I Read the Reviews and Got Shrink HIFU — But My Jawline Didn't Change
Why Shrink Contour Results Vary: It All Comes Down to Tip Composition
"I read the reviews, got Shrink HIFU, and my jawline looks exactly the same" — a question I received just yesterday
Check this before you read on
Q. The reviews looked great, so why is my V-line still unchanged?
A. Only the 1.5mm tip was used — heavily. The contour effect comes from the 4.5mm and 3.0mm tips.
Q. So what should I actually look for when reading reviews?
A. The number of shots matters far less than the ratio of 4.5mm and 3.0mm tips used.
The bottom line. For jawline contouring with Shrink HIFU, the 4.5mm and 3.0mm tip combination is essential for targeting the SMAS Layer and achieving a defined V-line.
What makes or breaks results. A high proportion of 1.5mm shots smooths the surface only — the jawline itself stays unchanged.
What we're covering today. The real reason some patients are thrilled and others are disappointed after Shrink HIFU contour procedures.
Here are the three key points I'll walk you through:
How tip composition determines whether contour results satisfy or disappoint
How the energy source in Shrink HIFU differs from Thermage FLX and Ultherapy
Pain and anesthesia — an honest answer on whether it's actually manageable
Why Do Some Patients Love Their Shrink Contour Results While Others Are Left Disappointed?
Shrink HIFU delivers high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) down to the SMAS Layer, creating Thermal Coagulation Points to lift and tighten.
Thermage FLX uses Radiofrequency (RF) to heat the Dermis broadly,
Ultherapy delivers highly concentrated HIFU energy to a single precise point,
and Shrink HIFU uses the same HIFU technology — but fires smaller, faster coagulation points.
Even though both are HIFU, Ultherapy works line by line,
while Shrink HIFU lays down a finer, denser grid of points.
Here's where patient satisfaction starts to diverge.
It comes down to which tip depths were used, and in what ratio.
That single decision determines whether a V-line forms — or doesn't.
What's the Difference Between the 4.5mm and 1.5mm Depths in Shrink HIFU?
For contouring purposes, only the 4.5mm and 3.0mm tips should be used.
Here's an analogy that makes it clear.
Imagine a sagging mattress.
Ironing the bed sheet smooth is very different from tightening the springs inside the mattress.
The 1.5mm tip targets the Dermis — that's the bed sheet.
The surface texture improves, but the sagging itself doesn't get addressed.
The 3.0mm tip reaches the subcutaneous fat layer,
and the 4.5mm tip reaches the SMAS Layer — those are the springs.
When the SMAS Layer firms up, the fat sitting above it reattaches closer to the muscle,
and that's what brings the jawline back into definition.
The key takeaway from this article
When using Shrink HIFU for contouring, the 4.5mm + 3.0mm combination is essential. A procedure that relies heavily on 1.5mm shots will only smooth the surface —
the V-line will not improve.
Always confirm the tip composition before your procedure.
This might come as a surprise to some of you.
Last week, a 44-year-old patient came in after getting a Shrink contour procedure at another clinic.
She was frustrated — her skin looked smoother, but her jawline was completely unchanged.
She brought her treatment chart with her. When I looked at it: 1.5mm at 60%, 3.0mm at 30%, 4.5mm at just 10%.
With that ratio, you'll see almost no contouring effect.
That's a Skin Texture refinement combination, not a contour combination.
The ratio also changes depending on BMI.
Patients with a thicker fat layer benefit from a higher proportion of 4.5mm,
while those with a thinner fat layer receive more 3.0mm.
I use a roughly equal split as a baseline and adjust case by case —
but the 1.5mm tip is rarely used along the jawline contour itself.
It's only applied selectively on the outer face for a tightening effect on the surface.
One important safety point I always emphasize:
firing 4.5mm directly along the jawbone causes significant Pain due to proximity to bone —
the area near the mandible should be switched to 3.0mm.
