Some could handle it.Others barely got through.
‘Ultherapy hurts’ wasn't enough to describe it. One person felt a sting only near the cheekbone and could handle the other areas. Another gripped a stuffed toy against bone-jolting pain despite thick numbing cream. Rather than an average pain score, we placed the two different experiences side by side.
Found it manageable
“It was more manageable than I expected. There was a sting only when they passed the cheekbone; the other areas were bearable.”
NAVER Maps · 2026.06
Barely got through
“I felt that distinctive, heavy pain, like electric jolts hitting the bone.”
NAVER Maps · 2026.06
Both ‘manageable’ and ‘severe’ appeared repeatedly among pain-expression candidates. Without a reviewed denominator, we didn't claim a percentage for which was more common.
Before ‘Was it bearable?’, ask what anesthesia they had and which area was treated.
Near the jawbone,the sting stood out.
Some reviews named the painful areas: the jawline and cheekbones hurt particularly, while other areas were manageable. One person described brief stinging and a heavy ache along the jawline and cheekbones close to the bone.
“Honestly, areas close to bone, like the jawline and cheekbones, hurt a bit during treatment.”
NAVER Maps · 2026.07
Knowing where it may hurt lets you discuss adjustments, not just endurance.
Ointment alone for some.Added injections for others.
Some felt comfortable with numbing ointment alone; others combined cream and injected anesthesia. Knowing the actual method made the experiences clearer than simply hearing ‘I had anesthesia.’
Numbing ointment
Reported being comfortable with ointment alone
Cream + injected anesthesia
Used both, without sedation
“With both numbing cream and injected anesthesia, I could have Ultherapy comfortably without pain!! I felt it was okay without sedation!”
Google Maps · 2026.08
Don't stop at ‘We provide anesthesia.’ Check whether it means ointment, injections, or both.
Some slept through it.Others chose to stay awake.
Someone under sedation didn't feel any pain during treatment. Another feared sedation itself, stayed awake and finished with some pain while staff kept checking on them. Neither was a universal answer; the choice depended on whether pain or sedation worried them more.
Had sedation
“I'm sensitive to pain, so I chose sedation to feel comfortable. I didn't feel any pain!”
Google Maps · 2026.08
Stayed awake
“It was my first Ultherapy treatment. Sedation scared me, so I had it without.”
NAVER Maps · 2026.08
The reviews include both sedated and awake experiences. Discuss your health and suitability for anesthesia with a clinician, not with reviews.
More important than asleep or awake: whether the method suits you, and who manages it.
PRIME varied too.One person clenched their teeth at the jaw.
One PRIME reviewer found the pain manageable. Another could generally tolerate it but clenched their teeth at the jaw. Two reviews weren't enough to conclude that it hurts less than the older device.
Found it tolerable
“I had Ultherapy PRIME. The pain was bearable. I had a little bruising, but it went away quickly…”
NAVER Maps · 2026.02
Found the jaw particularly painful
“There was pain, but it was bearable. The jaw hurt a lot. Still, I clenched my teeth and held on for firmer skin.”
NAVER Maps · 2026.08
Two individual experiences excluding combined procedures—not a comparison of device pain levels.
Don't judge pain by ‘latest device.’ Ask about anesthesia and adjustments by area.
Tenderness lingeredfor days for some people.
Some felt comfortable immediately afterward; others described a tender jaw or a bruised feeling when touched. Someone under sedation felt no pain during treatment but mild tenderness afterward. Pain during treatment and discomfort afterward needed separate consideration.
Only mild tenderness remained
“Afterward there was just a little tenderness and not much swelling, so…”
NAVER Maps · 2026.08
It lasted beyond three days
“For about three to four days, touching it felt sore, like a bruise.”
NAVER Maps · 2026.06
These are individual review accounts. If pain worsens or differs from what you were told to expect, contact the treating clinic rather than comparing your timeline with a review.
Ask not just about the day itself, but what you might feel the next day and several days later.
Ask before treatment
The questions that helped distinguish different pain experiences.
Before you go
Why we chose these six points
We checked linked reviews against originals and excluded combined procedures. Recommendations and past experiences of other treatments were separated from concurrent treatment. Masked full reviews are linked. These don't represent pain distribution across every collected review.
4 sources · 1,441 cited reviews and section candidates