Ultherapy in Korea: 2026 Prices, Process and How to Check It's Genuine

Ultherapy in Korea costs about ₩979,000 to ₩1,980,000 (roughly $730 to $1,480) for 300 shots of Ultherapy PRIME at Seoul clinics, with the 10% VAT included. That range comes from eight clinic price pages and booking-platform listings we checked on October 14, 2026, and three of those listings sit at exactly ₩1,089,000. A session takes 30 to 90 minutes. Merz Aesthetics, the manufacturer, says there is no downtime, although redness and swelling for a few hours to a few days are common. One change for 2026: foreign patients can no longer claim back the VAT on cosmetic procedures.

How much does Ultherapy cost in Korea?

Korean clinics sell Ultherapy (Ulthera) by the "shot" (샷), in blocks of 100, 300 and 600. Merz's own instructions for use count "lines" instead, each line being a row of tiny heat points. Seoul clinics and booking sites use the two words interchangeably, so ask which one a quote means.

Prices are listed in different ways. Some pages say "plus 10% VAT", others include it, and some booking listings leave out the anesthesia fee. To compare like with like, we added 10% to every price listed without VAT. Dollar figures use ₩1,341 per US$1, the cross rate from the European Central Bank reference rates for October 13, 2026.

Ultherapy PRIME prices in Seoul, VAT included (checked October 14, 2026)

Where the numbers come from

Gangnam Unni is a Korean booking app for cosmetic procedures. Its listings are clinic promotions, so treat them as a snapshot.

What moves the price

• Event and first-visit deals. VOS shows a 20% event price next to its list price. One Gangnam Unni listing drops from ₩1,089,000 to ₩979,000 for a first visit only.
• Numbing and aftercare. Several platform listings mark the anesthesia fee as not included. Reberry's page says its 300-shot price includes numbing cream. Ask before you compare.
• Bundles. Seoul clinics like to pair Ultherapy with other treatments. Cheongdam Peau Rêve, for example, lists 400 shots plus 600 shots of Thermage FLX at ₩3,390,000 before VAT. If you're weighing the two devices, see our Thermage FLX cost guide.
• PRIME or the original device. Original Ultherapy is often cheaper where it's still offered. One Myeongdong listing charges ₩649,000 for 300 shots, with VAT and numbing included.
• Foreigner pricing. VOS, YAAN and Cheongdam Peau Rêve all state on their price pages that international patients pay the same price as locals. Look for that line, or ask for it in writing.

Is Ultherapy cheaper in Korea than in the US?

Usually, yes. RealSelf puts the average US cost at $2,609, based on 847 member reviews, with a range of $1,000 to $5,000. That page dates from June 2023.

US prices are quoted per session or area rather than per shot, so this is a rough comparison. Even so, the common Seoul listing of ₩1,089,000 for 300 shots works out to about $810 with VAT. Four of the five 600-shot prices we found, which cover the full face and neck, also come in below that US average. Add flights and a hotel before you count the savings.

Can foreigners still get a VAT refund on Ultherapy in Korea?

No, not as of October 14, 2026. Since 2016, foreign patients had been able to reclaim the 10% VAT on cosmetic and dermatology procedures, skin lifting included. The Ministry of Economy and Finance dropped the measure from its July 2025 tax plan, and the National Assembly left it out of the December revision, so the program ended at the close of 2025, as Korea JoongAng Daily reported.

Two bills to bring it back were filed in 2026. One would extend it to the end of 2027 and the other to 2029. According to Hankyung, the first was sent to a National Assembly subcommittee on July 29, 2026. We found no report that either bill has passed.

Some English-language guides still describe the refund, so check the date on anything you read. For now, treat the 10% VAT as part of the price. Some booking platforms run their own cashback-in-points offers. Creatrip, for example, advertises 10% back in points. That's a marketing promotion, not a tax refund.

What is Ultherapy and how does it work?

Ultherapy is a nonsurgical skin-lifting treatment from Merz Aesthetics. It uses micro-focused ultrasound with real-time imaging. The handpiece shows an ultrasound picture of the skin layers up to 8 mm deep, so the clinician can check skin contact and the treatment depth (for example, to avoid bone). It then lays down lines of small heat points at a fixed depth of 1.5 mm, 3.0 mm or 4.5 mm, depending on the transducer.

Merz's FAQ says the heat prompts the body to build new collagen and elastin, which is why results take weeks to show.

In the US, the Ulthera System is FDA-cleared to lift the eyebrow and the skin on the neck and under the chin, and to improve lines and wrinkles on the décolleté. Merz added clearances for skin laxity on the abdomen and arms in November 2025 and on the knees in August 2026.

What's the difference between Ultherapy and Ultherapy PRIME?

Merz launched Ultherapy PRIME in September 2024. Its launch release claims 20% faster treatments, a 35% larger screen and a faster image refresh rate. The treatment itself works the same way. In Seoul, press reports of clinics installing PRIME units appear from 2025, such as this Smart Today report from April that year. Korean clinics often call the device "Ulthera Prime" or 울쎄라피 프라임.

The last row matters if you're comparing a cheap quote. Merz's August 2026 release says it is moving away from the original device, with full service and support ending on September 30, 2027. An original-device quote isn't a bad deal in itself. Just make sure you know which machine you're paying for. For how Ultherapy stacks up against Thermage FLX, Sofwave, Onda and other Korean devices, see Korean lifting treatments compared.

How many shots of Ultherapy do you need?

There is no fixed number. Merz's manual sets a recommended number of lines for each 2.5 × 2.5 cm treatment square, so a larger face or a longer neck needs more lines. Seoul clinic pages give rough guides:

• 100 shots: a small zone. Clinics such as VOS sell separate 100-shot "eye" packages.
• 300 shots: the lower face and jawline. YAAN describes its 300-shot price as "lower face focus".
• 500 to 600 shots: full face plus neck. Jivaka, a booking platform, suggests 300 to 500 for a full face and 500 to 600 or more once the neck is added.

