Ultraformer MPT HIFU vs Thermage FLX

Lift and contour, or firmness and smoothing?

Both are leading non-surgical skin tightening treatments. They simply do different jobs — so the right one depends on what is actually bothering you. One question usually settles it.

50% off your first eligible treatment, after a complimentary consultation
Book a complimentary consultation → See the comparison
Complimentary consultation and skin assessment Genuine Classys and Solta technology Lower Templestowe · Essendon · Craigieburn
Ultraformer MPT HIFU treatment to the neck, with the treatment area mapped out
Ultraformer MPT HIFU
Thermage FLX radiofrequency treatment being delivered to the cheek
Thermage FLX
Start here

What is your main concern?

Pick whichever description sounds most like your skin. It is the quickest way to narrow the decision before you speak to anyone.

Lift and contour

The shape of my lower face is changing

Jowling, a jawline that has lost its edge, fullness under the chin or a neck that no longer looks taut. The concern is structure and contour rather than the skin surface.

Usually points to Ultraformer MPT HIFU → Firmness and smoothing

My skin feels crepey, lax or papery

The shape is largely holding, but the skin itself has lost firmness — crepey texture, fine lines, and skin that looks thinner or less resilient than it did.

Usually points to Thermage FLX → Both, or not sure

Honestly, a bit of each

Very common. The two technologies work on different tissue, so they are not in competition — where suitable they can be staged together in a planned sequence.

Best answered at consultation →
The two technologies

Side by side

One uses focused ultrasound to reach deeper supporting layers. The other uses monopolar radiofrequency to heat the dermis broadly. That single difference explains almost everything else.

Ultraformer MPT HIFU system by Classys Focused ultrasound

Ultraformer MPT HIFU

Focused ultrasound is delivered to selected depths beneath the skin, including the deeper supporting layers that hold facial contour. Because the energy is focused rather than spread, it can reach structure that treatments working nearer the surface cannot.

Energy
Focused ultrasound
Works at
Selected depths from 1.5 mm to 13 mm, chosen per area
Best for
Lift, jawline definition and under-chin contour
Common areas
Lower face, jawline, under chin, neck, brows and selected body areas
How it feels
Warmth and brief deeper sensations as each line is delivered

$695 normally $1,390 Full face, with the first-treatment offer

Available at Lower Templestowe, Essendon and Craigieburn.

Book a consultation → Full Ultraformer MPT HIFU details →
Thermage FLX radiofrequency system by Solta Medical Monopolar radiofrequency

Thermage FLX

Monopolar radiofrequency heats the collagen-rich dermis evenly across the whole treated area while the surface is cooled and protected. That broad, controlled heating is why RF is usually the better answer for skin quality and firmness.

Energy
Monopolar radiofrequency
Works at
Broad, even heating of the dermis with surface cooling
Best for
Firmness, crepey texture, fine lines and skin quality
Common areas
Face, neck, décolletage, abdomen, arms, thighs and knees
How it feels
Progressive warmth with cooling and vibration

$1,425 normally $2,850 Full face, with the first-treatment offer

Thermage FLX is available at Lower Templestowe.

Book a consultation → Full RF skin tightening details →
Ultraformer MPT HIFU compared with Thermage FLX
Comparison pointUltraformer MPT HIFUThermage FLX
Energy usedFocused ultrasoundMonopolar radiofrequency
What it does to tissueCreates precise thermal points at set depths, including deeper supporting layers.Heats the collagen-rich dermis broadly and evenly while the surface is cooled.
Main strengthLift and contour.Firmness and smoothing.
Typical concern it suitsJowls, a softening jawline, under-chin fullness, neck laxity.Crepey texture, fine lines, loose-feeling or thinning-looking skin.
Treatment planningDepth and cartridge selection, with lines mapped across the treated area.Tip selection and rep count across the treated area.
When results appearGradually, as collagen remodels over the following weeks and months.Gradually, as collagen remodels over the following weeks and months.
DowntimeUsually minimal.Usually minimal.
Can they be combined?Yes — commonly staged with RF in suitable clients.Yes — commonly staged with HIFU in suitable clients.

Neither is automatically better. If your concern is contour and lift, HIFU is usually the stronger fit. If it is firmness, texture and skin quality, RF usually is. If you have both, they are often staged together rather than chosen between.

Neck and décolletage skin laxity assessed before treatment planning
Why the plan matters more than the device

The same device can give very different results

Two quotes for "the same treatment" often are not. Treatment area, coverage and the number of shots, lines or reps delivered across that area change both the result and the price — which is why we confirm all of it in writing first.

1

Assess

We look at skin quality, laxity, tissue thickness, medical history and what you actually want to change.

