Consultations and follow-ups are free
This guide is written by the team that runs Ultherapy at our clinic in the Harley Street medical district and reviewed by our clinician. It covers what the studies and Merz's own label say, what a session is like, how we price it and who it suits best, so you arrive at your free consultation with the facts.
What Ultherapy is
Ultherapy is a treatment made by Merz Aesthetics. The device delivers micro-focused ultrasound. A transducer held on the skin sends sound energy to one tiny point under the surface, where it heats the tissue to around 65 degrees for a fraction of a second. According to the manufacturer's label each point of coagulation is smaller than a cubic millimetre. The skin surface is not the target of the energy. Each line is made of many points, and a full session lays down hundreds of lines. Over the following months the body's healing response produces new collagen, which is what builds the lift.
Three focal depths are used, listed in the manufacturer's labelling as 4.5 mm, 3.0 mm and 1.5 mm. Published papers describe these as reaching the deeper layers, the deep skin and the upper skin. Each depth has its own transducers, and a full face and neck session typically runs several hundred lines; published figures range from about 300 to 800.
One feature of Ultherapy that we value is the imaging. Before each line the clinician sees an ultrasound picture of the tissue to a depth of 8 mm on the console, called DeepSEE. In the US regulator's wording the imaging is cleared to confirm the transducer is coupled to the skin and that the energy is going to the right depth and not into bone. In practice the clinician checks the coupling and the depth on screen before each line.
Does Ultherapy actually work?
For the right face, yes. Here is what the published studies found.
- In a 2010 trial (Alam, industry-funded), 30 of 35 people evaluated, 86%, were judged by three masked raters to show a clinically significant brow lift at 90 days, with an average brow elevation of 1.7 mm.
- In the study submitted to the US regulator for the neck and under-chin clearance (open-label, 70 people), 51 met the threshold for a lift, and masked evaluators rated 84.3% of those 51 improved.
- In a 2014 prospective trial (Oni, 93 people evaluated), blinded reviewers saw improvement in skin laxity in 58% of people, while 66% of patients saw it themselves. Results in that trial were best at a body mass index of 30 or under; above 30, more than half showed no change, which is why we check it at the consultation.
- A 2025 meta-analysis of 42 studies put investigator-rated improvement at 89% and patient-rated improvement at 84%.
So most people with mild to moderate laxity get a visible, moderate lift without a cut, and the clinician tells you at your free consultation what to expect on your own face.
What Ultherapy does well:
- Lifting a brow that has started to drop and opening the eye area.
- Tightening the skin under the chin and the neck, which is the cleared indication, and some studies also report firmer skin along the jawline, beyond the cleared indications.
- Softening the lines on the chest (décolletage), which is a wrinkle indication rather than a lift.
- Tightening loose skin on the abdomen, the arms and the knees, cleared in the US in 2025 and 2026, and we also treat other body areas where loose skin can be tightened.
What Ultherapy does not do:
- It does not remove fat. A full double chin is a fat problem first and a skin problem second.
- It is not surgery. If the skin at your jaw hangs in a fold, that is more than ultrasound lifts, and the clinician will tell you so at your free consultation.
- It does not add volume to hollow cheeks, and it does not relax expression lines; those are injectable treatments, and our doctor can provide them if you want them as well.
Who Ultherapy suits, and who it does not
In our experience the best candidates are people from their late thirties to their sixties with mild to moderate laxity, a body mass index of 30 or under, and realistic expectations. The label covers adults of any gender, though most studies were in women. The manufacturer's label covers all skin types; fewer studies include the darkest skin types, so if your skin is very dark we discuss it with you at your free consultation.
The manufacturer's label lists these as contraindications, and your clinician checks each at your free consultation:
- Open wounds or lesions in the treatment area.
- Severe or cystic acne in the treatment area.
- An active implanted device such as a pacemaker or defibrillator, or metal implants in the treatment area.
The label also says the device is not recommended directly over mechanical implants, dermal fillers or breast implants, or directly on an existing keloid, and that it has not been evaluated in people on anticoagulants. The label says it should not be used on the eyes, over the eyelids or within the orbital rim, and that the thyroid, major vessels and nerves should be avoided.
The label says the device has not been evaluated in these groups, which is not the same as being forbidden. They are: pregnant or breastfeeding women, children, people with a bleeding disorder, an active skin disease that may alter wound healing, herpes simplex, autoimmune disease, diabetes, epilepsy or Bell's palsy. Bring your history to the consultation and the clinician decides case by case. In pregnancy and breastfeeding we do not treat.
Ultherapy works with your own collagen: nothing is injected and nothing foreign stays in the face. If you want injectable treatments as well, our doctor can provide them, and we time them around your session; injectables you have had elsewhere are not a barrier either. The manufacturer's instructions set no waiting period; our own protocol is to leave two weeks after an injectable treatment in the area and four weeks after dermal filler before an Ultherapy session, and not to treat directly over filler.
