Shurink 4.5mm Results,

Why It Differs for

People with Full Cheeks and Slim Faces

Let's start with the conclusion.

Shurink 4.5mm is not something that works equally well for everyone

just because it reaches a deeper layer.

In fact, for a slim face, it can mean more pain

and less visible effect.

I'll explain why in this article.

One-line conclusion.

Shurink 4.5mm creates an SMAS effect only in areas

where the subcutaneous fat is at least 3 mm thick.

Criteria for the difference.

Subcutaneous fat thickness

— if it's under 3 mm, pain only increases.

What we'll cover today.

How to tell which areas on your face are suitable for 4.5 mm

and which are not.

What You'll Learn in This Article

• Exactly which layer Shurink 4.5mm reaches

• Why the effect differs from person to person even with the same number of shots

• Suitability by area — jowls, nasolabial folds, cheekbone area, jawline

Where exactly does Shurink 4.5mm

reach?

The Shurink 4.5mm tip is

a tool that directly coagulates the SMAS layer

4.5 mm beneath the skin surface.

SMAS, or the superficial musculoaponeurotic system,

is a thin membrane-like layer that serves as the structural framework

supporting facial sagging.

Ultrasound energy converges at a single point here,

instantly heating it to over 65°C

and creating a coagulation point.

Over time, this coagulation point contracts,

new collagen grows in its place, and

the sagging tissue is lifted.

If the 3.0 mm tip targets the deep dermis,

the 4.5 mm tip aims for the SMAS and

the boundary with the subcutaneous fat beneath it.

Why does Shurink 4.5mm work

differently from person to person?

Key Point of This Article

The Shurink 4.5mm tip

directly coagulates the SMAS layer,

but for people whose subcutaneous fat is thinner than 3 mm,

the effect is reduced and pain only increases.

It is ideal for contour correction in people with some cheek volume,

but for a slim face, it can actually be a disadvantage.

Think of an iron — it helps to understand.

For an iron to press fabric smoothly, there needs to be

an appropriate thickness between the fabric and the ironing board.

If you iron a thin silk fabric laid directly on a hard surface,

the heat becomes too strong and the texture you want to smooth doesn't really relax.

Shurink 4.5mm is similar.

For the SMAS to be located exactly at a depth of 4.5 mm,

the subcutaneous fat above it

needs to have a certain thickness.

Specifically, when the subcutaneous fat is roughly 3 mm thick,

this tip precisely targets the SMAS layer.

The thickness does vary depending on whether the skin is pressed or not,

but the key point is that there needs to be some amount of tissue supporting it.

But there is one important thing here.

If you use 4.5 mm on someone whose subcutaneous fat is thinner than 3 mm,

the energy will pass beyond the SMAS

and reach the muscle or even the bone.

From that point on, two problems arise.

First, the coagulation points end up in the wrong layer instead of the SMAS,

so the lifting effect is reduced.

Second, the pain becomes much stronger

and some patients feel a throbbing soreness for several days after the procedure.

If the energy goes only into the muscle,

a lingering ache can remain when moving as well.

Let me tell you about one patient first.

A 49-year-old client who visited last week was naturally quite slim

with prominent cheekbones.

She had received 300 shots of full-face Shurink 4.5mm elsewhere,

and came to us saying

"Even after 3 months, I don't see much difference, and

my cheekbones just look rougher."

Ultrasound measurements showed that

the subcutaneous fat in the cheekbone area was only about 2 mm.

It was a case where the 4.5 mm tip went too close to the bone

instead of the SMAS.

It wasn't that the number of shots was insufficient —

the depth was simply mismatched from the start.

Dr. Wi Young-jin's Key Summary

• For Shurink 4.5mm,

  "deeper is better" is not the rule,

  "it has to match your subcutaneous fat thickness" is.

• For people with some cheek volume,

  it is ideal as a contour-correction tool,

• but for a slim face, the same number of shots can instead

  become a costly source of pain only.

Shurink 4.5mm,

which areas should it be used on for the best effect?

Subcutaneous fat thickness differs by area.

So even with the same 4.5mm tip,

the results vary depending on where it is used.

The lower cheek/jowl area and the area beside the nasolabial folds

usually have enough subcutaneous fat to support it,

so 4.5mm works best there.

The effect of lifting sagging fat and attaching it to the SMAS

is especially clear.

The cheekbone area varies greatly from person to person.