Additionally, the marginal mandibular nerve runs close to the surface along the inner Nasolabial Folds and marionette line area,
making direct treatment along this line contraindicated.
This is something less experienced practitioners occasionally overlook.
Dr. Wi Young-jin's Key Summary
When reading Shrink HIFU contour reviews, don't focus on shot count alone.
The ratio of 4.5mm and 3.0mm tips used determines about 80% of V-line outcome.
A chart showing a high proportion of 1.5mm is optimized for surface refinement — not for jawline contouring.
How Much Does Shrink HIFU Hurt? Is It Manageable With Anesthesia?
About half of my patients manage well with topical numbing cream alone — and almost everyone is comfortable once nerve block anesthesia is added.
Pain levels vary depending on the tip depth.
The 4.5mm tip is the most intense, as it reaches close to the bone.
The 3.0mm tip is moderate, and the 1.5mm tip feels like a mild sting.
Compared to Thermage FLX and Ultherapy,
Ultherapy tends to be the most intense — it delivers concentrated energy to a single point —
Shrink HIFU feels more diffuse,
and Thermage FLX is primarily felt as Heat sensation rather than sharp Pain.
I had a 51-year-old patient who had stopped a Shrink procedure midway at another clinic because it was done without anesthesia.
She specifically requested nerve block anesthesia with us.
She completed the full procedure without any issues
and told me afterward, "I wish I'd known to ask for anesthesia from the very beginning."
General sedation is technically an option,
but since I need to monitor facial muscle response and adjust energy output during the procedure,
nerve block anesthesia is the most practical and appropriate choice.
Shrink HIFU Contour Results: How Does a First Session Differ From Repeat Sessions?
Which category do you fall into?
First-time patients and those returning for repeat sessions receive different tip ratios and session intervals.
Unlike Ultherapy, Shrink HIFU works best with shorter intervals between sessions.
The standard protocol is three sessions, spaced three weeks apart.
The cumulative Collagen response works through a specific mechanism —
as the SMAS Layer firms further with each session,
the displaced fat reattaches closer to the underlying muscle.
This is the reason many patients report in their reviews that "results really showed from the second or third session."
Three Questions I Frequently Get About Shrink HIFU Contour
Q1. Some reviews say they saw results after just one session — is that really possible?
A. I get this question two or three times a week.
Statistically, about three in ten patients report satisfaction after a single session.
The remaining seven need two to three cumulative sessions before contour definition becomes noticeable.
Patients who see results after one session typically have average BMI and are in the early stages of sagging.
If you go in expecting the same after reading one or two standout reviews, the likelihood of disappointment is high.
There's a closely related question I also hear often.
Q2. What's the typical cost of Shrink HIFU contouring, and how many sessions are recommended?
A. Let me answer this using a real patient case.
A 51-year-old patient initially looked at the single-session price and said it felt expensive.
Once she switched to a three-session package at three-week intervals, the per-session cost dropped by nearly half —
and she started noticing visible changes in her jawline from the second session onward.
If your goal is contouring, a three-session package is more cost-effective and delivers better results than a single session.
The last question I get most consistently is this one.
Q3. Can Shrink HIFU cause side effects?
A. This varies by case,
but Bruising and Swelling are minimal in most patients.
The more important concern is nerve stimulation.
Firing a 4.5mm tip directly along the inner marionette line area can cause temporary asymmetry at the corners of the mouth —
it's something I hear about once or twice a year, so it's not common,
but reviewing the treatment chart before your procedure — confirming which tip depths are planned for each area — is the most effective way to prevent it.
If there's one thing to take away from today — whether a V-line result shows up in Shrink HIFU reviews comes down not to shot count, but to the proportion of 4.5mm and 3.0mm tips used.
In my next post, I'll break down how to choose between Shrink HIFU and Ultherapy when both are being considered for contour improvement. Even with similar sagging concerns, these two procedures target different tissue layers — and I'll walk you through cases where that distinction changes the outcome. This has been Dr. Wi Young-jin.
