Thermage vs Ultherapy Prime vs Sofwave One Decision, Three Energies
Thermage FLX, Ultherapy Prime, and Sofwave use three different energies at three different depths: radiofrequency across the dermal volume, focused ultrasound down to the SMAS, and parallel ultrasound beams in the mid-dermis. The right choice follows where your laxity actually sits, mapped by one physician just steps from Gangnam Station in Seoul.
Thermage vs Ultherapy Prime vs Sofwave
Thermage vs Ultherapy Prime vs Sofwave
RF vs HIFU vs Sofwave · Gangnam Seoul
Thermage FLX, Ultherapy Prime, and Sofwave use three different energies at three different depths: radiofrequency across the dermal volume, focused ultrasound down to the SMAS, and parallel ultrasound beams in the mid-dermis. The right choice follows where your laxity actually sits, mapped by one physician just steps from Gangnam Station in Seoul.
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Thermage, Ultherapy Prime, or Sofwave: how do I actually choose in Gangnam?
Choose by where your laxity sits. Thermage FLX uses monopolar radiofrequency to heat a broad volume of dermis, so it answers all-layer, volumetric looseness. Ultherapy Prime uses microfocused ultrasound with visualization to reach the SMAS at 4.5mm, so it answers deeper jawline and jowl sagging. Sofwave uses synchronous parallel ultrasound beams to warm the mid-dermis at around 1.5mm, so it answers earlier surface laxity, texture, and brow lift. At RE:BERRY Gangnam a physician maps that depth on your own face before recommending one. A large share of guests end up staging two for layered coverage.
Effects & Progress
Effects & Progress
Ultherapy Prime is the depth specialist of the three: micro-focused ultrasound with visualization reaches the SMAS at 4.5mm, the deep anchor a heavy jawline depends on, while Thermage and Sofwave work shallower.
Any warmth or pinkness fades within hours. Sofwave usually leaves no trace, while Thermage and Ultherapy Prime may bring brief redness that settles the same day. Makeup and travel are fine right away.
Early firmness from collagen contraction settles in. Skin often feels denser and smoother to the touch before the visible tightening reaches its peak, whichever depth was treated.
The main tightening phase. New collagen builds through the treated plane, from the SMAS with Ultherapy Prime, across the dermal volume with Thermage, and in the mid-dermis with Sofwave. Response speed varies by individual.
Maintenance period. The fullest result lands around week 24, and durability then differs by depth. RE:BERRY reviews your progress photos and guides the repeat interval that suits your skin.
Treatment Process
Thermage vs Ultherapy Prime vs Sofwave: 4 Steps from Depth Reading to Aftercare
※ Illustrative images are AI-generated to help explain the treatment process.Effects & Progress
Effects & Progress
Among the three, Ultherapy Prime is the one built to reach deep. Micro-focused ultrasound with visualization targets discrete points at 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5mm. It is the 4.5mm setting, the SMAS layer that a surgical lift tightens, that a dropping jawline and jowl weight depend on. Thermage heats a broad dermal volume for looseness spread across layers, and Sofwave warms the mid-dermis for shallow texture and brow. Precision at depth is what sets Ultherapy Prime apart in this comparison.
None of the three implants material. They prompt your skin's own repair. Existing collagen contracts first, felt as early firmness in the weeks after treatment, then new collagen and elastin form through the treated plane so the visible tightening deepens toward its week-24 peak. Ultherapy Prime drives that renewal from the SMAS, Thermage across the dermal volume, and Sofwave through the mid-dermis. The change comes from your own tissue, and results vary by individual.
Comfort tracks depth. Sofwave, working shallowest, is usually felt as a mild spread of warmth cushioned by surface cooling. Thermage sits in the middle, each pulse a brief deep warmth softened by handpiece vibration and integrated cooling. Ultherapy Prime reaches deepest and is briefly sharper at each focal point. Across all three the physician tunes intensity to your feedback throughout, and topical comfort measures are offered. None of the three is free of sensation, and no one at RE:BERRY will pretend otherwise.
