InMode FX vs. Shurink: Fat or Sagging?
InMode FX works on fat under the jaw, and Shurink sends focused ultrasound down to the layer that sags. Here's how to tell which concern is yours, when one treatment is enough, which reactions are normal, and why the doctor decides on same-day plans at the visit.
Wi Young-jin
Chief Director, Myeongdong
If fullness under your jaw is what bothers you, InMode FX is usually the first treatment to look at; if your cheeks and jawline have dropped, Shurink is. InMode FX pairs radiofrequency (RF) heat with short, high-voltage electrical pulses aimed at the fat layer, while Shurink focuses ultrasound into tiny points that reach the firm layer beneath the fat. Planning both only makes sense when fat and sagging are both clearly there.
Many people assume these are two versions of the same lift. They work on different layers, so the real question is which layer is behind your blurred jawline. In this article, we'll cover how to tell fat from sagging, what each device does, when one treatment is enough, which reactions are normal, and how to fit it all into a trip.
Quick summary
- Fat under the jaw points to InMode FX first; dropped cheeks and jawline point to Shurink first.
- Layer: InMode FX works in the fat layer, while Shurink's heat reaches the deeper fascia layer.
- Focused ultrasound results tend to show over 3 to 6 months, not on the day itself.
- Whether you need both, and whether they go on the same day, is decided at the visit after the doctor looks at your face.
InMode FX or Shurink: Is Your Jawline Concern Fat or Sagging?
Start with a mirror. Look straight ahead: if the area under your jaw looks thick, that's closer to fat. Then tilt your chin up and down. If the jawline looks sharper when you lift your head and softer when you look down, sagging is playing a bigger part.
Two quick hand checks help too. Pinch the skin under your jawline; if a thick fold comes up between your fingers, you're feeling the fat layer that InMode FX targets. Now gently draw your cheek back toward your ear. If your jawline suddenly looks crisp, the issue is tissue that has slid down, which is what Shurink is designed for.
| InMode FX | Shurink | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | RF heat plus short electrical pulses | Ultrasound focused into small points |
| Main layer reached | Fat layer | Down to the fascia layer (SMAS) |
| Concern it fits | Fullness along the jawline, double chin | Sagging cheeks, jawline and neck |
| Common reaction afterward | Redness that settles within 24 hours | Redness, plus tenderness when pressed |
If you have a mix, the next step is figuring out which one is bigger. When sagging is the main problem and only the fat gets reduced, the jawline can end up looking emptier, so the doctor looks at the balance of your whole face before picking an order.
*SMAS: a thin sheet of connective tissue that sits under the skin and fat and covers the facial muscles.
How Does Shurink HIFU Lift a Sagging Jawline?
Shurink (Ultraformer MPT) sends ultrasound to a set depth and gathers it into one point, creating a small spot of heat only there. Swapping cartridges with different depths lets the treatment cover the SMAS and the layer just above it separately. The heated tissue contracts and then rebuilds slowly over the following months.
How much lift shows up depends on where you measure. In a study of 50 people treated with the Ultraformer MPT and measured with a 3D scanner, thin areas rose less and thicker areas rose more right after treatment:
- Forehead: 1.24 mm
- Around the eyes: 2.25 mm
- Cheekbones: 2.46 mm
- Jowls: 2.90 mm
- Jawline: 3.09 mm
- Back of the cheek: 3.40 mm
- Neck: 3.53 mm
Keep in mind that these numbers were taken immediately after treatment, and the study had no comparison group. It can't tell you how much of that lift is still there months later, and swelling may account for part of it. Results differ from person to person.
What Does InMode FX Do to Fat Under the Jaw?
InMode FX heats the fat layer with RF energy and delivers short, strong electrical pulses at the same time. Fat cells hit by those pulses shrink and break down over time, so the difference shows up weeks later rather than on the day you're treated.
There isn't much research on the face. In a study of 20 women treated on the abdomen with a device that uses the same principle, fat thickness had dropped by an average of 39.6% three months later. Belly fat and jawline fat aren't the same thickness, though, so that figure shouldn't be read as what your face will do. How much you see depends on how much fat you start with.
If you have little fat and sagging is your main concern, InMode FX alone usually won't make the jawline crisp. In that case, a treatment that addresses sagging is worth weighing first.
Should You Get One Treatment or Both?
One treatment is the usual starting point when only one concern stands out, and a plan with both is for faces where fat and sagging are both obvious. Starting with one also has a practical upside. If you compare photos taken from the same angle a few months later, it becomes much clearer whether what's left is fat or sagging.
Whether both go on the same day or are spaced apart, and which comes first, isn't something to settle in advance. The doctor decides that at the visit after checking your skin thickness and how much swelling you're likely to have.
Cost follows the same split. Shurink is priced by the number of shots, and InMode FX by the number of areas. If you're quoted for both, check that the shot count and the area count are listed separately so you can see what each part covers.