2

Map

The treatment area is mapped out and the depths, cartridges or tips are chosen for that area — not applied as one standard pass.

3

Quote

The area, the scope and the shot, line or rep count are confirmed in writing before anything starts.

4

Review

Results are reviewed as collagen remodels, and any further treatment is planned from what we see.

Comparing a quote from elsewhere? Check the device and model, the exact area, and the shot, line or rep count. Avesa also offers a 5% price beat on genuinely like-for-like quotes.

Real patient results

What each technology actually changes

HIFU results tend to show in contour and definition. RF results tend to show in firmness and skin quality.

Before
Before Hifu Ultraformer MPT — Full Face, Chin and Neck
After
After Hifu Ultraformer MPT — Full Face, Chin and Neck
Hifu Ultraformer MPT

Full Face, Chin and Neck

2 sessions · 3 Months Apart

Before
Before Hifu Ultraformer MPT — Full Face, Chin and Neck
After
After Hifu Ultraformer MPT — Full Face, Chin and Neck
Hifu Ultraformer MPT

Full Face, Chin and Neck

2 sessions · 3 Months Apart

Before
Before Thermage FLX — Face
After
After Thermage FLX — Face
Thermage FLX

Face

Before
Before Thermage FLX — Jawline and Neck
After
After Thermage FLX — Jawline and Neck
Thermage FLX

Jawline and Neck

1 Month

Individual results vary and are not guaranteed. Photographs are of real patients treated with the technology named and have not been retouched. Suitability, treatment area and expected outcome are confirmed at consultation. See more results.

Current offer

50% off your first eligible treatment

Start with a complimentary consultation and skin assessment. If HIFU or RF skin tightening is suitable for you, your first eligible treatment is half price — whichever technology turns out to be the right one.

  • A complimentary consultation, with no obligation to proceed
  • An honest recommendation — including when neither treatment is right for you
  • Your area, scope and final price confirmed before anything starts
Book your complimentary consultation → Call 03 9000 0963

The offer applies once to a new eligible HIFU or RF client, to the first approved treatment plan, after consultation and suitability assessment. It cannot be combined with another discount unless Avesa Health confirms otherwise. Full terms are on our special offers page.

Skin analysis and treatment planning during a complimentary consultation at Avesa Health
Before you book

Common questions

Neither is better in general — they treat different things. Ultraformer MPT HIFU delivers focused ultrasound to selected depths and is usually preferred where the goal is lift, jawline definition or under-chin contour. Thermage FLX heats the collagen-rich dermis broadly with monopolar radiofrequency and is usually preferred where the concern is firmness, crepey texture, fine lines and overall skin quality. The right choice depends on your assessment.

In suitable clients, yes. Because focused ultrasound and radiofrequency act on different tissue and different depths, they are often planned as a staged sequence rather than chosen between. Whether that is appropriate for you, and in what order, is confirmed at consultation.

Ultraformer MPT HIFU full face is $1,390, and Thermage FLX full face is $2,850. Eligible new clients receive 50% off their first approved treatment after consultation, which brings those to $695 and $1,425 respectively. Final pricing depends on the treatment area and the scope of the plan, and is confirmed in writing before treatment.

The offer applies once to a new eligible HIFU or RF client, to the first approved treatment plan, after a complimentary consultation and suitability assessment. It cannot be combined with another discount unless Avesa Health confirms otherwise.

HIFU can feel warm, prickly or briefly deeper as energy is delivered. RF is usually felt as progressive warmth with cooling and vibration. Sensation varies with the area treated, the settings used and individual tolerance. Downtime is usually minimal for both, although temporary redness, warmth or swelling can occur.

Ultraformer MPT HIFU is available at Lower Templestowe, Essendon and Craigieburn. Thermage FLX is available at Lower Templestowe. Availability is confirmed when you book.

Some clients notice early firmness, but results from both technologies usually develop gradually as collagen remodels over the following weeks and months. Results vary between clients depending on age, skin quality, treatment area, medical history and the treatment plan.

Go deeper

If you want the full detail

Ultraformer MPT HIFU

The full treatment page — depths, areas, pricing and what HIFU can and cannot do.

Learn more →

RF skin tightening

Thermage FLX in detail, including areas, pricing and suitability.

Learn more →

HIFU cost in Melbourne

What changes the price of a HIFU treatment, and how to compare quotes properly.

Learn more →

Thermage cost guide

Shots, areas and pricing explained so you can compare RF quotes like for like.

Learn more →

Not sure which one you need?

That is exactly what the consultation is for. We will assess your skin, tell you which technology suits your concern, and say so plainly if neither is right for you.

Book a complimentary consultation →