Each device is planned as one session with no needle for the energy itself and no incision. Because the surface stays intact, daily life, makeup, and even a same-day flight are fine. Sofwave usually leaves no trace, while Thermage and Ultherapy Prime sometimes leave brief warmth or redness. That makes any of the three easy to fit into a short Seoul trip, and because they act at different layers, some guests stage two together. Every applicator and transducer is genuine and officially imported, and confirmed with you before the session begins.
Treatment Process
Thermage vs Ultherapy Prime vs Sofwave : 4 Steps from Depth Reading to Aftercare
※ Illustrative images are AI-generated to help explain the treatment process.
What Each Energy Delivers, and How the Result Builds
- One framework, three answers: RF for volumetric all-layer looseness, focused ultrasound for deep SMAS sagging, parallel-beam ultrasound for shallow texture and brow. The recommendation follows your anatomy, not a house favorite.
- Depth you can see before you decide: the Ultherapy Prime visualization screen shows the physician your actual tissue planes, so the choice among the three is made from your skin.
- Comfort ranges by physics: Sofwave tends to feel the mildest, Thermage sits in the middle with vibration and cooling, and Ultherapy Prime reaches deepest. The physician tunes intensity to your feedback in every case.
- Single-session planning for each device, with no injection and no recovery room, so international guests can fit a lift into a short Seoul trip.
- Staging is a normal plan, not a failure to choose. Because RF, focused ultrasound, and parallel-beam ultrasound act on different layers, many RE:BERRY Gangnam guests plan two together for layered coverage.
- One physician from laxity mapping through delivery to review, with genuine MFDS-registered devices and sealed applicators verified in front of you under standardized clinic lighting.
| Timeline | What to Expect |
|---|---|
| Session complete in 30-90 minutes; any warmth or pinkness fades within hours. Sofwave typically leaves nothing to see, and makeup, flying, and plans are all fine the same day. | |
| The first measurable firmness appears as existing collagen contracts. Skin often feels denser to the touch well ahead of the visible change, whichever device was used. | |
| New collagen forms through the treated plane (mid-dermis for Sofwave, full dermal volume for Thermage, down to the SMAS for Ultherapy Prime), and the visible tightening deepens. | |
| The fullest result lands around this point for all three. Durability then differs: Sofwave and Thermage generally hold around a year, Ultherapy Prime tends to hold longer from its deeper anchor. |
Thermage FLX vs Ultherapy Prime vs Sofwave: Three Energies Side by Side
| Criteria | Thermage FLX (RF) | Ultherapy Prime (Focused US) | Sofwave (Parallel-Beam US) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy type | Monopolar radiofrequency, 6.78 MHz | Microfocused ultrasound with visualization | Synchronous parallel-beam ultrasound, 9.4 MHz |
| Where it heats | Broad dermal volume across layers | Focal points at 1.5 / 3.0 / 4.5mm reaching the SMAS | A broad plane of mid-dermis around 1.5mm |
| Best-suited concern | Volumetric, all-layer looseness and texture | Deep jawline and jowl sagging at the SMAS | Early surface laxity, texture, and brow lift |
| Typical age fit | Roughly 35-60 | Roughly 35-60 | Roughly 25-45 |
| Sessions | Single session | Single session | Single session |
| Session time | 30-90 minutes | 30-90 minutes | 30-90 minutes |
| Comfort tendency | Moderate, cushioned by vibration and cooling | Deepest of the three, briefly sharper | Mildest of the three, with surface cooling |
| Downtime | None; brief warmth fades within hours | None; occasional mild redness settles same day | None; usually leaves no visible trace |
| Peak and durability | Peaks around week 24, generally holds about a year | Peaks around week 24, tends to hold longest | Peaks around week 24, generally holds about a year |
| Published price | ₩990,000 (about $707) | Published on its treatment page | Published on its treatment page |
Why This Matters
The three devices are not ranked on a single ladder. Thermage FLX converts radiofrequency into heat by tissue resistance across a broad dermal volume. Ultherapy Prime focuses ultrasound into discrete coagulation points at the SMAS. Sofwave spreads parallel ultrasound beams through the mid-dermis. Different physics, different target layer, different question. Staging two, such as RF for volume plus focused ultrasound for the deep jawline, is a routine plan at RE:BERRY Gangnam.
