The short version
- Ultherapy uses focused ultrasound to heat deep connective tissue, usually in one longer session.
- Emface uses radiofrequency plus muscle stimulation across four short sessions.
- They address different tissue layers, so neither is a lesser version of the other.
- The choice depends on whether your concern is structural laxity or loss of muscle tone.
- We offer Emface and Exion, not Ultherapy — worth saying plainly.
Both treatments get marketed with the same phrase, non-surgical lift, which is why people end up comparing them. Underneath that phrase they are doing genuinely different things to different parts of your face. Neither is a lesser version of the other.
Understanding the difference is mostly about tissue layers. Once you know which layer each one targets, the question stops being which is better and becomes which one matches what is actually changing in your face.
The short answer: different tissue, different mechanism
Ultherapy heats deep connective tissue, including the layer surgeons work on during a facelift, to trigger new collagen. Emface heats the skin while simultaneously contracting the facial muscles that hold everything up. One reinforces the scaffold. The other strengthens the muscles attached to it and firms the surface above them. Our overview of how Emface and Exion work covers the second mechanism in more detail.
How Ultherapy works
Ultherapy, made by Merz Aesthetics, uses microfocused ultrasound with visualization. The visualization part is its distinguishing feature: real-time ultrasound imaging lets the provider see the tissue layers before delivering energy, which no other device in the category currently offers.
According to a global expert consensus published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, the device delivers focused energy at set depths of 1.5, 3.0 and 4.5 millimeters, creating small thermal points at roughly 60 to 70 degrees Celsius that stimulate new collagen and elastin while leaving the outer skin intact. It is FDA-cleared for lifting the brow, the area under the chin and the neck, and for improving fine lines on the décolleté. Most patients have one session lasting somewhere between thirty and ninety minutes depending on the areas treated.
How Emface works
Emface, made by BTL Industries, delivers radiofrequency and HIFES muscle stimulation at the same time. The radiofrequency supports collagen and elastin in the skin. The HIFES energy contracts facial muscles far more intensely than you can voluntarily, which over a series of sessions increases their tone. A standard plan is four sessions of about twenty minutes, roughly a week apart. Full detail sits on our Emface treatment page.
In a 2026 multicenter study in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Robb and colleagues measured wrinkle improvement with 3D imaging across thirty-three patients: about twenty percent immediately after the course and roughly thirty-five percent three months later. Separate work by Kinney and colleagues found statistically significant lifting of facial soft tissue at each follow-up. Which applications those findings map to is outlined on our services page.
Side by side
| Emface | Ultherapy | |
|---|---|---|
| Technology | Radiofrequency plus HIFES muscle stimulation, delivered together | Microfocused ultrasound with real-time visualization |
| Tissue targeted | Facial muscle and overlying skin | Deep connective tissue, including the layer addressed in surgical lifting |
| Typical plan | Four sessions, about a week apart | Usually one session; some patients benefit from a second |
| Session length | About 20 minutes | About 30 to 90 minutes depending on areas |
| FDA-cleared areas | Facial lifting and wrinkle reduction | Brow, under-chin, neck, and décolleté lines |
| Sensation | Warmth with rhythmic muscle contractions | Deep heat in short pulses at treatment depth |
| Downtime | None | None |
| Results timeline | Builds through about three months | Builds through three to six months |
| Addresses muscle tone | Yes, directly | No, works on connective tissue |
Which one fits which goal
If your main concern is skin that has loosened along the jawline and neck, and you would rather do one longer appointment than a series, Ultherapy is built for that and has the deeper reach. If your concern is a face that looks less supported than it used to, with flattening cheeks and a heavier brow, muscle tone is likely part of the picture and Emface addresses it directly.
Age and starting point matter too. Both treatments perform best on mild to moderate change rather than advanced laxity, and neither substitutes for surgery. If wrinkle softening in a specific area is what you actually want, how Emface compares with Botox is the more relevant comparison, because that is a different mechanism again.
What we offer in Orlando, and why
We offer Emface and Exion, not Ultherapy, and it is worth saying that plainly rather than framing our own equipment as the only reasonable option. Our reasoning is that this is a dental practice, so facial muscle function and jaw tension are already part of how we assess patients, and Emface works on exactly those muscles. Where skin texture and density are the concern rather than lift, Exion skin remodeling covers that layer.
If Ultherapy is the better fit for your situation, a good consultation should tell you so. To have your face assessed in Orlando, call (689) 282-5599 or request a consultation.
Frequently asked questions
Is Emface or Ultherapy better for jowls?
Can you have Emface and Ultherapy?
Which one hurts less?
How many sessions does each need?
Which gives faster results?
Do results last the same length of time?
Medical note. This article is educational and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Neither treatment substitutes for surgery, and individual results vary. Device suitability can only be determined during an in-person evaluation. Ultherapy is not offered at our practice and is described here for comparison only.