Not sure you are suitable? Ask the clinician, it is free
What a session is like, step by step
- Consultation. The clinician looks at your face and neck at rest and moving, checks the list above, and agrees the areas: brow, lower face and under the chin, neck, décolletage, abdomen, arms, knees or another body area with loose skin, or a combination. Consultations and follow-up reviews are free.
- Preparation. Photographs, then the treatment areas are marked out with a grid. A numbing cream or a simple oral painkiller is offered; the manufacturer does not prescribe one, and we set it with you. Ultrasound gel goes on.
- Imaging and treatment. For each line the clinician places the transducer, checks the image on the screen, then delivers the energy. You feel a brief deep heat and a prickle as each line is laid, strongest over bone. In the studies people rate it around 4 to 6 out of 10 on average; discomfort can linger for hours and tenderness can last days to two weeks. The energy level can be turned down if you need it.
- Time. In our experience a full face and neck takes about 60 to 90 minutes, and a brow or a décolletage alone about 30 minutes.
- After. The gel comes off and you go home. Expect pinkness for a few hours and some tenderness that can last from days up to two weeks. Makeup can go on the next day.
How many sessions, when you see the result, how long it lasts
| Feature | What to expect |
|---|---|
| Sessions | One. Merz says a single treatment is usually all that is needed, and the pivotal studies are single-treatment. One 2017 study's authors suggest a repeat can be considered three months later, and some people with more laxity choose that |
| First change | Some people notice a tighter look within days, partly from swelling; do not judge the result on it |
| Main result | Measured at 90 days in most studies and still building to 3 to 6 months |
| Peak | Clinicians commonly describe the result building for three to six months; we compare your photographs at three months |
| How long it lasts | Merz says "a year or more" (company wording). The clinical studies follow people for up to one year, and in our experience the lift lasts around 12 months in most faces, with real variation from person to person |
| Maintenance | In our experience people who want to maintain the result come back after about 12 to 18 months, once the lift has faded |
Several things affect how much lift you get: the number of lines placed, your skin laxity, your body mass index and your own collagen response. The clinician goes through each at your free consultation, so you know what to expect before you book.
What Ultherapy costs in London
Ultherapy is priced per area and the cost is driven by the number of transducer lines, because each transducer has a fixed cost. We price Ultherapy from a starting price per session, per area and per course, confirmed in writing at your free consultation, and we price match any comparable written quote. Interest-free finance through Humm is available, subject to status, with terms that depend on the amount. Consultations and follow-up reviews are free whatever you decide.
Our written quote names the device, a genuine Merz Ultherapy system, the number of lines per area and who holds the transducer; ask any clinic for the same three.
Consultations and follow-ups are free
Results you can check
At your free consultation the clinician shows you photographs of our own patients, where we have them, matched to your face and your concern, with their consent, in person rather than online, and you can compare them with your own photographs at three months.
Patients have reviewed the clinic on review.clinic, where Ultherapy at our clinic holds 4.9 out of 5 from 49 reviews, with 100% saying the treatment was worth it (). Read the ones that mention the jawline and the neck; they are the most useful.
Ultherapy PRIME: what changed and what did not
Ultherapy PRIME is the current console, launched in the US in and announced for the UK in . According to the US regulator's summary it is a console update: a larger screen, a modern operating system, new software and, in later releases, a treatment-planning mode and clearances for the abdomen, the arms and the knees. The ultrasound energy and the treatment guidelines are the same as the previous system. Merz says PRIME treatments are about 20% faster and the screen 35% larger; those are the company's figures. With the energy and the treatment guidelines unchanged, the result still comes down to a genuine device and the clinician who uses it.
The question to ask is not "is it PRIME" but "is it a genuine Merz Ultherapy system, with the imaging on, and a genuine, in-date Merz transducer". In Merz warned in Hong Kong and Macau about counterfeit and refurbished transducers that can deliver inaccurate energy. Our clinic treats with a genuine Merz Ultherapy system and the clinician shows you the tissue on screen before the first line.
Ultherapy compared with the alternatives
| Feature | Ultherapy | Sofwave | Morpheus8 | EMface |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Energy | Focused ultrasound, 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 mm | Ultrasound, 1 to 2 mm | Radiofrequency through microneedles | Radiofrequency plus muscle stimulation, no needles |
| Sees the tissue | Yes, live imaging to 8 mm | Not part of its FDA summary | No | No |
| Cleared for (US) | Brow, under-chin and neck lift, chest lines, arms, abdomen, knees | Brow, under-chin and neck lift, facial lines, acne scars, cellulite, upper arms | Coagulation and contraction of soft tissue | Facial wrinkles (clearance as stated by BTL) |
| Sessions | 1 | 1, sometimes 2 | 1 to 3 | 4, a week apart |
| Downtime | Usually back to normal activity; redness, swelling or tenderness for hours to days, occasionally up to two weeks | Redness for hours | 2 to 5 days of redness and swelling | None |
| Best for | Brow, under-chin, neck and body laxity | Brow, under-chin and neck laxity at shallower depth | Texture, acne scars, crepey skin | Early lift, muscle tone, very little downtime |
| Not for | Fat under the chin, heavy jowls | Deep laxity | Needle-averse, very little downtime | Heavy laxity |
The session numbers, downtime and "best for" rows reflect our clinical experience, not the regulators' labels. The "cleared for" row reflects the US FDA summaries.
