Ultherapy, Thermage, Shurink… once you start looking into lifting, unfamiliar device names pour in all at once and it is easy to lose track of where to begin comparing. This article first sets out how focused ultrasound (HIFU) and radiofrequency (RF) differ in principle, then walks through the features of V-RO lifting, which brings both into a single device, and what the treatment feels like.
How Ultrasound Lifting and RF Lifting Differ
Lifting devices fall broadly into two families. The focused ultrasound (HIFU) family, represented by Ultherapy, gathers ultrasound energy at the deep SMAS fascia layer to contract the tissue, with the focus on drawing sagging lines upward. The radiofrequency (RF) family, represented by Thermage, instead delivers heat to the dermis to prompt collagen production, and its strength lies in tightening — firming up the surface of the skin.
Rather than one being the right answer, it is a matter of priority: ultrasound comes first if sagging lines are the concern, radiofrequency if remaining firmness is. The catch is that in real consultations, far more people raise both concerns at once. To address lines and firmness together, combining the two treatments — the pairing nicknamed "Ulthermage" in Korea — is ideal, but treatment time, discomfort and cost all rise accordingly.
V-RO Lifting: Ultrasound and Radiofrequency in One Device
V-RO is a HIFU device developed by Hironic, a Korean medical device company, and it is the latest model in an ultrasound lifting lineup that runs from Doublo through Doublo Gold. The heart of it is the handpiece configuration. A linear-type ultrasound handpiece that covers broad areas and a pen-type handpiece that uses both ultrasound and radiofrequency are carried on the same unit, so both energies can be used in a single session without moving between separate devices.
The pen-type handpiece is useful for precisely covering places that are awkward to handle because of their contours, such as around the eyes, the mouth and the nasolabial folds. In short, the defining feature of V-RO is that tidying the overall facial line with ultrasound and reinforcing the skin's remaining firmness with radiofrequency are handled within one device.
What It Feels Like During Treatment
Sensation varies from person to person, but V-RO sits on the more manageable side. In the linear-type ultrasound section you may feel a momentary sting or a prickling sensation, and in the pen-type section a gentle warmth along with a fine tingling. Those who have put off lifting because they were worried about discomfort can proceed while adjusting the intensity through consultation.
If You Are Wondering About the Cost
Because V-RO's advantage is that ultrasound and radiofrequency can be received together, the character of the device is used most fully when the two modes are combined rather than when only one is chosen. Cost varies with the number of shots and the composition, so detailed pricing is available on the price guide.
What Separates the Outcome, Even on the Same Device
These days many people arrive having studied treatments thoroughly through blogs and YouTube. For that preparation to lead to a good outcome, there needs to be a step of sitting down with the medical staff to confirm whether the treatment you looked into really suits your skin. Lifting in particular has to be planned by reading the distribution of volume across the whole face and the direction of sagging, so filling in a set number of shots without a diagnosis makes it hard to draw out everything the device can do.
At SKINIQUE Clinic, the consultation stage begins by understanding the character of the face and the areas of concern, then sets a treatment plan that distinguishes the volume to be reduced from the volume to be preserved. For the places you notice every time you look in the mirror — around the eyes, the nasolabial folds, the mouth — the treatment is distributed carefully, even if it means going over them once more.
Wrapping Up
V-RO lifting realizes focused ultrasound and radiofrequency within a single device, making it an option for pursuing line improvement and firmness reinforcement together in one session. If lifting is new to you, if you are torn between ultrasound and radiofrequency, or if concern about discomfort has made you hesitate, we suggest deciding on a direction after a thorough consultation. Ask about the right lifting direction for your skin via chat
This article was written by Chief Director Park Tae-hyung. He is the chief director of SKINIQUE Clinic and serves as an academic director of the Korean Society for Laser Dermatology and Trichology.
First published March 22, 2024 · Last reviewed August 23, 2026
This article is general medical information, and skin conditions and responses to treatment vary from person to person. Please decide whether and how to be treated through an in-person consultation.