Seoul pricing is a large part of why this three-way comparison draws medical travelers. RE:BERRY publishes each device's rate on its own treatment page, and Gangnam energy-device pricing commonly runs well below the same platforms in the US, Japan, and Australia. Because all three exist under one roof here, guests can weigh them on a single visit.
KHIDI's 2025 international patient survey found 41.4% of respondents rank keeping the same doctor throughout as their leading criterion. With three energy classes on the table that continuity matters more. At RE:BERRY the physician who reads your laxity depth is the one who selects the device, delivers every pulse, and reviews your result, with no handoff between the assessment and the machine.
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Your Medical Director
Dr. Yoon-Gon Ryu
- Medical Director, RE:BERRY Aesthetic Clinic Gangnam — Korean MOHW Medical License No.131644
- Manufacturer-appointed KOL invited to teach injection and energy-device technique to Korean peers
- Regular Member, Korean Academy of Aesthetic Medicine
- Co-manages every case with Dr. Yejin Oh (Korean MOHW Medical License No.144238)
- Featured in Authority Magazine (2026)
Medically reviewed by Dr. Yoon-Gon Ryu, CEO / Medical Director, RE:BERRY
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Step past the black gallery facade and the bustle of Gangnam-daero falls away. Fourteen thousand square feet of hushed corridors, marble installations, a cascading water feature and fully enclosed consultation suites — arranged so you rarely cross paths with another guest, because our reservation-only diary keeps every hour deliberately underbooked.
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The Evidence Behind Choosing RF or Ultrasound by Depth
The case for matching device to depth follows from how each energy deposits heat. A rater-blinded trial of microfocused ultrasound documented measurable tightening of facial and neck skin after a single treatment, establishing that focused ultrasound produces real clinical lift when energy is placed at defined planes.
Alam M, White LE, Martin N, Witherspoon J, Yoo S, West DP. Ultrasound tightening of facial and neck skin: a rater-blinded prospective cohort study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010;62(2):262-269. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2009.06.039
Histology explains why the depth setting matters so much for focused ultrasound. When intense focused ultrasound is applied to skin, it creates discrete thermal coagulation zones at the targeted plane while sparing the tissue above and below. That mechanism lets Ultherapy Prime act at the SMAS at 4.5mm without an incision. A separate microfocused-ultrasound-with-visualization evaluation confirmed consistent lifting outcomes when treatment was guided by imaging of the tissue layers, which is precisely what the visualization screen provides during assessment at RE:BERRY Gangnam.
Laubach HJ, Makin IRS, Barthe PG, Slayton MH, Manstein D. Intense focused ultrasound: evaluation of a new treatment modality for precise microcoagulation within the skin. Dermatol Surg. 2008;34(5):727-734. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2008.34196.x
Fabi SG, Massaki A, Eimpunth S, Pogoda J, Goldman MP. Evaluation of microfocused ultrasound with visualization for lifting, tightening, and wrinkle reduction of the decolletage. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2013;69(6):965-971. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2013.06.045
Evidence in Asian skin matters for a Seoul clinic weighing three devices. A clinical study of intense focused ultrasound tightening in Asian patients recorded improvement in laxity with the depth-targeted approach, and a microfocused ultrasound system evaluation reported measurable elasticity gains. Both reinforce that ultrasound lift depends on where the energy lands. For volumetric looseness spread across layers, the multiple-pass radiofrequency algorithm applies broad dermal heating, and its progressive contour improvement through six months is documented in a dedicated lower-face study. Reading which pattern a face shows is what decides between the RF and ultrasound routes at RE:BERRY Gangnam.
