Ultherapy Prime®: FDA-Cleared Ultrasound Lifting and Tightening
The Only Non-Invasive Treatment Cleared to Lift, Now at Its Most Advanced
Most aesthetic treatments work on the surface. Ultherapy Prime® works deeper. It is the only non-invasive procedure cleared by the FDA specifically to lift the brow, neck, and under-chin. Ultherapy Prime is the newest, most refined version of that technology.
At Cheung Aesthetics & Wellness in Willowbrook, IL, board-certified dermatologist Dr. Cheung brings a level of anatomical expertise to this treatment that goes well beyond what most Ultherapy providers offer. She understands not just how to operate the device, but how tissue responds at every depth, how anatomy varies from patient to patient, and how to read the real-time imaging that guides each treatment. That knowledge shapes every session.
What Is Ultherapy Prime?
Ultherapy Prime® is the latest generation of the FDA-cleared Ultherapy platform. It uses micro-focused ultrasound energy to reach deep into the skin’s structural layers, stimulating the body to produce new collagen. As that collagen develops over the following months, treated tissue gradually lifts and tightens.
What sets Ultherapy apart from other non-invasive energy treatments is the depth it reaches. It targets the superficial musculoaponeurotic system, known as the SMAS — the same foundational layer that surgeons address during a facelift. No laser or radiofrequency device reaches this layer. Ultherapy Prime does, without any incisions.
The Prime platform builds on decades of proven ultrasound technology with a faster, more precise delivery system and enhanced imaging capabilities that allow for finer customization, especially in delicate areas like the jawline, under-chin, and around the eyes.
FDA Clearances: Ultherapy Prime holds FDA clearance for:
- Lifting the brow
- Lifting lax tissue on the neck and under-chin
- Improving lines and wrinkles on the décolletage (chest)
It is the only non-invasive device cleared by the FDA for lifting facial and neck tissue. No radiofrequency or laser device currently holds that clearance.
How Ultherapy Prime Works: Focused Ultrasound Energy
Ultherapy Prime delivers ultrasound energy at precise depths beneath the skin: 1.5mm, 3.0mm, and 4.5mm. At each focal point, the energy creates a tiny, controlled thermal injury. The body responds by producing new collagen and elastin, the structural proteins that give skin its firmness and support. Over the weeks and months that follow, this new collagen gradually tightens and lifts the treated tissue.
Real-Time Imaging
Before and during treatment, Ultherapy Prime displays a live image of the tissue layers beneath the skin. Dr. Cheung uses this to see exactly where energy is being directed and to avoid sensitive structures like nerves, vessels, and bone. This imaging is not available on most energy devices, and it is only as useful as the provider’s ability to interpret it. Dr. Cheung’s medical training means she reads these images with the same clinical eye she applies to diagnostic imaging — not as a feature to acknowledge, but as a tool she actively uses.
What the Prime Platform Improves
The core mechanism of Ultherapy Prime is the same proven technology, but the updated platform offers meaningful improvements for patients:
- Shorter sessions: Enhanced energy delivery covers more tissue per pass, reducing a full face and neck treatment from 60–90 minutes to approximately 30–60 minutes.
- Better imaging: A larger, higher-resolution screen gives Dr. Cheung greater clarity during treatment.
- Less discomfort: Clinical studies found statistically significant reductions in pain, redness, and swelling with Ultherapy Prime compared to the original system.
The Three Treatment Depths
- 4.5mm: Reaches the SMAS layer for structural lift and tightening
- 3.0mm: Targets the deep dermis to rebuild collagen and foundational support
- 1.5mm: Works in the superficial dermis for texture refinement and fine line improvement
Dr. Cheung selects transducers based on your anatomy and goals. Which depths are used, and how energy is distributed across them, is a clinical decision — not a preset protocol.
What Ultherapy Prime Can Treat
Brow Lifting: Descending brows make the face look tired and can crowd the eye area. Ultherapy Prime’s FDA-cleared brow lift works by rebuilding the collagen support structure beneath the brow, creating a subtle, natural-looking lift that opens the eyes without any operated appearance.
Neck and Under-Chin Tightening: The neck is often where early aging becomes most noticeable: loose skin, softening definition along the jaw, and the beginning of a double chin. Ultherapy Prime targets the structural tissue in this area, restoring tighter contours without surgery or recovery time.
Jawline Definition: Jowling along the lower face is a common concern for patients in their 40s and 50s. By tightening the tissue along the lower face, Ultherapy Prime can restore a cleaner, more defined jawline.
Décolletage Lines: Horizontal chest lines and crepey skin texture respond well to the 1.5mm transducer, which targets the superficial dermis to stimulate collagen production and improve skin quality in this area.
The Ultherapy Prime Experience at Cheung Aesthetics & Wellness
Your Consultation: Dr. Cheung evaluates your facial anatomy, skin quality, and areas of concern before recommending any treatment. She looks at where laxity originates, how your tissue is structured at different depths, and what approach will produce the most meaningful result for your specific face. If Ultherapy Prime is the right fit, she’ll explain exactly what to expect, including realistic results and realistic timelines.
The Day of Your Treatment
Preparation: Arrive with a clean face, free of makeup and skincare products. No other preparation is needed. Dr. Cheung may apply a topical anesthetic beforehand to improve comfort.
The procedure: Dr. Cheung applies the Ultherapy Prime transducer to the skin and uses real-time imaging to confirm proper placement before delivering energy. Most patients feel warmth and brief, intermittent tingling as energy reaches the target depth. This sensation is temporary and indicates the treatment is working where it should.
Duration: A full face and neck treatment typically takes 30–60 minutes. Targeted treatments such as the brow or under-chin generally take 20–40 minutes.
Afterward: There is no required downtime. Most patients return to work and normal activities the same day. Mild redness, slight swelling, or temporary tenderness are possible and typically resolve within hours to a couple of days.
What to Expect as Results Develop
Ultherapy Prime results build gradually as new collagen matures. Most patients notice the following progression:
Weeks 1–4: Skin may begin to feel firmer. Some notice early texture improvement.
Months 2–3: Lifting and tightening becomes more visible as collagen production increases.
Months 3–6: Peak results are typically reached. Skin looks lifted, contours appear more defined, and lines may appear softened.
Beyond 6 months: Results are maintained as long as the skin is cared for. Many patients return annually for a maintenance session.
Results depend on skin quality, age, tissue thickness, and the areas treated. Dr. Cheung will set realistic expectations for your specific skin at your consultation.
Choose Cheung Aesthetics & Wellness for Ultherapy Prime
Ultherapy Prime is offered at a range of practices, from medical spas to dermatology offices. Who performs the treatment and how they approach it has a direct impact on outcomes.
Dr. Cheung is a board-certified dermatologist with physician-level knowledge of facial anatomy. She knows where nerves, vessels, and bony landmarks sit beneath the skin and how that anatomy varies from person to person. Delivering focused ultrasound safely and effectively requires that knowledge. It is not something acquired through a device certification.
Ultherapy Prime’s real-time imaging is one of its most important features, but only in the hands of someone who can truly interpret what they’re seeing. Dr. Cheung reads tissue images the way any trained physician reads diagnostic imaging: with clinical context, not just device familiarity. That distinction matters for precision, for safety, and for results.
There is also no standard protocol that fits every patient. Dr. Cheung customizes transducer selection, treatment depth, and energy distribution based on your specific anatomy. Patients at Cheung Aesthetics & Wellness are treated as individuals, not as a procedure to be replicated.
Cheung Aesthetics & Wellness
Serving Chicago, Willowbrook, Oak Park, Naperville, Hinsdale and the western suburbs.