More shots won't automatically give a bigger lift. Ask the doctor to mark the zones on your face and write the shot count for each one on your quote.

One detail for eye packages: Merz's manual says treatment should avoid the eyes, the eyelids and the area inside the orbital rim. If a clinic offers "eye Ultherapy", ask exactly where the lines will go.

Does Ultherapy hurt, and what numbing do Seoul clinics offer?

Most people feel it. Merz's FAQ says you may feel heat or tingling as the energy is delivered, and that comfort levels vary. Its manual describes momentary discomfort during treatment, discomfort afterwards that usually fades within two hours to two days, and tenderness to the touch that can last two days to two weeks.

Seoul clinics offer several levels of pain control:

• Numbing cream: the most common option, sometimes included in the price.
• Nitrous oxide: VOS lists nitrous-oxide sedation.
• Sleep sedation: Cheongdam Peau Rêve offers it as a choice in its 300-shot package.

If you plan on sedation, ask about fasting rules, the extra fee and if you'll need someone to take you back to your hotel.

What happens on the day, and how long is the downtime?

A typical visit runs like this: a consultation and skin assessment, cleansing, numbing, then gel and the treatment itself. Merz puts the treatment at about 30 to 90 minutes depending on the area, plus time for numbing cream if you use it.

Merz says there's no downtime, and most people go straight back to normal plans. Its manual lists what can happen afterwards on the face and neck:

When will you see results, and how long do they last?

According to Merz's FAQ, you may notice some initial lift, but the full result develops over two to three months as new collagen forms. Merz says a single treatment can give results that last up to a year or more on the face, and up to six months on the body.

Korean booking guides such as Creatrip describe Ultherapy as something people commonly repeat about once a year. Results differ from person to person, and no clinic can promise a specific outcome.

How do you check that a Seoul clinic uses genuine Ultherapy tips?

The transducer, or "tip", is a consumable with a fixed line capacity. Once it runs out, it has to be replaced. Medigate News reported back in 2018 that illegal tips were a recurring problem in Korea as Ultherapy grew popular. Here's what you can check yourself:

1. Tap the device, scan the tip. In March 2026 Merz Aesthetics Korea launched "Touch Prime", reported by Dailypharm. You touch your phone to a secure NFC chip on the device to confirm the device is genuine, with no app needed. You then scan the QR code on the transducer to see the tip's authentication details. The article says this also works on original Ulthera machines.
2. Ask for the certificate. Under the older system, clinics using genuine tips attached certification stickers to a certificate to match the shots you received. A 2024 Doctornow article written by a doctor advises checking for it.
3. Watch the line counter. Merz's manual says the screen shows the lines remaining and the transducer's total line capacity, plus a running count of lines delivered. Ask to see it before and after your session.
4. Check the expiry date. The manual tells clinicians to check the expiry date on every transducer and not to use expired ones.
5. Get a shot map. At least one clinic in our price sample advertises a chart showing how many lines went into each zone. Ask for one anywhere.

How do you choose a clinic for Ultherapy in Gangnam?

Use the same checklist at any clinic:

• A written quote that states the shot count, PRIME or original device, VAT and the anesthesia fee.
• A consultation with the doctor who will treat you. Merz says Ultherapy is available only through licensed physicians.
• Both genuine checks above, done in front of you.
• Interpretation in your language and a way to reach the clinic after you fly home.

Several Gangnam clinics list Ultherapy PRIME and in-house interpreters. One example is UH CELL Clinic (our partner clinic), whose English site lists Ultherapy PRIME and says it has on-site Japanese, Chinese and English interpreters. For a fuller checklist, read our guide to choosing a skin clinic in Gangnam, and see the Ultherapy Index for how we compare clinics.

How many days do you need in Seoul for Ultherapy?

The treatment fits into a single visit, and many clinics will consult and treat on the same day.

Our suggestion is to book Ultherapy early in your trip and leave at least two to three days before a long flight. Merz's manual says swelling usually settles within 3 to 72 hours, and the extra days give you time to go back to the clinic if something feels wrong. Neither Merz's patient FAQ nor its manual mentions a flying restriction, so ask your doctor what they recommend.

Before you go, write down your medications and any past filler injections. Merz's manual notes the device hasn't been evaluated in people on anticoagulants, and treatment isn't recommended directly over dermal fillers. If you also want injectables or another energy device on the same trip, ask the doctor to plan the order and the gap.

What are the risks, and who should avoid Ultherapy?

According to Merz, the most common side effects in clinical trials were redness, swelling, pain and transient nerve effects. The manual reports no permanent facial nerve injuries in clinical trials. Its post-market list is longer, though. It includes burns or blisters, nodules, fat or volume loss, sagging or asymmetry, pigment changes, scarring, numbness, muscle weakness, headache and vision changes. Nerve effects lasting months have been described. Burns and scars can happen with incorrect technique, which is one more reason the operator's experience matters.

Merz's manual says Ultherapy should not be used on people with:

• open wounds or lesions in the treatment area
• severe or cystic acne in the treatment area
• active implants such as pacemakers or defibrillators, or metal implants in the treatment area

It hasn't been evaluated in people who are pregnant or breastfeeding, in children, or in people with bleeding disorders, active skin disease that may affect healing, herpes simplex, autoimmune disease, diabetes, epilepsy or Bell's palsy. Treatment isn't recommended directly over keloids, dermal fillers, breast implants or mechanical implants.

Merz describes a good candidate as someone with "some degree of laxity". If you're unsure where you fall, ask the doctor whether a nonsurgical lift suits your skin before you pay for a session.