Ulthera Cost Korea: what a genuine-tip session should cost

What does Ulthera cost in Korea, and what is that price paying for?

Hello, I'm Dr. Won Woo Choi, a board-certified dermatologist and Chief Director at WELLS Clinic in Apgujeong, Seoul. I completed my dermatology residency and board certification at Seoul National University Hospital, earned my Ph.D. in dermatology at Seoul National University, and serve as an adjunct professor there. Patients often ask me about Ulthera cost Korea comparisons before they fly in, and most of them are really asking one thing: does a lower number mean the same treatment?

Here is the direct answer for WELLS. We list Ultherapy as Ultherapy Prime FIT: FIT 400 at ₩1,925,000 and FIT 500 at ₩2,409,000 (VAT excluded). Ultherapy Prime on its own is priced at consultation. What should change the number is the plan for your face, never the tip that touches your skin.

In August 2017 the Korean business daily Joseilbo reported that WELLS had been named a Golden Record clinic at the Ultherapy Golden Record Award, hosted by Merz Korea. The award was part of a campaign for genuine Ultherapy tips, and in that interview I gave the same advice I still give every patient today. This post is that advice, rewritten for someone comparing prices from abroad.

Why genuine tips are part of the Ulthera cost Korea equation

Ultherapy works through a transducer, which most people call the tip. It focuses ultrasound energy into the deep supporting layer of the face, the SMAS, which is the same layer a surgical facelift tightens. The tip is a consumable, and genuine tips are a large part of what a session costs a clinic.

The Joseilbo article described the problem plainly. Both the device and its consumables are expensive, and the reporter noted cases where devices or tips had been altered, or where a previously used, refilled tip was shown to patients as genuine. The experts quoted in the piece linked some facial burns to illegal reused tips and advised patients to check the tip and the doctor's experience before treatment.

That is why I never treat a genuine tip as an optional extra. If a quote is far below what genuine consumables cost, the question to ask is what was left out.

So when you weigh one quote against another, put the Ultherapy genuine tip question first. Ask which tip will be used, whether you can see it before the first shot, and what happens if it turns out not to be genuine. A clinic that can answer those three clearly has usually priced its treatment honestly as well.

What you actually pay for at WELLS

Our listed Ultherapy plans pair Ultherapy Prime with a second Fitting laser. Ultherapy Prime lifts from the SMAS, and the Fitting laser works on the layer between Ultherapy and Thermage depth, so the jawline contour is treated in the same visit. You can read the full protocol on the Ultherapy Prime FIT page.

The Ultherapy Prime FIT price below is the full listed price for each plan. It is not a starting rate that grows once you are in the chair, and it does not depend on which dermatologist you see.

• Genuine tips only, with a 10× refund if a tip is ever found not to be genuine
• The Ultherapy Prime system in every session
• 3D imaging and an individualized treatment map before the first shot
• Air NOX non-sedation, so you stay awake and can see the tip and the shot count
• A board-certified dermatologist plans and performs the treatment

Shot count is where many quotes drift upwards. Most of our patients are satisfied with their results with 300–400 shots, and only about 2% of WELLS patients need 600 or more. A bigger number on the invoice is not, on its own, a better treatment.

How can you check the tip yourself, in any clinic?

You do not need to take anyone's word for it, including ours. The simplest protection is to stay awake. Ultherapy's own guidelines don't recommend deep sedation, and under sedation you cannot give feedback, so energy tends to be pushed higher and burn risk rises.

At WELLS we use Air NOX non-sedation with local anesthetic. You stay conscious, and you can watch the tip go on and the shot count change on the screen.

• Ask to see the tip before treatment starts
• Ask how many shots are planned for each area, and check the count at the end
• Ask who holds the handpiece, and whether that person is a dermatologist
• Ask what is included in the price: numbing, the plan, the follow-up questions

A clinic that uses genuine tips will be happy to answer all four. Hesitation on any of them tells you more than the price does.

Ultherapy shots should also be counted in front of you. The screen shows the number as the treatment goes on, and we confirm it with you at the end, so the plan you agreed to is the plan you received.

Why does Ultherapy in Korea look cheaper in some ads?

Some advertisements compare prices across different focused-ultrasound machines as if they were one product. They are not. The tip depths, energy settings and shot definitions differ between devices, so a per-shot price from one machine tells you little about another.

The Golden Record Award that Joseilbo covered in 2017 existed because of this confusion. It recognised clinics that use genuine Ultherapy tips, and that remains how we work: WELLS is a Merz Ultherapy Golden Record Award clinic, and every session uses the Ultherapy Prime system with genuine tips.

If you are still deciding whether Ultherapy is the right tool at all, my colleagues explain the trade-offs in our guide to Ultherapy prices in Seoul and the Ultherapy side effects guide.

Planning the visit and getting an exact quote

WELLS has been in Apgujeong since 2008. We are a five-minute walk from Apgujeong Station (Line 3) Exit 3, and the whole visit happens on one floor: consultation, 3D analysis and treatment.

Before you fly, send a photo and your dates on WhatsApp. We reply with the plan we would expect for your face and the listed price, and the dermatologist confirms the shot count in person. Individual results vary, and side effects are possible, which is why every treatment starts with a consultation.

Results and recovery vary by individual. Every treatment carries possible side effects, which are explained at the consultation. Prices are in Korean won, excluding 10% VAT, and confirmed at your consultation. This article is general information from the clinic, not a diagnosis.

Written by

Dr. Won Woo Choi

Medical Director · M.D., Ph.D. · WELLS Clinic, Apgujeong

• Board-certified dermatologist in Korea; trained at Seoul National University Hospital
• Dermatology residency, Seoul National University Hospital; board certification in dermatology in Korea
• Ph.D. in Dermatology, Seoul National University
• Former clinical instructor, Seoul National University Hospital
• Adjunct professor, Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital

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