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Lifting
Ultherapy vs. ONDA Lifting: Price, Effects, and Pain Compared
"Doctor, my jawline has gone blunt and saggy. Should I have Ultherapy, or ONDA?"I don't think a week goes by without that question.Search it and you mostly get "Ultherapy is stronger," which doesn't help much.What you actually want to know is which one fits your face.The similar pricing doesn't make it easier.In Gangnam, Ultherapy runs KRW 1,200,000–1,500,000 for 300 shots,and ONDA Lifting KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000 for three sessions of 100,000J.Both get recommended for the same areas too — jawline, double chin.But the two devices are doing very different jobs.Ultherapy contracts the SMAS layer with ultrasound.ONDA Lifting (ONDA Coolwaves) breaks down subcutaneous fat with microwaves.Different layers, different goals.Here's what several years of performing both in Gangnam has taught me.Written directly by Dr. Kim Do-hoon, Medical Director of ODE ClinicUltherapy vs ONDA Lifting: The Core DifferencesLet me put the conclusion in a table first.CategoryUltherapyONDA LiftingMechanismHigh-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)MicrowaveTarget layerSubcutaneous fat layer, SMAS layerConcentrated in the subcutaneous fat layerMain purposeContraction of sagging structures, liftingFat reduction, volume reductionRecommended areasJawline, double chinJawline, double chinPain (out of 10)7–8Around 3DowntimeSwelling for 1–2 weeksAlmost noneOnset of effectFrom 2 weeks up to 3 monthsGradually over 1 monthRecommended frequencyOnce every 6–12 months3 sessions at 1-month intervalsPrice300 shots, KRW 1,200,000–1,500,000100,000J × 3, KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000Read on its own, that table can make the two look interchangeable.Look closer, though, and the distinctions that actually decide the choice start to surface.I'll take them one at a time below.Ultherapy: Effects and MechanismDepth is what sets Ultherapy apart from everything else in the category.Through 3.0mm and 4.5mm cartridges, energy travels all the way down to the SMAS layer,which sits between the subcutaneous fat and the muscle.That's the same layer plastic surgeons pull upward during a facelift.The name itself is a compound — ultrasound plus therapy.In other words, a lifting device running on high-intensity focused ultrasound.Focus that energy on a single point and the temperature there climbs to roughly 60–70℃.A microscopic injury forms, known as a thermal coagulation point.Fibroblasts wake up around it, and new collagen follows.Not Lifted Up — Re-AdheredA lot of patients picture Ultherapy pulling tissue upward the way thread lifting does.The mechanism is different.What actually happens is that the sagging SMAS layer and fibrous septa contract,so tissue that had drooped re-adheres to where it originally sat.The limitations are just as real.Since the energy also passes through the subcutaneous fat layer,patients who had little cheek volume to start with can end up with hollowing.Lifted, but gaunt — that's the outcome nobody wants.Which is why deciding what to avoid, during the design stage, matters as much as deciding where to treat.ONDA Lifting: Effects and MechanismONDA goes after fat cells selectively.Microwaves are absorbed more readily by tissue holding few water molecules and plenty of lipids.So heat concentrates in the subcutaneous fat layer, the fat cell membrane takes damage, and cell death follows.The device itself runs microwaves in the 2.45GHz band.DEKA of Italy developed it, and it also goes by the name Coolwaves.One thing worth knowing: the broken-down fat doesn't vanish on the spot.It clears gradually through metabolic processes over roughly a month.That's why a photograph taken a month later shows more change than one taken right after the session.Thermal stimulation reaches the dermis at the same time, so some collagen regeneration comes along with it.Fat down, firmness up — both at once.Where ONDA Lifting Runs Out(1) Area selection isn't precise.The handpiece works in a rubbing motion, so selectively avoiding a spot like the anterior cheek— which can hollow out — is difficult.Narrow areas such as the nasolabial fold need caution too, since the surrounding region can lose volume.(2) One session usually isn't enough.Fat cell death scales with the number of sessions.Which is why three sessions at one-month intervals is the general recommendation.(3) It doesn't fix sagging itself.ONDA was never built to target the SMAS layer.The jawline gets tidied indirectly, as weight comes off.Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting: Pain and DowntimeThis is where the experience diverges most sharply.CategoryUltherapyONDA LiftingType of painDeep, sharp painA sensation of warmingPain intensity7–8 out of 10Around 3AnesthesiaTopical anesthetic, nerve blockMostly performed without anesthesiaSwellingMarked swelling for 1 week, residual swelling up to 2 weeksAlmost noneReturn to daily lifePossible same day, though swelling persistsImmediately after the procedureThe worst of the Ultherapy pain sits along the jawline, where bone lies close to the surface.Most patients still tell me afterward that it was more manageable than they'd braced for.The swelling deserves a heads-up.It starts the day after, and because the jawline puffs up, there's a stretch where the face can look more sagged than it did before treatment.Only once that settles at around two weeks does the jawline improvement show itself.ONDA carries almost none of this.Plenty of patients drop in over a lunch break and head back to work.If a wedding, an interview, or a presentation is close at hand, ONDA is the safer bet.Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting Price ComparisonGangnam pricing below.ProcedurePriceUltherapy 100 shotsApprox. KRW 400,000–500,000Ultherapy 300 shotsApprox. KRW 1,200,000–1,500,000ONDA Lifting 100,000J × 1Approx. KRW 700,000ONDA Lifting 100,000J × 3Approx. KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000Compare single sessions and Ultherapy looks like the expensive one.Factor in the treatment interval, though, and the picture shifts.A single ONDA session is unlikely to move the needle as far as Ultherapy does, so three sessions is the realistic standard.That puts you at KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000.Ultherapy, meanwhile, holds with one session every six months at the shortest, once a year at the longest.Convert it to an annual basis and the gap between the two turns out to be smaller than it first appears.Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting: Who Each One SuitsPatients for whom Ultherapy is recommended Those who need precise shot distribution (marked sagging at the front of the face, pronounced left-right asymmetry, and similar cases) Those who want a definite change and are willing to accept pain and swelling Those who would prefer to reduce the number of visits to roughly once a year Patients for whom ONDA Lifting is recommended Those with a thick fat layer Those who have postponed lifting because of pain and downtime Those with an important event within 2–4 weeks Those undergoing lifting for the first time who would like to begin with something less demanding In practice, the choice often isn't limited to one of the two.Some patients arrive with both a thick fat layer and progressed sagging.For them, the sequence I recommend is ONDA first to take the weight off, then Ultherapy to set the structure.Combining procedures with different mechanisms also tends to stretch the result out longer.Even among lifting devices aimed at the same goal, the underlying mechanisms often differ.Repeating one procedure over and over is rarely the best long-term plan.Actual Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting Before and After PhotosCASE 1. Female in her 30s (Ultherapy 300 shots)Left: January 13, 2025Right: December 29, 2025Cheek hollowing and sagging were both present here.Patients with hollowing often assume Ultherapy is bound to make things worse,but working around the hollowed areas isn't a problem.And since Ultherapy allows more precise work than ONDA,it's actually the option I'd recommend for a case like this.The same goes for pronounced left-right asymmetry.Ultherapy lets shots be distributed exactly as intended, which puts it ahead of ONDA and its rubbing motion.CASE 2. Female in her 20s (ONDA Lifting 100,000J, before and after)Left: January 13, 2025Right: June 20, 2025Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting FAQQ. Can Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting be received together?A. They can, and it's a pairing I recommend.The layers and mechanisms involved are different.Having both on the same day is fine too.Q. Cheek hollowing is a concern — which procedure carries more risk?A. It can occur with either one.That said, it's manageable: identify the hollowed areas during the design stage and work around them.Q. Why are three ONDA Lifting sessions recommended?A. There's a limit to how many fat cells any single session destroys.Change tends to read more clearly when three sessions are done at one-month intervals.Three isn't strictly required for an effect to appear, though — first-time patients can have one session and decide from there.Q. Does swelling always occur with Ultherapy?A. It varies between individuals, but it shows up in a considerable proportion of patients.Starting the following day, marked swelling can last a week, with residual swelling up to two weeks.Cold compresses can suppress the regenerative process, so I generally don't recommend them.Q. Are both procedures effective for nasolabial folds?A. The midface, nasolabial folds included, isn't where either procedure is strongest.If nasolabial folds are your main concern, XERF, EMFACE, or Alltite are worth looking at first.Q. For a first lifting procedure, which is the better starting point?A. If the pain and swelling are acceptable to you, I'd start with Ultherapy.It produces a more dramatic result in a lot of cases.And if that alone brings enough improvement, there's no need to add ONDA at all.In ClosingUltherapy and ONDA are both lifting procedures that sharpen the jawline.Today's column ran through the mechanisms, effects, pain, and price — and a number of real differences sit between them.What matters most, though, is talking it through with the physician who'll be performing the treatment and choosing what matches your own condition. Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : Ultherapy vs. ONDA LiftingAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.25
Lifting
Onda Body Contouring in Korea: Sessions, Joules, and What It Costs
Diet is dialled in, the gym is happening, and the lower abdomen and flanks still haven't moved.I hear that a lot.Onda body contouring is aimed squarely at that kind of stubborn, localized fat.It's non-invasive, and it uses 2.45 GHz microwaves to selectively heat the subcutaneous fat layer — going after localized fat, cellulite, and skin laxity in one go.Cost in the Gangnam district runs roughly KRW 500,000 to 1,200,000 per area per session, excluding VAT.That range moves with the size of the area treated, the joule count applied, and how many sessions you end up needing.ODE Clinic has been doing lifting, tightening, and body contouring since 2022.As of 2026, our returning patient count is past 6,000.Below: how Onda actually works, who it suits, how joule settings get decided, how many sessions you should plan for, and what it costs by area.What Onda Body Contouring Is(1) Microwaves, not radiofrequencyConcentrating heat in the fat layer without burning the skin surface — that's what Onda is built to do.The frequency is what makes it possible.At 2.45 GHz, the electrical conductivity of the skin surface is low enough that energy passes through the epidermis with barely any absorption.Manufacturer data puts roughly 80% of the delivered energy into the subcutaneous fat layer,with the remaining 20% staying in the epidermis and dermis. (Source: DEKA)The device itself came out of DEKA in Florence, Italy.It delivers those 2.45 GHz microwaves under the Coolwaves name.How it generates heat also separates it from conventional radiofrequency.RF passes a current through tissue and works off the resistive heat that follows.Onda uses dielectric heating instead — the energy agitates molecules within the tissue directly, and the friction produces the heat.(2) Three things happen at onceFat reductionHeated adipocytes sustain membrane damage and release their contents.The lymphatic system clears those contents over the following weeks.Cellulite improvementHeat reaches the fibrous septa anchoring the fat lobules.That's what softens the dimpled surface appearance.Skin tighteningCollagen fibres in the dermis contract immediately, and new collagen forms behind them.The point is keeping skin firm where fat volume has just come out.(3) Handpiece depth decides the targetHandpieceDepth of actionPrimary targetDeepDeep (approx. 7 mm)Localized fat (abdomen, thighs, flanks)ShallowSuperficial (approx. 3 mm)Cellulite, skin laxity, submental areaWith fibrotic cellulite, sequence matters.A 2024 international advisory board paper recommends one to two opening sessions on the Shallow handpiece before moving to Deep.Go straight to Deep where there's considerable subcutaneous fibrosis and that fibrotic tissue acts as a shield, cutting energy transfer. (Source: Bioengineering, 2024)Cellulite that far along isn't something we see often, mind you.Who Onda Body Contouring Suits Those with stubborn lower abdominal or flank fat that persists despite diet and exercise Those with laxity and loss of firmness on the inner upper arms Those concerned about dimpled, orange-peel texture on the posterior thighs Those whose skin has loosened following weight loss, leaving the contour undefined Those experiencing reduced abdominal firmness after pregnancy Those who want to maintain their routine without downtime One thing to be clear about up front.Onda body contouring is not a weight loss procedure.The target is circumference, contour, and surface texture — not the number on the scale.It doesn't act on visceral fat, and patients with a higher body mass index tend to find the results less satisfying.Timing is worth setting expectations on too.Straight after the session, most patients notice nothing beyond a sensation of tightness.Measurable circumference change generally starts showing from two to four weeks onward.Released fat content needs time to clear metabolically, and collagen needs time to remodel.The most visible result usually lands around three months after the final session.How Joule Settings Get DecidedPricing in Korea generally runs by joule count.One joule is the standard unit of energy, and 10,000 joules equals 10 kJ.(1) Surface area comes firstThe international advisory board recommendations describe dividing the treatment zoneinto subareas of roughly 15 × 15 cm and working through them in sequence.Bigger area, proportionally higher joule count. Straightforward enough.(2) Fat thickness and tissue density come secondA thicker fat layer needs more energy to reach the thermal threshold.Thin areas work the other way.Deliver the same joule count to somewhere like the upper arm and you get more discomfort without a matching gain in result.Which is why the treating physician should palpate the area beforehand.Fat thickness, dermal elasticity, how firm any cellulite banding feels — all of it needs checking by hand.(3) Recommended joules by areaAreaRecommended joules (per session)Full abdomen100,000–200,000 JFlanks (love handles)100,000 JUpper arms (both)100,000 JThighs (both)100,000–200,000 JSubmental (double chin)50,000–100,000 JPush past these ranges and the result doesn't scale with the energy.Settings within the ranges above are what we advise.Sessions and Treatment Intervals(1) Three to four sessions for body areasA single session rarely gets you to the target level of improvement.Thermal stimulation has to accumulate before adipocyte reduction and collagen remodelling happen to any meaningful degree.International clinical data and the manufacturer protocol both land on three to four sessions for body areas.Korean clinics commonly advise three or more, spaced three to four weeks apart.(2) Three to four weeks between sessionsThe interval exists because of clearance time.Contents released from damaged adipocytes need at least two to three weeks to drain through the lymphatic system.Deliver energy again before that finishes and you add tissue burden without materially improving the outcome.(3) Duration and booster sessionsAfter a three-session course, results tend to hold for roughly six months to a year.That figure swings considerably with weight management, diet, and activity level.Since the adipocyte count itself has come down, fat accumulates more slowly in the treated area.Not a free pass, though.If the remaining adipocytes enlarge, circumference can climb again.For maintenance, a single booster session at six to twelve months is the general recommendation.Onda Body Contouring Price in KoreaGangnam district pricing below. Korean won, excluding VAT.AreaPer sessionThree-session courseFull abdomenKRW 700,000–1,350,000KRW 1,800,000–3,500,000FlanksKRW 700,000KRW 1,800,000Upper arms (both)KRW 700,000KRW 1,800,000Thighs (both)KRW 700,000–1,350,000KRW 1,800,000–3,500,000Onda Body vs Other Body TreatmentsCategoryOnda bodyLipolytic injectionEMSCULPT NEOMechanismMicrowave (2.45 GHz)PharmacologicalRF + muscle stimulation (HIFEM)Fat reductionYesYesYesMuscle gainNoNoYesSkin tighteningYesNoYesCelluliteCan improveLimitedLimitedDiscomfortLowModerateLowDowntimeMinimalSwelling, bruisingMinimalSessions3–45 or more3–4I see a steady stream of patients who reduced circumference with lipolytic injections and then found the overlying skin had loosened.Take fat out with no tightening response behind it and the contour can end up looking less defined, not more.That's where Onda separates itself.Fat reduction and skin tightening arrive together.In my own view, pairing Onda body with EMSCULPT NEO is the most effective approach. Upper arms: Onda body + EMSCULPT NEO Abdomen: Onda body + EMSCULPT NEO Thighs: Onda body + EMSCULPT NEO Buttocks: EMSCULPT NEO aloneSide Effects and LimitationsOnda body contouring is regarded as relatively safe.That isn't the same as having no side effects.(1) Common reactionsTransient erythema at the treated site is the most common by far.One clinical study saw temporary redness in roughly 72 percent of subjects, resolving within hours in most cases.Some patients report a dull soreness for several days afterwards.Think delayed-onset muscle soreness after a hard session at the gym.(2) Uncommon but noteworthy side effectsWhere energy goes in excessively, or the handpiece dwells too long in one position, you can get surface burns, blistering, or localized fat depression.Which makes a consistent handpiece movement rate a matter of technique, not just settings.(3) Limitations of the evidenceOne point deserves a frank statement.The 2024 international advisory board paper itself notes that evaluation of this method's long-term efficacy and safety is still lacking.A one-year follow-up study published in 2023 was retracted in January 2026 over deficiencies in the peer review process.So the accurate way to understand Onda body contouring is this:short- and medium-term data is accumulating, but multi-year evidence isn't there yet.Frequently Asked QuestionsQ. Is one Onda body session enough to see results?A. For real improvement, three or more.That said, one session isn't nothing.Starting with a single session and deciding on more from there is perfectly reasonable.Q. Does Onda body contouring reduce body weight?A. The scale will barely move.This isn't weight loss — circumference and contour improve as adipocyte volume comes down.Onda also doesn't act on visceral fat.Q. Is more energy always better?A. No.Each area has an appropriate range, and past it the results stop scaling.Q. When can exercise or sauna use resume after treatment?A. Normal activity, same day.Vigorous exercise, hot saunas, and heavy drinking are best left alone for at least three days.Drinking plenty of water helps clear the released fat content, too.Q. Is Onda body the same device as facial Onda lifting?A. Same device, yes.The handpieces and parameters used may differ.Q. Can Onda body contouring improve severe cellulite?A. Improvement is possible.Where fibrosis is advanced, though, the sequence matters — one to two initial sessions on the shallow handpiece, then progress to the deep one.Skip that and energy delivery gets compromised.Closing RemarksWhen you're comparing Onda body contouring prices, the headline figure isn't the one that matters.What matters is how many joules go in, across what area.Same region, same price, and actual energy delivery can still differ by a factor of two.Worth repeating as well: this isn't a weight loss procedure.Satisfaction runs highest among patients who come to it for the residual localized fat and loosened skin left over after diet and exercise have done their part.Rather than deciding on your own, consult a treating physicianwho assesses fat thickness and skin quality directly and designs the joule plan around what they find.Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : ONDA Body ContouringAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.25
Lifting
EMFACE Lifting in Seoul: Do the Results and Duration Justify the Price?