Suh DH, Shin MK, Lee SJ, et al. Intense focused ultrasound tightening in Asian skin: clinical and pathologic results. Dermatol Surg. 2011;37(11):1595-1602. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02094.x
Oni G, Hoxworth R, Teotia S, Brown S, Kenkel JM. Evaluation of a microfocused ultrasound system for improving skin laxity and tightening in the lower face. Aesthet Surg J. 2014;34(7):1099-1110. doi:10.1177/1090820x14541956
Bogle MA, Ubelhoer N, Weiss RA, Mayoral F, Kaminer MS. Evaluation of the multiple pass, low fluence algorithm for radiofrequency tightening of the lower face. Lasers Surg Med. 2007;39(3):210-217. doi:10.1002/lsm.20472
Questions International Guests Ask When Comparing All Three
Which is stronger: Thermage, Ultherapy Prime, or Sofwave?
Strength is the wrong axis, because the three deposit heat at different layers. Ultherapy Prime reaches deepest, to the SMAS at 4.5mm, so it does the most for a heavy jawline. Thermage FLX heats a broad dermal volume across layers, so it does the most for all-over looseness. Sofwave works shallowest, in the mid-dermis, so it does the most for early texture and brow. The physician at RE:BERRY Gangnam picks by where your laxity sits.
How do I know whether my laxity is shallow or deep?
The consultation settles it. On the Ultherapy Prime visualization screen the physician can see your tissue planes, and the pattern usually reads clearly: surface crepiness and fine texture sit shallow in the mid-dermis, while a dropping jawline with jowl weight sits deep at the SMAS. Volumetric all-over looseness spans layers. You do not self-diagnose this. The depth reading is the physician's job before any device is named.
Can I combine two of these in one trip to Seoul?
Yes, and a large share of RE:BERRY Gangnam guests do. Because RF, focused ultrasound, and parallel-beam ultrasound act on different planes, staging two gives layered coverage a single device cannot. A common pairing is Thermage for volumetric looseness plus focused ultrasound for a deep jawline. The physician sets the sequence and spacing at consultation and gives you one written figure before anything is scheduled.
Which treatment is best for my age?
Age is a rough guide, and the physician always overrides it with what your skin actually shows. Sofwave tends to suit the mid-20s to mid-40s where laxity is still shallow. Thermage FLX and Ultherapy Prime more often suit the mid-30s through 50s, where looseness has either spread across layers or dropped to the SMAS. A 30-year-old with a genuinely heavy jawline can still be an Ultherapy Prime candidate.
Do any of these three have downtime?
None require recovery. All three pass energy through intact skin, so there is no wound: makeup, flights, and sightseeing are fine the same day. Sofwave usually leaves no visible trace at all, Thermage may bring brief warmth and pinkness, and Ultherapy Prime occasionally leaves mild redness that settles within hours. For a short Seoul itinerary, any of the three fits between other plans.
How do the three compare on comfort?
Comfort tracks depth. Sofwave is generally the mildest, felt as a spread of warmth with surface cooling. Thermage sits in the middle, with each pulse a brief deep warmth cushioned by handpiece vibration and integrated cooling. Ultherapy Prime reaches deepest and is briefly sharper at the focal points. In every case the physician tunes intensity to your feedback throughout the session. None of the three is free of sensation, and no one at RE:BERRY will tell you it is.
When will I see results, and how long do they last?
All three build on a similar curve: early firmness from collagen contraction in the first weeks, then the main tightening as new collagen forms, with the fullest change around week 24. Durability differs by depth. Sofwave and Thermage generally hold around a year, while Ultherapy Prime tends to hold longer from its deeper SMAS anchor. Your progress is reviewed on photos at follow-up.
