Menu
(949) 762-9476 Request a visit

HIFU and Ultherapy: What Is the Difference?

Ultherapy is a brand of HIFU. Here is what that means, what we offer, and the questions to ask any clinic before you book.

Ultherapy is one HIFU system

HIFU, high-intensity focused ultrasound, is the technology. Ultherapy is the brand name of one HIFU system, the Ulthera System. Its FDA clearance describes lifting the eyebrow and lax tissue under the chin and on the neck, with temporary changes in the appearance of the skin.

Other HIFU systems use the same principle, focused ultrasound delivered beneath the skin, but they differ in their handpieces, depth settings, other features and the uses they are cleared for.

What we offer

Dr HIFU Aesthetics does not offer Ultherapy. We offer HIFU treatments with our own system, at the prices on this site: a jawline introductory session at $350 (one per customer), cheeks at $699, and 3-session packages for the full face ($2,000) or the full face and neck ($2,950).

Questions to ask any clinic

  1. Which device will be used, and what is it cleared for?
  2. Who performs the treatment, and what is their license?
  3. What is the exact price, and how many sessions and which areas does it include?
  4. What will the visit involve, and what is the plan for aftercare?
  5. What results are realistic for me, and how long do they typically last?

We are happy to answer every one of these for our own treatments. Read our HIFU questions or see our HIFU prices.

HIFU and Ultherapy side by side

Details about Ultherapy come from its maker's published information. The HIFU column covers the treatment in general and, where noted, our clinic.

QuestionHIFUUltherapy
What is it?High-intensity focused ultrasound: a kind of treatment, offered on systems from more than one maker.The brand name of one system, the Ulthera System. Ultherapy is a registered trademark of Ulthera, Inc.
How is the energy described?Focused ultrasound energy sent to set depths beneath the skin. Focused ultrasound, sometimes called microfocused ultrasound.
Does the provider see an ultrasound image?It depends on the device, because features differ from one system to the next. Ask the clinic.Yes. Its maker says the provider sees a live ultrasound image before and during treatment.
How is the price quoted?Here, as a fixed price listed on this site: per session for the jawline or cheeks, as a 3-session package for the full face or the full face and neck, and $450 per area for body HIFU.Set by each clinic that offers it. Ask for a written total that names the areas and the number of sessions.
How long does it take?Visits here are booked for 45 mins (jawline), 55 mins (cheeks), 1 hr 25 mins per visit (full face), 1 hr 30 mins per visit (full face and neck) or 1 hr (one body area). That time includes cleansing and mapping.Not booked here. Its maker gives a treatment time of roughly 30 to 90 minutes, varying with the area.
Can I get it at Dr HIFU Aesthetics?Yes, at 19742 MacArthur Blvd, Suite 230, Irvine, every day from 9 am to 5 pm. See location and hours.No. We do not have the Ulthera System.

This compares how the two are described and offered, not how they turn out for any one person. Individual results vary. We name Ultherapy only to explain the difference.

How to choose between them

Pick the area you care about first, then put these four questions to every clinic on your list.

Which system, and what plan?

Ask the clinic to name the device it will use on you and the handpieces or depths it plans for your area. Brand names and general terms get mixed together online, so it is fair to ask to see the device itself.

Is an image used?

Ask whether the device shows an ultrasound image during treatment. If it does, ask how your provider uses it. If it does not, ask how the area is mapped before treatment starts. Either way, know what happens on the day before you pay.

What does each area cost, per session?

One cheeks session, a 3-session full face package and a single body area are three different purchases, so compare each quote only with another for the same area and the same number of sessions. Ask whether the consultation and any follow-up visit are in the total. Our prices for every area are on the price list.

Who will treat you?

Ask who will hold the handpiece, how often they use that particular system and which physician oversees the clinic. Here, treatments are provided under the medical oversight of our Medical Director.

If you want Ultherapy by name

Book it with a clinic that uses the Ulthera System. We do not have one, and we would rather tell you that on the phone than after you arrive. If you are open to HIFU, call (949) 762-9476 or request a visit. We will name our system, explain the visit and give you the full price before you book.

More questions

Is your HIFU machine the same as Ultherapy?
No. Ultherapy is performed on the Ulthera System, and we do not have one. We use our own HIFU system, and we will tell you its name and answer your questions about it before you book.
Is microfocused ultrasound the same thing as HIFU?
Microfocused ultrasound is a term used for Ultherapy, and HIFU stands for high-intensity focused ultrasound. Both describe ultrasound energy focused beneath the skin. Devices vary in their handpieces, settings and features, so compare the specific system rather than the label.
I have had Ultherapy before. Can I have HIFU here?
Tell us when you had it and which areas were treated, and bring any notes you have from that clinic. Your provider reviews that history at your consultation, along with your goals and your health, and tells you whether HIFU fits and when.

Ask us about our HIFU system

We are happy to answer every question on that list.

Request a visitCall (949) 762-9476Text us