Unlike lasers, which treat the skin from the outside in, micro-focused ultrasound passes harmlessly through the top layer of skin and converges at a set depth underneath. Where those sound waves meet, they heat tiny points of tissue to between 60°C and 70°C. Because the surface of your skin stays cool, you leave the clinic without peeling, scabbing, or open marks.
During a session at ARTÉ by Dr. M, Dr. Michelle and Dr. Alfred switch between three handpiece cartridges to treat different layers of your face:
- 4.5mm (SMAS layer): Reaches the Superficial Musculoaponeurotic System, the fibrous muscle sheet supporting the lower face and neck. Tightening this layer pulls up sagging jowls and firms the area under the chin.
- 3.0mm (Deep dermis): Warms the deeper collagen layer to thicken the skin and bring back its elasticity.
- 1.5mm (Upper dermis): Treats shallow fine lines, crepey texture, and horizontal neck creases.
What sets Ultherapy Prime apart from other tightening machines is its live ultrasound screen (Micro-Focused Ultrasound with Visualization, or MFU-V). While most non-surgical lifting devices fire blind based on average skin depths, Ultherapy Prime shows a live ultrasound scan of your skin layers on screen throughout the appointment. Dr. Michelle and Dr. Alfred can see the exact depth of your SMAS and fat pads before firing each line, keeping the heat away from bone, nerves, and areas where losing cheek fat would make your face look hollow.
Ultherapy Prime vs. classic Ultherapy: what changed?
Which areas can Ultherapy Prime treat?
Ultherapy Prime is cleared by the US FDA and Singapore HSA for lifting the brow, under-chin, and neck, as well as smoothing lines on the chest.
Sagging jowls and a soft jawline
As facial ligaments loosen over time, cheek fat slides downward and settles along the jawbone, creating jowls and deeper marionette lines. Treating the SMAS layer at 4.5mm pulls that lower-face tissue back up and sharpens the jawline border.
Double chin and under-chin looseness
Skin under the chin can loosen and create a double chin even if you have not gained weight. Ultherapy Prime tightens both the submental muscle band and the deep dermis to clean up your side profile.
Heavy eyebrows and hooded eyelids
When forehead tissue relaxes, the eyebrows drop and make the upper eyelids look heavy or tired. Firing targeted lines above the brow and temples lifts the brow arch and opens up the eyes.
Neck creases and chest lines
Neck skin is thin and folds easily from looking down at phones and laptops. Passes at 3.0mm and 1.5mm firm crepey neck skin and soften horizontal necklace lines.
Does Ultherapy Prime still hurt?
Ultherapy Prime is not completely sensation-free, but it is far more comfortable than the old machine.
On the original Ultherapy system, slow pauses between shots let heat signals stack up on the nerve endings, so the last couple hundred lines felt sharper than the first. Because Ultherapy Prime fires up to 20% faster with shorter pulse durations, the handpiece moves on before your nerves can build up that lingering ache.
On soft areas like the cheeks, pulses feel like a mild, warm vibration beneath the skin. Along areas where bone sits closer to the surface like the jawbone, chin, and forehead you feel quick, hot pinpricks that fade as soon as the pulse ends.
At ARTÉ by Dr. M, we apply medical-grade numbing cream for 30 to 45 minutes before starting, and oral pain relief is available if you have sensitive skin. Because Dr. Michelle and Dr. Alfred perform every shot themselves, they pace the session and adjust energy levels based on your feedback so you never feel rushed or overwhelmed.
Worried about Ultherapy pain?
Book a consultation with Dr. Michelle or Dr. Alfred at ARTÉ by Dr. M to talk through how we keep Ultherapy Prime sessions comfortable.
What happens during your appointment
Your visit starts with a face-to-face assessment with Dr. Michelle or Dr. Alfred. They check your skin thickness, fat pad positions, and how your tissue shifts when you smile and talk, then mark out custom treatment zones on your face.
After your skin is cleansed, our team applies prescription numbing cream for 30 to 45 minutes. Once your skin is numb, the cream is wiped off and ultrasound gel goes on.
Dr. Michelle or Dr. Alfred places the handpiece against your skin to check your SMAS depth on the 24-inch ultrasound screen before beginning the passes starting at 4.5mm along the jawline and under the chin for deep lifting, then switching to 3.0mm and 1.5mm to firm the cheeks, neck, and brow. A full-face session takes 45 to 60 minutes. Once the gel is cleaned off and calming serum and SPF 50 are applied, you can put makeup on and head straight back to work or out to dinner.
When will you see your results?
Because Ultherapy Prime works by getting your body to build new collagen rather than adding filler, the lift develops over a few months:
- Days 1 to 7: Existing collagen fibers tighten slightly from the heat, giving you a subtle 10% to 15% early firming right away.
- Month 1: Fibroblast cells lay down fresh collagen and elastin underneath the surface. Your skin starts feeling denser and firmer when you wash your face.
- Months 2 to 3: The new collagen matures and tightens. Your jawline looks sharper, jowls look smaller, and your lower face sits higher—making October and early November the best time to book if you want peak results for Christmas and New Year events.
- 12 to 18 months: Because the collagen is your own tissue, results last a year to a year and a half. Most patients come back once a year to maintain their contour.
Price in Singapore (and how to avoid fake cartridges)
If you see a clinic advertising a "full-face Ultherapy package" for $999, check the line count. Clinical guidelines from Merz Aesthetics call for 600 to 800 lines across a full face and upper neck to trigger a real lift. Cut-price packages often spread just 200 to 250 lines across the whole face, which is too thin to make a visible difference.
Even worse, some rock-bottom deals rely on counterfeit consoles or used cartridges that have been hacked with third-party software to fire past their expiration limit. Degraded or fake transducers fire unevenly and carry fake, pre-recorded video loops instead of a real ultrasound scan putting you at risk of burns, nerve irritation, or unwanted fat loss.
Before booking anywhere in Singapore, check that the clinic displays an official certificate from Merz Aesthetics Singapore, ask to see the sealed transducer box, or look up the clinic on the official Merz Aesthetics Singapore clinic locator.
Frequently asked questions
Can I get Botox or fillers around the same time?
Yes, though it is best to do Ultherapy Prime first and schedule Botox or fillers two to four weeks later. If you already had fillers placed in your cheeks or jawline recently, wait at least four weeks before doing Ultherapy Prime over those areas so the heat does not break down the filler.
To find out how many lines your face needs and plan your session ahead of the holidays, book an Ultherapy Prime assessment with Dr. Michelle or Dr. Alfred at ARTÉ by Dr. M.