Four EMFACE sessions in Gangnam: roughly KRW 2,000,000 to 3,000,000.That's about what a single Ultherapy or Thermage session runs.So the question comes up a lot — is the lifting actually substantial enough to warrant that?I suspect the format feeds the doubt.Nobody stands over you delivering energy by hand. The applicators go on and the treatment runs itself.The effect is there, though, and it's been demonstrated in objective measurements.Today I want to open up a 2025 study in Asian patients and go through it properly.How much lifting actually happens, how long it holds, where EMFACE and Ultherapy part ways, and how it fits alongside other midface work.※ For general information about the treatment, please refer to the column EMFACE lifting results, price and treatment duration.How EMFACE Lifting WorksTwo types of energy, delivered at the same time.(1) HIFES (High Intensity Facial Electrical Stimulation)The slackened muscle itself — that's what EMFACE goes after.Devices like Ultherapy and Thermage contract the skin, the retaining ligaments, and the fascial layer. EMFACE drops a layer below all of that.Facial muscle tone declines with age, and lower tone means the muscle sits slack even at rest.But not every facial muscle does the same job.Some pull tissue upward. Others drag it down.EMFACE strengthens only the elevators.The study spells this out too.The device induces contractions in the frontalis, the zygomaticus major and minor, and the risorius— at an intensity you simply cannot produce voluntarily.Applicator positions are laid out to steer clear of depressor muscles like the glabellar muscles and the masseter, which can make wrinkles worse.Hence the nickname, "midface lifting."As the zygomaticus major and minor grow stronger, the midface reads as visually shorter.(2) RF (Radiofrequency)Electromagnetic stimulation isn't all that comes out of the device. Radiofrequency does too.EMFACE runs its RF at 3.2 MHz.That's lower than the 6.78 MHz used by Thermage or Density.Lower frequency, deeper heat.Which is why the aim here is lifting at the level of the retaining ligaments and fascia rather than dermal tightening.The study reports dermal temperature hitting 40°C within the first two minutes.From there it's maintained up to 42.5°C.That heat denatures collagen fibers and stimulates fibroblasts, which leads to new collagen and elastin formation.Human histologic studies have confirmed a 30% increase in collagen and a 102.8% increase in elastin three months out.Source: Goldberg DJ, Lal K. Treatment With Synchronized Radiofrequency and Facial Muscle Stimulation: Histologic Analysis of Human Skin for Changes in Collagen and Elastin Fibers. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2024;23:1620-1628.EMFACE Results: The Actual FiguresThe study in question came out of Siriraj Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University in Thailand.Source: Manuskiatti W, et al. The Efficacy and Safety of Synchronized Radiofrequency and High Intensity Facial Electrical Stimulation in Improving Facial Skin Laxity and Quality in Asians. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 2025;57:177-186. https://doi.org/10.1002/lsm.23878There's a reason I reach for this one specifically.Every participant was Asian, and the results were tracked with 3D measurement equipment for six months after treatment.Fifteen participants, aged 40 to 65, with mild to moderate laxity.Four weekly sessions on the forehead and both cheeks, twenty minutes each, at 100% power.At ODE Clinic, most treatments run at 100% power as well.(1) Cheek liftingFrom 1.240 mm before treatment to 1.373 mm one month after the fourth session.(2) Forehead and eyebrow liftingForehead lifting climbed from 1.447 mm to 2.140 mm.The biggest mover was the eyebrow.Baseline of 21.56 mm rose to 22.95 mm at three months — an average elevation of 1.39 mm.(3) Skin firmness and textureSkin firmness (R0) had already improved 45.68% before the third session.By six months it reached 81.24%.Here's the interesting part: firmness kept climbing even while the lifting measurements were on their way down.Crow's feet improved 12.39% at three months and 10.70% at six.Forehead pore volume dropped 66.26% at six months.Contrary to a fairly common assumption, then,the lifting effect of EMFACE has been verified in objective measurements.And there are plenty of clinical studies beyond this one.The patient self-assessment is worth a look as well.At six months, 40% of participants rated their facial contour as more than 50% improved.Another 27% put it above 75%.Not one participant reported no visible improvement at all.EMFACE Duration: What the Six-Month Data ShowsThe most candid part of this study is the durability question.Earlier papers described results holding for roughly a year after four to six sessions.These findings tell a somewhat different story.Forehead lifting peaked at 2.140 mm one month after the fourth session.At six months: 0.673 mm.About one third of the peak.Cheek lifting followed the same curve, falling from 1.373 mm to 0.580 mm.So the measured lifting effect drops to roughly a third of its high point across six months.The eyebrow held onto 1.31 mm of elevation at the same time point, though.And skin firmness kept rising right through.Why would one part fade while another holds?Because the two energies behave differently.Muscle tone drifts back toward baseline once the stimulation stops.Collagen built by radiofrequency sticks around far longer.The study makes the point outright.Facial muscles are skeletal muscles like any other — they need consistent workload to hold tone, and they atrophy without it.Which puts EMFACE closer to periodic maintenance than a one-and-done procedure.Measured results peak somewhere between one and three months after the fourth session.If there's an important date on your calendar, work backward from that window.How EMFACE Differs From UltherapyThe most frequently asked question, by some margin.Both have "lifting" in the description. The layers they act on have almost nothing in common.Ultherapy uses high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to create thermal coagulation points at 3.0 mm or 4.5 mm.Heat concentrates at a single point above 60°C, and the tissue contracts hard.The primary target is the fascial (SMAS) layer.EMFACE goes deeper still, to the muscle layer.It isn't contracting tissue — it's restoring tone to slackened muscle so the upward pulling force comes back.CategoryUltherapyEMFACEEnergyFocused ultrasound (HIFU)Electromagnetic stimulation + RF (3.2 MHz)Target layerFascia (SMAS), subcutaneous fatMuscle layer, fascial layerMechanismTissue contraction via thermal coagulation pointsRestored muscle tone + collagen regenerationStrongest areaJawline, double chinEyebrows, midface, nasolabial foldsPainPresent (anesthesia recommended)MinimalDowntimeSwelling for 1–2 weeksMinimalNumber of sessions14–6 sessions, 7–10 days apartOnset of resultsClear at 2–3 months1–3 months after the fourth sessionCollapsed jawline and a double chin? Ultherapy is closer to the right answer.Heavy-feeling eye area with midface descent deepening the nasolabial folds? EMFACE.Each has its blind spots, too.Ultherapy does little for the nasolabial region, where there's no fascia to work with, or for the jowls, where nerves run.EMFACE lacks the power to lift heavy tissue below the jawline.So they aren't competitors. They cover for each other.I see plenty of patients arrive for EMFACE after Ultherapy, once the midface still feels unresolved.EMFACE PriceAround KRW 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 for four sessions in Gangnam.Prices vary by clinic and promotion.Comparable to 600 shots of Ultherapy or 600 shots of Thermage.The cost comes mostly from consumables.The device is expensive to begin with, and new forehead and cheek applicators go on for every single session.Those are genuine consumables, and they eat a substantial share of the per-session cost.Which is why an unusually low price deserves a question — starting with whether the equipment is genuine.Who EMFACE Suits, and What to Combine It With(1) Recommended candidates People whose upper eyelids have descended, making the double eyelid line look heavy People who want to address nasolabial folds and midface lifting together People who have had Ultherapy or Thermage and want additional improvement People who want a treatment with minimal pain and downtime People preparing for a wedding or similar event who want natural facial expression And the cases where I'd generally point elsewhere: People who prefer a single-session treatment and cannot visit repeatedly People whose goal is the jawline and V-line rather than the eyebrows or midface People with implanted electrical devices such as pacemakers (2) Midface Descent Requires Looking at Three Things TogetherMidface descent never comes from one cause.Volume loss and tissue descent happen side by side.The anterior cheek and tear trough hollow out as volume goes.The tissue below them slides downward and forms the nasolabial folds.So the approach has to be threefold. Fill what's hollow, draw the descended tissue back against the underlying structure, pull the slackened muscle upward.Each procedure covers a different piece of that. Anterior cheek filler: fills the hollowed anterior cheek and tear trough, restoring structural support to the midface. XERF: contracts the fibrous septae using dual 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz frequencies, tightening the nasolabial folds and jowls. EMFACE: restores tone to the zygomatic muscles so that midface tissue is drawn upward. ODE Clinic has extensive experience with all three.Before and After Midface Sagging and Volume Loss Treatment: Emface, Filler, XerfEMFACE Side Effects and PainPain is barely a factor here.In the study, mean pain scores fell from 3.5 at the first session to 1.6 at the fourth, on a ten-point scale.The treatment got more comfortable as sessions went on, in other words.No serious adverse events were reported.Saying there are no side effects at all wouldn't be accurate, though.The most common issue in practice is poor applicator adhesion.If part of an applicator lifts away mid-treatment, radiofrequency energy concentrates on one side.That's where a mild burn or blister comes from.Most of it is preventable.Remove cosmetics and oil from the skin thoroughly beforehand, and check applicator contact during the session.Beyond that, temporary redness is the main finding.There's virtually no downtime that interferes with daily life.Frequently Asked Questions About EMFACEQ. How is this different from doing facial exercises?A. The intensity of contraction, fundamentally.HIFES induces contractions you cannot produce voluntarily, with collagen regeneration from radiofrequency happening alongside.On top of that, tensing your face recruits muscles you didn't want — the glabella, for instance.That's the ceiling on voluntary facial exercise.Q. When are EMFACE results at their best?A. One to three months after the fourth session.In the study, forehead and cheek both hit their highest values one month after the final treatment.Got an important date coming? Count backward from there.Q. Should Ultherapy or EMFACE come first?A. Pronounced laxity with the jawline as the goal — Ultherapy first.Eyebrows and midface as the main concern, or Ultherapy already done — EMFACE may serve you better.They target different layers, so plenty of patients simply do both.Q. Will EMFACE alone fill hollow cheeks?A. No.The volume measurements in the study showed no significant change in the anterior cheek or tear trough.Where volume loss is the main concern, anterior cheek filler or Hilowave belongs in the plan.Q. Can XERF and EMFACE be done together?A. Frequently combined, yes.XERF draws descended tissue back against the underlying structure while EMFACE pulls the muscle upward.For midface improvement, the two dovetail nicely.Q. How often should treatment be repeated?A. Generally 9 to 12 months after a course of four sessions.Muscle tone drifts back to baseline once stimulation stops.Treating EMFACE as periodic maintenance makes more sense than treating it as a one-off.Q. Can it be combined with fillers or botulinum toxin?A. It often is.Sequence and intervals do need adjusting by area, though.Botulinum toxin relaxes muscle, which can work against the purpose of EMFACE in certain regions.Plan it directly with the physician doing the treatment.ClosingEMFACE is a device with clearly verified results.Whether it feels worth the price comes down to what you're expecting from it.Want a change in the impression of your eye area and midface? Satisfaction tends to run high.Want a dramatic jawline correction out of a single session? Ultherapy or something else fits better.And midface descent is rarely settled by one device on its own.It calls for a combination: filling what's hollow, tightening what has descended, lifting what has slackened.Rather than deciding on your own, sit down with an experienced physician and work it out together. Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, Medical Director of ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : EmfaceAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.25
Lifting
How to Choose a Density RF Clinic in Seoul: 2026 TOP 10 Clinic Selection
ODE Clinic was selected as a TOP 10 clinic by Density treatment volume for the first half of 2026.Density is a 6.78MHz monopolar radiofrequency treatment that induces collagen remodelling in the dermis to improve skin firmness.Most people open the price list first when they're picking a clinic.Two other things deserve a look before that one.Whether the treating physician handles the consultation personally,and how much cumulative treatment experience the clinic actually holds.ODE Clinic is an anti-aging clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, built around lifting, tightening and volume procedures.Thermage, Density, XERF — we run all three monopolar radiofrequency systems side by side.Which means nobody gets steered toward one device by default.The treating physician reviews all three during consultation and recommends whichever fits.What follows are the criteria I've built up from my own case volume.What Density actually does, and what to verify before you book anywhere.Written personally by Dr. Kim Do-hoon, Representative Director, ODE Clinic. Updated: August 29, 2026What the TOP 10 Density Recognition Actually MeansTreatment volume on its own guarantees nothing.Worth saying that up front.With radiofrequency devices, though, volume carries more than a plain number does.A high case count means the physician has personally worked through a wide range of skin conditions.Energy level adjustment and shot distribution by facial zone especially.Neither reduces neatly to a manual.Two patients can both receive 600 shots and walk out with different outcomes,depending on which areas got how many shots and at what energy level.Volume isn't the same as satisfaction, mind you.Larger clinics with many physicians accumulate higher totals as a matter of course,but the person consulting and the person treating aren't always the same.So treatment volume only tells you something when you read it alongsidewhether one treating physician accumulated that experience directly.What Density Does, and HowDon't come to Density expecting a lift.This is a tightening treatment.The distinction is worth spelling out.Lifting means procedures like Ultherapy, which deliver energy to the SMAS layer and physically elevate sagging contours.Tightening delivers heat to the dermis instead, contracting loosened collagen and stimulating new collagen synthesis.Density doesn't raise sagging tissue. It makes skin firmer and smoother.The two serve different purposes and don't substitute for each other,which is exactly why so many patients have Ultherapy and radiofrequency treatments together.The patients who end up least satisfied are usually the ones who missed this distinction.Some switch from Ultherapy to a radiofrequency treatment like Density out of concern about facial volume loss.But Density won't lift sagging tissue directly.Skin texture and firmness improve; the sagging stays.If sagging is your main concern, the outcome is likely to disappoint.What Makes the Density Alpha Tip Different(1) Sequential monopolar and bipolar deliveryThermage and the Density classic tip emit monopolar radiofrequency only.The alpha tip adds something on top of that.Monopolar and bipolar radiofrequency, delivered in sequence.Bipolar distributes energy evenly across relatively superficial layers.That gives you more complete heat delivery, from the lower dermis right through to the upper.Since the superficial layers get treated alongside the deeper ones, visible change tends to be more distinct than with the classic tip.On skin analyser imaging, the degree of fine-line improvement has measurably improved compared with the classic tip.(2) What the literature shows about sequenceAn animal study has compared different sequences of radiofrequency delivery.Related study: Oh S, et al. Combined Treatment of Monopolar and Bipolar Radiofrequency Increases Skin Elasticity by Decreasing the Accumulation of Advanced Glycated End Products in Aged Animal Skin. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(6):2993. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35328415/Collagen and elastin synthesis came out highest when monopolar delivery was followed by bipolar.Monopolar lowers tissue impedance first, and bipolar energy transfers more efficiently after that.Related study: Kumar N, Baek SY. Epidermal and Dermal Regeneration Through Sequential Monopolar and Bipolar Radiofrequency: Evidence From an Aging Mouse Model. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2025;7:ojaf111. https://doi.org/10.1093/asjof/ojaf111This one was conducted on the Density device itself.Collagen density increased more with the combined monopolar and bipolar protocol than with monopolar alone.One caveat, and it's a meaningful one: both are animal studies.Stating that the same magnitude of difference reproduces on human facial skin isn't something the evidence supports yet.(3) Treatment time and discomfortDensity is a high-output device, so discomfort comes with it, much as it does with Thermage.The session moves faster, though.Thermage FLX runs roughly 35 to 40 minutes for 600 shots.The Density alpha tip covers the same count in about 25.Overall discomfort ends up lower as a result.For a closer look at pricing and tip-by-tip differences, see the column onDensity alpha tip results, cost and how it differs from Thermage.What to Check Before Choosing a Density Clinic(1) Whether the treating physician consults directlyA consultation with a coordinator and a consultation with the physician who'll be holding the handpiece are two different things.Skin thickness, fat volume, degree of sagging — all of it has to be assessed in person before anyone can say whether Density is the right call.Plenty of patients arrive having already settled on Density, change course after the consultation, and end up happy with the alternative.Getting the treating physician involved from the selection stage is worth prioritising.(2) Cumulative experience and tip consumptionThe same device produces different results in different hands.Some clinics set the energy level once and run the whole session there.Others adjust continuously according to skin thickness and treatment zone.Tip consumption is a reasonably objective proxy for that experience.Asking about cumulative treatment volume or tip usage during consultation is a fair thing to do.(3) Whether post-treatment change is documented objectivelyRadiofrequency tightening develops gradually.Which makes assessing it by eye alone difficult.Confirm that the clinic records skin analyser images before and after, and actually reviews them with you.(4) Whether other devices are discussed in comparisonA clinic that only operates Density has little choice but to arrive at Density.A clinic running both lifting and tightening devices can do something different.It can clarify whether you need tightening or lifting at this stage, before anything else.If you're weighing device options, the 2026 lifting treatment comparison — Ultherapy, XERF, EMFACE, ONDA and Alltite — may be useful.How ODE Clinic Approaches DensityAt ODE Clinic, the treating physician runs the consultation one-on-one.Whether Density is appropriate, how many shots are needed,whether a lifting treatment should be combined — all of it gets worked out together with the patient.After treatment, come back whenever you like. he treating physician reviews the change directly on skin analyser imaging.Individual results may vary.And Density doesn't get recommended to everyone.Where sagging is the primary concern, a lifting treatment may take priority over radiofrequency tightening.Where volume loss is present too, sequencing the treatments differently is often the better route.Patients new to aesthetic dermatology, unsure how to decide, get supported through that decision as well.Density Frequently Asked QuestionsQ. How many Density shots are needed?A. 600 shots or more.Thermal energy has to accumulate to a certain level before results appear.For patients in their 50s and above, or where sagging is present, 900 shots or more may be advised.Q. Which is better, Density or Thermage?A. Depends on the goal.Want the original device with the longest-established body of evidence? Thermage FLX.Prioritising cost efficiency? The Density alpha tip.Density is also what I'd suggest first for anyone sensitive to discomfort.Q. Is Density painful?A. There's a degree of discomfort.On a scale of one to ten, roughly six to seven.Treatment time is short and the cooling system runs throughout, so it lands lower than Thermage overall.For patients concerned about pain, topical anaesthetic goes on for up to one hour and thirty minutes.Q. When do Density results appear?A. Collagen contraction gives an immediate change you'll feel right after treatment.Change from collagen remodelling appears from two to three months onward, and tends to be most distinct around six months.Come back at around three months and comparative skin analyser images usually show the textural change clearly.Q. How often should Density be repeated?A. Once a year, generally.Patients who prefer a more intensive maintenance schedule sometimes repeat at six-month intervals.Q. Does Density have side effects?A. Temporary redness, swelling and a sensation of heat can occur.Burns or blistering happen rarely.That's precisely why adjusting the energy level throughout the session matters.Q. In Gangnam, is it enough to compare Density clinics on price alone?A. Price is a legitimate criterion.But the same shot count produces different outcomes depending on energy level and distribution.Check whether the treating physician consults directly, and how much cumulative experience the clinic holds, alongside whatever price comparison you're doing.Closing ThoughtsDensity has been performed for enough patients at ODE Clinic to put us among the TOP 10.It suits patients who want to slow the pace of aging naturally,and patients in their 50s and above whose skin firmness has already declined considerably.No device resolves every concern, though.Rather than deciding on your own, talk the options through with an experienced treating physician first.Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : DensityAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.09.01All Posts
By Area
Midface Looking Longer? Anterior Cheek Filler + XERF + Radiesse — Results, Before & After, Review