Shurink and InMode FX Side Effects: What Fades and What to Report
Most reactions after these two treatments pass on their own. Here's what tends to settle without help:
- After Shurink, redness usually fades within about an hour.
- Swelling, bruising, or tenderness when you press over the bone can last up to about a month after Shurink.
- After RF treatments such as InMode FX, redness and swelling usually go down within 24 hours.*
*Based on Cleveland Clinic guidance on RF and focused ultrasound treatments, which covers other devices working on the same principles.
Don't wait it out if you notice any of the following. Contact your provider right away:
- Blisters, or skin that breaks down or oozes where you were treated
- Redness and swelling that are still there after several days, or a new rash
- A dent, or a firm swollen patch, in the treated area
- One side of your mouth not moving properly when you smile or talk
Blisters, open sores, and dents after focused ultrasound have been reported, but they're rare. Wound care works best when it starts early, so these need to be seen by a doctor promptly rather than watched at home.
Planning InMode FX or Shurink Within Your Travel Itinerary
Unless you had sedation that day, there's no need to push back your flight because of InMode FX or Shurink.
It also helps to know what a single visit can do. Some treatments, such as fillers, change your shape the same day. Most, these two included, don't transform your face in one go; they bring you gradually closer to how you used to look over the following months. How big the change is and how long it lasts differ from one person to the next.
Once you're home, you can send photos through the consultation button on this page if you have questions about how things are going. If a reaction looks serious, see a local doctor first instead of waiting for a reply.
The Bottom Line Before You Choose InMode FX or Shurink
The detail worth carrying into your consultation is the layer: fat sits in one layer, and the SMAS that sags sits beneath it. Ask the doctor one question first: "On my jawline, which is bigger, the fat or the sagging?" That single answer usually decides whether you need one treatment or two.
When you get a quote, check that the Shurink shot count and the InMode FX areas appear on separate lines. Beautystone is a clinic in Seoul's Hapjeong area. When you reach out, include a front photo, a side profile photo, and the dates you'd like to be treated.
Sources
- 3D measurement of lift by facial area in 50 people treated with the Ultraformer MPT (Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Global Open, 2024)
- Abdominal fat thickness in 20 women after RF with short electrical pulses (Journal of Cosmetic and Laser Therapy, 2016)
- Case series of blisters and skin dents after focused ultrasound (Lasers in Surgery and Medicine, 2018)
- Recovery and side effects of RF skin tightening (Cleveland Clinic)
- Results timeline and reactions after focused ultrasound lifting (Cleveland Clinic)
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Which hurts more, InMode FX or Shurink?
A. Shurink can feel prickly or hot when the ultrasound focus lands near bone. How each one feels varies from person to person, so it's worth telling the doctor if you're sensitive. Numbing cream is the usual starting option, and sedation may be chosen when a large area is treated. Which one you'll have is decided at the visit.
Q. Do Shurink results show right away?
A. Shurink results can show a little right away, but most of the change takes longer. In a study of 50 people, areas rose 1.24 to 3.53 mm right after treatment, though swelling can be part of that. Focused ultrasound results tend to appear over 3 to 6 months, so compare photos in the same light about 3 months later.
Q. Can I wear makeup right after InMode FX?
A. After RF treatments like InMode FX, most people can wear makeup and go about their day right away. If redness or swelling is still there after several days, or a rash appears, hold off on makeup and contact your provider.
Q. How many Shurink sessions will I need?
A. Shurink is often done once, and the next session is planned only after you see the results over 3 to 6 months. The number of shots and the spacing depend on how much sagging you have and how thick your skin is, so they're set together at the visit.
Q. If I only have a double chin, do I need Shurink too?
A. If the fat under your chin is thick and your jawline has barely dropped, starting with InMode FX alone can be enough. If the skin looks loose once the fat goes down, that's the point to consider a treatment for sagging. Front and side photos make this easier to judge.
Q. Is InMode FX a good idea if my face is already thin?
A. On a thin face, a treatment that reduces fat can make the cheeks look more hollow. If sagging is your concern and you don't have much facial fat, an option that doesn't reduce fat is usually weighed first, after the doctor checks how much fat can actually be pinched.
Q. If I want both, which comes first, and can they be done on the same day?
A. Whether InMode FX and Shurink are done on the same day or spaced apart, and which goes first, is decided by the doctor at the visit. That call depends on your skin thickness, how much swelling you tend to get, and whether fat or sagging is the bigger concern.
Q. Is Shurink the same as Ultraformer?
A. Yes, Shurink is the Korean name for the device sold internationally as Ultraformer. The 50-person lifting study on Shurink used the Ultraformer MPT model.
Q. What's the difference between Shurink and Ultherapy?
A. Shurink and Ultherapy are different devices that both use focused ultrasound to heat small points under the skin. Because they work on the same principle, the usual reactions afterward, such as brief redness and tenderness, are similar.
