When a sagging facial line sends you looking into lifting treatments, it is easy to get lost among names like Ultherapy, Doublo Gold, Shurink and Thermage. This article first divides lifting treatments into the two broad families of ultrasound and radiofrequency, then sets out where Doublo Gold sits among them and what to use as a basis for the decision.
Start by separating ultrasound from radiofrequency
As ageing and gravity compound each other, skin gradually loses elasticity and descends. Lifting lasers work against that by using heat energy to prompt collagen production, and they divide broadly into two families according to their energy source. Ultrasound-based devices (Ultherapy, Doublo, Doublo Gold, Shurink and others) deliver heat as deep as the SMAS layer, which makes them stronger at drawing in the contour and supporting fat reduction. Radiofrequency devices (Thermage, InMode, Tune Face, Oligio and others) heat the dermis and contract collagen fibres, which suits fine lines and finer skin elasticity. The usual approach is to look at ultrasound first when the concern is the overall contour, and at radiofrequency first when it is the elasticity of the skin surface.
Whichever the method, a thorough consultation with a medical practitioner comes before the decision. Lifting is a treatment whose plan has to change from face to face, which makes it a poor fit for decisions based on a patchwork of online reviews or on a one-sided recommendation for an expensive treatment.
What kind of treatment is Doublo Gold
Doublo Gold is a Korean-made device that delivers ultrasound (HIFU) energy to the SMAS and dermal layers to prompt collagen renewal and tightening, and its operating principle belongs to the same family as Ultherapy. Ultherapy is generally regarded as having the stronger pull, but the advantage of Doublo Gold is that it aims in a similar direction at a comparatively lighter cost. It is also worth noting that it is a different device from the similarly named Doublo: Doublo Gold is the successor model, with roughly twice the treatment speed and an additional tip available.
How the three tips are used is the crux
Doublo Gold has three tips — S7, M7 and D4 — that reach different depths. At Skinique Clinic, partial treatments of 300 to 400 shots use M7 and D4, while a 600-shot full face treatment uses all three. Your eyes are closed during the session, so it is hard to tell when a tip is being changed, but the double layering of tips at different depths is what determines how complete the treatment is. Skin thickness and the degree of sagging differ from person to person, so the tip combination should be adjusted to the face rather than applied uniformly.
Distributing the shots according to the concerns raised in the consultation, and simply filling out a shot count, can lead to different outcomes even with the same device.
The session itself, and a word on discomfort and side effects
The session begins after numbing cream has been applied generously. How much discomfort is felt varies from person to person: some find it easy, others find it somewhat uncomfortable, though in many cases it is not at a level to worry about unduly. On the cheek hollowing sometimes raised in connection with ultrasound lifting, Doublo Gold is on the lower-intensity side compared with Ultherapy, and when the output and depth are planned to suit the condition of the skin, such a problem is unlikely to arise. As for shot distribution, 300 shots concentrate on the lower face, 400 shots add about 100 along the double chin line, and 600 shots add a further 100 or so up to the forehead line above the brows. During delivery the tip has to be kept in close contact with the skin and moved as if sweeping the line upwards, so that the energy is delivered properly.
Once every area has been treated, the session closes with the actual number of shots used shown to you on the screen.
The plan, more than the device, shapes the result
Even with the same device and the same shot count, differences in tip handling and shot distribution can lead to differences in the result. Detailed pricing can be found on the price guide.
Wrapping Up
Doublo Gold sits in the same ultrasound lifting family as Ultherapy as an option with a lighter cost burden, and the double layering of its three tips together with a shot distribution matched to the face is what shapes the result. Results and recovery vary from person to person, so we suggest starting with a consultation to confirm whether ultrasound lifting suits your face at all. Feel free to ask through a chat consultation about the lifting suited to your face.
This article was written by Dr. Park Tae-hyung, Head Doctor. He is the head doctor of Skinique Clinic and serves as an academic director of the Korean Society for Laser Dermatology and Trichology. First published 25 November 2021 · Last reviewed 24 August 2026
This article is general medical information. Skin condition and response to treatment can vary from person to person. Whether to be treated, and how, should be decided through an in-person consultation.