Ultherapy® (1st Generation)
Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound to deliver heat to the deep support layers of the face and neck — including the SMAS.
Our Ultherapy Success Stories in Nanjing
The following are a selection of Ultherapy success stories from our Nanjing-area clients.
Case 1 · Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Real Clinical Record
- Client profile
- Asian Female · Fitzpatrick I · Results Lasting ~3–5 Years
- Concerns Addressed
- Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Comprehensive Improvement via Multi-Modality Combination Plan
- Treatment Plan
- Sofwave™Sofwave™ + Thermage® CPT™ + Ultherapy® (1 session)
- Improvement outcomes
- Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Visible Improvement · Natural Overall Result
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- No PIH
- Maintenance
- Sofwave/Ultherapy 18-24 Month maintenance + at-home care
Case 1: Asian Female · Fitzpatrick I · Results Lasting ~3–5 Years · Ultherapy® (1st Gen) as the Core Step in a Comprehensive Skin Laxity Plan (1 Session) · Led by our physician at Luowei Medical Aesthetics Clinic, Nanjing
Case 2 · Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Real Clinical Record
- Client profile
- Asian Female · Fitzpatrick IV
- Concerns Addressed
- Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Comprehensive Improvement via Multi-Modality Combination Plan
- Treatment Plan
- PicoSure® + PicoSure Pro® + PicoWay® + Ultherapy® and 17 other modalities (multiple sessions within 3 months)
- Improvement outcomes
- Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Visible Improvement · Natural Overall Result
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- No PIH
- Maintenance
- 9-12 Months later — filler top-up session
Case 2: Asian Female · Fitzpatrick IV · Ultherapy® (1st Gen) as the Core of a Comprehensive Plan for Facial Fatigue/Aged Appearance, Melasma, Age Spots/Sun Spots, Pigmentation, Visible Capillaries, Facial Redness/Broken Capillaries, Combined Wrinkles, Forehead Lines, Crow’s Feet, Nasolabial Folds, Marionette Lines/Corner Mouth Lines, Perioral Lines/Smoker’s Lines, Skin Laxity, Facial Sagging/Jowling, Skin Aging, Uneven Skin Tone & Facial Fatigue, Ptosis, Under-Eye Bags & Dark Circles, Tear Troughs, Undefined Jawline, and Loss of Skin ElasticityStep (Multiple Sessions Within 3 Months) · Led by our physician at Luowei Medical Aesthetics Clinic, Nanjing
Case 3 · Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Authentic Documentation
- Client profile
- Asian Female · Fitzpatrick I · Results Lasting ~3–5 Years
- Concerns Addressed
- Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Comprehensive Improvement via Multi-Modality Combination Plan
- Treatment Plan
- Sofwave™Sofwave™ + Thermage® CPT™ + Ultherapy® (1 session)
- Improvement outcomes
- Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Visible Improvement · Natural Overall Result
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- No PIH
- Maintenance
- Sofwave/Ultherapy 18-24 Month maintenance + at-home care
Case 3: Asian Female · Fitzpatrick I · Results Lasting ~3–5 Years · Ultherapy® as Core Component of Combination Plan (1 Session) for Skin Sagging · Led by our physician at Luowei Medical Aesthetics Clinic, Nanjing
Case 4 · Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Authentic Documentation
- Client profile
- Asian Female · Fitzpatrick IV · Results Lasting ~3–5 Years
- Concerns Addressed
- Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Comprehensive Improvement via Multi-Modality Combination Plan
- Treatment Plan
- Fotona® redness-reduction laser + laser treatment for broken capillaries + Vbeam Perfecta pulsed dye laser + Vbeam® diffuse redness elimination, and 12 other modalities (1 session)
- Improvement outcomes
- Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Visible Improvement · Natural Overall Result
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- No PIH
- Maintenance
- Sofwave/Ultherapy 18-24 Month maintenance + at-home care
Case 4: Asian Female · Fitzpatrick IV · Results Lasting ~3–5 Years · Ultherapy® as Core Component of Combination Plan (1 Session) for Tired/Aged Appearance, Post-Inflammatory Hyperpigmentation (PIH), Pigmentation, Facial Redness & Broken Capillaries, Acne Scarring, Enlarged Pores, Facial & Neck Laxity, Facial Sagging/Jowls, Skin Aging, Dull Complexion & Fatigued Appearance, Temple Hollowing, Forehead Hollowing, Uneven Skin Tone, Scarring · Led by our physician at Luowei Medical Aesthetics Clinic Nanjing
Case 5 · Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Real Clinical Record
- Client profile
- Asian Female · Fitzpatrick I · Results Lasting ~3–5 Years
- Concerns Addressed
- Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Comprehensive Improvement via Multi-Modality Combination Plan
- Treatment Plan
- Sofwave™Sofwave™ + Thermage® CPT™ + Ultherapy® (1 session)
- Improvement outcomes
- Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Visible Improvement · Natural Overall Result
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- No PIH
- Maintenance
- Sofwave/Ultherapy 18-24 Month maintenance + at-home care
Case 5: Asian Female · Fitzpatrick I · Results Lasting ~3–5 Years · Ultherapy® (1st Gen) as the Core Step in a Comprehensive Skin Laxity Plan (1 Session) · Led by our physician at Luowei Medical Aesthetics Clinic, Nanjing
Case 6 · Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Authentic Documentation
- Client profile
- Asian Female · Fitzpatrick IV
- Concerns Addressed
- Ultherapy® (Gen 1) — Comprehensive Improvement via Multi-Modality Combination Plan
- Treatment Plan
- BTL Exilis Ultra™ + BTL Exilis Ultra 360 + Fotona® 4D + Fotona® 4D Lifting and 17 other modalities (multiple sessions within 3 months)
- Improvement outcomes
- Ultherapy® (1st Gen) — Visible Improvement · Natural Overall Result
- Post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH)
- No PIH
- Maintenance
- Routine sun protection + monthly at-home care + quarterly assessments
Case 6: Asian Female · Fitzpatrick IV · Ultherapy® (1st Gen) as the Core of a Comprehensive Plan for Volume Loss, Melasma, Freckles, Age Spots/Sun Spots, Pigmentation, Neck Lines, Skin Laxity, Facial Sagging/Jowling, Skin Aging, Facial Fatigue/Aged Appearance, Uneven Skin Tone & Facial Fatigue, Undefined Jawline, Masseter Hypertrophy, Excess Cheek Volume/Facial Fat Accumulation, Hollow Cheeks/Loss of Mid-Face Volume, Facial Contouring, Luowei Skeletal Facial Sculpting, Facial Skin Remodeling, Facial Slimming & Fat Reduction, Double Chin, Recessed Chin, Thin Lips, and Dull Skin Tone · Core Step in a Comprehensive Plan for Uneven Skin Tone, Rough Skin Texture/Surface Irregularities, and Loss of Skin Elasticity (Multiple Sessions Within 3 Months) · Led by our physician at Luowei Medical Aesthetics Clinic, Nanjing
Ultherapy in Nanjing
Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound to deliver heat to the deep support layers of the face and neck — including the SMAS, the layer a surgeon tightens in a facelift — without breaking the skin. The tissue responds by contracting and laying down collagen over the following months.
It is a lifting treatment, not a resurfacing or volumising one. It does not change skin tone and it does not replace lost volume. What it addresses is laxity: a jawline that has softened, brows that sit lower than they did, skin under the chin that no longer holds.
Every treatment at Luowei Medical Aesthetics Clinic is planned and performed by our physician. The ultrasound imaging is used to see the layers before energy is delivered, so depth is chosen against your anatomy rather than a fixed template.