Why does RE:BERRY start every assessment on the Ultherapy Prime screen?
Because it is the only one of the three that images tissue planes, the visualization screen is the most reliable way to read depth, even when the final plan turns out to be RF or parallel-beam. The physician uses it as a diagnostic step first and a treatment tool second. That is a practical reason the depth reading, not a price list, drives the recommendation.
Is Sofwave only for younger patients?
Not strictly. Sofwave suits shallow, early laxity and brow lift, which is more common in younger skin, but the deciding factor is the depth of the laxity, not the number on your ID. An older patient whose main concern is surface texture and a slightly dropped brow, without deep jowl sagging, can be a sound Sofwave candidate. The physician confirms this from the skin reading.
What if my sagging is too advanced for any of these?
The physician will tell you plainly. Energy-based lifting remodels your own collagen and firms real but limited laxity; it does not replace a surgical lift, and that cannot be promised. When the physician judges the sagging structural, RE:BERRY says so and explains that a different route may serve you better.
Are the devices and applicators genuine?
Every platform at RE:BERRY Gangnam is MFDS-registered, and the sealed cartridge, transducer, or applicator is genuine, officially imported, and shown to you before it is opened, each with a fixed shot count. This matters most in a three-device clinic, where a shortcut on any one applicator would quietly undercut the comparison you came to make.
Will the same doctor handle the whole thing?
Yes. The physician who reads your laxity depth on the screen is the one who selects the device, delivers every pulse, and reviews your result. There is no handoff to a technician between the assessment and the machine. With three energy classes in play, that continuity keeps the depth reading and the treatment aligned.
How do I book a lifting consultation in Gangnam as a foreign visitor?
Message RE:BERRY on WhatsApp with your age range, main concern, travel dates, and a couple of photos. A coordinator replies in English within 24 hours and reserves a physician slot without committing you to a device; that call is made in person after the depth reading. The clinic is reservation-only for international guests, and interpreters cover 8 languages on-site.
Where is the clinic, and how do I get there from Gangnam Station?
RE:BERRY sits inside KI Tower on Gangnam-daero, a 2-minute walk from Gangnam Station Exit 10 on Seoul Metro Line 2, and 45-60 minutes from Incheon Airport by AREX plus subway or by direct taxi. Being steps from the station means your consultation and treatment slot cleanly between Gangnam dining, shopping, and sightseeing.
Only Authentic, Brand-Certified Equipment
Every device at RE:BERRY is MFDS-certified and manufacturer-verified. We never use counterfeit or grey-market equipment.
Map Your Laxity Depth, Then Choose
Send your age range, main concern, and travel dates to RE:BERRY on WhatsApp. A coordinator replies within 24 hours and reserves a physician slot without naming a device first. The physician reads your laxity depth on the visualization screen, recommends Thermage FLX, Ultherapy Prime, or Sofwave from your own skin, delivers every pulse, and reads your review. Nothing is scheduled until you confirm.
Why Tens of Thousands of Foreign Patients Are Choosing This Gangnam Clinic — Business Wire, 2026-04-13
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i had a good time having the Juvelook treatment!
It was my first time in Korea, all the Doctor & team are bery helpful. Dr. Ian & cheong a lee(jenny) are really helpful.
I understand more about my skin.
The clinic is calm, welcoming.
there are many activities i didn’t expect to find in a beauty clinic; phot...
When you walk into the clinic, it genuinely feels like a luxury experience.
The staff was so kind and attentive the whole time 🤍.
The consultation felt very personalized, and they recommended treatments that truly matched what my skin needed instead of just recommending anything.
Honestly, I hope to come back next year
Great place! Came coz of an ad online and wanted to check out the place. They were able to fit me and my husband in right away as walk-ins. They took us to a sink to wash our faces, then took photos for skin analysis and before photos. Then they proceeded to give us a consultation ( c/o Jin Wooyoung) and advice on what...