If you have some fullness, it's fine, but

for a slim face, the thickness may be insufficient,

so we need to measure with ultrasound first and decide whether to use 4.5

or switch to 3.0.

The jawline is a little different.

If 4.5 is used carelessly on the jawline,

the energy can reach the jawbone, causing significant pain,

and increasing the risk of irritating nearby nerves.

So for the jawline,

we usually mainly use 3.0 mm.

Let me summarize it in a table.

A 40-year-old client with just the right amount of cheek volume

was memorable.

To be honest, she came in not expecting much.

"I'll probably need several sessions before I see a difference," she said,

but after the first session, with 4.5 mm focused on the lower cheek and nasolabial line

and 3.0 mm used as reinforcement,

she came back saying, "My side profile changed in just two weeks."

It was a case where the thickness of her area and the depth of the tip

matched well.

It wasn't because of a higher number of shots,

it was because the depth matching was precise.

3 Common Questions About Shurink 4.5mm Results

Q1. How many days does

Shurink 4.5mm results take to appear?

In short, initial contour refinement can be seen within 2 weeks,

and the true collagen effect appears after 2 to 3 months.

Right after the procedure, there may be slight swelling

and it can even look a bit dull,

but around 2 weeks later the side facial line becomes more defined.

The main SMAS contraction accumulates

between 6 and 12 weeks.

For those who receive it about 3 times at 3-week intervals,

the results tend to look the cleanest.

Q2. How many sessions of Shurink 4.5mm are needed

for the effect to accumulate?

This is the part that confuses clients the most,

but Shurink is best understood as a cycle of 3 sessions at 3-week intervals.

In the clinic, two or three patients a week come in saying

"I did it once and saw no effect,"

and almost all of them are cases where they judged it after only one session.

Since accumulated collagen firmly stabilizes the SMAS and attaches sagging fat to the muscle,

one session usually isn't enough to set that fixation.

After completing all 3 sessions, one maintenance session about 6 months later

gave the highest satisfaction in clinical practice.

Q3. After Shurink 4.5mm,

what about pain or side effects?

In the clinic, patients tend to mention

"lingering soreness" more than pain.

During the procedure, most people can tolerate the pain with anesthetic cream

or nerve block solution,

but the issue is the throbbing soreness that lasts for days afterward.

This is especially severe in slim patients —

it's a sign that the 4.5mm energy is reaching close to the muscle or bone.

Nerve irritation side effects are rare,

but if 4.5 is used too aggressively on the jawline,

there is a risk that the corners of the mouth may move asymmetrically.

That is why, at our clinic,

we measure thickness with ultrasound first before proceeding.

If you take only one thing away today

— for Shurink 4.5mm, look first at whether it matches your subcutaneous fat thickness,

rather than the number of shots.

In the next article, I'll explain how to distribute Shurink 4.5mm and 3.0mm

across one face.

For the same full face treatment,

I'll show cases illustrating how the results change depending on how the ratio is planned.

This has been Dr. Wi Young-jin.

Further Reading

• Ultherapy 300-shot results, use it only on the cheekbones [Seoul National University specialist]

• Ultherapy for the cheekbones — does it only work if you do the whole face?

• If you just got Botox, the effect won't show right away! It varies by area

Frequently asked questions

Q. How many days does it take for the effects of Shurink 4.5 mm to appear?

A. In short, immediate line refinement can be seen within 2 weeks, while the true collagen-boosting effect appears after 2 to 3 months.

Q. How many sessions of Shurink 4.5 mm are needed for the effects to build up?

A. Shurink is best considered as one cycle of three treatments, spaced three weeks apart.

Q. What kind of pain or side effects can I expect after a Shurink 4.5 mm treatment?

A. Patients often complain more about the lingering soreness than the pain itself. Most people can tolerate the pain during the procedure with numbing cream or a local anesthetic, but the real issue is the dull, throbbing soreness that can last for several days.

Q. Since I am on the slimmer side and have thin subcutaneous fat, which depth should I get for Shurink instead of 4.5mm?

A. If the subcutaneous fat layer is less than 3mm, using a 4.5mm depth might only increase pain. For the cheekbones, we usually measure the thickness with ultrasound first before deciding on 3.0mm, and for the forehead, we generally go with 1.5mm or 3.0mm. It is best to determine the depth after measuring based on the individual's skin fullness.