Key points
- What it does Lifts and tightens by heating deep tissue; no incision, no downtime
- Depths used 4.5 mm (SMAS) · 3.0 mm (dermis) · 1.5 mm (superficial)
- Device Ulthera System — holds an active NMPA device licence
- Onset Gradual — assessed at 3 to 6 months, not on the day
- Typical course One session; repeated when the assessment supports it
Why imaging matters
Ultherapy is the ultrasound lifting platform that shows the operator the tissue layers during treatment. That does not make the result automatic — it makes it possible to place energy at the intended depth instead of estimating. Where a plan calls for treatment without imaging, a different device may suit better.
What actually happens in the tissue
Focused ultrasound converges energy at a set depth, raising the temperature at that point enough to cause controlled contraction. The layers above and below are left intact, which is why there is no wound and no recovery period.
The three working depths
4.5 mm reaches the SMAS, the fibromuscular layer responsible for structural lift — this is where jawline and neck work is done. 3.0 mm treats the deep dermis for skin quality and mid-face support. 1.5 mm is superficial, used around the eyes and on thin skin where the deeper transducers are not appropriate.
Ultherapy Prime
Ultherapy Prime is the current-generation platform. Compared with the earlier system it offers a revised imaging display and transducer handling, which shortens treatment time and makes depth confirmation easier during the session. The underlying mechanism — focused ultrasound at the same three depths — is unchanged. If you have searched for Ultherapy Prime Nanjing, this is the same treatment described on this page.
Whether the earlier or current platform is used does not change candidacy, aftercare, or how results are assessed.
Why results take months
The visible change comes from collagen remodelling, not from the heat itself. That process runs over 8 to 24 weeks. Anyone quoting a same-day lift is describing temporary swelling, not the treatment effect.
What it does not do
It does not remove fat, fill hollows, resurface skin, or treat pigment. Combining it with the treatments that do those things is common, and the sequence matters — that is a consultation discussion, not a package decision.
Ultherapy or something else
| Your situation | Where assessment usually starts |
|---|---|
| Early to moderate jawline or neck laxity, skin still has elasticity | Ultherapy at 4.5 mm |
| Laxity plus surface texture or fine lines | Ultherapy combined with a resurfacing or skin-quality treatment, staged |
| Prefer a shorter, more comfortable session | Sofwave works at a single mid-dermal depth — different trade-off |
| Concern is volume loss rather than laxity | Fillers or collagen stimulators— not an energy device |
| Skin quality and pores, not lift | RF microneedling or laser resurfacing |
| Advanced laxity with significant skin excess | Referral for a surgical opinion — energy devices will not match it |
A side-by-side of the three tightening platforms is set out in our Ultherapy vs Thermage vs Sofwave guide.
Who it suits
Usually suitable
- Adults with mild to moderate laxity of the lower face, neck or brow
- Skin that still has elasticity — typically from the late thirties through the fifties, though this is assessed individually
- People who want a gradual change and can wait months to judge it
- People who cannot take downtime, including before an event that is still several months away
Not suitable, or deferred
- Significant skin excess or advanced laxity — surgery does more
- Active infection, open lesions or inflammatory acne in the treatment area
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Implanted electrical devices in the treatment field
- Severe or cystic acne over the intended area
- Expectation of a same-week visible lift — the biology does not work that way
Weight change during the months after treatment will affect what you see. If significant weight loss is planned, it is usually better to treat afterwards.
The session and the months after
- Consultation Assessment of laxity and skin quality, photography, and a plan stating depths and line counts
- Session length About 45–90 minutes depending on the areas treated
- During Heat and prickling at the moment each line is delivered; comfort measures are discussed beforehand
- Immediately after Possible redness, mild swelling, tenderness. Normal activity the same day
- Weeks 4–8 Early change becomes noticeable to the patient before it is obvious to others
- Months 3–6 The result is assessed against the baseline photographs
Discomfort during treatment is real and varies considerably between people and between depths. It is managed, not eliminated, and anyone describing the treatment as free of sensation is not describing it accurately.
