Full-Face HIFU: Line Counts and the Mapping Discipline

HIFU pricing is often quoted \”per lines\” — which makes line counts sound like the measure of treatment quality. They are not. Distribution and depth selection determine outcomes; total line count only sets the price.

A Sensible Full-Face Distribution (400-600 lines)

• Lower third (jawline, jowls, submental border): 40% — 4.5 mm structural lines dominate here
• Mid face (cheek pads, nasolabial surrounds): 35% — 3.0 mm volumetric work
• Upper face (brow, forehead): 15% — 1.5 mm only, staying off bony ridges
• Neck (optional add-on): separate budget, 3.0 mm, avoiding the thyroid box

Mapping Discipline

1. Mark bony landmarks and no-go zones with a skin pencil before the first shot
2. Grid the cheeks — line spacing that crowds creates grid-marked fat atrophy risk; spaced passes remodel evenly
3. Photograph the mapping — it documents what was actually delivered per zone

The Overselling Trap

Selling 800+ lines to a small face does not double the lift — it doubles heat load in the same compartments. Cap lines by face size, not by package tier. Cartridge strategy per zone follows the lower-face protocol; multi-cartridge platforms cover all three depths in one session.