So happy to found the beauty clinic in Korea that very inclusive and Muslim friendly. They have a prayer space for muslim and they prepare a female doctor for me. The clinic is so comfortable with aesthetic design make me feel relaxed. The doctor and the staff are very professional and helpful so all of the procedure r...
I had an excellent experience at Reberry Gangnam. The staff were professional, welcoming, and took the time to explain each treatment thoroughly. I had microneedling and other skin treatments, and the entire process was comfortable and well-organized. The clinic was modern, clean, and made me feel at ease from start to...
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Science Matching RF and ultrasound lifting to depth: peer-reviewed references
Choosing between radiofrequency and ultrasound by the depth of a patient's laxity rests on a body of peer-reviewed work on how each energy behaves in skin. Focused ultrasound was shown to produce measurable facial and neck tightening in a rater-blinded cohort (Alam 2010), and histology clarified the mechanism: intense focused ultrasound creates discrete coagulation zones at the targeted plane while sparing surrounding tissue (Laubach 2008), the basis for treating the SMAS without an incision. Microfocused ultrasound guided by visualization produced consistent lifting when imaging directed the energy (Fabi 2013), and dedicated studies in Asian skin (Suh 2011) and of a microfocused system (Oni 2014) both reported laxity and elasticity gains from depth-targeted delivery. For looseness spread across layers, the multiple-pass, low-fluence radiofrequency algorithm confirmed progressive lower-face contour improvement through six months (Bogle 2007). Together this evidence shows the RF and ultrasound routes answer different depth patterns.
- Alam M, White LE, Martin N, Witherspoon J, Yoo S, West DP. Ultrasound tightening of facial and neck skin: a rater-blinded prospective cohort study. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2010;62(2):262-269. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2009.06.039
- Laubach HJ, Makin IRS, Barthe PG, Slayton MH, Manstein D. Intense focused ultrasound: evaluation of a new treatment modality for precise microcoagulation within the skin. Dermatol Surg. 2008;34(5):727-734. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2008.34196.x
- Fabi SG, Massaki A, Eimpunth S, Pogoda J, Goldman MP. Evaluation of microfocused ultrasound with visualization for lifting, tightening, and wrinkle reduction of the decolletage. J Am Acad Dermatol. 2013;69(6):965-971. doi:10.1016/j.jaad.2013.06.045
- Suh DH, Shin MK, Lee SJ, et al. Intense focused ultrasound tightening in Asian skin: clinical and pathologic results. Dermatol Surg. 2011;37(11):1595-1602. doi:10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02094.x
- Oni G, Hoxworth R, Teotia S, Brown S, Kenkel JM. Evaluation of a microfocused ultrasound system for improving skin laxity and tightening in the lower face. Aesthet Surg J. 2014;34(7):1099-1110. doi:10.1177/1090820x14541956
- Bogle MA, Ubelhoer N, Weiss RA, Mayoral F, Kaminer MS. Evaluation of the multiple pass, low fluence algorithm for radiofrequency tightening of the lower face. Lasers Surg Med. 2007;39(3):210-217. doi:10.1002/lsm.20472
These references shape how the three-device decision is made at RE:BERRY's Gangnam aesthetic clinic: the treating physician reads laxity depth first, on the visualization screen that images tissue planes, then matches focused ultrasound to deep SMAS sagging, parallel-beam ultrasound to shallow mid-dermal laxity, or radiofrequency to volumetric all-layer looseness, with standardized-lighting photographic follow-up through the collagen remodeling window under the same licensed physician. This information is for educational purposes only and is not medical advice.
How to Find RE:BERRY Gangnam
2 minutes from Gangnam Station Exit 10. B1–B2, KI Tower — the building with the all-black entrance you can't miss.
RE:BERRY Clinic Gangnam
B1–B2, KI Tower, 69-gil 8, Gangnam-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul
서울시 서초구 강남대로69길 8, 지하1·2층 (KI타워)
Also available at: Myeongdong · Incheon Airport