Hello, I'm Dr. Kim Do-hoon of ODE Clinic.These days people call a long-looking midface a "long midface," apparently.I was selected as a Restylane Eyelight Master — Eyelight being the filler made specifically for the under-eye area.And the treatments we do most often at ODE Clinic,like XERF, Radiesse and Hilowave, all happen to be effective options for improving the midface.That's probably why so many patients come to us specifically for midface concerns.Today I'd like to go over how to approach midface concerns, from the under-eye all the way down to the nasolabial folds.These are the points I explain in the consultation room every day.We'll also look at an actual case from a man in his 40s.The Points That Need AddressingThere are many reasons a midface can look long,but in most cases it comes down to sagging that begins at the under-eye area as we age.Here are the points that need addressing.(1) Filling the hollowing at the under-eye and anterior cheek(2) Reducing the volume of the sagging tissue above the nasolabial fold(3) Filling smoothly along the nasolabial line to connect itDepending on the case, what matters is using these three treatments in harmony to achieve a balanced, natural improvement. Doctor, can't this be solved with just one treatment? That would be wonderful, but no — one treatment alone won't solve all of it.Receiving what we loosely call a "lifting" treatment doesn't mean the sagging volume travels upward and fills in the hollowed areas.And leaning too far in one direction creates its own problems.(1) Too much volume treatment? → It can end up looking unnatural.(2) Too much lifting treatment? → The results are limited relative to the cost.If your budget is limited, discuss it with your doctor and put together the best combination within that budget.Building customized plans through one-on-one consultation is exactly what we do well at ODE Clinic.Now let me go through the recommended treatment for each point, one at a time.For the Under-Eye and Anterior Cheek, Filler Is My First ChoiceThere are all sorts of ways to add volume.Since Juvelook Volume became such a hit recently, a lot of patients come in hoping to be filled with a collagen booster.But "your own collagen" isn't automatically a good thing.Scars from surgery or injury are your own collagen too — and they don't look good, and they don't go away.The same goes for collagen built up through products like Juvelook Volume.If you don't like the result, you can't dissolve or remove it at will. That's the drawback.On top of that, because it induces collagen synthesis indirectly, the exact amount is hard to predict.So for the under-eye and anterior cheek — thin skin, areas that demand precise work —I recommend filler as the first choice, because it's easy to predict and possible to revise. "Doesn't filler migrate?" If it's injected properly into the right layer, migration almost never happens.At ODE Clinic we treat a large number of under-eye and anterior cheek cases every single day,and patients coming in feeling that their filler has migrated are very rare. "It's near the eye — could it cause blindness?" If filler blocks the artery supplying the retina, blindness is possible.But those major vessels are actually located around the nasolabial folds, the nose, and the glabella.The under-eye is in fact one of the safer areas.If you still don't want filler, Hilowave is an option you can use.Hilowave is thinner than filler and absorbs well, which makes it safer in terms of side effects.The one disappointment is that it doesn't last as long.[2026] TOP 5 Clinic for Hilowave Treatment | ODE ClinicFor the Fat Above the Nasolabial Fold: XERF, Ultherapy, Alltite, Lipolytic InjectionsA lot of people think of Ultherapy first when it comes to lifting.But in this area the fascia isn't as extensive as you'd expect, so rather than ultrasound lifting,XERF — which contracts the stretched fibrous septa — is often more effective.That's why I use XERF as the base, and recommend adding Ultherapy, Alltite, or lipolytic injections when you want additional effect.Since the area isn't large, it's better to apply a variety of devices in small amounts for the same cost than to pile up shots from a single device. DEEP Mode XERF | ODE Clinic"Doctor, what about thread lifting?" Thread lifting is possible too. But this isn't an area where the result is as dramatic as you'd expect.It doesn't last especially long either, so I don't do it much.Volume Treatments to Fill the Hollowed Nasolabial FoldFinally, the methods for filling a hollowed nasolabial fold.Depending on the case, I choose between Radiesse, filler, and Hilowave.My first choice is Radiesse.The nasolabial fold creases every time you talk and every time you smile,so it's important that the volume you place stays exactly where you put it. Radiesse | ODE Clinic With Radiesse, the CMC gel secures the space from the moment of injection, and collagen synthesis then occurs in that space, anchoring it together with the tissue.What's more, by varying the dilution ratio, a single syringe can address the layer that needs volume and the layer that needs firmness separately.There are clear downsides too.The CMC gel that creates the early volume is absorbed within about four months,so patients with deep hollowing need repeat treatment two or three times at four-month intervals.The nodule rate is lower than with PLA-based products, but it isn't zero. "Doctor, coming in repeatedly is inconvenient for me — I'd like to improve it in one session" That's possible. You'd use a hyaluronic acid based product such as filler or Hilowave.But because this area moves a great deal,it's important to have it done by an experienced injector so that it doesn't migrate.For patients worried about nodules, or those having a volume treatment for the first time, I sometimes recommend Hilowave.It doesn't last as long, but it's a good option for a first attempt.To SummarizeA midface that looks long has to be seen as one continuous flow, from the under-eye down to the nasolabial fold. Fill what needs filling, precisely and by a predictable method.Reduce the tissue that has descended.Connect the remaining line smoothly.How you distribute the weight across those three is ultimately what determines the result.Even if your budget is limited, that's fine.Rather than investing everything in one thing, dividing it a little across all three points often leads to higher satisfaction.If you're thinking about improving your midface, feel free to get in touch anytime.I'll look at it myself and give you my honest opinion.This has been Dr. Kim Do-hoon of ODE Clinic :)Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : Tear Trough & Cheek Filler + Radiesse: Before & After CaseAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.09.15
Lifting
How to Choose a Density RF Clinic in Seoul: 2026 TOP 10 Clinic Selection
ODE Clinic was selected as a TOP 10 clinic by Density treatment volume for the first half of 2026.Density is a 6.78MHz monopolar radiofrequency treatment that induces collagen remodelling in the dermis to improve skin firmness.Most people open the price list first when they're picking a clinic.Two other things deserve a look before that one.Whether the treating physician handles the consultation personally,and how much cumulative treatment experience the clinic actually holds.ODE Clinic is an anti-aging clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, built around lifting, tightening and volume procedures.Thermage, Density, XERF — we run all three monopolar radiofrequency systems side by side.Which means nobody gets steered toward one device by default.The treating physician reviews all three during consultation and recommends whichever fits.What follows are the criteria I've built up from my own case volume.What Density actually does, and what to verify before you book anywhere.Written personally by Dr. Kim Do-hoon, Representative Director, ODE Clinic. Updated: August 29, 2026What the TOP 10 Density Recognition Actually MeansTreatment volume on its own guarantees nothing.Worth saying that up front.With radiofrequency devices, though, volume carries more than a plain number does.A high case count means the physician has personally worked through a wide range of skin conditions.Energy level adjustment and shot distribution by facial zone especially.Neither reduces neatly to a manual.Two patients can both receive 600 shots and walk out with different outcomes,depending on which areas got how many shots and at what energy level.Volume isn't the same as satisfaction, mind you.Larger clinics with many physicians accumulate higher totals as a matter of course,but the person consulting and the person treating aren't always the same.So treatment volume only tells you something when you read it alongsidewhether one treating physician accumulated that experience directly.What Density Does, and HowDon't come to Density expecting a lift.This is a tightening treatment.The distinction is worth spelling out.Lifting means procedures like Ultherapy, which deliver energy to the SMAS layer and physically elevate sagging contours.Tightening delivers heat to the dermis instead, contracting loosened collagen and stimulating new collagen synthesis.Density doesn't raise sagging tissue. It makes skin firmer and smoother.The two serve different purposes and don't substitute for each other,which is exactly why so many patients have Ultherapy and radiofrequency treatments together.The patients who end up least satisfied are usually the ones who missed this distinction.Some switch from Ultherapy to a radiofrequency treatment like Density out of concern about facial volume loss.But Density won't lift sagging tissue directly.Skin texture and firmness improve; the sagging stays.If sagging is your main concern, the outcome is likely to disappoint.What Makes the Density Alpha Tip Different(1) Sequential monopolar and bipolar deliveryThermage and the Density classic tip emit monopolar radiofrequency only.The alpha tip adds something on top of that.Monopolar and bipolar radiofrequency, delivered in sequence.Bipolar distributes energy evenly across relatively superficial layers.That gives you more complete heat delivery, from the lower dermis right through to the upper.Since the superficial layers get treated alongside the deeper ones, visible change tends to be more distinct than with the classic tip.On skin analyser imaging, the degree of fine-line improvement has measurably improved compared with the classic tip.(2) What the literature shows about sequenceAn animal study has compared different sequences of radiofrequency delivery.Related study: Oh S, et al. Combined Treatment of Monopolar and Bipolar Radiofrequency Increases Skin Elasticity by Decreasing the Accumulation of Advanced Glycated End Products in Aged Animal Skin. Int J Mol Sci. 2022;23(6):2993. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/35328415/Collagen and elastin synthesis came out highest when monopolar delivery was followed by bipolar.Monopolar lowers tissue impedance first, and bipolar energy transfers more efficiently after that.Related study: Kumar N, Baek SY. Epidermal and Dermal Regeneration Through Sequential Monopolar and Bipolar Radiofrequency: Evidence From an Aging Mouse Model. Aesthet Surg J Open Forum. 2025;7:ojaf111. https://doi.org/10.1093/asjof/ojaf111This one was conducted on the Density device itself.Collagen density increased more with the combined monopolar and bipolar protocol than with monopolar alone.One caveat, and it's a meaningful one: both are animal studies.Stating that the same magnitude of difference reproduces on human facial skin isn't something the evidence supports yet.(3) Treatment time and discomfortDensity is a high-output device, so discomfort comes with it, much as it does with Thermage.The session moves faster, though.Thermage FLX runs roughly 35 to 40 minutes for 600 shots.The Density alpha tip covers the same count in about 25.Overall discomfort ends up lower as a result.For a closer look at pricing and tip-by-tip differences, see the column onDensity alpha tip results, cost and how it differs from Thermage.What to Check Before Choosing a Density Clinic(1) Whether the treating physician consults directlyA consultation with a coordinator and a consultation with the physician who'll be holding the handpiece are two different things.Skin thickness, fat volume, degree of sagging — all of it has to be assessed in person before anyone can say whether Density is the right call.Plenty of patients arrive having already settled on Density, change course after the consultation, and end up happy with the alternative.Getting the treating physician involved from the selection stage is worth prioritising.(2) Cumulative experience and tip consumptionThe same device produces different results in different hands.Some clinics set the energy level once and run the whole session there.Others adjust continuously according to skin thickness and treatment zone.Tip consumption is a reasonably objective proxy for that experience.Asking about cumulative treatment volume or tip usage during consultation is a fair thing to do.(3) Whether post-treatment change is documented objectivelyRadiofrequency tightening develops gradually.Which makes assessing it by eye alone difficult.Confirm that the clinic records skin analyser images before and after, and actually reviews them with you.(4) Whether other devices are discussed in comparisonA clinic that only operates Density has little choice but to arrive at Density.A clinic running both lifting and tightening devices can do something different.It can clarify whether you need tightening or lifting at this stage, before anything else.If you're weighing device options, the 2026 lifting treatment comparison — Ultherapy, XERF, EMFACE, ONDA and Alltite — may be useful.How ODE Clinic Approaches DensityAt ODE Clinic, the treating physician runs the consultation one-on-one.Whether Density is appropriate, how many shots are needed,whether a lifting treatment should be combined — all of it gets worked out together with the patient.After treatment, come back whenever you like. he treating physician reviews the change directly on skin analyser imaging.Individual results may vary.And Density doesn't get recommended to everyone.Where sagging is the primary concern, a lifting treatment may take priority over radiofrequency tightening.Where volume loss is present too, sequencing the treatments differently is often the better route.Patients new to aesthetic dermatology, unsure how to decide, get supported through that decision as well.Density Frequently Asked QuestionsQ. How many Density shots are needed?A. 600 shots or more.Thermal energy has to accumulate to a certain level before results appear.For patients in their 50s and above, or where sagging is present, 900 shots or more may be advised.Q. Which is better, Density or Thermage?A. Depends on the goal.Want the original device with the longest-established body of evidence? Thermage FLX.Prioritising cost efficiency? The Density alpha tip.Density is also what I'd suggest first for anyone sensitive to discomfort.Q. Is Density painful?A. There's a degree of discomfort.On a scale of one to ten, roughly six to seven.Treatment time is short and the cooling system runs throughout, so it lands lower than Thermage overall.For patients concerned about pain, topical anaesthetic goes on for up to one hour and thirty minutes.Q. When do Density results appear?A. Collagen contraction gives an immediate change you'll feel right after treatment.Change from collagen remodelling appears from two to three months onward, and tends to be most distinct around six months.Come back at around three months and comparative skin analyser images usually show the textural change clearly.Q. How often should Density be repeated?A. Once a year, generally.Patients who prefer a more intensive maintenance schedule sometimes repeat at six-month intervals.Q. Does Density have side effects?A. Temporary redness, swelling and a sensation of heat can occur.Burns or blistering happen rarely.That's precisely why adjusting the energy level throughout the session matters.Q. In Gangnam, is it enough to compare Density clinics on price alone?A. Price is a legitimate criterion.But the same shot count produces different outcomes depending on energy level and distribution.Check whether the treating physician consults directly, and how much cumulative experience the clinic holds, alongside whatever price comparison you're doing.Closing ThoughtsDensity has been performed for enough patients at ODE Clinic to put us among the TOP 10.It suits patients who want to slow the pace of aging naturally,and patients in their 50s and above whose skin firmness has already declined considerably.No device resolves every concern, though.Rather than deciding on your own, talk the options through with an experienced treating physician first.Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : DensityAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.09.01
Lifting
EMFACE Lifting in Seoul: Do the Results and Duration Justify the Price?
Four EMFACE sessions in Gangnam: roughly KRW 2,000,000 to 3,000,000.That's about what a single Ultherapy or Thermage session runs.So the question comes up a lot — is the lifting actually substantial enough to warrant that?I suspect the format feeds the doubt.Nobody stands over you delivering energy by hand. The applicators go on and the treatment runs itself.The effect is there, though, and it's been demonstrated in objective measurements.Today I want to open up a 2025 study in Asian patients and go through it properly.How much lifting actually happens, how long it holds, where EMFACE and Ultherapy part ways, and how it fits alongside other midface work.※ For general information about the treatment, please refer to the column EMFACE lifting results, price and treatment duration.How EMFACE Lifting WorksTwo types of energy, delivered at the same time.(1) HIFES (High Intensity Facial Electrical Stimulation)The slackened muscle itself — that's what EMFACE goes after.Devices like Ultherapy and Thermage contract the skin, the retaining ligaments, and the fascial layer. EMFACE drops a layer below all of that.Facial muscle tone declines with age, and lower tone means the muscle sits slack even at rest.But not every facial muscle does the same job.Some pull tissue upward. Others drag it down.EMFACE strengthens only the elevators.The study spells this out too.The device induces contractions in the frontalis, the zygomaticus major and minor, and the risorius— at an intensity you simply cannot produce voluntarily.Applicator positions are laid out to steer clear of depressor muscles like the glabellar muscles and the masseter, which can make wrinkles worse.Hence the nickname, "midface lifting."As the zygomaticus major and minor grow stronger, the midface reads as visually shorter.(2) RF (Radiofrequency)Electromagnetic stimulation isn't all that comes out of the device. Radiofrequency does too.EMFACE runs its RF at 3.2 MHz.That's lower than the 6.78 MHz used by Thermage or Density.Lower frequency, deeper heat.Which is why the aim here is lifting at the level of the retaining ligaments and fascia rather than dermal tightening.The study reports dermal temperature hitting 40°C within the first two minutes.From there it's maintained up to 42.5°C.That heat denatures collagen fibers and stimulates fibroblasts, which leads to new collagen and elastin formation.Human histologic studies have confirmed a 30% increase in collagen and a 102.8% increase in elastin three months out.Source: Goldberg DJ, Lal K. Treatment With Synchronized Radiofrequency and Facial Muscle Stimulation: Histologic Analysis of Human Skin for Changes in Collagen and Elastin Fibers. Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. 2024;23:1620-1628.EMFACE Results: The Actual FiguresThe study in question came out of Siriraj Hospital, Faculty of Medicine, Mahidol University in Thailand.Source: Manuskiatti W, et al. The Efficacy and Safety of Synchronized Radiofrequency and High Intensity Facial Electrical Stimulation in Improving Facial Skin Laxity and Quality in Asians. Lasers in Surgery and Medicine. 2025;57:177-186. https://doi.org/10.1002/lsm.23878There's a reason I reach for this one specifically.Every participant was Asian, and the results were tracked with 3D measurement equipment for six months after treatment.Fifteen participants, aged 40 to 65, with mild to moderate laxity.Four weekly sessions on the forehead and both cheeks, twenty minutes each, at 100% power.At ODE Clinic, most treatments run at 100% power as well.(1) Cheek liftingFrom 1.240 mm before treatment to 1.373 mm one month after the fourth session.(2) Forehead and eyebrow liftingForehead lifting climbed from 1.447 mm to 2.140 mm.The biggest mover was the eyebrow.Baseline of 21.56 mm rose to 22.95 mm at three months — an average elevation of 1.39 mm.(3) Skin firmness and textureSkin firmness (R0) had already improved 45.68% before the third session.By six months it reached 81.24%.Here's the interesting part: firmness kept climbing even while the lifting measurements were on their way down.Crow's feet improved 12.39% at three months and 10.70% at six.Forehead pore volume dropped 66.26% at six months.Contrary to a fairly common assumption, then,the lifting effect of EMFACE has been verified in objective measurements.And there are plenty of clinical studies beyond this one.The patient self-assessment is worth a look as well.At six months, 40% of participants rated their facial contour as more than 50% improved.Another 27% put it above 75%.Not one participant reported no visible improvement at all.EMFACE Duration: What the Six-Month Data ShowsThe most candid part of this study is the durability question.Earlier papers described results holding for roughly a year after four to six sessions.These findings tell a somewhat different story.Forehead lifting peaked at 2.140 mm one month after the fourth session.At six months: 0.673 mm.About one third of the peak.Cheek lifting followed the same curve, falling from 1.373 mm to 0.580 mm.So the measured lifting effect drops to roughly a third of its high point across six months.The eyebrow held onto 1.31 mm of elevation at the same time point, though.And skin firmness kept rising right through.Why would one part fade while another holds?Because the two energies behave differently.Muscle tone drifts back toward baseline once the stimulation stops.Collagen built by radiofrequency sticks around far longer.The study makes the point outright.Facial muscles are skeletal muscles like any other — they need consistent workload to hold tone, and they atrophy without it.Which puts EMFACE closer to periodic maintenance than a one-and-done procedure.Measured results peak somewhere between one and three months after the fourth session.If there's an important date on your calendar, work backward from that window.How EMFACE Differs From UltherapyThe most frequently asked question, by some margin.Both have "lifting" in the description. The layers they act on have almost nothing in common.Ultherapy uses high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) to create thermal coagulation points at 3.0 mm or 4.5 mm.Heat concentrates at a single point above 60°C, and the tissue contracts hard.The primary target is the fascial (SMAS) layer.EMFACE goes deeper still, to the muscle layer.It isn't contracting tissue — it's restoring tone to slackened muscle so the upward pulling force comes back.CategoryUltherapyEMFACEEnergyFocused ultrasound (HIFU)Electromagnetic stimulation + RF (3.2 MHz)Target layerFascia (SMAS), subcutaneous fatMuscle layer, fascial layerMechanismTissue contraction via thermal coagulation pointsRestored muscle tone + collagen regenerationStrongest areaJawline, double chinEyebrows, midface, nasolabial foldsPainPresent (anesthesia recommended)MinimalDowntimeSwelling for 1–2 weeksMinimalNumber of sessions14–6 sessions, 7–10 days apartOnset of resultsClear at 2–3 months1–3 months after the fourth sessionCollapsed jawline and a double chin? Ultherapy is closer to the right answer.Heavy-feeling eye area with midface descent deepening the nasolabial folds? EMFACE.Each has its blind spots, too.Ultherapy does little for the nasolabial region, where there's no fascia to work with, or for the jowls, where nerves run.EMFACE lacks the power to lift heavy tissue below the jawline.So they aren't competitors. They cover for each other.I see plenty of patients arrive for EMFACE after Ultherapy, once the midface still feels unresolved.EMFACE PriceAround KRW 2,000,000 to 3,000,000 for four sessions in Gangnam.Prices vary by clinic and promotion.Comparable to 600 shots of Ultherapy or 600 shots of Thermage.The cost comes mostly from consumables.The device is expensive to begin with, and new forehead and cheek applicators go on for every single session.Those are genuine consumables, and they eat a substantial share of the per-session cost.Which is why an unusually low price deserves a question — starting with whether the equipment is genuine.Who EMFACE Suits, and What to Combine It With(1) Recommended candidates People whose upper eyelids have descended, making the double eyelid line look heavy People who want to address nasolabial folds and midface lifting together People who have had Ultherapy or Thermage and want additional improvement People who want a treatment with minimal pain and downtime People preparing for a wedding or similar event who want natural facial expression And the cases where I'd generally point elsewhere: People who prefer a single-session treatment and cannot visit repeatedly People whose goal is the jawline and V-line rather than the eyebrows or midface People with implanted electrical devices such as pacemakers (2) Midface Descent Requires Looking at Three Things TogetherMidface descent never comes from one cause.Volume loss and tissue descent happen side by side.The anterior cheek and tear trough hollow out as volume