{
  "what": "Ultherapy is micro-focused ultrasound with visualisation (MFU-V): the handpiece images the tissue, then heats small points at 1.5, 3.0 or 4.5 mm, the deepest at the SMAS, so lax tissue can firm as collagen remodels. At Dr Sin Yong's practice on Orchard Road, Singapore, he performs it himself on Ultherapy Prime for mild to moderate laxity of the brow, jawline, under the chin and neck. It does not add volume, remove fat or remove skin excess, and on lean faces he uses the VF Lift – Vertical Facelift instead.",
  "key_facts": [
    "Mechanism: a curved transducer focuses ultrasound so a volume of tissue under 1 mm³ is heated to roughly 60–70 °C; each point is repaired with new collagen, so the lift is biological and develops with collagen remodelling rather than on the day",
    "Depths: 1.5 mm at 10 MHz (dermis), 3.0 mm at 7 MHz (deep dermis and the fibrous septae of the superficial fat) and 4.5 mm at 4 or 7 MHz (the SMAS and, in the neck, the platysma); DeepSEE imaging shows the tissue to about 8 mm before each line",
    "US FDA 510(k) clearances (Ulthera System): lifting the brow (2009), lifting the neck and the tissue under the chin (2012), and lines and wrinkles of the décolletage (2014)",
    "Ultherapy Prime: the current platform from Merz Aesthetics, with an updated console, handpiece and imaging display; the energy, transducer depths, frequencies and coagulation points are unchanged. 4D and 7D HIFU are marketing labels, not separate technologies or recognised generations",
    "Does not: add volume, remove fat, remove skin excess, resurface the skin or replace a surgical facelift; significant skin excess or heavy jowls are referred to a plastic surgery specialist",
    "Wait or assess first: pregnancy or breastfeeding; open wounds, active infection or inflamed acne in the area; recent filler or threads in the zone; a pacemaker or implanted electronic device, or metal implants near the field",
    "Risks: redness, tenderness along treated lines, mild swelling, numbness or tingling and small bruises; rarely a surface burn, temporary nerve weakness, or fat atrophy that reads as hollowing, which is why it is not used on a lean face",
    "Performed by: Dr Sin Yong personally, who also performs the Ultraformer MPT, Thermage FLX, the VF Lift – Vertical Facelift and the Bliss Lift, and is invited by CLASSYS to share his clinical expertise internationally"
  ],
  "references": [
    "Systematic Review of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound in Skin Tightening and Body Contouring. Aesthetic Surgery Journal. https://academic.oup.com/asj/article/45/7/690/8106464",
    "Microfocused Ultrasound With Visualization in Skin Quality: A Narrative Review. PMC. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12374570/",
    "Alam M, et al. Ultrasound tightening of facial and neck skin: a rater-blinded prospective cohort study. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology 2010. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/20115948/",
    "US FDA 510(k) Premarket Notification database. Ulthera System clearances. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cdrh/cfdocs/cfpmn/pmn.cfm",
    "Ultherapy, Merz Aesthetics. Manufacturer information. https://www.ultherapy.com/",
    "Amiri M, Ajasllari G, Llane A, et al. Microfocused Ultrasound With Visualization (MFU-V) Effectiveness and Safety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Aesthetic Surgery Journal 2024. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11834976/",
    "Kerscher M, Nurrisyanti AT, Eiben-Nielson C, Hartmann S, Lambert-Baumann J. Skin physiology and safety of microfocused ultrasound with visualization for improving skin laxity. Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology 2019. https://www.dovepress.com/skin-physiology-and-safety-of-microfocused-ultrasound-with-visualizati-peer-reviewed-article-CCID",
    "Park H, Kim E, Kim J, Ro Y, Ko J. High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound for the Treatment of Wrinkles and Skin Laxity in Seven Different Facial Areas. Annals of Dermatology 2015. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4695420/"
  ],
  "owner_url": "https://drsinyong.com/ultherapy/",
  "doctor": "Dr Sin Yong, aesthetic physician, Orchard Road, Singapore",
  "updated": "2026-10-31"
}