Prior Fillers: What to Share Before Ultherapy or Thermage

Hello, I am Dr. Kim Yeon-jin, Chief Physician at UHCELL Clinic Gangnam.

If you have had dermal fillers at another clinic, prepare the product name, treated area, treatment date, and amount before an Ultherapy or Thermage consultation. Include any current swelling, pain, or firm areas, along with any additional filler, dissolving injections, or removal procedures. Mark anything you do not know as “unconfirmed” rather than guessing.

If you are considering Ultherapy or Thermage after fillers, explain both where you want lifting treatment and where you previously had injections. I recommend organizing the information by area rather than simply noting that you have had fillers. These records are a starting point for consultation, not a guarantee that a procedure is suitable or that it will produce a particular result.

How to record your filler history

I recommend using the following format. If you have had several treatments, list each one you can confirm, not just the most recent appointment.

Item	What to record
Product name	The exact name in your records. If you remember only part of it, separate what is confirmed from what remains unknown.
Treated area	Be specific, such as the front of the cheeks, nasolabial folds, or chin. Note the left or right side if known.
Treatment date	The exact date, or an approximate date clearly labeled as an estimate.
Amount	Keep the units shown in the record. Specify whether the amount is the total used or the amount for an individual area.
Additional filler or removal	Dates and known details of further injections, dissolving treatments, or removal procedures in the same area.

If you know only the total amount used, do not divide it between sides or treatment areas yourself. If you had treatment outside the United States, I recommend bringing the original product name and units rather than substituting the name of a similar product in the United States.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), in its dermal filler guidance updated in 2023, explains that the duration of effects varies with the filler material and injection site. Saying that treatment was “a long time ago” does not establish how much filler remains. I recommend including older treatments to the extent that you remember them or can confirm them through records.

What if you do not remember the product or amount?

Ask the clinic that performed the treatment for records showing the product name, date, area, and amount. Gather any treatment information sheets or photographs of product labels you already have. If you bring before-and-after photographs, label them with the dates they were taken.

I recommend separating documented information from details recalled from memory. A receipt showing only the total payment should not be used to guess a product name or the amount injected into each area.

If you cannot obtain records, a note such as “product name unconfirmed; approximate treatment date recalled” is useful. The goal is to distinguish known information from unknown details, not to fill every blank.

Include symptoms and any dissolving or removal procedures

Separate from the product details, make a note of any current discomfort:

• Where it is and what it feels like.
• When it began and whether it is persistent or comes and goes.
• Any procedures or medications you have received for it.
• The date, area, and known details of any filler-dissolving injections or removal procedures.

The same FDA guidance lists swelling, pain, and nodules among filler-related risks. It also explains that some adverse reactions can appear weeks, months, or years after injection. This does not establish that a current symptom is caused by filler. I recommend describing when it began and how it has changed rather than deciding on the cause yourself.

The FDA also advises that filler removal carries its own risks and, depending on the material, can be difficult or impossible. Having had a dissolving treatment does not by itself establish that all filler is gone. Include that treatment in your history as well.

Symptoms during or immediately after filler treatment that need urgent care

The FDA advises seeking immediate medical attention for unusual pain, vision changes, or skin turning white, gray, or blue near the injection site during or shortly after a filler procedure. If this happens, seek immediate medical evaluation rather than waiting to prepare records for a lifting consultation.

How to ask about Ultherapy or Thermage over filler-treated areas

Our Gangnam clinic’s official menu lists Ultherapy PRIME and Thermage FLX. A device being listed on the menu is separate from a clinical decision about whether it is appropriate for an area previously treated with filler.

Thermage manufacturer Solta Medical states in its official U.S. safety information that use of Thermage systems over areas containing dermal fillers has not been studied. This does not guarantee that such use is safe, nor does it prove that a problem will necessarily occur. That statement concerns Thermage and should not be applied to Ultherapy.

Rather than concluding that fillers automatically rule out treatment, or that enough time has passed to make treatment appropriate, I recommend bringing your records and asking:

• Do the areas where I had filler overlap with the areas I want to treat now?
• Are any additional records needed before deciding on the treatment area and sequence?
• Does any current discomfort need evaluation before planning lifting treatment?
• How should treatment timing be decided in my case, and what should be reassessed at a later visit?
• Should plans for future filler injections in the same area also be considered?

Do not calculate a waiting period from the previous injection date alone. Share the product, area, timing, and current condition, then ask how those details affect the plan. We design treatment plans based on an individual skin assessment, and I recommend sharing your previous procedure history during consultation.

You can review our Gangnam clinic’s Thermage treatment information before your visit. Bring your confirmed treatment history and the questions that matter most to you.

※ Skin reactions and recovery times vary from person to person. Please consult a medical professional for an accurate diagnosis and treatment plan.