goes.The tissue below them slides downward and forms the nasolabial folds.So the approach has to be threefold. Fill what's hollow, draw the descended tissue back against the underlying structure, pull the slackened muscle upward.Each procedure covers a different piece of that. Anterior cheek filler: fills the hollowed anterior cheek and tear trough, restoring structural support to the midface. XERF: contracts the fibrous septae using dual 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz frequencies, tightening the nasolabial folds and jowls. EMFACE: restores tone to the zygomatic muscles so that midface tissue is drawn upward. ODE Clinic has extensive experience with all three.Before and After Midface Sagging and Volume Loss Treatment: Emface, Filler, XerfEMFACE Side Effects and PainPain is barely a factor here.In the study, mean pain scores fell from 3.5 at the first session to 1.6 at the fourth, on a ten-point scale.The treatment got more comfortable as sessions went on, in other words.No serious adverse events were reported.Saying there are no side effects at all wouldn't be accurate, though.The most common issue in practice is poor applicator adhesion.If part of an applicator lifts away mid-treatment, radiofrequency energy concentrates on one side.That's where a mild burn or blister comes from.Most of it is preventable.Remove cosmetics and oil from the skin thoroughly beforehand, and check applicator contact during the session.Beyond that, temporary redness is the main finding.There's virtually no downtime that interferes with daily life.Frequently Asked Questions About EMFACEQ. How is this different from doing facial exercises?A. The intensity of contraction, fundamentally.HIFES induces contractions you cannot produce voluntarily, with collagen regeneration from radiofrequency happening alongside.On top of that, tensing your face recruits muscles you didn't want — the glabella, for instance.That's the ceiling on voluntary facial exercise.Q. When are EMFACE results at their best?A. One to three months after the fourth session.In the study, forehead and cheek both hit their highest values one month after the final treatment.Got an important date coming? Count backward from there.Q. Should Ultherapy or EMFACE come first?A. Pronounced laxity with the jawline as the goal — Ultherapy first.Eyebrows and midface as the main concern, or Ultherapy already done — EMFACE may serve you better.They target different layers, so plenty of patients simply do both.Q. Will EMFACE alone fill hollow cheeks?A. No.The volume measurements in the study showed no significant change in the anterior cheek or tear trough.Where volume loss is the main concern, anterior cheek filler or Hilowave belongs in the plan.Q. Can XERF and EMFACE be done together?A. Frequently combined, yes.XERF draws descended tissue back against the underlying structure while EMFACE pulls the muscle upward.For midface improvement, the two dovetail nicely.Q. How often should treatment be repeated?A. Generally 9 to 12 months after a course of four sessions.Muscle tone drifts back to baseline once stimulation stops.Treating EMFACE as periodic maintenance makes more sense than treating it as a one-off.Q. Can it be combined with fillers or botulinum toxin?A. It often is.Sequence and intervals do need adjusting by area, though.Botulinum toxin relaxes muscle, which can work against the purpose of EMFACE in certain regions.Plan it directly with the physician doing the treatment.ClosingEMFACE is a device with clearly verified results.Whether it feels worth the price comes down to what you're expecting from it.Want a change in the impression of your eye area and midface? Satisfaction tends to run high.Want a dramatic jawline correction out of a single session? Ultherapy or something else fits better.And midface descent is rarely settled by one device on its own.It calls for a combination: filling what's hollow, tightening what has descended, lifting what has slackened.Rather than deciding on your own, sit down with an experienced physician and work it out together. Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, Medical Director of ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : EmfaceAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.25
Lifting
Onda Body Contouring in Korea: Sessions, Joules, and What It Costs
Diet is dialled in, the gym is happening, and the lower abdomen and flanks still haven't moved.I hear that a lot.Onda body contouring is aimed squarely at that kind of stubborn, localized fat.It's non-invasive, and it uses 2.45 GHz microwaves to selectively heat the subcutaneous fat layer — going after localized fat, cellulite, and skin laxity in one go.Cost in the Gangnam district runs roughly KRW 500,000 to 1,200,000 per area per session, excluding VAT.That range moves with the size of the area treated, the joule count applied, and how many sessions you end up needing.ODE Clinic has been doing lifting, tightening, and body contouring since 2022.As of 2026, our returning patient count is past 6,000.Below: how Onda actually works, who it suits, how joule settings get decided, how many sessions you should plan for, and what it costs by area.What Onda Body Contouring Is(1) Microwaves, not radiofrequencyConcentrating heat in the fat layer without burning the skin surface — that's what Onda is built to do.The frequency is what makes it possible.At 2.45 GHz, the electrical conductivity of the skin surface is low enough that energy passes through the epidermis with barely any absorption.Manufacturer data puts roughly 80% of the delivered energy into the subcutaneous fat layer,with the remaining 20% staying in the epidermis and dermis. (Source: DEKA)The device itself came out of DEKA in Florence, Italy.It delivers those 2.45 GHz microwaves under the Coolwaves name.How it generates heat also separates it from conventional radiofrequency.RF passes a current through tissue and works off the resistive heat that follows.Onda uses dielectric heating instead — the energy agitates molecules within the tissue directly, and the friction produces the heat.(2) Three things happen at onceFat reductionHeated adipocytes sustain membrane damage and release their contents.The lymphatic system clears those contents over the following weeks.Cellulite improvementHeat reaches the fibrous septa anchoring the fat lobules.That's what softens the dimpled surface appearance.Skin tighteningCollagen fibres in the dermis contract immediately, and new collagen forms behind them.The point is keeping skin firm where fat volume has just come out.(3) Handpiece depth decides the targetHandpieceDepth of actionPrimary targetDeepDeep (approx. 7 mm)Localized fat (abdomen, thighs, flanks)ShallowSuperficial (approx. 3 mm)Cellulite, skin laxity, submental areaWith fibrotic cellulite, sequence matters.A 2024 international advisory board paper recommends one to two opening sessions on the Shallow handpiece before moving to Deep.Go straight to Deep where there's considerable subcutaneous fibrosis and that fibrotic tissue acts as a shield, cutting energy transfer. (Source: Bioengineering, 2024)Cellulite that far along isn't something we see often, mind you.Who Onda Body Contouring Suits Those with stubborn lower abdominal or flank fat that persists despite diet and exercise Those with laxity and loss of firmness on the inner upper arms Those concerned about dimpled, orange-peel texture on the posterior thighs Those whose skin has loosened following weight loss, leaving the contour undefined Those experiencing reduced abdominal firmness after pregnancy Those who want to maintain their routine without downtime One thing to be clear about up front.Onda body contouring is not a weight loss procedure.The target is circumference, contour, and surface texture — not the number on the scale.It doesn't act on visceral fat, and patients with a higher body mass index tend to find the results less satisfying.Timing is worth setting expectations on too.Straight after the session, most patients notice nothing beyond a sensation of tightness.Measurable circumference change generally starts showing from two to four weeks onward.Released fat content needs time to clear metabolically, and collagen needs time to remodel.The most visible result usually lands around three months after the final session.How Joule Settings Get DecidedPricing in Korea generally runs by joule count.One joule is the standard unit of energy, and 10,000 joules equals 10 kJ.(1) Surface area comes firstThe international advisory board recommendations describe dividing the treatment zoneinto subareas of roughly 15 × 15 cm and working through them in sequence.Bigger area, proportionally higher joule count. Straightforward enough.(2) Fat thickness and tissue density come secondA thicker fat layer needs more energy to reach the thermal threshold.Thin areas work the other way.Deliver the same joule count to somewhere like the upper arm and you get more discomfort without a matching gain in result.Which is why the treating physician should palpate the area beforehand.Fat thickness, dermal elasticity, how firm any cellulite banding feels — all of it needs checking by hand.(3) Recommended joules by areaAreaRecommended joules (per session)Full abdomen100,000–200,000 JFlanks (love handles)100,000 JUpper arms (both)100,000 JThighs (both)100,000–200,000 JSubmental (double chin)50,000–100,000 JPush past these ranges and the result doesn't scale with the energy.Settings within the ranges above are what we advise.Sessions and Treatment Intervals(1) Three to four sessions for body areasA single session rarely gets you to the target level of improvement.Thermal stimulation has to accumulate before adipocyte reduction and collagen remodelling happen to any meaningful degree.International clinical data and the manufacturer protocol both land on three to four sessions for body areas.Korean clinics commonly advise three or more, spaced three to four weeks apart.(2) Three to four weeks between sessionsThe interval exists because of clearance time.Contents released from damaged adipocytes need at least two to three weeks to drain through the lymphatic system.Deliver energy again before that finishes and you add tissue burden without materially improving the outcome.(3) Duration and booster sessionsAfter a three-session course, results tend to hold for roughly six months to a year.That figure swings considerably with weight management, diet, and activity level.Since the adipocyte count itself has come down, fat accumulates more slowly in the treated area.Not a free pass, though.If the remaining adipocytes enlarge, circumference can climb again.For maintenance, a single booster session at six to twelve months is the general recommendation.Onda Body Contouring Price in KoreaGangnam district pricing below. Korean won, excluding VAT.AreaPer sessionThree-session courseFull abdomenKRW 700,000–1,350,000KRW 1,800,000–3,500,000FlanksKRW 700,000KRW 1,800,000Upper arms (both)KRW 700,000KRW 1,800,000Thighs (both)KRW 700,000–1,350,000KRW 1,800,000–3,500,000Onda Body vs Other Body TreatmentsCategoryOnda bodyLipolytic injectionEMSCULPT NEOMechanismMicrowave (2.45 GHz)PharmacologicalRF + muscle stimulation (HIFEM)Fat reductionYesYesYesMuscle gainNoNoYesSkin tighteningYesNoYesCelluliteCan improveLimitedLimitedDiscomfortLowModerateLowDowntimeMinimalSwelling, bruisingMinimalSessions3–45 or more3–4I see a steady stream of patients who reduced circumference with lipolytic injections and then found the overlying skin had loosened.Take fat out with no tightening response behind it and the contour can end up looking less defined, not more.That's where Onda separates itself.Fat reduction and skin tightening arrive together.In my own view, pairing Onda body with EMSCULPT NEO is the most effective approach. Upper arms: Onda body + EMSCULPT NEO Abdomen: Onda body + EMSCULPT NEO Thighs: Onda body + EMSCULPT NEO Buttocks: EMSCULPT NEO aloneSide Effects and LimitationsOnda body contouring is regarded as relatively safe.That isn't the same as having no side effects.(1) Common reactionsTransient erythema at the treated site is the most common by far.One clinical study saw temporary redness in roughly 72 percent of subjects, resolving within hours in most cases.Some patients report a dull soreness for several days afterwards.Think delayed-onset muscle soreness after a hard session at the gym.(2) Uncommon but noteworthy side effectsWhere energy goes in excessively, or the handpiece dwells too long in one position, you can get surface burns, blistering, or localized fat depression.Which makes a consistent handpiece movement rate a matter of technique, not just settings.(3) Limitations of the evidenceOne point deserves a frank statement.The 2024 international advisory board paper itself notes that evaluation of this method's long-term efficacy and safety is still lacking.A one-year follow-up study published in 2023 was retracted in January 2026 over deficiencies in the peer review process.So the accurate way to understand Onda body contouring is this:short- and medium-term data is accumulating, but multi-year evidence isn't there yet.Frequently Asked QuestionsQ. Is one Onda body session enough to see results?A. For real improvement, three or more.That said, one session isn't nothing.Starting with a single session and deciding on more from there is perfectly reasonable.Q. Does Onda body contouring reduce body weight?A. The scale will barely move.This isn't weight loss — circumference and contour improve as adipocyte volume comes down.Onda also doesn't act on visceral fat.Q. Is more energy always better?A. No.Each area has an appropriate range, and past it the results stop scaling.Q. When can exercise or sauna use resume after treatment?A. Normal activity, same day.Vigorous exercise, hot saunas, and heavy drinking are best left alone for at least three days.Drinking plenty of water helps clear the released fat content, too.Q. Is Onda body the same device as facial Onda lifting?A. Same device, yes.The handpieces and parameters used may differ.Q. Can Onda body contouring improve severe cellulite?A. Improvement is possible.Where fibrosis is advanced, though, the sequence matters — one to two initial sessions on the shallow handpiece, then progress to the deep one.Skip that and energy delivery gets compromised.Closing RemarksWhen you're comparing Onda body contouring prices, the headline figure isn't the one that matters.What matters is how many joules go in, across what area.Same region, same price, and actual energy delivery can still differ by a factor of two.Worth repeating as well: this isn't a weight loss procedure.Satisfaction runs highest among patients who come to it for the residual localized fat and loosened skin left over after diet and exercise have done their part.Rather than deciding on your own, consult a treating physicianwho assesses fat thickness and skin quality directly and designs the joule plan around what they find.Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : ONDA Body ContouringAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.25
Lifting
Ultherapy vs. ONDA Lifting: Price, Effects, and Pain Compared
"Doctor, my jawline has gone blunt and saggy. Should I have Ultherapy, or ONDA?"I don't think a week goes by without that question.Search it and you mostly get "Ultherapy is stronger," which doesn't help much.What you actually want to know is which one fits your face.The similar pricing doesn't make it easier.In Gangnam, Ultherapy runs KRW 1,200,000–1,500,000 for 300 shots,and ONDA Lifting KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000 for three sessions of 100,000J.Both get recommended for the same areas too — jawline, double chin.But the two devices are doing very different jobs.Ultherapy contracts the SMAS layer with ultrasound.ONDA Lifting (ONDA Coolwaves) breaks down subcutaneous fat with microwaves.Different layers, different goals.Here's what several years of performing both in Gangnam has taught me.Written directly by Dr. Kim Do-hoon, Medical Director of ODE ClinicUltherapy vs ONDA Lifting: The Core DifferencesLet me put the conclusion in a table first.CategoryUltherapyONDA LiftingMechanismHigh-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU)MicrowaveTarget layerSubcutaneous fat layer, SMAS layerConcentrated in the subcutaneous fat layerMain purposeContraction of sagging structures, liftingFat reduction, volume reductionRecommended areasJawline, double chinJawline, double chinPain (out of 10)7–8Around 3DowntimeSwelling for 1–2 weeksAlmost noneOnset of effectFrom 2 weeks up to 3 monthsGradually over 1 monthRecommended frequencyOnce every 6–12 months3 sessions at 1-month intervalsPrice300 shots, KRW 1,200,000–1,500,000100,000J × 3, KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000Read on its own, that table can make the two look interchangeable.Look closer, though, and the distinctions that actually decide the choice start to surface.I'll take them one at a time below.Ultherapy: Effects and MechanismDepth is what sets Ultherapy apart from everything else in the category.Through 3.0mm and 4.5mm cartridges, energy travels all the way down to the SMAS layer,which sits between the subcutaneous fat and the muscle.That's the same layer plastic surgeons pull upward during a facelift.The name itself is a compound — ultrasound plus therapy.In other words, a lifting device running on high-intensity focused ultrasound.Focus that energy on a single point and the temperature there climbs to roughly 60–70℃.A microscopic injury forms, known as a thermal coagulation point.Fibroblasts wake up around it, and new collagen follows.Not Lifted Up — Re-AdheredA lot of patients picture Ultherapy pulling tissue upward the way thread lifting does.The mechanism is different.What actually happens is that the sagging SMAS layer and fibrous septa contract,so tissue that had drooped re-adheres to where it originally sat.The limitations are just as real.Since the energy also passes through the subcutaneous fat layer,patients who had little cheek volume to start with can end up with hollowing.Lifted, but gaunt — that's the outcome nobody wants.Which is why deciding what to avoid, during the design stage, matters as much as deciding where to treat.ONDA Lifting: Effects and MechanismONDA goes after fat cells selectively.Microwaves are absorbed more readily by tissue holding few water molecules and plenty of lipids.So heat concentrates in the subcutaneous fat layer, the fat cell membrane takes damage, and cell death follows.The device itself runs microwaves in the 2.45GHz band.DEKA of Italy developed it, and it also goes by the name Coolwaves.One thing worth knowing: the broken-down fat doesn't vanish on the spot.It clears gradually through metabolic processes over roughly a month.That's why a photograph taken a month later shows more change than one taken right after the session.Thermal stimulation reaches the dermis at the same time, so some collagen regeneration comes along with it.Fat down, firmness up — both at once.Where ONDA Lifting Runs Out(1) Area selection isn't precise.The handpiece works in a rubbing motion, so selectively avoiding a spot like the anterior cheek— which can hollow out — is difficult.Narrow areas such as the nasolabial fold need caution too, since the surrounding region can lose volume.(2) One session usually isn't enough.Fat cell death scales with the number of sessions.Which is why three sessions at one-month intervals is the general recommendation.(3) It doesn't fix sagging itself.ONDA was never built to target the SMAS layer.The jawline gets tidied indirectly, as weight comes off.Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting: Pain and DowntimeThis is where the experience diverges most sharply.CategoryUltherapyONDA LiftingType of painDeep, sharp painA sensation of warmingPain intensity7–8 out of 10Around 3AnesthesiaTopical anesthetic, nerve blockMostly performed without anesthesiaSwellingMarked swelling for 1 week, residual swelling up to 2 weeksAlmost noneReturn to daily lifePossible same day, though swelling persistsImmediately after the procedureThe worst of the Ultherapy pain sits along the jawline, where bone lies close to the surface.Most patients still tell me afterward that it was more manageable than they'd braced for.The swelling deserves a heads-up.It starts the day after, and because the jawline puffs up, there's a stretch where the face can look more sagged than it did before treatment.Only once that settles at around two weeks does the jawline improvement show itself.ONDA carries almost none of this.Plenty of patients drop in over a lunch break and head back to work.If a wedding, an interview, or a presentation is close at hand, ONDA is the safer bet.Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting Price ComparisonGangnam pricing below.ProcedurePriceUltherapy 100 shotsApprox. KRW 400,000–500,000Ultherapy 300 shotsApprox. KRW 1,200,000–1,500,000ONDA Lifting 100,000J × 1Approx. KRW 700,000ONDA Lifting 100,000J × 3Approx. KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000Compare single sessions and Ultherapy looks like the expensive one.Factor in the treatment interval, though, and the picture shifts.A single ONDA session is unlikely to move the needle as far as Ultherapy does, so three sessions is the realistic standard.That puts you at KRW 1,500,000–2,000,000.Ultherapy, meanwhile, holds with one session every six months at the shortest, once a year at the longest.Convert it to an annual basis and the gap between the two turns out to be smaller than it first appears.Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting: Who Each One SuitsPatients for whom Ultherapy is recommended Those who need precise shot distribution (marked sagging at the front of the face, pronounced left-right asymmetry, and similar cases) Those who want a definite change and are willing to accept pain and swelling Those who would prefer to reduce the number of visits to roughly once a year Patients for whom ONDA Lifting is recommended Those with a thick fat layer Those who have postponed lifting because of pain and downtime Those with an important event within 2–4 weeks Those undergoing lifting for the first time who would like to begin with something less demanding In practice, the choice often isn't limited to one of the two.Some patients arrive with both a thick fat layer and progressed sagging.For them, the sequence I recommend is ONDA first to take the weight off, then Ultherapy to set the structure.Combining procedures with different mechanisms also tends to stretch the result out longer.Even among lifting devices aimed at the same goal, the underlying mechanisms often differ.Repeating one procedure over and over is rarely the best long-term plan.Actual Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting Before and After PhotosCASE 1. Female in her 30s (Ultherapy 300 shots)Left: January 13, 2025Right: December 29, 2025Cheek hollowing and sagging were both present here.Patients with hollowing often assume Ultherapy is bound to make things worse,but working around the hollowed areas isn't a problem.And since Ultherapy allows more precise work than ONDA,it's actually the option I'd recommend for a case like this.The same goes for pronounced left-right asymmetry.Ultherapy lets shots be distributed exactly as intended, which puts it ahead of ONDA and its rubbing motion.CASE 2. Female in her 20s (ONDA Lifting 100,000J, before and after)Left: January 13, 2025Right: June 20, 2025Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting FAQQ. Can Ultherapy and ONDA Lifting be received together?A. They can, and it's a pairing I recommend.The layers and mechanisms involved are different.Having both on the same day is fine too.Q. Cheek hollowing is a concern — which procedure carries more risk?A. It can occur with either one.That said, it's manageable: identify the hollowed areas during the design stage and work around them.Q. Why are three ONDA Lifting sessions recommended?A. There's a limit to how many fat cells any single session destroys.Change tends to read more clearly when three sessions are done at one-month intervals.Three isn't strictly required for an effect to appear, though — first-time patients can have one session and decide from there.Q. Does swelling always occur with Ultherapy?A. It varies between individuals, but it shows up in a considerable proportion of patients.Starting the following day, marked swelling can last a week, with residual swelling up to two weeks.Cold compresses can suppress the regenerative process, so I generally don't recommend them.Q. Are both procedures effective for nasolabial folds?A. The midface, nasolabial folds included, isn't where either procedure is strongest.If nasolabial folds are your main concern, XERF, EMFACE, or Alltite are worth looking at first.Q. For a first lifting procedure, which is the better starting point?A. If the pain and swelling are acceptable to you, I'd start with Ultherapy.It produces a more dramatic result in a lot of cases.And if that alone brings enough improvement, there's no need to add ONDA at all.In ClosingUltherapy and ONDA are both lifting procedures that sharpen the jawline.Today's column ran through the mechanisms, effects, pain, and price — and a number of real differences sit between them.What matters most, though, is talking it through with the physician who'll be performing the treatment and choosing what matches your own condition. Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : Ultherapy vs. ONDA LiftingAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.25
