XERF or Thermage? Comparing RF Lifting Prices at a Gangnam Dermatology Clinic

For radiofrequency lifting at a dermatology clinic near Gangnam, the price gap is concrete: at Ode Clinic in Seoul, 600 shots of DEEP Mode XERF cost ₩1,900,000 (~$1,370) while Thermage 600 shots cost ₩2,300,000, both VAT excluded. Density starts at ₩750,000 for 300 shots, and Ulthera — an ultrasound-based alternative — runs ₩350,000 per 100 shots with 300–600 shots typically recommended. The devices differ in depth and purpose as much as in price: XERF pushes energy deeper for a lifting effect, while Thermage and Density work shallower for tightening. USD figures here are approximate and vary with the exchange rate.

How Do XERF, Thermage, Ulthera, and Density Actually Differ?

Are these four devices interchangeable, just at different price points? Not quite — they split along two axes, energy type and treatment depth, and those two axes explain almost everything about who each device suits.

Energy Type and Depth

XERF, Thermage, and Density all belong to the radiofrequency family. XERF is a monopolar RF device whose signature 6.78MHz + 2MHz dual-frequency energy appears only in DEEP mode — the mode Ode Clinic uses exclusively for XERF, accepting longer sessions in exchange. Thermage works shallower than XERF, Density spreads bipolar RF evenly at a shallower depth still, and Ulthera departs from the family altogether by using focused ultrasound, with its effect lasting around 6–12 months.

Lifting Versus Tightening

Depth translates directly into outcome. Because XERF delivers energy deeper, its result reads as lifting — relevant for nasolabial folds, sagging mouth corners, and a loosening jawline. Thermage and Density, working closer to the surface, produce tightening, which addresses skin texture and firmness more than structural sag. Neither category is superior; they answer different complaints.

The RF family sorts itself by depth: XERF deepest for lift, Thermage in the middle, Density shallowest and bipolar for even tightening, with Ulthera standing apart on ultrasound. Choosing between them starts with naming the complaint — sag versus laxity — before comparing a single price.

What Do the Treatments Cost Side by Side?

So what does each path cost at one clinic, on one published list? The figures below come from Ode Clinic’s official menu, all VAT excluded, which makes them unusually easy to compare because no cross-clinic variables interfere.

Device	Package	Price (KRW, VAT excluded)
XERF (DEEP mode)	300 shots	₩1,000,000
XERF (DEEP mode)	600 shots	₩1,900,000
Thermage	600 shots	₩2,300,000
Thermage	900 shots	₩2,700,000
Density	classic tip 300 shots	₩750,000
Ulthera	per 100 shots	₩350,000

Reading the Table Like-for-Like

The cleanest comparison is at 600 shots, where XERF comes in ₩400,000 below Thermage (₩1,900,000 versus ₩2,300,000) despite reaching deeper tissue. Ulthera’s per-100-shot pricing means a typical 300–600 shot course works out to ₩1,050,000–₩2,100,000, while Density offers the lowest entry at ₩750,000 for 300 classic-tip shots, or ₩950,000 with the alpha tip.

Where Each Budget Leads

Under ₩1,000,000, Density’s 300-shot options and a starter Ulthera course are the realistic candidates. Between ₩1,000,000 and ₩2,000,000 sits the heart of the lifting menu: XERF at 300 shots (₩1,000,000) or 600 shots (₩1,900,000) and mid-range Ulthera courses. Above ₩2,000,000, the choice runs between Thermage’s 600- and 900-shot packages and XERF at 900 shots for ₩2,750,000, with combined XERF face-plus-eye plans reaching ₩3,700,000.

On a single clinic’s list, the lifting-oriented device is not the most expensive one — XERF undercuts Thermage at the same shot count. That inversion of expectations is exactly why side-by-side tables beat headline prices when weighing XERF treatment Gangnam options.

Which Treatment Fits Your Concern — and Who Decides?

Given the price spread, should the budget pick the device? It is a tempting shortcut, but the sounder sequence is concern first, consultation second, budget third — because the wrong device at a lower price treats the wrong problem.

When XERF Makes Sense

XERF fits patients whose complaint is sag rather than surface laxity: deepening nasolabial folds, mouth corners drifting downward, a jawline losing definition. It also suits those who want elasticity and sagging improved together, and — because the treatment is designed with less pain and downtime in mind — those wary of harsher options. Results build gradually, with changes possible soon after treatment and the maximum effect around 2–3 months.

How the Decision Is Made at the Clinic

Ode Clinic keeps Ulthera, Thermage, EMFace, XERF, Density, Onda, Shrink, and Mirajet in-house, so the recommendation is not constrained by which machine happens to be available. Every case starts with a 1:1 consultation with the doctor who performs the treatment, using 2D/3D skin-diagnostic photography, and the plan — device, shot count, combination — is finalized in a re-consultation before anything is done in the private treatment room.

A clinic that stocks the whole device family and lets the treating doctor choose among them removes the most common bias in this comparison: the tendency to prescribe whatever is on the floor. The honest answer to “XERF or Thermage?” is a skin assessment, not a slogan.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q.What is the core difference between XERF and Thermage?

A.Both are monopolar radiofrequency devices, but XERF delivers energy deeper, producing a lifting effect, while Thermage works shallower and leans toward tightening. XERF’s dual-frequency 6.78MHz + 2MHz output exists only in DEEP mode.

Q.Which is cheaper at the same shot count?

A.At Ode Clinic’s published rates, XERF 600 shots cost ₩1,900,000 versus ₩2,300,000 for Thermage 600 shots — a ₩400,000 difference, VAT excluded.

Q.Can foreign patients get this comparison explained in English?

A.Yes. The clinic is foreigner-friendly with English consultation available, an official English site at odeclinicseoul.com/en, and English inquiries handled over WhatsApp at +82 10-2609-4529.

Q.How long do results from these devices last?

A.Ulthera’s effect lasts around 6–12 months on average. For XERF, changes can begin soon after treatment and peak around 2–3 months; the doctor reviews progress with before/after diagnostic photography.

Q.Where can I compare these treatments in person?

A.Ode Clinic, 8F, 340 Gangnam-daero (Kyungwon Bldg., Yeoksam-dong), near Gangnam Station, holds all the devices discussed here. Book a consultation via WhatsApp +82 10-2609-4529, Instagram @odeclinic.global, or phone +82 2-569-0222.