When another route fits better
- Sofwave— ultrasound at a single mid-dermal depth. Shorter sessions and generally better tolerated; it does not reach the SMAS.
- Radiofrequency tightening— heats tissue by a different mechanism, with its own depth profile and comfort trade-off.
- Thread lifting— mechanical repositioning rather than tissue contraction; a different answer to a similar complaint.
- Fillers— where the change is loss of volume rather than loss of tightness, no energy device will address it.
- Surgery— where laxity is advanced. We refer rather than treat.
The overview of all ultrasound lifting options at this clinic is on the ultrasound skin tightening page.
What determines cost
Ultherapy is priced by the areas treated and the number of lines delivered, not by the session. Two people having “lower face and neck” can require materially different line counts, which is why a single headline figure is not useful before assessment.
Current pricing, what a line count means in practice, and how Ultherapy compares on cost with the other tightening options are set out in the Ultherapy cost guide for Nanjing. A written estimate for your own plan is provided after consultation, before anything is booked.
Standards applied to this treatment
Imaging is used, not skipped
The layers are visualised before energy is delivered. Treating without looking is faster; it is not the same treatment.
Line counts are stated, not estimated afterwards
The plan specifies how many lines go to which area. You are told the number before the session, and it does not change without being discussed.
Results are judged against photographs
Standardised images at the baseline and at 3 to 6 months, under fixed conditions. Memory is not an assessment method.
Candidacy is assessed honestly
Patients whose laxity is beyond what focused ultrasound can address are told so and referred, rather than sold a course that will disappoint.
Risks, contraindications and when to call
Ultherapy has no wound and no recovery period, but it is a medical treatment with real risks. They are discussed before consent.
Expected after treatment
- Redness for a few hours, sometimes into the next day
- Mild swelling and tenderness to touch, typically settling within one to two weeks
- A tingling or sensitive sensation in the treated area for some days
Less common
- Bruising, particularly along the jawline and neck
- Temporary numbness or altered sensation, usually resolving over weeks
- Transient nerve effects— including temporary weakness or asymmetry of facial movement. Uncommon, and a reason the treatment is physician-delivered with imaging rather than delegated
- Welts or raised lines in the treated area, settling over days
Contraindications
- Active infection or open lesions in the treatment area
- Severe or cystic acne over the intended area
- Pregnancy or breastfeeding
- Implanted electrical devices within the treatment field
- Significant skin excess where the expected benefit does not justify treatment
Contact the clinic
Call if you develop increasing pain after the first days, spreading redness, blistering, or any weakness or asymmetry of facial movement. These are treatable and are handled faster when reported early. For difficulty breathing or swallowing, or swelling affecting the airway, call 911 rather than the clinic.
This page is general information about how Ultherapy is assessed and performed at this clinic. It is not medical advice and does not replace a consultation. Results vary with tissue quality, the areas treated and individual healing.
Where the medical claims on this page come from
Everything above about Ultherapy® (1st Generation) rests on published evidence rather than on our own word. The sources below are the ones behind those statements: peer-reviewed papers indexed in PubMed, and guidance written for patients by dermatology academies and national health services. Read them before you decide — and bring any of them to your consultation.
- Peer-reviewedRadiofrequency Microneedling: A Comprehensive and Critical Review
- Peer-reviewedRadiofrequency and Radiofrequency Microneedling in Skin of Color: A Review of Usage, Safety, and Efficacy
- Peer-reviewedA Systematic Review of the Efficacy of Microfocused Ultrasound for Facial Skin Tightening
- Peer-reviewedCommon Dermatologic Procedures and the Associated Complications Unique to Skin of Color
- Patient guidanceAAD statement on FDA warning about RF microneedling risks
What these references can and cannot tell you. They describe what is known about the treatment itself — how well it tends to work, how long results last, and what can go wrong. They are not an assessment of this clinic, and no published study can tell you whether it suits your skin type, anatomy, or medical history. That judgement comes from the physician who examines you in person, and it may well be “not this one”.