Volume
What Sculptra Costs in Seoul, How Long It Lasts, and Why I Insist on Whole Vials
Sculptra runs 690,000 KRW (about 470 USD) per vial here in Gangnam, Seoul.A three-session course spaced a month apart comes to around 1,890,000 KRW (about 1,290 USD).Sculptra is a collagen stimulator built on PLLA — poly-L-lactic acid.It picked up FDA approval back in 2004, so there's more than twenty years of clinical data sitting behind it.It's the original collagen booster, and everything else in the category came after.There's one question I hear in the consultation room more than any other."Can I just get a small amount, priced by the cc?"Short answer: Sculptra is safest when it goes in one full vial at a time.I've personally injected more than 5,000 vials of collagen boosters, Juvelook Volume included.So today I'd like to walk through what Sculptra actually costs in Gangnam, how long the result holds,where the one-vial rule comes from, and what to look for when you're picking a clinic.What One Vial of Sculptra Costs in Gangnam, SeoulPricing here is set per vial.Treatment unitPriceSculptra, 1 vial × 1 session690,000 KRW (approx. 470 USD)Sculptra, 1 vial × 3 sessions1,890,000 KRW (approx. 1,290 USD)Three sessions a month apart is my baseline.Collagen fills in slowly, and building the volume up in layers simply works better than putting everything in at once.For reference, a single vial runs roughly 1,000,000 to 1,700,000 KRW in the United States.That gap is one reason so many international patients — influencers among them — get on a plane to Gangnam for aesthetic treatment.I can't give you one number and call it the right price, though.Too many things feed into it.The clinic's system, how experienced the injector is, how much time goes into hydration and dilution — all of it means the same single vial can carry a very different cost.And I'd steer you away from hunting for the cheapest option.A low price usually comes out of somewhere, and that somewhere is time spent per patient.You see it in how thorough the consultation is, in whether before-and-after imaging gets done at all,and in how a complication is handled if one turns up.Why I Ask Patients to Take Sculptra a Whole Vial at a TimePlenty of clinics break the price down by area, or sell by the cc so the number on the list looks smaller.With Sculptra I'd rather you took the full vial.(1) A price by the cc tells you nothing about what's actually going inSculptra arrives as a freeze-dried powder.It has to be dissolved in sterile water or saline before it can be injected at all.Here's where it gets slippery: the dilution ratio is different from clinic to clinic.Some reconstitute one vial into 8cc.Others go to 16cc.Which means "2cc of Sculptra" at one clinic can hold twice the PLLA of "2cc of Sculptra" at another.Try comparing price lists written in cc and you'll see the problem.The vial doesn't have that issue.It's a fixed quantity of active ingredient, and it's really the only unit that lets you compare one clinic against another fairly.(2) Split a vial and you invite infectionDivide a single vial between several patients, or stretch it across several days, and the odds of contamination climb.If infection sets in at an injection site, inflammation follows.And that inflammation can push collagen synthesis harder than anyone intended, which is how nodules happen.Nodules are the one complication I most want to stay away from with this treatment.So at ODE Clinic, one vial goes to one patient.Whatever's left at the end of the day gets discarded.(3) So what about two vials at once?The one-vial rule doesn't only work downward.It works upward too.If you want to keep nodule risk low, spacing sessions a month apart beats putting two or more vials in on the same day.That holds even for patients with broad, deep volume loss.I'd still build it up one vial at a time across three sessions.One vial per session, three sessions a month apart.That's the default.How Long Sculptra Lasts, and When to Top UpIt varies from person to person, but you're generally looking at two years or more.Unlike hyaluronic acid filler, collagen boosters tend to hold for a long stretch.The trade-off is patience.Sculptra needs somewhere between three and six months to generate collagen.Run that on a three-session schedule spaced a month apart and the final result takes about nine months to arrive. After the first session — often nothing visible yet 3 to 6 months — volume starts filling in gradually Around 9 months — the final result of the three sessions can be assessed 1.5 to 2 years — time for a one-vial touch-up In practice I see volume holding well a year out fairly regularly.Once the result settles, it stays put. That's Sculptra's real strength.Age plays into it as well.Younger patients regenerate collagen more readily, so the same single vial can produce a bigger result that lasts longer.One exception I'm firm about: if you have a fixed date coming up — a wedding, say — Sculptra isn't where I'd start you.For that, hyaluronic acid options like Juvederm, Restylane, or Hilowave fit far better.What Sculptra Does Well, Where It Stops, and How It Compares With HA FillerSculptra fills a hollow by getting your own collagen to do the work.Because the volume is your own tissue, a well-executed treatment feels natural and holds for a long time.The catch is that nobody can tell you in advance how much collagen will form.Too much of it produces a nodule you can feel, or see, which is why this treatment needs careful hands.CategorySculptraHA FillerOnset3 to 6 monthsImmediateDuration2 years or moreAbout 1 yearMain complicationNodulesVascular occlusion, tissue necrosis, blindnessTreatment areasCheeks, nasolabial foldsNearly all areasReversibilityDifficultDissolvable with hyaluronidaseIf you want fast and reversible, that's filler.If you want slow and long-lasting, that's Sculptra.Who I Recommend Sculptra To Patients whose hollow cheeks and nasolabial folds are a combined concern Patients whose volume loss is severe enough that filler might feel like a foreign body Patients who want a long-lasting result even if it fills in gradually Patients who find repeated filler sessions a burden And the people I point somewhere else first: Patients who need a visible change inside a month Patients wanting to fill thin-skinned areas like the under-eye or the anterior cheek Patients for whom nodules are a particular worry Under the eyes especially, even slightly excessive collagen synthesis can end up as a firm lump you can feel.Filler or Hilowave is the safer route there.Sculptra Before and After Photos From My PracticeCASE 1. Woman in her 30s (Sculptra, 1 vial × 3 sessions)Broadly hollow cheeks and nasolabial folds, filled with Sculptra.Restoring the cheeks tidies up the whole contour line, and sagging tends to read as improved along with it.CASE 2. Woman in her 40s (Sculptra, 1 vial × 3 sessions + 3cc temple filler)The hollow cheeks and nasolabial folds were treated with Sculptra, and 3cc of Juvederm went into the temples.Left image from December 31, 2025; right from March 14, 2026.Both cases reflect that individual's own collagen response.The same dose can fill a different amount in someone else.Choosing a Sculptra Clinic in Gangnam: Five Things Worth AskingSculptra isn't decided by equipment.It's decided by whether the principles get followed and how practised the hands are.Five things to raise at your consultation.(1) Does the clinic treat by the vial?If they only sell by the cc, ask how many cc one vial gets reconstituted into.(2) How much hydration time do they allow?This one moves nodule risk directly.(3) Does the injecting doctor do the consultation and the design?Which layer to inject and how much is a judgment that has to be made face to face.(4) Have they managed nodules before?You can lower the probability, but nothing prevents nodules completely.You want somewhere that has actually treated them — 5-FU, steroid injection, that sort of thing.(5) Are you deciding on price alone?No reason to pay more without one, but an unusually low price isn't a good sign either.A clinic with a proper system and real experience, at a price that isn't excessive — that's the target.Rather than weighing all this up on your own, find an experienced clinic and work it out with the doctor directly.Sculptra: The Questions I Get Asked MostQ. Is one vial of Sculptra enough for the whole face?A. One vial generally covers both cheeks and the nasolabial folds together.If volume loss is more severe, though, a single vial won't fill it in one go.That's why three sessions a month apart is the baseline.Q. I'd like to try a small amount by the cc first. Is that possible?A. I don't recommend it.You can't know the actual active ingredient content, and reusing what's left raises infection risk.If you want to try a small volume first, a hyaluronic acid treatment like Hilowave suits that much better.Q. When do the results start to show?A. Collagen formation takes about three to six months.On a schedule of three sessions a month apart, the whole treatment period is roughly nine months.Q. How long does Sculptra last?A. Generally two years or more.After the initial three sessions, I'd suggest a one-vial touch-up every year and a half to two years.Q. I'm worried about nodules. Is there a way to prevent them?A. Nothing prevents complications completely.You can minimize the risk through the one-vial principle, adequate hydration, and skilled cannula technique.Finding a clinic with real experience is what matters most.Q. I've had filler before. Can I have Sculptra in the same area?A. Yes. Generally not a problem.Q. Sculptra or Juvelook Volume — which is better?A. Both induce collagen synthesis.The difference sits in the material: Sculptra is PLLA, while Juvelook Volume combines PDLLA with hyaluronic acid.If a long record of accumulated data matters to you, Sculptra.If you also want some volume showing immediately after the session, Juvelook Volume tends to suit better.Wrapping UpThat's Sculptra pricing in Gangnam, how long it holds, and where the one-vial principle comes from.Used well, it's a strong option that lasts over two years.It's also hard to reverse once it's in, and a nodule is a demanding thing to manage when one shows up.Which is why I'd rather you looked past the number on the price list and asked what principles produced that number.Three questions will narrow your options considerably: does the clinic treat by the vial, is hydration time allowed, and does the injecting doctor consult with you personally.Thank you for reading — Dr. Do-hoon Kim, ODE Clinic Seoul.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : SculptraAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.11
Lifting
Thermage vs. Density vs. XERF: What Each One Actually Does, and What It Costs
Thermage, Density, and XERF all run on radiofrequency (RF) energy.Sharing an energy source, though, doesn't make them interchangeable.Each was built with a different job in mind.Thermage and Density concentrate on tightening the dermal layer.XERF takes that tightening and adds deep lifting on top of it.In Gangnam, 600 shots runs roughly KRW 2–3 million for Thermage,around KRW 1.9 million for the Density Alpha Tip, and KRW 1.6–2.5 million for XERF.The question I field most often in the consultation room never changes."Doctor, which of the three is the best treatment?"All three devices are well engineered, so there's no single answer waiting at the end of that question.What has to be settled first is simpler: does the face in front of me need tightening, or lifting?At ODE Clinic we've spent several years focused specifically on lifting treatments, and XERF alone accounts for over 650,000 shots of accumulated experience (as of August 2026).Drawing on that, I'll walk through the mechanisms, effects, pain levels, and price differences of all three — and who each one actually suits.1. Thermage vs Density vs XERF, Starting With the TableCategoryThermage FLXDensityXERFFrequency6.78MHz, single6.78MHz, single (Alpha Tip: monopolar + bipolar)6.78MHz + 2MHz, dualDepth reachedDermisDermis (concentrated in the upper dermis)Dermis to fascial layerCore effectTighteningTighteningTightening + deep liftingPain★★★★☆★★★☆☆★★☆☆☆Time for 600 shots35–40 minutesAround 25 minutesAround 45 minutesGangnam price, 600 shotsKRW 2–3 millionClassic KRW 1.5 million / Alpha Tip around KRW 2 millionKRW 1.6–2.5 millionRead the table on its own and XERF looks like the obvious winner.Change the question, though, and the answer changes with it. If fine lines and skin elasticity are what's bothering you, Thermage or Density is the better fit.Below, what each device does well.2. Lifting and Tightening Are Not the Same WordOne concept has to be settled before the comparison makes any sense.Most patients file every one of these treatments under "lifting." Strictly speaking,lifting and tightening are two different operations. Lifting — delivering energy to the fibrous septa, subcutaneous fat layer, and fascial layer to induce tissue contraction, directly improving sagging areas Tightening — delivering energy mainly to the dermis to induce collagen contraction and resynthesis, making the skin firmer Put another way: pull sagging tissue back up and that's lifting.Raise the density of the skin itself and that's tightening.The nasolabial fold makes the distinction concrete.A fold created when midface volume descends under gravity is a lifting problem.A nasolabial line etched in by declining elasticity around the mouth is a tightening problem.Nobody needs only one of the two. Almost everyone needs both.What does exist is an order — which one comes first.3. Thermage: Effects and Characteristics — Tightening With a Long Track RecordThermage (Thermage FLX) delivers monopolar radiofrequency at a single 6.78MHz frequency into the dermis, purely as a tightening device.As thermal energy accumulates, existing collagen contracts on the spot,and new collagen goes on being synthesized over the following months.Thermage's real asset is the volume of data behind it.Years of worldwide use have validated its safety and efficacy about as thoroughly as any device in this category.In my own practice, here's what patients report noticing. Immediately after treatment — the immediate collagen contraction leaves the skin noticeably smoother when washing the face Up to six months after treatment — the window where results peak, with fine lines visibly softened and elasticity restored The limitations are just as clear.Because the energy stays confined to the dermis,directly lifting an area that has already sagged significantly is out of reach.That gap explains a comment I hear now and then: patients who assumed the clinic's most expensive treatment would resolve their sagging come back saying they can't really tell the difference.Add to that expensive consumable tips, which push the cost up, and the sharpest pain of the three devices.CASE 1. Female in her 50s (Thermage, 600 shots)Fine crepey lines and reduced elasticity were the main concerns here.Skin density mattered more than sagging in this case, so we went with Thermage —and confirmed softened fine lines at the six-month mark.4. Density: Effects and Characteristics — Same Family, Different PropositionDensity is a monopolar radiofrequency device running the same 6.78MHz frequency as Thermage.Operating method, cooling function, tip size — all comparable.In theory you can treat it as belonging to the same category of device.Differences do exist, though.(1) The Alpha Tip adds bipolar to monopolarThermage and the Density Classic tip emit monopolar radiofrequency only.The recently released Alpha Tip emits monopolar and bipolar simultaneously. Bipolar radiofrequency spreads energy evenly across relatively shallow layers.Set against Thermage, that translates into slightly more complete thermal delivery into the upper dermis.A study has actually compared the two configurations.📝 Related study: Combined Treatment of Monopolar and Bipolar Radiofrequency Increases Skin Elasticity by Decreasing the Accumulation of Advanced Glycated End Products in Aged Animal Skin Monopolar alone: 1.8-fold increase in collagen density Monopolar + bipolar: 2.4-fold increase in collagen density The work was carried out on an actual Density device under identical energy density conditions (63.4J/cm²).Assuming equal energy delivery, then, it points toward the Alpha Tip producing a greater effect than the Classic tip.(2) The value argument is realDensity Classic sits at roughly 60% of Thermage pricing. The Alpha Tip lands around 80%.For patients weighing cost seriously, that's a meaningful option.(3) It moves faster in the chairDensity is a high-output device too, so pain doesn't disappear.But the treatment finishes faster, which lowers the total discomfort a patient sits through.Thermage FLX needs 35–40 minutes for 600 shots. The Density Alpha Tip covers the same count in around 25.The trade-offs run the other way as well.Density arrived later than Thermage, so long-term follow-up data is comparatively thin.And the Alpha Tip notwithstanding, the depth reached is still the dermis — which puts improvement in sagging out of scope.5. XERF: Effects and Characteristics — The Only One Built Around LiftingXERF is a monopolar radiofrequency lifting device released by Cynosure Lutronic in 2024.Of the three, it's the only one that places its weight on lifting.Most radiofrequency devices have competed by reducing pain through epidermal cooling, or by bringing costs down.XERF went a different route. It added an entirely new frequency and tried to change the function itself.By putting 2MHz alongside 6.78MHz, it pushes thermal energy past the dermis into the subcutaneous fat layer and the fascial layer.📝 Related paper: Efficacy of dual-frequency noninvasive monopolar radiofrequency in skin tightening: Histological evidenceThe upshot is that XERF offers tightening plus a lifting effect that works directly on sagging areas.It's also why reviews keep describing it as a little Ultherapy blended with a little Thermage.Weighted roughly, the effects break down like this: Thermage and Density — tightening 100 XERF — lifting 70 + tightening 30 (1) Lifting that reaches the jowls and nasolabial foldsUltherapy concentrates ultrasound at a single point to create thermal coagulation points,which rules out applying it directly over areas where nerves run.The jowl is exactly such an area.XERF produces its lifting through bulk heating instead, so it can be applied safely even near the jowl, nerves and all.(2) Less pain, less downtimeXERF reads as heat rather than a sharp sting, and a powerful ICD cooling function backs that up.On a ten-point pain scale it typically lands around five — noticeably less demanding than Thermage.Downtime is minimal too, so daily life carries on uninterrupted.One caveat belongs here.XERF asks the operator to adjust three levels of depth in real time, according to the area and the objective.Which means results swing considerably depending on who is holding the handpiece.Filling a shot count with fixed settings won't deliver the lifting effect patients are expecting.CASE 2. Female in her 30s (XERF, 600 shots)Nasolabial folds and jowl sagging were the main concerns.Dermal tightening alone wasn't going to be enough here, so we performed 600 shots of XERF, primarily in DEEP mode.6. What Thermage, Density, and XERF CostApproximate Gangnam pricing below. Actual costs shift with the clinic's system and medical staff.Device300 shots600 shotsThermage (FLX)KRW 1–1.5 millionKRW 2–3 millionDensity ClassicAround KRW 800,000Around KRW 1.5 millionDensity Alpha TipAround KRW 1 millionAround KRW 1.9 millionXERFKRW 800,000–1.3 millionKRW 1.6–2.5 millionFor radiofrequency treatments I'd steer you toward 600 shots or more rather than 300 wherever possible.Thermal energy has to accumulate past a certain threshold before results start scaling with the time invested.XERF is the exception. If the objective is limited to sagging — nasolabial folds, jowls — 300 shots can do the job.Want overall skin tightening alongside it, and you're back to needing 600.Ahead of price, though, sit two other factors: the clinic's system and its experience.Rather than hunting for the cheapest option,check whether the physician performing the treatment is the one consulting and planning it.That single detail moves the outcome more than the number on the invoice.7. Which Device Suits Which PatientPatients I recommend Thermage to Those who want natural change rather than a dramatic transformation Those with thin skin and increasing fine lines Those looking to prevent sagging from a long-term perspective Those who prefer an original device with sufficiently accumulated data Patients I recommend Density to Those for whom the cost of Thermage is a burden Those whose goal is tightening, but who want to shorten treatment time Those who also want to improve fine lines in the upper dermis Patients I recommend XERF to Those who want tightening and lifting at the same time Those concerned about sagging in the nasolabial folds and jowls Those who have had Ultherapy but still have areas that didn't improve Those with an important event coming up, for whom downtime is a burden In actual practice, combining treatments with different mechanisms is far more common than picking one of the three.XERF might address the sagging first, with radiofrequency tightening following to raise skin density.What I tend to tell patients is that a balanced range of mechanisms serves them better than repeating the same treatment over and over.8. Thermage, Density, and XERF: Questions I Get MostQ. If I could only choose one of the three, which should it be?A. It comes down to what's bothering you now. Fine lines and elasticity point to Thermage or Density. Nasolabial folds and jowl sagging point to XERF.Q. Is XERF simply a cheaper version of Thermage?A. No. XERF is a device built for a different purpose, delivering energy into deep tissue through dual frequencies. The lower price reflects a difference in consumable costs, nothing more.Q. Is Density more effective than Thermage?A. Assuming the same energy is delivered, the Alpha Tip may produce a greater effect. That said, the evidence is animal research, and the clinical difference can vary with the operator's settings.Q. How many shots are appropriate?A. Age decides it. Up to the forties, 600 shots is sufficient. From the fifties onward, 900 shots is worth considering.Q. How often should the treatment be repeated?A. Roughly once a year is my baseline for all three devices. Anyone looking to maximize results can go with a six-to-nine-month interval.Q. Is the pain severe?A. Thermage is the sharpest of the three; Density and XERF are milder by comparison. With all three, energy intensity and cooling strength can be adjusted during the treatment.Q. Can these be combined with Ultherapy?A. Yes. Ultherapy uses ultrasound and these three use radiofrequency, so the mechanisms differ — and combining them can produce a synergistic effect.Wrapping UpThermage, Density, and XERF aren't devices to be ranked against one another. They play different roles.Thermage and Density fill in the density of the skin. XERF pulls sagging tissue back up.And the same device produces different results depending on which physician is using it.Push the energy too aggressively and you raise pain and the risk of side effects. Hold back too far and the effect barely registers.So rather than deliberating on your own, I'd encourage you to visit a clinicthat holds a range of devices and where the operating physician consults one-on-one, and to decide it together.Thank you for reading — Dr. Kim Do-hoon, ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : Thermage vs. Density vs. XERFAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)This case is published with the patient’s consent.Treatment results may vary depending on each individual’s condition.This content is intended for general informational purposes only.Accurate diagnosis and treatment planning should be determined through consultation with a medical professional.