Is anything better than Ultherapy? Each device has its job, and the two ultrasound treatments work at different depths. Ultherapy reaches 4.5 mm and lets the clinician see the tissue before each line; Sofwave treats at 1 to 2 mm and names Ultherapy as its predicate device. For a neck or a jawline with real laxity we usually start with Ultherapy, and for fine lines and a lighter lift we may suggest Sofwave. We provide both, and the clinician will tell you at your free consultation which fits.
Ultherapy vs Morpheus8. Morpheus8 is radiofrequency delivered through microneedles, with a few days of recovery. In our experience Morpheus8 is more often chosen for texture, scarring and crepey skin, and Ultherapy for lifting without breaking the skin.
Ultherapy vs EMface. EMface works the lifting muscles of the face as well as the skin, over four 20-minute sessions, and has very little downtime. In our experience patients in their sixties with real laxity often do best with a tightening treatment first, Ultherapy or Sofwave, and EMface to keep the lift; patients in their forties with an early drop often need EMface alone.
Ultherapy vs a thread lift or a facelift. Threads are placed under the skin and pull, and we provide PDO thread lifts as well; Ultherapy lifts with no needles and nothing left under the skin. The clinician will tell you at your free consultation which suits your face. A facelift is surgery, with weeks of recovery; Ultherapy is for the years before you would consider it, with no cut and, in our experience, most people back at work the same day.
Consultations and follow-ups are free
Side effects and risks
Most people have redness for a few hours, swelling for one to three days, and tenderness when they press the treated skin for up to two weeks. Mild bruising and small raised welts along a treatment line happen and settle within a week or two. Numbness, tingling or a weak patch of muscle can follow treatment over a nerve; the manufacturer's label says these usually resolve in two to six weeks.
The label also lists effects reported after the device went on the market. These are voluntary reports from a population of unknown size, which is why the label gives them without a rate. They include burns and blisters, nodules, loss of fat or volume in the treated area, asymmetry, pigment change, scarring, and nerve effects including weakness that in some reports lasted months. US adverse-event reports reviewed in a 2025 paper, and published case series, describe the same effects, including blistering and skin loss after single sessions.
The label ties burns and scarring to incorrect technique, such as a tilted transducer, lines placed too close or gel pockets, which is why our clinician checks the image before every line. The label does not name a cause for the reported fat loss or nerve effects; the clinician goes through them with you at your free consultation. Merz also warns that counterfeit transducers deliver inaccurate energy.
A careful clinician, a genuine Merz device, imaging before every line and an energy setting that comes down when you ask all reduce the risk, though none of them removes it entirely. Tell us about any numbness or weakness that is still there at six weeks; we review you free of charge.
How to choose an Ultherapy clinic in London
- Ask who holds the transducer and who supervises. Our sessions are run by trained clinicians in a doctor-led team, and this guide is reviewed by Dr Marie Duggan, GMC 7488383.
- Ask to see the device and the image. A genuine Merz Ultherapy console shows the DeepSEE picture before each line and the transducer's remaining line count; ask to see that the transducer is genuine and in date. Ask for the Merz authorised-provider listing.
- Ask how many lines. The price should be explained per area and per line count; ours is, in writing, at your free consultation.
- Check the regulator. The clinic should be CQC registered. Ours is, registered at 130 Harley Street.
- Ask for the clinic's own photographs, dated, and ask how it plans maintenance.
- Ask for the facts in writing. Ultherapy is FDA-cleared, the clinical studies follow people to one year, and the clinician goes through the label's risks with you.
Aftercare
Our aftercare is simple. Use a gentle cleanser and sunscreen as you would anyway, skip a hard gym session that evening, and sleep on your back the first night if the neck was treated. Makeup is fine the next day. We ask you to avoid saunas and very hot showers for 48 hours, and if you have IPL or a chemical peel planned, to leave two weeks either side. These are our protocols, not the manufacturer's requirements. Call us if anything looks wrong rather than waiting for the review.
Consultations and follow-ups are free
Frequently asked questions
How much does Ultherapy cost in London?
We price Ultherapy from a starting price per session, per area and per course, confirmed in writing at a free consultation, and we price match any comparable written quote. Interest-free finance through Humm is available, subject to status. Consultations and follow-up reviews are free.
