They say a picture is worth a thousand words—and in the case of my before-and-after Ultherapy PRIME photos, taken three months apart, it really does speak volumes. My jawline looks more defined, my neck appears tighter and my skin overall feels more sculpted and refreshed.
I love aging naturally, but I’ll admit it started to bother me when I noticed increased laxity in my neck and less definition along my jawline. I wanted real lifting and tightening—without surgery or downtime—which made Ultherapy PRIME feel like the obvious choice. I’d also seen my longtime friend, Broadway star Orfeh, rave about it for years: “I’ve sworn by it since they invented the machine. The idea of a facelift and going under terrifies me.” Now in her 50s, she has one of the most snatched jawlines you’ve ever seen.
Ahead, I’m breaking down what Ultherapy PRIME is really like, including how it works, what it felt like on my skin and yes, the before-and-after photos that made me a believer.
What Is Ultherapy? And What Sets It Apart
Ultherapy is the only FDA-cleared, non-invasive procedure that uses microfocused ultrasound energy to lift and tighten the skin of the brow, neck, under-chin and décolleté. What sets it apart is its ability to deliver energy to precise layers of tissue—including the SMAS, the same deep foundational layer targeted in surgical facelifts—without breaking the skin.
The ultrasound energy creates controlled heat at specific depths, triggering the body’s natural collagen and elastin production. In simple terms, it signals your skin to rebuild itself from the inside out. The treatment is typically recommended once a year, with results continuing to improve over two to six months as collagen and elastin regenerate.
Ultherapy PRIME is the next evolution of the original Ultherapy technology. While both treatments rely on the same proven ultrasound-based lifting mechanism, Ultherapy PRIME offers faster treatment times, improved comfort and enhanced precision. It was also recently FDA-cleared for use on the arms and abdomen, with indications to improve the appearance of skin laxity on the abdomen, anterior arms and posterior arms.
Having spent a lot of time in Asia—where HIFU (high-intensity focused ultrasound) devices are everywhere—Ultherapy still stands out as the gold standard. It has won the NewBeauty Award for Best Non-Invasive Skin Tightening Treatment for 12 consecutive years and remains the most clinically proven and widely recognized option in its category.
Your Provider Matters
Ultherapy—and its latest generation, Ultherapy PRIME—are widely offered by dermatologists, plastic surgeons and medspas. However, because the technology uses real-time ultrasound imaging, the skill of the provider controlling and adjusting the device directly impacts results. For that reason, it’s important to seek out practitioners with extensive training, strong before-and-after results and significant experience with the treatment.
I went to New York facial plastic surgeon Jennifer Levine, MD, who specializes in Ultherapy PRIME. Known for her outstanding technique and results, she ranks among the top 10 Ultherapy providers globally and serves on the brand’s Global Advisory Board.
When I asked Dr. Levine what she loved about Ultherapy PRIME, she described it as one of her favorite treatments because: “There’s no downtime, it’s safe for all skin types, it’s not dependent on the sun [meaning it doesn’t cause any additional sun sensitivity like exfoliating treatments and some lasers do]. There’s no restriction on activities and it targets the same layers that I would lift if I was doing a facelift. It lets me look at the layers that I’m treating so I can be accurate and safe and decrease discomfort. It’s truly the gold standard in skin tightening.”
What the Treatment Was Like—Is it Painful?
Ultherapy treatments typically take 60 to 90 minutes, depending on factors such as how long numbing cream is applied (I had mine on for 20 minutes) and whether multiple areas of the face and neck are being treated.
As for pain, I was pleasantly surprised by how manageable—and dare I say, almost non-painful—Ultherapy PRIME felt. Uncomfortable? Yes. There were fleeting moments of heat, tingling and mild discomfort as the ultrasound energy was delivered, but the sensation was brief and didn’t linger. (If your provider offers PRO-NOX, or “laughing gas,” it can make the experience even more comfortable.)
While I can’t speak to how it compares to the original machine, Ultherapy PRIME features updated technology and handpieces designed for more refined, consistent energy delivery. Because treatment time is also shorter, the sensation can feel less intense overall.
The Results: Before and Three Months After
Photos courtesy of New York facial plastic surgeon Jennifer Levine, MD
The photos say it all. In the before image, my jawline and neck lacked the definition I was hoping for. Three months post-treatment, the difference is undeniable: a more sculpted, noticeably snatched jawline, a smoother, tighter-looking neck and improved overall firmness.
If there’s one treatment I’d happily do every year for the foreseeable future, it’s Ultherapy PRIME.