2026.08.05
By Area
Cheek Filler for Facial Asymmetry | Why Filler, Not a Collagen Stimulator?
Hello, this is Dr. Dohoon Kim from ODE Clinic.When I consult with patients who visit for volume correction or lifting treatments, many of them mention the same concern.“It looks fine when I look in the mirror, but when I take photos, the asymmetry looks much more noticeable.”Facial asymmetry can come from several causes, including differences in bone structure, muscle imbalance,skin laxity, sagging, and uneven volume loss between the two sides.Bone and muscle differences cannot be completely changed with a non-surgical procedure.However, when asymmetry is related to sagging or volume loss, we can often improve the balance by correcting those areas.Today, I will review a case of a woman in her 20s whose left-right cheek asymmetry was corrected with cheek filler.I will also explain how asymmetry correction differs from standard cheek-volume treatment, and why,in this specific situation, I do not usually recommend collagen stimulators.1. First Things First｜No Face Is Perfectly SymmetricalBefore discussing treatment, there is one important point I always explain first.A perfectly symmetrical face does not exist.Everyone has some degree of asymmetry. The only difference is how noticeable it is.Therefore, the goal of asymmetry correction is not to create perfect symmetry.The goal is to reduce the visible difference until it becomes much less noticeable.If this expectation is not clearly shared during the consultation, the procedure may be technically successful,but the patient may still feel unsatisfied.This is why I always begin asymmetry consultations by explaining this point.2. Two Types of Asymmetry and How to Tell Them ApartEven when two patients describe the same concern, such as “one cheek looks hollow,” the cause may be completely different.The treatment approach and expected outcome also differ depending on the cause.Broadly, facial asymmetry can be divided into two categories.1. Skeletal AsymmetrySkeletal asymmetry refers to a difference in the size, height, or position of the cheekbone, zygoma, or mandible between the two sides.When palpated directly, the height or angle of the bone feels different.Filler cannot fully correct skeletal asymmetry.It can visually soften the difference by filling the side that appears more hollow, but it cannot change the bone structure itself.For this reason, when skeletal asymmetry is present,it is essential to clearly define the realistic range of improvement during the consultation.2. Soft-Tissue AsymmetrySoft-tissue asymmetry occurs when the bone structure is relatively similar, but the amount or position of fat, muscle, or other soft tissue differs between the two sides.This type of asymmetry usually responds much better to filler.Possible causes include:Chewing mostly on one sideSleeping on the same side repeatedlyLeft-right differences in dental occlusionUneven use of facial expression musclesCongenital differences in fat distributionIn actual clinical practice, many patients have a combination of both skeletal and soft-tissue asymmetry.How I Assess ItPhotographs alone are not enough.I need to palpate the face directly to determine whether there is soft tissue over the bone that can be corrected, or whether the bone contour itself is different.The assessment must also be performed in a seated position.When lying down, soft tissue shifts backward due to gravity, which can make asymmetry look smaller than it actually is.In more pronounced cases, the two sides may even appear reversed.For this reason, asymmetry correction should be evaluated while the patient is seated,so that the facial balance can be assessed in a position closer to daily life.3. Why Filler Is the Right Tool for Asymmetry CorrectionFor broad, generalized cheek hollowing,I usually recommend collagen-stimulating products such as Sculptra or Juvelook Volume first.They tend to feel more natural within the tissue, and once collagen is formed, the results can last for 2 years or more.I discussed this in more detail in a separate article.Related reading:Peanut-Shaped Face, Cheek Hollows, and Cheek Depressions｜Filler vs. Sculptra vs. HilowaveHowever, asymmetry correction is an exception.The Unpredictability of Collagen StimulatorsWith collagen stimulators, we cannot precisely predict how much of the patient’s own collagen will form after treatment.For general cheek hollowing, this may not be a major problem.However, asymmetry correction has a different goal.It requires this exact amount of volume, on this exact side only.ScenarioOutcomeLess collagen forms than expectedThe asymmetry remainsMore collagen forms than expectedThe asymmetry may flip and worsenAnother important point is that collagen stimulators cannot be dissolved.If overcorrection occurs, there is no simple way to reverse it.Separate from the risk of nodules, collagen stimulators are often not well matched to the goal of precise left-right asymmetry correction.Three Properties of Filler That Become Decisive HereIn asymmetry correction, the characteristics of filler become especially important.PropertyWhat It Means for Asymmetry CorrectionImmediateThe two sides can be compared and adjusted in real time while fillingPredictableThe intended volume is placed exactly where it is neededReversibleIf overcorrection occurs, partial adjustment is possible with hyaluronidaseIn other situations, filler may be considered a lower-priority option because it does not last as long as collagen stimulators.But in asymmetry correction, immediacy, predictability, and reversibility become the top priorities.Dr. Kim’s Treatment NotesEven with the same concern of “hollow cheeks,” the material I choose depends on the treatment goal.Broad, generalized cheek hollowing→ Collagen stimulatorPrecise left-right asymmetry correction→ FillerThe question is not which treatment is better overall.The real question is which tool fits the goal of this specific treatment.What About Hilowave?Hilowave can also be an option.It is immediate and dissolvable, so it meets the basic requirements for asymmetry correction.The limitation is that its duration is relatively short, usually around 3 to 6 months.So I usually divide the indications like this.First time receiving any volume treatment and feeling hesitant→ Start with Hilowave to confirm the directionDirection already confirmed, or wanting a longer-lasting result→ FillerRelated reading:Hilowave Results Compared with Filler and Pricing4. Case ReviewFemale Patient in Her 20sThis case involved a woman in her 20s.She had both skeletal difference and soft-tissue difference, including volume loss and sagging.Because both factors were present, the goal was not perfect symmetry.The goal was to visually reduce the asymmetry and make the overall facial contour appear more balanced.Two Priorities During the Procedure1. Designing and Treating in a Seated PositionWhen the patient is lying down, gravity does not act on the tissues in the same way as it does in daily life.This makes precise volume correction difficult.For asymmetry correction, ODE Clinic performs the design and treatment in a seated position,even though it may be slightly less comfortable for the patient.This allows us to evaluate and adjust the left-right balance in a more accurate and realistic position.2. Small, Divided InjectionsIn asymmetry correction, even 0.1cc can change the impression of the face.Instead of injecting the planned volume all at once, the filler should be placed gradually while comparing both sides step by step.This small, divided injection approach is essential for natural and precise correction.Before and AfterLeft: Before treatment, February 25, 2026Right: After treatment, June 16, 2026A total of 3cc of cheek filler, Restylane Defyne, was used.After treatment, the asymmetry improved noticeably, and the frontal facial contour became cleaner and more balanced.By filling the hollow areas, the lateral cheekbones also appeared less prominent.Additional lifting treatments such as Ultherapy, Onda, or XERF could further improve the sagging componentand help refine the asymmetry even more.5. Frequently Asked QuestionsQ. How much filler is needed for asymmetry correction?A. It varies widely depending on the case.For mild asymmetry, less than 1cc on one side may be enough.For more noticeable differences, a larger amount may be needed.However, in asymmetry correction, where and how the filler is placed is much more important than the total volume.Q. Can asymmetry be fully corrected in one session?A. Asymmetry cannot be corrected completely.However, in most cases, it can be improved to a level that the patient finds satisfying.The reason filler is used for asymmetry correction is that it is predictable and adjustable.Q. If the asymmetry comes from the bone, is filler useless?A. It is more accurate to say that there are limits.Filler can visually soften the difference by filling the side that appears more hollow.However, it cannot create complete symmetry or change the bone structure itself.That is why it is important to agree on the realistic range of improvement during the consultation.Q. Why not use Sculptra or Juvelook Volume?A. I generally do not recommend them for precise asymmetry correction.The amount of collagen that will form is difficult to predict, and the product cannot be dissolved.If the result does not match the target, there is no simple way to reverse it.When fine control is required, filler is usually the more appropriate option.Q. How long does it last?A. Hyaluronic acid filler in the cheek area generally lasts around 1 year.However, there is significant individual variation.Q. Will there be bruising or swelling?A. Swelling is usually minimal.Bruising may occur at the cannula entry point, and if it does, it usually lasts about 1 to 2 weeks.For about one week after treatment, it is best to avoid saunas, strenuous exercise, and alcohol.Closing ThoughtsCorrecting left-right facial asymmetry is not about filling a lot.It is about filling precisely.That is why the criteria for choosing the material are different.For asymmetry correction, being adjustable and reversible often matters more than long duration.Even though I usually recommend collagen stimulators first for broad cheek hollowing,I choose filler when precise left-right correction is the goal.Most importantly, asymmetry cannot be accurately diagnosed from a photo alone.It needs to be assessed through direct palpation and in a seated position.If one cheek looks hollow or your facial asymmetry appears more noticeable in photos,the first step is to determine whether the asymmetry comes mainly from bone structure or soft tissue.At ODE Clinic, both consultation and treatment are performed one-on-one by the physician.We determine the type of asymmetry together during the planning stageand discuss how much improvement is realistically achievable before proceeding.This has been Dr. Dohoon Kim from ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : Facial AsymmetryAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)This case is published with the patient’s consent.Treatment results may vary depending on each individual’s condition.This content is intended for general informational purposes only.Accurate diagnosis and treatment planning should be determined through consultation with a medical professional.
2026.08.05
By Area
Sunken Cheeks and the Peanut-Shaped Face: How Filler, Sculptra and HILO WAVE Actually Differ
Hello, I'm Dr. Dohoon Kim of ODE Clinic.Talk to enough patients with a peanut-shaped face and sunken cheeks and the same sentence surfaces every time."Doctor, is filler better for me, or Sculptra? Everyone seems to be talking about HILO WAVE these days too."The confusion is fair. All three are volumizing treatments, and all three fill hollow cheeks.What separates them is everything else — what they're made of, how the volume gets there, and how quickly you see it.Think of them as three different routes to the same destination rather than three versions of the same thing.Which is why I usually redirect the question. Not "which one is best?" but "which one fits the cheeks I'm actually looking at?"Below I've lined all three up against five yardsticks — onset, longevity, side effects, tactile feel and cost — and set out which option I'd argue for in which situation.1. Why I Start With Sunken Cheeks on a Peanut-Shaped Face"Peanut-shaped face" is not a diagnosis.It's a colloquial term, borrowed from what the outer contour looks like head-on: uneven, pinched through the middle, not unlike a peanut shell.That silhouette isn't the work of one area. Four change together.AreaChangeTempleHollowingZygoma (cheekbone)Relative projectionLateral cheekHollowing, sunken appearanceJawlineSaggingOut of those four, the lateral cheek is where treatment moves the needle furthest.It also returns the most satisfaction for what you spend.Fill the cheek and the cheekbone that looked prominent suddenly reads as less so.Sagging draws less attention too.Correct one area and the whole outer contour smooths out with it.That's the reason cheek volume correction goes into every peanut-shaped face plan I write.2. Three Routes to Hollow, Sunken CheeksThe hollow shows up first, and most often, just beneath the cheekbone — the area we call the lateral cheek.(1) Natural agingFat tissue is no more exempt from gravity than anything else.The buccal fat that gives young faces their full, rounded look is the clearest example.Once it descends, the space it used to occupy simply sits empty. That empty space is the hollow you're looking at.It's why people spend their twenties frustrated by too much cheek fat and their forties frustrated by having none left.(2) Weakened support structures — a more common starting point than people expect Facial contouring surgery Orthodontic treatment Repeated, indiscriminate jaw Botox (3) Atrophy of the cheek fat itself Buccal fat removal surgery Side effects following lifting procedures such as Ultherapy Side effects of lipolytic injections If you sense your cheeks are beginning to hollow, deal with the causes above before you start researching ways to fill them.(The same applies to lifting. It should be designed from the outset so that it doesn't produce cheek hollowing of its own.)3. Filler: Volume You Can See the Same DaySay the word "filler" in a consultation and you can watch expressions tighten.Plenty of people have already ruled it out privately before they walk in.But filler has a place of its own. Match the conditions and nothing else comes close.CharacteristicsThe longest-established hyaluronic acid (HA) volumizing treatment there is.For cheek hollowing I reach mainly for products like Juvéderm Voluma and Restylane Volyme / Defyne.Advantages Immediate — the change is there on the day of the procedure. Predictable — the volume the injector plans is the volume that lands. Reversible — if the result bothers you, hyaluronidase takes it back out. Wide applicability — cheeks, yes, but also temples, forehead, nose and chin, where the product has to hold a shape. Disadvantages Tactile feel — cheek hollows cover a lot of ground, so the required volume climbs. The more that goes in, the likelier a palpable feel becomes. Migration and spreading — at large volumes, some product can spread or shift over time. (Not common.) Vascular complications — injected intravascularly, it can block blood flow and lead to tissue necrosis or, rarely, blindness. (Also not common.) Dr. Kim's Clinical NoteTry to correct a wide, deep hollow with filler alone and the ending writes itself. You get what people call an "overfilled face."Where the hollowing is broad and significant, laying the base with a collagen stimulator first and reserving filler for whatever remains gives a far more natural outcome.The temple runs the other way.It barely moves and needs deep placement, so filler is my first choice there. It lasts longer and stays impalpable.4. Sculptra: Volume Your Own Body BuildsCharacteristicsA collagen stimulator built on PLLA (poly-L-lactic acid).It's the original from which Juvelook Volume (PDLLA), currently popular in Korea, descends, and it carries over 20 years of accumulated data behind its safety and efficacy.PLLA breaks down inside the body into water and carbon dioxide and leaves naturally — which is why surgical sutures have been made from it since the 1960s.Sculptra brought that material into aesthetics and picked up two approvals along the way: 2004 — FDA approval as a treatment for facial lipoatrophy in HIV patients 2009 — FDA approval for aesthetic correction of facial wrinkles such as nasolabial folds From there it became the reference point for collagen boosters.Advantages Fills with your own tissue — the volume is your collagen, so it feels natural to the touch. Long duration — generally holds for 2 years or more. Skin quality improves too — elasticity comes along with the volume. Almost no risk of migration or deformation. Disadvantages It takes time — collagen synthesis needs 3 to 6 months. With three sessions a month apart recommended, the full course runs roughly 9 months. Hard to predict — there's no way to know in advance how much collagen will form. Nodules — excessive collagen formation can leave palpable or visible nodules. One misconception worth clearing up"Sculptra looks more natural than filler" is a belief a lot of people arrive with.But naturalness isn't decided by what went in. It's decided by how much went in.Nodule risk means collagen boosters are designed — and injected — so that volume never builds excessively.The natural-looking result follows from that restraint. The material itself guarantees nothing.💡 Three Rules That Keep Nodule Risk DownNothing prevents side effects entirely.These three, though, push the odds as low as they'll go: One-vial principle — splitting a single vial into cc portions across separate sessions raises infection risk. Adequate hydration of the product. Skilled cannula technique.Read more: Sculptra before and after, price and cost5. HILO WAVE: Fills Immediately, Leaves Little Behind to FeelCharacteristicsA Dual Hyaluronic Acid Complex (DHC) product.It shares HA as a starting point with filler. What sets it apart decisively is that the crosslinker (BDDE) is used only minimally.ComponentProportionRoleNon-crosslinked low molecular weight HA25%Fast action, hydration, antioxidant effect, elasticity via fibroblast stimulationNon-crosslinked high molecular weight HA25%Mechanical support, volumeMinimally crosslinked high + low MW HA50%Degrades gradually, providing longer-term effectIn plain terms: low elasticity, thin rheology.Advantages Almost no tactile feel — being thin, it stays undetectable even across a wide injection area. Low vascular occlusion risk — that same thin consistency makes occlusion hard to achieve even if it enters a vessel. Almost no nodule risk — driving collagen overgrowth isn't how it works. Immediate — one session fills the area then and there. Reversible — hyaluronidase dissolves it whenever you want. Improves elasticity and skin texture — low MW HA absorbs into the dermis and stimulates collagen and elastin synthesis. Disadvantages Short duration — plan on 3 to 6 months. For high-movement areas like the nasolabial fold, be conservative and assume no more than 3. Weak shaping power — the nose, forehead, chin and lips need a product that holds and projects a shape. This isn't it. Supporting literature1. Regenerative Skin Remodeling by a Dual Hyaluronic Acid Hybrid Complex in Multimodal Preclinical ModelsThe DHC group showed significant increases in collagen I, collagen III and elastin, outperforming other agents including PLLA, PDLLA, CaHA and HA. Reductions in NO, IL-6 and TNF-α also demonstrated antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects.2. Therapeutic Anti-Fibrotic Effects of a Dual Hyaluronic Acid Hybrid Complex in Bleomycin-Induced Dermal Fibrosis and UVB-Irradiated Human SkinA paper on anti-fibrotic effects. Put simply: the ability to soften hardened fibrotic tissue left behind by excessive, repeated collagen stimulator treatments.Whether HILO WAVE's collagen effect stays confined to the dermis, or whether it can build long-lasting volume the way Sculptra does, is still an open question awaiting more research.