Ultherapy Prime vs. Shurink Universe vs. Oligio: Which Lifting Treatment Fits You?

There is no single best lifting device, and I am wary of any article that names one. All three of these treatments work, in the right patient. I offer all of them, so I have no reason to steer you toward one. The useful question is which problem you are trying to solve.

What is the main difference between them?

The first split is the type of energy. Ultherapy Prime and Shurink Universe use high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU), which converges at a point beneath the skin and forms tiny thermal coagulation points at a set depth. Oligio uses monopolar radiofrequency (RF), which spreads heat more broadly through the dermis via a wide tip while cooling protects the surface.

	Ultherapy Prime	Shurink Universe	Oligio
Energy	Focused ultrasound	Focused ultrasound	Monopolar RF
Main target	SMAS and dermis, at 4.5, 3.0 and 1.5mm	SMAS and dermis, at 4.5, 3.0 and 1.5mm by cartridge	Dermis
Main job	Lifting sagging contours	Regular firmness care and contours	Firming thin skin, fine lines, loose pores
How I guide it	DeepSEE real-time imaging	Shot design and cartridge depth	Energy adjusted area by area
Comfort measures	Numbing cream	Discussed at consultation	Cooling gas and vibration
Back to daily life	Usually the same day	Usually the same day	Usually the same day
Price (VAT not included)	300 shots 1,400,000 KRW	300 shots 250,000 KRW	300 shots 480,000 KRW

The same shot number does not buy the same thing across these devices, so please do not compare them shot for shot. The full set of options is on the price list.

Is Ultherapy Prime better than Shurink Universe?

They are built for different roles, and I have not found a head-to-head trial good enough to settle the matter. Be cautious with any page that quotes a percentage for one device over another without a study behind it.

What I can tell you is how I use them. The strength of Ultherapy Prime is the imaging. With DeepSEE, I view the layers beneath the skin on screen and confirm that the transducer has reached the intended layer before delivering energy. That is why I reach for it when sagging is deep and the design needs to be precise. There is also published evidence I can point you to: a 2025 meta-analysis of 42 studies on micro-focused ultrasound with visualization reported that investigators saw some degree of improvement in 89% of patients, while noting real weaknesses in the studies.

Shurink Universe is an accessible way to begin lifting and to maintain firmness between larger treatments. Its pen-type Ultra Booster handpiece, sold at the same price as the standard one, allows detailed work on curved areas such as the cheekbones, eye area and under the jaw. With fewer shots, placement matters even more, and the same 100 shots give a different result depending on where they go.

When does Oligio make more sense?

Oligio is not trying to do the same job. It heats the dermis broadly and evenly, contracting collagen and supporting the formation of new collagen and elastin over the following months. I think of it for people whose main complaint is thinned skin, loss of elasticity, fine lines or sagging pores, rather than a heavy jawline.

It also suits people who have put off lifting because of pain. Cooling gas and vibration during energy delivery make a relatively comfortable treatment possible without sedation, although everyone’s sensitivity is different.

Monopolar RF does have published support, though much of it concerns other devices and small groups of patients. For example, a 2012 study of a 4-MHz monopolar device followed 17 patients through six sessions and described improvement that persisted at one year, attributed to acute collagen changes and continuing new collagen formation. That is informative about the mechanism, but it is not evidence about Oligio itself or about a single-session treatment.

Which one suits your face?

If this sounds like you	I would usually start the conversation with
Your jawline has blurred, with sagging deep cheeks or a double chin	Ultherapy Prime
You want a planned, year-by-year lifting routine	Ultherapy Prime
This is your first lifting treatment, your sagging is early, and you want to start modestly	Shurink Universe
You want to maintain firmness between larger treatments	Shurink Universe
Your skin feels thin, with fine lines and loose pores across the face	Oligio
You are anxious about pain, and your main concern is firmness	Oligio
You have sagging, loss of firmness and surface lines together	3-Layer Lifting
Your concern is mostly dryness, dullness or texture	None of these first. See my skin booster comparison

This is a way to begin the conversation. After examining skin thickness, fat volume and the direction of sagging, I may recommend something else, or less than you expected.

Can energy treatments make a face look hollow?

This is a common fear among people with slim faces, and it is reasonable. Fat and volume loss are rarely reported after micro-focused ultrasound, in the post-market section of the Ultherapy Prime Instructions for Use. The manufacturer notes that voluntary reports cannot establish frequency or cause. At Karin Clinic we have not had a single case of this. Whichever device I use, I look at the amount of fat first, and I use less energy on areas with little fat, or avoid them altogether. That attention to detail is why.

What are the side effects?

For Ultherapy, the Instructions for Use describe redness that typically resolves within hours, swelling within 3 to 72 hours, and tenderness or bruising that can take up to two weeks. Temporary numbness or muscle weakness from nerve inflammation typically resolves in 2 to 6 weeks, and burns may occur with incorrect technique. Discomfort during treatment is usually described as moderate. Studies indicate that results are also less impressive with severe laxity and a higher BMI.

For Shurink Universe and Oligio, temporary redness, a dull ache or swelling may occur and usually settles naturally. RF heat, like any energy-based treatment, can cause burns if the energy is not set correctly, which is why I set energy levels individually. Tell me about implants, previous filler, pregnancy or breastfeeding, or any skin infection before any of these treatments.

Either way, ask for the device name in writing when you book, here or elsewhere. Several ultrasound and RF devices are marketed under similar-sounding descriptions, and knowing the exact name makes your own research much easier.

Do you have to choose just one?

No. Different layers can be planned together. Oligio is sometimes planned alongside Ultherapy or Shurink, and I set the order and the intervals after your assessment. Please do not assume that more is automatically better. It is a question of whether each treatment has a job to do in your particular face.

What does each one cost at Karin Clinic?

Treatment	100 shots	300 shots	400 shots	600 shots
Ultherapy Prime, full face	Eye only: 500,000 KRW	1,400,000 KRW	1,800,000 KRW	2,700,000 KRW
Shurink Universe, or with Booster	89,000 KRW	250,000 KRW	Not listed	450,000 KRW
Oligio	160,000 KRW	480,000 KRW	Not listed	890,000 KRW

All prices shown do not include VAT. The details of each are on the Ultherapy Prime, Shurink Universe and Oligio pages, and my Ultherapy pricing guide explains how to read a shot count. I personally perform every one of these treatments at Myeongdong Station (Line 4) Exit 8.