Titanium or Ultherapy? They Suit Different Faces
Ultherapy works the deep fascial layer with ultrasound; Titanium works several layers with laser. Dr Song on which face each suits, and why volume matters.
Contents
Hello. This is Dr. Song Myung-seung of NUWA Clinic Gangnam, where we assess the concern before the treatment.
In lifting consultations at the clinic, I am asked very often: “Should I have Ultherapy, or Titanium?” And I do not answer that question straight away.
Titanium and Ultherapy suit different faces. So the question is not which is better, but which suits my own face. Today I will go through how the two differ, and which lifting I look at for which face.
Ultherapy addresses the deep layers with ultrasound
Ultherapy is a treatment that stimulates the deep layers of the skin with high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU).
Rather than the surface, it delivers ultrasound energy down to the fascial layer (SMAS) that supports the face, drawing sagging tissue up from within. Its focus is therefore on addressing sagging that has descended from the deep layers.
Titanium Lifting addresses several layers with laser
Titanium Lifting is a treatment that uses three wavelengths of diode laser at the same time.
Light energy delivers heat to several depths of the skin, raising firmness and tidying the line while also managing skin texture and tone. Discomfort is light and a return to daily life is generally possible straight afterwards, so it is a treatment with a lighter feel.
The difference between Titanium and Ultherapy
The key is the energy used and the depth it reaches.
Ultherapy concentrates ultrasound on the deep fascial layer and draws it up, while Titanium delivers heat by laser to several layers, addressing firmness and skin texture together.
| Category | Titanium Lifting | Ultherapy |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Diode laser (light and heat) | Ultrasound (HIFU) |
| Depth reached | Dermis through several layers | Deep fascial layer (SMAS) |
| Characteristics | Light discomfort, short downtime | Deep-layer lifting |
As the principles differ this much, the faces they suit naturally divide as well.
Where there is little facial volume, I consider Ultherapy carefully
If someone who does not have much facial volume to begin with has Ultherapy, the already limited cheek fat can reduce further, and cheek hollowing may occur.
For a face like this, a direction other than Ultherapy, which addresses the deep layers, needs to be looked at. Conversely, for someone with enough volume for weight to rest on the face, Ultherapy drawing up the deep layers may suit better. With the same lifting concern, the answer divides this much on whether there is facial volume or not.
What I look at in the face before deciding on a lifting
What we are most wary of is someone arriving having already settled on a treatment name because “this one is popular at the moment”.
Lifting is not about having the popular one; it is about having the one that suits your own face. So before deciding on a lifting I look at three things in the face. Whether the sagging is at an early stage that has only just begun, or has descended deeply from the fascial layer. Whether the facial volume is on the thin side, or thick enough for weight to rest on it. Whether sagging is the only concern, or skin texture and tone are to be looked at together.
Only after seeing this flow of the face does it become clear whether it is Titanium, Ultherapy, or the two together.
Titanium and Ultherapy are not a matter of one being the better treatment; they are treatments that suit different faces. So rather than following what others say is good, you have to start from which side your own face suits. If your facial line is on your mind, I will look at the face with you first and see which lifting fits.
Frequently asked questions
Q. Can Titanium and Ultherapy be had together?
A. As the depths they reach differ, there are cases where they are planned together. That said, it is right to decide after first assessing which side your own face suits.
Q. Which of the two is more painful?
A. Generally the ultrasound-based Ultherapy tends to be felt more, while Titanium involves less discomfort. That said, how much is felt differs from person to person.
Q. I do not have much facial volume. Can I still have Ultherapy?
A. Where facial volume is limited, cheek fat can reduce as well and cheek hollowing may occur, so we look at it carefully. We decide the direction after checking volume thickness and the degree of sagging together.
Q. My facial volume is on the thick side. What would suit me?
A. As it depends on the state of the face, we decide the direction after looking at volume thickness and the degree of sagging together. We advise precisely after assessment.
Q. How long does the effect last?
A. For both treatments, how long it is maintained differs according to individual facial condition and aftercare. We advise precisely after assessment.
*Effects and results of this treatment may differ according to individual condition, and reactions such as redness, swelling, a sensation of heat or discomfort may appear afterwards. Please be sure to decide on an accurate assessment and on whether to have the treatment through a consultation with a specialist.
NUWA Clinic Gangnam
Dermatology · Lead Director, NUWA Clinic Gangnam
With know-how built over 10 years and more than 120,000 procedures, I'll help you find the answer to your facial concerns.
