinerary.

Coming from abroad doesn't change the process. Measurement with the 3D precision skin diagnosis, a one-on-one plan for device and depth from the Medical Director, and treatment while watching the heat on HeatView are the same for everyone. Because your stay has a fixed length, though, your consultation will also look at whether the plan can be completed in a single visit rather than as a series, and how the first week after treatment overlaps with your travel. Depending on your diagnosis, you may be advised that it's wiser to postpone treatment for now and wait.

The starting point isn't picking the most talked-about device; it's knowing what you want to address on your own face. At your consultation, first find out whether the cause of your concern is lost firmness, sagging in the deeper layers, or volume.