💡 The Case Where HILO WAVE Earns Its PlaceThe lateral cheek is packed with fibrous tissue, retaining ligaments included.Filling it is nothing like filling an empty space. Opening up a fibrotic area takes real pressure.Which is exactly why the gentle force of naturally forming collagen so often fails to get there.The textbook version: a long, narrow lateral cheek hollow still sitting there after three sessions of Juvelook Volume or Sculptra.Cases like that need HA placed directly.Since the work involves releasing the adhesion and injecting superficially, I put HILO WAVE ahead of conventional filler here. It leaves far less behind to feel.Read more: HILO WAVE effects vs filler, and pricing6. Filler vs Sculptra vs HILO WAVE, Side by SideFeatureFiller (HA)SculptraHILO WAVECompositionHighly crosslinked HAPLLA (poly-L-lactic acid)Dual HA complex (DHC)MechanismDirect fillStimulates own collagenDirect fill + collagen stimulationOnsetImmediate3–6 monthsImmediateDurationAbout 1 year (6–18 months)2+ years3–6 monthsRecommended sessions13, one month apart1 (repeat as needed)Volumizing strengthStrong (dramatic)Moderate (unpredictable)Moderate to strong (natural)Tactile feelPossibleMinimalMinimalMain side effectsVascular occlusion, tissue necrosis, palpabilityNodulesAlmost none (bruising; rarely infection)DissolvableYes (hyaluronidase)NoYes (hyaluronidase)Elasticity benefitLowYesYesBest areasAlmost anywhereCheeks, nasolabial foldsCheeks, under-eye, anterior cheek, nasolabial folds, marionette linesUnsuitable areas–Nose, chin, lips, etc.Nose, chin, lips, etc.Three lines, if that's all you need Filler — immediate and definitive, but tactile feel arrives as the volume climbs. Sculptra — lasts and improves elasticity, but it's slow and harder to call in advance. HILO WAVE — immediate effect plus collagen stimulation, at the cost of the shortest duration.7. So Which One Fits Your Cheeks?Filler suits you if you... Want immediate, definitive volume correction Also want to fill shape-critical areas such as the temples, forehead or chin Have a narrow, localized hollow Can't come in frequently and want it done in one visit Sculptra suits you if you... Have broad, deep hollowing of the cheeks and nasolabial folds Are worried about tactile feel from the large filler volume you'd otherwise need Want a long-lasting result even if it builds slowly Want skin elasticity improvement alongside volume HILO WAVE suits you if you... Are new to cheek volumizing and worried your face will look bigger Want the option carrying the lowest side effect risk Had Juvelook Volume or Sculptra but still have a residual lateral cheek hollow Prefer something that metabolizes out of the body quickly, even at the cost of duration Need a fast result for an upcoming event such as a wedding Two situations people find especially confusingQ. I'm quite hollow across a wide area, but I'm afraid my face will look bigger.Start with HILO WAVE, build the volume, and confirm the direction first. If you're happy with what you see, move on to Sculptra as the long-term plan.Q. My lateral cheek hollow is narrow and elongated.Fibrous tissue is the reason collagen boosters won't fill that shape well. Placing HILO WAVE or filler directly is the reliable route.8. In Practice I Rarely Pick Just OneChoosing a single treatment out of the three happens less often than you'd think.Dividing them by area produces noticeably better results.Strategy 1. HILO WAVE for what's left after three Sculptra sessionsThe fibrous tissue case described earlier. Build overall volume with the collagen booster, then clean up the stubborn elongated lateral cheek hollow with HILO WAVE.Strategy 2. Test with HILO WAVE, then decide on the long-term planThis is what I propose most often to first-time volumizing patients. A short duration is also, read the other way, an easy undo. If looking bigger is the worry, try HILO WAVE once — and if the result sits well with you, move on to Sculptra with confidence.Strategy 3. Sculptra for the broad area, filler for the remaining detailLay the base across the broadly hollow cheek and nasolabial folds with Sculptra, then finish the areas needing deep, definitive filling — the temples, for instance — with filler. The temple barely moves, so filler lasts long and stays impalpable there. An area optimized for it.Worth knowing Sculptra can be performed over an area previously treated with filler without any problem. HILO WAVE can be performed over an area previously treated with Juvelook Volume. HILO WAVE's anti-fibrotic effect can be clinically applied to fibrotic tissue caused by Sculptra or Juvelook Volume.9. Filling Is Only Half the Job (Lifting Matters Too)The mistake I see most often with a peanut-shaped face is treating the hollows and stopping there.Most people are sagging by roughly as much as they are hollow. Leave that untouched, fill anyway, and the outcome is predictable: a face that reads bigger and less natural than it did before.That is precisely the mechanism behind the "overfilled face."[Before and after: Ultherapy + cheek filler]Fill only what has actually been lost, and take the sagging down with lifting. That balance is the whole game.What needs correctingTreatmentCheek hollowingFiller / HILO WAVE / Sculptra / Juvelook VolumeCheekbone projectionUltherapy, Coolsoniq, Shurink (HIFU) / lipolytic injectionJawline saggingUltherapy, Coolsoniq, Shurink (HIFU) / XERF / Onda / lipolytic injectionTemple hollowingFiller (first choice) / collagen boosterUltherapy, Coolsoniq, Shurink — for those who prioritize results even with pain and swelling Onda — for those who want comfortable lifting with almost no pain or downtime XERF — for those who want to improve not just the jawline but jowls and nasolabial folds as well10. What Filler, Sculptra and HILO WAVE CostTreatmentUnitPriceSculptra1 vial, single sessionKRW 690,000 (approx. USD 470)Sculptra1 vial × 3 sessionsKRW 1,890,000 (approx. USD 1,290)HILO WAVE2ccKRW 600,000 (approx. USD 410)Filler1ccKRW 300,000 (approx. USD 205)How much you need swings widely with the degree and extent of the hollowing.Take HILO WAVE: 2cc covers mild hollowing, while broad, deep hollowing can call for 6–8cc.For reference, Sculptra in the United States typically runs roughly USD 700–1,150 per vial.It's one reason so many international patients, influencers included, make the trip to Gangnam for aesthetic treatment.Factoring duration into the equation, cost-effectiveness lands in this order:Sculptra > filler > HILO WAVE.11. Questions I Get Asked MostQ. If I had to pick just one of the three, which should it be?A. There's no single right answer. Reduced to its simplest form, though:fast and definitive → filler,slow but long-lasting → Sculptra,safe and natural → HILO WAVE.Q. Won't filling my cheeks make my face look bigger?A. The surface area does increase — that part is true. In practice, though, what I hear from most patients is that their face looks smaller. Smoothing an uneven contour has a visual slimming effect. If the concern lingers, we can fill the cheek only lightly and weight the plan toward lifting instead.Q. When does Sculptra start to show?A. Collagen formation takes 3–6 months. With three sessions a month apart recommended, the full course runs about 9 months. If you have a near-term event such as a wedding, I'd point you toward filler or HILO WAVE first.Q. How often should I get HILO WAVE?A. No fixed interval. Patients generally come back at 4–6 months so we can assess and decide on another session. Waiting until it's fully absorbed is fine, and so is topping up the moment you notice slight deflation. Adding when you want and dissolving when you don't is the standing advantage of HA-based products.Q. I've had filler before. Can I get Sculptra in the same area?A. Yes, that's not a problem.Q. I'm afraid of nodules and vascular complications. Which is safest?A. HILO WAVE. Its thin consistency makes vascular occlusion unlikely, and since collagen overgrowth isn't its mechanism, nodule risk sits close to none. It's my first recommendation for anyone new to volumizing, or anyone particularly worried about side effects.Q. Can't thread lifting fix both the sagging and the hollowing at once?A. Pulling everything up physically feels like it should solve both, but returning already-descended fat tissue to its original position isn't possible. The barbs engage the fascia, not the fat cells. Threads can be worth trying for a fast improvement — expecting them to handle everything isn't realistic.Q. Will there be bruising or swelling?A. Swelling is minimal. Bruising can appear at the cannula entry point and lasts 1–2 weeks when it does. Give saunas, intense exercise and alcohol a miss for about a week afterward.Q. Which area should I treat first?A. Order matters less than people assume. If filling treatments make you hesitant, starting by reducing the cheekbone and jawline is perfectly reasonable. Once the sagging comes down, surrounding hollows often stop drawing the eye on their own.12. Coming to Seoul for This? Plan Around Your TripA large share of the patients I treat for cheek volumizing have flown in specifically for it.If that describes you, one thing matters more than anything else:these three treatments run on very different clocks, and one of them simply doesn't fit a short trip.Pick by how long you're in townYour situationWhat's realisticShort trip (a few days to two weeks)HILO WAVE or filler. Both are single-session and immediate, so you leave with the result.Two visits within the yearHILO WAVE or filler on the first visit, with a review and top-up on the second.Living in Korea, or returning regularlySculptra becomes a genuine option.Why Sculptra is difficult for short-stay visitorsThe recommended course is three sessions spaced a month apart, and collagen formation adds another 3–6 months on top.First injection to final result is roughly 9 months.Compressing those sessions into a single week to fit a trip isn't a clever workaround — it removes the point of spacing them and raises nodule risk.If Seoul is a brief stop for you, I would rather start you on HILO WAVE or filler than rush a Sculptra course.Give yourself runway before the flightBook early in the trip rather than the day before you leave. Bruising at the cannula entry point can hang around for 1–2 weeks.Treating on day one of a ten-day trip leaves it time to settle before any events or photographs.Saunas, intense exercise and alcohol are out for about a week afterward — worth writing into the itinerary if a jjimjilbang or a hiking day is on your list.Long-haul flights are fine either way, though mild swelling in the first day or two is more comfortable on the ground than at altitude.If it needs adjusting once you're homeThis is the practical case for HA-based options when you live overseas.HILO WAVE and filler both dissolve with hyaluronidase, and any competent injector in your own country can perform that.Sculptra can't be dissolved. Once the collagen forms, it stays.When easy access to the clinic that treated you isn't on the table, reversibility carries real weight.Before you book the appointmentSend photographs ahead of the consultation if you can — front, three-quarter and profile, even lighting, no makeup.Tell us about any previous volumizing treatments and roughly when they happened, filler, Sculptra, Juvelook Volume and thread lifting included.Prior filler in the same area changes how I plan the injection, and it's the kind of information that's hard to recover during a short visit.Wrapping UpCorrecting a peanut-shaped face and sunken cheeks comes down to one objective: improving it naturally, and in balance.Filler, Sculptra and HILO WAVE each carry distinct strengths and weaknesses, and not one of them is objectively superior to the others.The decision has to weigh how far your hollowing extends and how deep it runs, how fibrotic the tissue has become, how long you want the result to hold, and how much downtime and risk you're willing to take on.So rather than working it out alone, I'd encourage you to build the plan alongside a doctor who has hands-on experience with all three.(Reference: ODE Clinic named a TOP 5 HILO WAVE clinic)At ODE Clinic, a physician takes you through everything personally, one-on-one, from consultation to procedure — and is there from the planning stage to decide which treatment fits, how many cc are needed, and whether lifting should be part of the picture.Thank you for reading — Dr. Dohoon Kim, ODE Clinic.This content is intended as general information about aesthetic procedures. Results and side effects vary between individuals. Please consult a physician for an accurate assessment and treatment plan.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : Filler vs. Sculptra vs. HilowaveAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.04
By Area
Midface Case: Tear Trough Filler, Anterior Cheek Filler, and Nasolabial Radiesse — Before & After
A lot of people come in saying the same thing: they just look tired lately.But once we actually examine the face, the under-eye area is rarely the whole story.As the midface descends, the tear trough starts casting a shadow, the anterior cheek (medial cheek) flattens out,and all that displaced volume settles down along the nasolabial fold — which makes the fold look deeper than it truly is.When that's the picture, the approach that works best, and looks most natural, is a simple two-part one.Fill what has hollowed. Lift what has descended.Today I'd like to walk you through a case where we handled the volume half of that equation with hyaluronic acid filler and Radiesse,with before-and-after photos to go with it.How to address midface descent — areas A and B need filling, area C needs reducing.1. What Her Midface Looked Like Before TreatmentThis patient is a woman in her 30s.Midface descent had left her tear troughs (dark circles) and nasolabial folds noticeably prominent,and there was mild lower eyelid fat protrusion on top of that.When people see a photo like this one, many assume lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning is the only route available.In practice, that isn't so. When fat protrusion is mild, filling the surrounding hollows is very often enough on its own. And even when surgery does go ahead, volume replacement frequently has to be done alongside it anyway.So for this patient, we agreed to start with volume rather than surgery.2. Why I Split the Plan: Filler in Some Areas, Radiesse in OthersThe midface reads as one continuous unit from the outside, but each region needs a different solution. Tear trough and anterior cheek → the core problem is hollowing Nasolabial fold → hollowing + descent + an etched surface crease, all at once That's why this patient's plan was divided: hyaluronic acid filler for the tear trough and anterior cheek, Radiesse for the nasolabial fold.Here's my reasoning for each.(1) Why HA Filler Is My First Choice for the Tear Trough and Anterior CheekUnder-eye skin is roughly 0.5 mm thick — the thinnest on the face.Add the constant motion of the orbicularis oculi muscle, plus a dense arrangement of ligamentous structures including the tear trough ligament.Put simply, it's an area where even slight overcorrection shows up right away.So the question I care about here isn't "how well does this product fill?" It's "does it fill only as much as I intended?"That predictability is exactly why hyaluronic acid is my first-line option for tear trough correction.Tear trough — Restylane Eyelight. Developed specifically for the under-eye area, and FDA-approved for that indication. Low cohesivity, so it clumps less. High adhesivity, so it stays put against tissue and is unlikely to migrate. Low water intake, so the volume doesn't expand on you after treatment. And most importantly — it can be dissolved at any time. That last point is the single biggest safety net you can have when working under the eyes.Anterior cheek — Restylane Volyme. Filling the tear trough by itself often makes things look worse, because it accentuates the step-off against the flattened cheek sitting right beside it.The tear trough usually begins at the very point where anterior cheek volume has been lost.Establish the cheek base first, then finish off the remaining groove — that order gives a far more natural result.What I don't use under the eyes is collagen stimulators: Juvelook Volume, Sculptra, Radiesse and the like.The degree of fill is hard to predict, and once collagen has formed there's no way to dissolve or reverse it.I regularly see patients who come to me after having collagen stimulators placed under the eyes elsewhere, with excessive fibrosis to show for it.(2) Why Radiesse Is My Choice for the Nasolabial FoldThe nasolabial fold is a completely different environment.There's structural hollowing from maxillary bone resorption beside the nose.The groove deepens as midface fat descends. And repeated folding etches a crease into the skin surface.Three problems layered on top of one another.Four reasons I reach for Radiesse here:① It holds its shape in a high-motion area.PLA-based products like Juvelook Volume and Sculptra start from zero once the saline is absorbed, then build volume gradually. In a mobile area like the nasolabial fold, collagen often doesn't end up forming where you intended.Radiesse works differently. Its CMC gel carrier holds the space open from the moment of injection, and collagen synthesis then happens in exactly that space.② Low migration risk.Filler placed along the nasolabial fold sometimes drifts upward over time.With Radiesse, collagen bundles form between the particles and the surrounding tissue almost immediately, anchoring it where it was placed.③ A more favourable vascular safety profile.The nasolabial fold is one of the areas where filler-related blindness is most frequently reported.With Radiesse, even modest dilution lowers the elastic modulus (G'), which makes vascular occlusion far less likely.④ Dilution ratio lets you target volume and firmness separately.Less dilution favours volumizing of hollow areas. Greater dilution favours dermal remodelling, improving fine lines and skin firmness.For a patient like this one who needs both at the same time, I dilute a single syringe of Radiesse at two different ratios and place each layer according to its purpose.(3) Why We Didn't Start With Lifting"If the midface has descended, shouldn't lifting come first?"It's a fair question, and not a wrong one.In this case, though, the patient wanted visible improvement quickly.And generally speaking, filling volume first delivers better satisfaction per unit of cost than starting with lifting.When you begin with the sagging component, the change is often too subtle to appreciate, which tends to leave patients underwhelmed.There's no fixed rule here. What matters is weighing which cause dominates and what the patient prioritises, then sequencing accordingly.3. Before & After: What We Actually DidLeft: June 18, 2026 / Right: June 30, 2026Treatment detailsAreaProduct & volumeAnterior cheek (medial cheek)Restylane Volyme, 1ccTear troughRestylane Eyelight, 0.5ccNasolabial foldRadiesse, 1 syringe (two dilution ratios for volume + firmness)HA filler — a single session typically maintains volume for 1 to 1.5 years.Radiesse — the initial volume effect from the CMC gel lasts around 4 months, after which the collagen-driven effect persists for 2 years or more. (A repeat session may be needed once the CMC gel resorbs.)4. Where We Go From HereFilling the hollow areas has made the midface descent considerably less conspicuous.That said, there's still room for improvement through lifting.From here, gradually managing the descended tissue with modalities such as XERF, Alltite, Coolsoniq, EMFACE,or lipolysis injections is what will produce a genuinely smooth midface contour.5. Tear Trough Filler and Radiesse at Ode Clinic: How We WorkTwo patients with the same tear trough and the same nasolabial fold can end up needing entirely different combinations,depending on cause, type, age, and expectations.That's why we don't offer one-size-fits-all packages at Ode Clinic.① The treating physician consults with you personally, one-on-one — and performs the treatment.Not a consultant. At Ode Clinic, the doctor who will be holding the cannula is the one who sits down with you and works out whether the tear trough comes from volume loss, fat protrusion, pigmentation, or vascular show-through. Different causes call for different treatments.② Objective before-and-after comparison using skin imaging.Every patient is photographed on our diagnostic imaging system before treatment. So the comparison afterwards isn't "I think it looks a bit better" — it's the same conditions, side by side.③ 2026 Restylane Eyelight Master.Dr. Kim Do-hoon has been designated a 2026 Restylane Eyelight Master. With tear trough filler, which layer you fill and how much you place matter just as much as which product you choose.④ Radiesse is diluted to purpose, not to a fixed ratio.Radiesse behaves differently depending on how it's diluted. Even within a single session, we divide one syringe into two dilutions and treat the volume layer and the firmness layer accordingly.⑤ There's an alternative for patients hesitant about filler.Ode Clinic is among the top five clinics by Hilowave usage. Hilowave is a dual-HA product that resorbs naturally over roughly six months, which makes it a reasonable starting point for anyone nervous about their first filler treatment.⑥ The treating physician takes responsibility for your follow-up.At Ode Clinic, the doctor doesn't finish the injection and hand you off. At your follow-up visit we compare before and after objectively on the imaging system, look at what improved and what fell short, and plan the next step together.ODE Clinic Radiesse6. Questions I Get Asked Most OftenQ. Shouldn't I have lower blepharoplasty with fat repositioning instead of tear trough filler?If fat protrusion is significant, surgically reducing it may well be necessary. But when protrusion is mild — as it was in this case — filling the surrounding hollows to "mask" it is often sufficient. And even with surgery, volume replacement frequently has to be done anyway. Neither option is objectively correct; each carries its own trade-offs.Q. Can't I just fill the tear trough? Do I really need the anterior cheek treated too?The tear trough usually begins where anterior cheek volume has been lost. Filling the groove alone can accentuate the step-off against the cheek and end up looking less natural. Establishing the cheek base first and finishing the remaining groove afterwards works far better. That said, if there's minimal cheek hollowing, tear trough treatment on its own is perfectly reasonable.Q. Won't filler look obvious?Naturalness is determined less by what you fill with than by how much you fill. Place the right volume in the right layer and it's difficult to tell anything was done at all. Cases that look unnatural are almost always overcorrected.Q. Can filler migrate, or cause blindness?With an appropriate product placed appropriately, migration is very unlikely. Blindness is most frequently reported in the forehead, glabella, nose, and nasolabial fold rather than the under-eye area — and because we use a blunt-tipped cannula under the eyes, that risk is extremely low.Q. Why don't you use Radiesse or Juvelook under the eyes?Under-eye skin is thin enough that even slight overcorrection reads as unnatural, and collagen stimulators are difficult to predict and impossible to reverse. If you're set on a stimulator, PDO-based Ultracol 200 — which generates collagen in smaller increments — is the option I'd suggest.Q. How many Radiesse sessions do nasolabial folds need?It depends on the degree of hollowing, but generally 2–3 sessions at four-month intervals, followed by touch-ups every 1.5 to 2 years. When hollowing is mild, as it was with this patient, a single session can be enough.Q. I'm worried about nodules with Radiesse.Radiesse stimulates collagen through mechanical rather than inflammatory pathways, so nodule rates are lower than with PLA-based products. A small palpable lump near the entry point sometimes appears around the 1–2 month mark, but it typically resolves on its own within a few months — so unless it enlarges, observation is what I recommend.Q. Can filler and Radiesse be done on the same day?Yes. They're placed in different areas, so there's no problem at all. This case had the tear trough filler, cheek filler, and nasolabial Radiesse all performed in a single visit.Q. What's the downtime?Bruising or swelling can occur at the cannula entry points, usually settling within 3–7 days. You may notice a slight foreign-body sensation for about a week, but daily activities aren't affected. If you have an important event coming up, I'd suggest treating at least a week beforehand.Q. When can I start combining lifting treatments?Once the volume has settled structurally — generally from about one month onward — we combine modalities such as XERF, Coolsoniq, or EMFACE. Volume and lifting together produce a much smoother, more natural midface contour.Q. I'm uncomfortable with filler. Is there another option?Hilowave, a dual-HA product, may suit you. It lasts a shorter time — around six months — but it's a gentler introduction, and the low-molecular-weight HA component adds some skin firmness benefit. It can be used in both the under-eye area and the anterior cheek.Wrapping UpThe tear trough, anterior cheek, and nasolabial fold form one continuous unit.Treat any one of them in isolation and the improvement often fails to register — or worse, ends up looking off.Fill what has hollowed, using methods whose results you can predict.Lift and refine what has descended.Then design the sequence and the dosing around the individual patient in front of you.That's what produces a natural result.If this case has you thinking about tear trough filler, anterior cheek filler, or Radiesse for nasolabial folds,please feel free to reach out. I'll answer honestly and personally.Dr. Kim Do-hoon, ODE Clinic This article describes one patient's outcome. Results vary by individual, and all aesthetic procedures carry potential risks and side effects. Please consult a qualified physician before proceeding.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : Midface - Filler+RadiesseAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.04
