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Writer's pictureMandy Chow

Ultherapy vs. HIFU: Understanding the Differences and Choosing the Best for Skin Tightening

Ultherapy and HIFU might sound similar, but they offer different benefits and results in anti-aging treatments. So, what sets them apart? How do you choose the right option for skin tightening and lifting? Let’s dive into the details of these two popular treatments and explore their unique features and differences.






What is Ultherapy?


Ultherapy is a globally renowned non-invasive skin lifting and tightening treatment, favored in over 80 countries and with more than 2.3 million successful clinical treatments. It is the only device of its kind approved by Health Canada and the U.S. FDA, ensuring its safety and effectiveness are internationally recognized.






  • Principle: Ultherapy uses micro-focused ultrasound technology to penetrate the deep layers of the skin, specifically targeting the dermal SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System). This stimulates the reorganization and production of collagen, resulting in a lifting and tightening effect.


  • Safety & Customization: Ultherapy features patented 8.0mm real-time visualization technology, allowing practitioners to see and customize treatment for different layers of skin tissue. This real-time imaging ensures precision, effectiveness, and safety throughout the treatment process.


  • Energy Layers: The device offers three depth options—1.5mm, 3.0mm, and 4.5mm—to target various skin layers effectively.


  • Treatment Areas: Ultherapy is versatile and can be applied to the face, neck, and other body areas such as the legs, chest, and abdomen, where tightening and lifting are desired.


  • Results Duration: A single Ultherapy session can provide lifting and tightening effects that last up to two years, making it an excellent choice for those seeking long-term anti-aging solutions.








We are thrilled to witness that Ultherapy® has once again won the 2024 New Beauty Award for " Best Nonsurgical Skin Tightener"! This marks the 11th consecutive year we have received this prestigious honour.







What is HIFU?


HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) is a non-invasive treatment that utilizes high-intensity focused ultrasound technology to stimulate collagen production and achieve skin tightening.


  • Principle: HIFU generates high-energy heat through focused ultrasound waves, which promotes the growth of collagen in the skin.


  • Energy Layers: The device offers two models with depth options of 2.0mm, 3.0mm, and 4.5mm to target different layers of the skin.


  • Treatment Areas: HIFU can be used for various areas of the face, including delicate regions such as around the eyes and lips.


  • Results Duration: The effects of HIFU treatments typically last between 1 to 2 months.



Comparison Between Ultherapy and HIFU


  • Technology Principle: Ultherapy utilizes micro-focused ultrasound technology, whereas HIFU (High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound) employs high-intensity focused ultrasound technology. Domestic HIFU devices have not surpassed the technological advancements of Ultherapy and cannot precisely control the size and temperature of the ultrasound focus.


  • Certification and Safety: Ultherapy is the only device that has received official certification from both Health Canada and the FDA (U.S. Food and Drug Administration), ensuring its safety and efficacy. In contrast, Korean, Japanese, and domestic HIFU devices lack FDA certification, raising concerns about their regulatory status and safety.


  • Treatment Areas: Ultherapy offers a broader range of treatment areas compared to HIFU. Ultherapy can be applied to the face, neck, and other areas such as the legs, chest, and abdomen. HIFU, however, primarily targets the face and neck.

  • Duration of Results: Ultherapy provides more long-lasting results. A single treatment can maintain effects for up to two years. In contrast, the effects of HIFU typically last between 1 to 2 months.

  • Patented Real-Time Visualization Technology: Ultherapy features the patented DeepSEE® technology, which allows for non-invasive "viewing" of the skin. This real-time visualization shows the condition of the underlying tissue layers and measures layer thickness, ensuring precision, effectiveness, and safety during treatment. This technology facilitates better skin lifting and tightening. HIFU lacks this capability, resulting in a "blind" treatment approach. This can lead to inconsistent energy delivery, potentially causing reduced effectiveness or adverse effects such as facial depressions.


  • Customized Treatment Plans: The real-time visualization technology in Ultherapy enables Serene's medical professionals to create personalized treatment plans based on your facial structure, desired outcomes, and collagen distribution. This allows for a tailored lifting and tightening solution with optimal energy distribution and layer selection. In contrast, HIFU does not provide detailed subcutaneous imaging. It generally relies on a standardized approach, which limits its ability to precisely design energy distribution and select the correct energy layers, reducing effectiveness.


  • Scientific and Clinical Evidence: Ultherapy is supported by extensive scientific and clinical evidence, including over 50 clinical studies and 100 peer-reviewed publications. HIFU, however, has fewer peer-reviewed publications and is less recognized in the medical aesthetics industry.



In 2021, Dr. Je-Young Park, a renowned dermatologist from South Korea, published a study highlighting the benefits of Ultherapy’s unique tissue visualization system. The research revealed that Asian patients typically have denser SMAS (Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System), deeper fascial connections, and thinner skin with lipid-rich stratum corneum. These variations in skin characteristics among different ethnicities and individuals further confirm the irreplaceable technological advantage of Ultherapy. This technology enables medical professionals to precisely design the distribution and application of ultrasound energy and select the correct energy depth, ensuring optimal lifting and tightening results.


How to Choose?

Unlike other devices that claim similar technology, efficacy, or safety, onlyUltherapy is backed by extensive peer-reviewed scientific and clinical evidence. Ultherapy features the exclusive DeepSEE® technology, which allows practitioners to non-invasively "see through" the skin. This unparalleled visualization of specific tissue planes enables precise delivery of Ultherapy energy, achieving optimal lifting and tightening results. Compared to traditional facelift surgeries, Ultherapy offers reduced recovery time and discomfort, enhancing patient comfort and safety. It is an ideal choice for those seeking a time-efficient, non-invasive, and long-lasting solution.


Currently, HIFU devices are not legally approved for use in Canada. To learn more about Ultherapy and HIFU, we invite you to consult the expert team at Serene Cosmetic Clinic. We will provide personalized recommendations and treatment plans based on your needs, helping you achieve your dream of youthful, firm skin.

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