Is Ultherapy worth the money?
For mild to moderate laxity in someone with a body mass index of 30 or under, in our clinical judgment yes. It is one session, most people are back at work the same day in our experience, and the lift builds over three to six months and holds for around a year in our experience. Reviewers who did not know which photograph was taken first saw a lift in 86% of brows and 58% of lower faces in the published studies; a modest, natural change, which is what Ultherapy gives.
Is anything better than Ultherapy?
Each device has its job. Ultherapy reaches 4.5 mm and shows the clinician the tissue before each line; Sofwave treats shallower, for fine lines and a lighter lift. We provide both, and the free consultation is where we tell you which fits your face.
Does Jennifer Aniston use Ultherapy?
Celebrity names appear in Ultherapy marketing and in the press, and no clinic can verify who has had what. What matters is your own face, which is what the free consultation is for.
What is Ultherapy, in one sentence?
A single-session treatment that uses focused ultrasound, with imaging to check the depth, to heat tiny points under the skin so the body builds new collagen, lifting the brow, the skin under the chin and the neck and tightening loose skin on the abdomen, the arms, the knees and other body areas.
How long does Ultherapy last?
The lift builds over three to six months after the session and, in our clinic's experience, holds for around a year, with a repeat session considered after 12 to 18 months. The manufacturer's own wording is that results can last up to a year or more in some patients.
How many sessions do I need?
One session is Merz's position. A repeat after three months can be considered for heavier laxity, and some clinics advise a repeat once the lift has faded, which in our experience is after 12 to 18 months.
Does Ultherapy hurt?
It is for most people uncomfortable rather than painful, in our experience: each line of ultrasound gives a brief deep heat and a deep ache, strongest over bone, rated around 4 to 6 out of 10 in the published studies. The clinician sets the energy and the comfort plan for you, and the discomfort usually eases when the session ends, though tenderness can last up to two weeks.
Is there any downtime?
Usually none that stops you working. Expect pinkness for a few hours, some swelling for a day or three and tenderness to touch for up to two weeks. Bruising and welts are occasional and settle within about two weeks.
Can Ultherapy go wrong?
Rarely, in our experience, and the risks are known. Short-lived redness, swelling, tenderness and bruising are common. A passing numbness or weakness along a nerve can last a few weeks. Fat loss and scarring have been reported, which is why the clinician checks the live image before every line and never treats over the eyes, the thyroid or the major nerves.
Is Ultherapy FDA approved?
Ultherapy is FDA-cleared in the US ("cleared" is the correct term, not "approved"): for lifting the brow (2009, by de novo classification), the skin under the chin and the neck (2012), lines and wrinkles of the chest (2014) and, more recently, skin laxity of the abdomen and arms (2025) and the knees (2026). Merz states it carries a CE mark in Europe.
What is Ultherapy PRIME?
The current console, with a bigger screen, newer software and a planning mode. According to the US regulator's summary the ultrasound energy and the treatment guidelines are the same as before, so ask about a genuine device and a genuine, in-date transducer rather than the console name.
Can Ultherapy lift my eyelids?
No. The label says the device should not be used on the eyelids or inside the orbital rim. Treating the brow lifts the skin above the eye and opens the eye area indirectly, which is often what people mean; the eye area page explains.
I am 70. Is Ultherapy still possible?
Yes, where the skin keeps some elasticity. Our clinicians use a simple rule of thumb: if a fold at the jaw springs back when you let go, Ultherapy may tighten it; if it stays, that is more than Ultherapy lifts. We tell you which at your free consultation.
Can I have Ultherapy while breastfeeding, or with a medical condition?
The label says the device has not been evaluated in pregnancy or breastfeeding, autoimmune disease, diabetes, epilepsy, bleeding disorders, herpes simplex or active skin disease. The clinician decides case by case at the consultation, and in pregnancy and breastfeeding we do not treat. A pacemaker, a defibrillator or metal in the treatment area is a contraindication on the label and rules it out. Tell us about any previous surgery; the label does not list it as a restriction, and the thyroid itself is always avoided.
Does Ultherapy treat scars, and can I combine it with Lumecca IPL?
Ultherapy is not a scar treatment, and the label does not recommend treating directly over a keloid. For IPL, our protocol is Ultherapy first, then Lumecca two weeks later once any redness has gone, or IPL first with the same gap. Tell the clinician about both at the consultation so the order is planned.
Where is the clinic and how do I book?
Ultherapy London, 130 Harley Street, London W1G 7JU, in the Harley Street medical district, a few minutes from Regent's Park and Great Portland Street stations. Consultations and follow-up reviews are free. Call 0207 043 8109 or use the form below. If you would rather we reply by e-mail only, use the question form on our homepage and say so; we will.