Lifting
Alltite Lifting Explained: Skin Tightening Without Numbing Cream or Downtime. (Cost, Results, vs. Ultherapy)
There are three reasons patients postpone a lifting treatment, and they are remarkably consistent.1. The half-hour spent sitting still while numbing cream takes effect.2. The discomfort endured during the session itself.3. And the days that follow with a face too flushed to face the office.Alltite was engineered around the removal of precisely those three obstacles.The device generates heat through dielectric heating, driven by a 40.68MHz ultra-high-frequency electromagnetic field,and that heat reaches from the dermis through to the SMAS layer without any numbing cream being applied.The lift is apparent the moment the session concludes,and patients resume their ordinary schedule the same day with no recovery interval to account for.It is this particular combination that separates Alltite from the conventional radiofrequency and ultrasound platforms it sits alongside.What follows is an account by Dr. Kim Do-hoon, Medical Director of ODE Clinic,covering the underlying mechanism, the results the treatment can reasonably be expected to produce,the distinctions between Alltite and its counterparts Ultherapy and XERF, and the practical matters of longevity and cost.1. Understanding Alltite: The Science of Ultra-High-Frequency Dielectric HeatingAlltite is an ultra-high-frequency lifting platform developed by Innoxus, a Korean manufacturer.Its identity rests on two technical characteristics: the 40.68MHz operating frequencyand the dielectric heating mechanism through which that frequency does its work.The distinction becomes clearer against the conventional model.Standard radiofrequency lifting sends an electrical current through tissue, and heat arises as a by-productof the tissue's own resistance to that current — a process termed resistive heating.Alltite proceeds along an entirely different route.The ultra-high-frequency electromagnetic field it applies causes water molecules within the tissue to rotate,and the friction generated by that molecular motion is itself the heat source.The significance of this difference lies in a simple physical consequence: the more water a tissue contains, the more energy it absorbs. Water-rich tissue — the dermis, the fibrous septa, the SMAS → heat concentrates here Water-poor tissue — subcutaneous fat → receives comparatively little heat Alltite therefore selects its target according to what a tissue is made of, not according to how deep it sits.The structures that produce lift are heated; the fat layer that maintains facial volume is comparatively spared.In the academic literature this approach is designated DLTD — Dermis Layer Targeted Dielectric heating —and its histologic and molecular effects have been demonstrated in animal models.Related research: Effects of the Ultra-High-Frequency Electrical Field Radiofrequency Device on Mouse Skin: A Histologic and Molecular Study2. Alltite Benefits: Four Clinical Advantages Worth KnowingPOINT 01 | Cheek Hollowing Is Not the Price of LiftingNo question is raised more often in pre-treatment consultation than this one:"Will the face look sunken afterward?''The concern is well founded. Platforms such as Ultherapy and Onda deposit heat into the fat layer as well as the target structures,and in patients whose cheeks are already thin or whose facial fat volume is low, the outcome can be visible hollowing — a face that has been lifted and gaunted in equal measure.The dielectric heating mechanism described above changes that arithmetic.Because the subcutaneous fat layer holds relatively little water,it receives considerably less thermal energy from Alltite.Hollowing of the cheeks is consequently very unlikely, and the gliding technique throughwhich the device is applied still delivers improvement across the mid-face, nasolabial folds included.POINT 02 | A Visible Lift Before You Leave the Treatment RoomThe tissue temperature Alltite works toward is in the region of 42–45°C —well below the 60–70°C coagulation threshold at which Ultherapy operates.Within that band, collagen triple helices recoil and contract without the tissue sustaining damage, and they do so immediately.The change is therefore visible in the mirror as soon as the session ends.For a first date, an interview, a presentation, or a wedding, few options are better suited.Nor does the benefit end at the door.The same temperature range activates heat shock proteins, HSP-47 among them,and these govern the collagen remodeling that unfolds over the weeks that follow.The result is twofold: an immediate lift, followed by a gradual improvement in firmness across the subsequent one to three months.Related research: Non-ablative dermis layer targeted dielectric heating for facial rhytid improvement in Asian skin — a study of 32 Asian women assessing nasolabial and marionette line improvement together with three-dimensional structural change, following a single DLTD session.POINT 03 | Numbing Cream Is Not Part of the ProtocolAlltite does not generate heat at the epidermis, and a dual cooling system provides an additional layer of protection at the skin surface.The practical outcome is that the great majority of sessions proceed without numbing cream of any kind.What patients report is a sensation of agreeable warmth.With no anesthetic waiting period to build into the appointment, total clinic time is short, and nothing in the way of recovery follows.For anyone whose reason for deferring a lifting treatment has been pain, Alltite presents the lowest threshold of any option currently available.POINT 04 | Beyond the Jawline: Nasolabial Folds and the Mid-FaceMost lifting devices perform at their best along the jawline and across the lower face.The mid-face, nasolabial region included, has long been recognized as considerably harder territory.Alltite operates across a broad 0.3–4.5mm depth range and is delivered by gliding technique.That combination allows a single session to address the jawline while extending naturally into the mid-face and nasolabial area.3. Alltite vs Ultherapy vs XERF: Where the Real Difference LiesThis remains the question posed to us most frequently.The three platforms diverge on three counts: energy source, heating mechanism, and target temperature.FeatureAlltiteUltherapyXERFEnergyUltra-high frequency (40.68MHz)Focused ultrasound (HIFU)Monopolar RF (6.78 + 2MHz)Heating methodDielectric heatingThermal coagulation pointsResistive heatingTarget temperatureapprox. 42–45°Capprox. 60–70°Capprox. 45–55°CDepth reached0.3–4.5mm1.5 / 3.0 / 4.5mmDermis to SMASPainMinimalNoticeableLowAnesthesiaUsually not neededRecommendedUsually not neededOnset of resultsImmediate + progressiveClear at 2–3 monthsImmediate + progressiveStrengthImmediate full-face overall liftDecisive jawline definitionTargeted nasolabial and jowl liftReduced to a single line each: An immediate, full-face result with neither pain nor downtime → Alltite A powerful lift that defines the jawline decisively → Ultherapy Targeted improvement of the nasolabial folds and jowls, without pain or downtime → XERF These three should not be understood as competitors.Practice at ODE Clinic begins with an assessment of the stage of laxity, the thickness of the dermis,and the volume of facial fat; only then is a single device or a combination recommended.The synergistic effect of pairing radiofrequency with ultrasound has likewise been documented.Related research: Efficacy of radiofrequency combined with single-dot ultrasound for skin rejuvenationFurther reading on XERF: XERF Lifting: Effects, Difference From Thermage, and PricingGangnam XERF Price and Cost Guide (2026)4. Alltite Shots: How Many Are Required per SessionThe conventional standard for a single full-face session is 400 shots.That figure shifts according to the degree of laxity present, the areas to be treated, and skin thickness.At ODE Clinic the assessment is made directly by the treating physician, who advises on the shot count the individual case actually calls for.Since no time is lost to anesthesia, the session itself is brief — and washing the face, applying skincare,and putting on makeup are all possible immediately afterward.5. Alltite Longevity: How Long the Result Lasts and When to Repeat ItAs a general rule, the lifting effect of Alltite holds for six months to a year.Scheduling becomes considerably easier once Alltite is understood for what it is: a low-temperature stimulation treatment.Devices that coagulate tissue at high heat aim to force a single dramatic change.Alltite takes the opposite path, repeating moderate-temperature stimulation so that collagen remodeling accumulates over time.Recommended protocol: Intensive phase — 2–3 sessions at intervals of 4–6 weeks Maintenance phase — a touch-up every 6 months to 1 year thereafter Where a patient has tried the treatment once and found the change smaller than anticipated,the explanation is almost invariably the same: the session was taken as a one-off, without this cumulative structure in view.6. Alltite Price and Cost: The Numbers in FullODE Clinic Alltite pricing (VAT not included)ProgramPriceAlltite 400 shotsKRW 700,000Alltite 400 shots × 3 sessionsKRW 1,900,0007. Alltite Candidates: Who the Treatment Is Designed ForWhere any of the following describes your situation, Alltite merits consideration.✅ Lifting treatments have been deferred on account of pain✅ Sagging cheeks, a blurred jawline, or mid-face laxity are a source of concern✅ An immediate return to work or daily routine is necessary✅ There is apprehension that lifting will leave the face looking hollo ✅ Improvement in fine lines and overall skin density is wanted at the same time✅ Ultherapy or Thermage has already been tried and a different approach is sought8. Alltite Side Effects and Precautions to NoteThe risk of epidermal injury with Alltite is low. As with any medical procedure,however, individual variation exists and certain points warrant attention in advance.Reactions that may occur: Temporary redness A mild sensation of warmth → Both typically subside within a few hours.9. Alltite FAQ: The Questions Patients Ask MostQ. How many shots will I need?A full-face session standardly comprises 400 shots. At ODE Clinic the treating physician assesses each patient directly and advises on the appropriate figure.Q. When do results become apparent?A lift registers immediately, produced by the contraction of collagen fibers. That initial change softens somewhat over the days that follow, after which collagen remodeling delivers the more substantial improvement across one to three months.Q. How painful is the treatment?Most patients describe nothing beyond comfortable warmth, and sessions are ordinarily performed without numbing cream. Sensitivity to pain nonetheless varies a good deal between individuals; raise it at consultation and the settings will be adjusted accordingly.Q. Will Alltite leave my face looking hollow?Energy is concentrated in the water-rich dermis and fibrous septa, while the water-poor subcutaneous fat layer receives comparatively little heat. Given that mechanism, cheek hollowing is not a concern.Q. Can Alltite be combined with Ultherapy?It can, and frequently is. Ultherapy works the jawline intensively while Alltite refines the contours of the face as a whole.Q. Is there any downtime?None. Cleansing and makeup are possible immediately after the session, and normal routine resumes without interruption.Q. Are there side effects?Temporary redness or a mild warm sensation may arise, though these generally resolve within a few hours. The risk of epidermal damage is low, but outcome and safety both remain dependent on the pressure, speed, and energy settings applied by the operator.Q. How can I confirm the device is genuine?Alltite is developed by the Korean company Innoxus. Officially registered clinics can be verified through the clinic locator on the official Alltite website.Closing AssessmentAlltite makes no claim to being the most powerful lifting device on the market.Its claim is narrower and more defensible: improvement in overall facial laxity and skin density, achieved without pain, without downtime, and without loss of volume.That is a position of its own, and the device holds it.The point that matters above all others is that the correct answer is determined by the individual face —the stage the laxity has reached, the thickness of the dermis, the quantity of facial fat present.At ODE Clinic all three are assessed before any decision is made as to whether Alltite alone is appropriateor whether combination with Ultherapy or XERF is the sounder course,and that assessment takes place in one-on-one consultation with the physician who will carry out the treatment.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : AlltiteAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.08.04
Lifting
XERF vs. Ultherapy: Results, Pain, Downtime, and Cheek Hollowing Compared
For many years, Ultherapy has been one of the most well-known names in non-surgical lifting.More recently, XERF, a next-generation dual radiofrequency, RF, lifting device, has gained significant attention.However, these two treatments work through different energy principles and target different tissue depths.Because of this, their effects, treatment areas, pain levels, downtime, and side-effect profiles are clearly different.It is not only first-time patients who ask which treatment is better for them.Even patients who have received dermatology treatments for years often ask the same question.When you search online, you may find many general explanations,but it can be difficult to find information that is actually useful in real clinical decision-making.“I heard Ultherapy can cause cheek hollowing. Is it really safe?”“Is XERF actually less painful than Ultherapy?”To answer these practical concerns, Dr. Dohoon Kim of ODE Clinic, who has performed Ultherapy for many yearsand whose clinic was recently selected as one of Korea’s Top 10 XERF providers,will explain the differences in a clear and practical way.Quick Comparison at a GlanceCategoryUltherapyXERFEnergy typeMicro-focused ultrasound, HIFURadiofrequency, RFBest forJawline, double chinMidface, nasolabial folds / jowls / jawline / double chinPain level7 / 103–4 / 10DowntimeSwelling for about 1–2 weeksAlmost noneLifting effectVery strongStrongCheek hollowing riskPossiblePossiblePrice, 300 shotsApprox. 1,000,000–1,200,000 KRWApprox. 1,000,000 KRWLast updated: July 24, 2026Written by: Dr. Dohoon Kim, ODE Clinic1. Difference in Treatment AreasUltherapy is a High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound, HIFU treatment.It creates thermal coagulation points at depths of 4.5mm or 3.0mm, causing the tissue to contract.Its main target is the SMAS, superficial musculoaponeurotic system layer.Because the heat is focused into a single point, the temperature at the focal zone can rise above 60°C almost instantly.This allows Ultherapy to deliver strong lifting energy,but it also means there is a possibility of nerve irritation or nerve injury if the treatment is not carefully planned.For this reason, Ultherapy works very well for the jawline, where the SMAS layer is relatively well developed.However, it may be less effective for the nasolabial fold area,where the SMAS layer is not clearly present, or for the jowl area, where nerves run close to the treatment zone.XERF, on the other hand, delivers heat over a broader area and contracts the fibrous septae.Because of this mechanism, XERF can be applied more evenly to the nasolabial folds, jowls, and jawline.In other words, Ultherapy targets a precise deep layer with focused ultrasound energy,while XERF uses RF heat to contract a broader tissue network more gently.In ShortIf your main concern is nasolabial folds or jowls👉 XERF alone is often recommended.If your main concern is the jawline👉 Ultherapy alone, or a combination of Ultherapy and XERF, may be recommended.2. Difference in PainIf we rate treatment pain on a scale from 1 to 10, Ultherapy is usually around 7 out of 10.The pain feels deep, sharp, and electric.Many patients say it is more tolerable than they expected, but it is still a treatment with noticeable pain.XERF is generally much more comfortable.Rather than a sharp pain, patients usually describe it as a hot sensation.The pain level is usually around 3 to 4 out of 10.XERF can be performed without anesthesia, but at ODE Clinic,we usually apply topical numbing cream for about 15 to 20 minutes so that we can deliver sufficient energy more comfortably.Some patients even fall asleep during XERF treatment because it is relatively comfortable.3. Downtime｜Swelling and RednessAfter Ultherapy, swelling can last for about 2 weeks.Because the swelling often appears around the jawline, some patients may feel that their face looks more swollen or even more saggy than before treatment during the early recovery period.After about 2 weeks, as the swelling subsides, the jawline usually begins to look more defined.XERF has almost no downtime.There may be mild redness on the day of treatment, but swelling is minimal.For this reason, XERF can be a good option for office workers, patients who cannot have visible downtime,or anyone with an important event coming up soon.4. Risk of Cheek HollowingBoth Ultherapy and XERF work by contracting tissue.Therefore, both treatments can potentially cause cheek hollowing if energy is delivered into areas that are already volume-deficient.This is why treatment design is very important.Before the procedure, areas that are prone to hollowing should be carefully identified and marked so that they can be avoided during treatment.Cheek hollowing is not simply a problem of the device itself.It is more closely related to where the energy is delivered, how much energy is used,and whether volume-deficient areas are avoided properly.Ultherapy and XERF at ODE ClinicODE Clinic is equipped with a wide range of lifting and tightening devices,including Ultherapy, XERF, Emface, Onda, Coolsoniq, Alltite, Thermage, and Density.This allows us to recommend the most suitable option based on each patient’s facial structure,degree of sagging, volume-loss pattern, desired timeline, and budget.At ODE Clinic, every patient receives a direct 1:1 consultation with the doctor who performs the treatment.Because lifting results often appear gradually, it is also important to compare progress objectively.At ODE Clinic, we use skin diagnostic imaging to compare before-and-after results whenever needed.Frequently Asked QuestionsQ. Can I receive both treatments on the same day?A. Yes, Ultherapy and XERF can be performed on the same day.In most cases, we perform Ultherapy first, followed by XERF.Ultherapy is used to target the deeper jawline and structural sagging, while XERF can then be used to improve the midface, nasolabial folds, jowls, and overall tightening.Q. If I receive them one at a time, which should I start with?A. In many cases, I recommend starting with XERF.Most patients do not have only jawline sagging.They often have nasolabial folds and jowls at the same time.If XERF alone creates enough improvement in the overall face, there may be no need to receive Ultherapy immediately.If jawline or double-chin sagging still remains after XERF, Ultherapy can be added later for stronger lifting.Closing ThoughtsUltherapy and XERF are both lifting treatments, but they do not work in the same way.Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound energy to strongly contract deeper layers such as the SMAS and fat layer.It is especially useful for clear sagging around the jawline and double chin.XERF uses RF energy to contract broader tissue networks, including the fibrous septae.It can be applied more widely to the nasolabial folds, jowls, jawline, and double chin, with less pain and minimal downtime.Rather than asking which device is universally better, the more important question is:Where does your sagging start, how much volume loss do you have, and how much downtime can you tolerate?At ODE Clinic, we build a customized lifting plan based on long-term Ultherapy experience and our clinical expertise as a Top 10 XERF provider.This has been Dr. Dohoon Kim from ODE Clinic.Gangnam Dermatology Clinic, ODE Clinic8th Floor, 340 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, Korea+82–2–569–0222ODE Column : XERF vs. UltherapyAuthor: Dr. Dohoon Kim, Chief Director of ODE ClinicSpecialty: Anti-aging (Lifting, Volumizing, etc.)
2026.07.28Visit ODE CLINIC
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