What Is UltraShape Power?
UltraShape Power is an FDA-approved non-invasive body-shaping procedure that helps to reduce fat cells in the body. It targets the fat that is resistant to diet and exercise. Areas include abdomen, flanks, inner and outer thighs. UltraShape Power is a painless procedure that shows no unwanted signs of treatment and doesn’t require any recovery time.
How Does It Work?
UltraShape Power works by emitting acoustic waves of ultrasonic energy that converge into a confined focal volume targeting only subcutaneous fat at a controlled depth. Unlike traditional ultrasound technology, UltraShape Power energy transmits pulsed ultrasound, allowing control over temperature elevation (less than 0.5° C increase) and enabling fat destruction to occur instantly, selectively and mechanically (non-thermal).
What Are the Benefits of UltraShape?
UltraShape is built for localized fat reduction without surgery. The device is FDA-cleared for non-invasive reduction in abdominal circumference and fat reduction in the abdomen, flanks, and thighs, using focused ultrasound to selectively disrupt subcutaneous fat. The appeal for many patients is simple: no incisions, no anesthesia, and no recovery period built around hiding out at home.
Benefits of UltraShape may include:
- Non-surgical treatment for stubborn fat pockets
- No needles or incisions
- No meaningful downtime
- Comfortable treatment experience
- Targeted body contouring for the abdomen, flanks, and thighs
- A good option for patients already eating well and exercising regularly
- A way to refine shape when weight loss is not the issue
Unlike treatments built around heat, UltraShape uses pulsed, non-thermal ultrasound energy. The FDA summary describes the system as selectively targeting subcutaneous adipose tissue while avoiding damage to neighboring structures such as nerves, blood vessels, and muscle.
What Aesthetic Concerns Can UltraShape Address?
UltraShape is meant for stubborn subcutaneous fat. That is the layer just beneath the skin that tends to linger even when someone is otherwise doing the right things. On the current Michael Horn page, the practice already frames UltraShape around fat that is resistant to diet and exercise, particularly in the abdomen, flanks, and inner and outer thighs.
UltraShape may be a strong fit for concerns such as:
- Lower abdominal fullness
- Small pockets of fat at the waist or flanks
- Inner thigh fullness
- Outer thigh fullness
- Mild contour irregularities that make clothing fit less smoothly
- Areas where the goal is refinement, not dramatic weight loss
This treatment is not a substitute for liposuction when someone needs larger-volume reduction or tighter reshaping. It works better as a contouring treatment for smaller, pinchable areas of fat. The current page also notes that UltraShape is not designed for major weight loss.
Am I a Candidate for UltraShape?
UltraShape usually works best for adults who are close to their goal weight and want help with a specific area that is not responding the way they want. Dr. Horn’s current page says the ideal candidate typically has a BMI under 30 and about an inch of fat in the treatment area.
You may be a good candidate for UltraShape if you:
- Are at a stable weight
- Eat well and exercise regularly
- Have localized areas of subcutaneous fat
- Want body contouring without surgery
- Prefer a treatment with no downtime
- Understand that this is a shaping treatment, not a weight-loss plan
UltraShape may be less useful if you:
- Are looking for significant weight reduction
- Have mainly visceral fat rather than pinchable fat under the skin
- Want skin tightening more than fat reduction
- Need more dramatic correction than a non-surgical treatment can deliver
This is where consultation matters. Some patients are better served by another body contouring treatment, and some are better served by surgery. Michael Horn Plastic Surgery & Med Spa already uses that broader consult model across its med spa, helping patients sort out whether the right answer is non-surgical treatment, surgery, or a combination of both.
What to Expect During The Procedure
The non-invasive UltraShape Power procedure is pleasant and relaxing. A trained technician will apply gel to the targeted area then move the UltraShape Power transducer device along the treatment area, releasing ultrasound pulses. This treatment typically lasts an hour or less.
Two Types Of Fat
Your body houses two different types of fat - visceral and subcutaneous. Visceral fat is the fat the forms around your organs and can be eliminated by eating healthy and exercising regularly. Subcutaneous fat, on the other hand, forms under the surface of your skin and can be very difficult to lose. UltraShape Power targets this subcutaneous fat that is resistant to diet and exercise.
The Ideal UltraShape Power Candidate
The UltraShape Power procedure is not designed for major weight loss. It is most effective for those that eat healthy and exercise regularly, but still have a little stubborn fat that they can't get rid of. The ideal candidate has a BMI of less than 30 and about an inch or so of fat around the area.
When Will I See Results?
Results will vary for each individual. Some patients reported that they saw results two weeks after their first treatment, but we believe you will see the best results after a minimum of three treatments, scheduled two weeks apart. This will give your body time to rid the fat cells from your system before the next treatment, allowing for maximum results. If you'd like to learn more about UltraShape Chicago aesthetic experts at Michael Horn Plastic Surgery & Med Spa are here to answer any questions you have and address your concerns during an initial consultation. Schedule an appointment with Dr. Horn today!
Why Choose Michael Horn Plastic Surgery & Med Spa for UltraShape?
Body contouring decisions are easier when they happen inside a practice that also understands surgical body shaping. Michael Horn Plastic Surgery & Med Spa offers both. That matters because not every patient asking about stubborn fat needs the same answer, and not every non-surgical technology is the right fit for every body shape. The med spa page explicitly states that the team helps determine whether the right path is surgery, a med spa plan, or a thoughtful combination of both.
Dr. Michael Horn is a board-certified plastic surgeon and the site highlights recognition including NewBeauty Top Doctor, RealSelf Top Doctor, and Vitals Top 10 Doctor. His bio also notes more than 10,000 breast procedures performed during his career, along with experience in body shaping and contouring. That kind of background adds context to body contouring recommendations. You are not choosing a device in a vacuum. You are choosing a practice that understands proportion, candidacy, and when a less invasive treatment makes sense.
Patients also have access to a broader body-contouring menu through the practice’s med spa, which includes UltraShape alongside EmSculpt and Emsculpt Neo. That makes it easier to build a treatment plan around fat reduction, muscle definition, or both, depending on the goal.
UltraShape FAQs
Many patients need a series rather than a single appointment, because body contouring builds through staged treatment. Your consultation is the best place to decide how many sessions make sense for your treatment area and your goals.
UltraShape is generally considered comfortable. The current Michael Horn page describes the treatment as painless and relaxing, and the technology uses non-thermal pulsed ultrasound rather than heat-based energy.
The current page states that UltraShape does not require recovery time and shows no unwanted visible signs of treatment. That is one of the main reasons patients choose it over more invasive body contouring options.
The FDA clearance covers non-invasive reduction in abdominal circumference and fat reduction in the abdomen, flanks, and thighs. The Michael Horn page also lists the abdomen, flanks, and inner and outer thighs.
No. UltraShape is a body contouring treatment for localized fat. It is better for patients who are already living a healthy lifestyle and want help with stubborn areas that are not changing much with diet and exercise.
UltraShape is non-surgical. There are no incisions, no anesthesia, and no surgical recovery. Surgery can produce a larger change, but it also comes with more downtime and a different level of commitment.
Results are not instant. The body needs time to process the disrupted fat cells, so contour improvement usually shows up gradually over the weeks after treatment.
