Dewy Skin
The top three treatments Kim Nam-joo says she receives for dewy skin despite disliking skin clinics
“I do Thermage, get Botox, and have Ulthera too.”
Actress Kim Nam-joo recently spoke candidly about her skincare secrets on her YouTube channel. Appearing without makeup, she began, “I don't like going to the dermatologist,” but added, “I get Botox, Thermage and Ulthera—all of them.” She laughed as she explained, “The clinic contacts me, asking why I haven't come when it's time for another treatment.”
Once loved for her intelligent, mature beauty in “Queen of Housewives,” she continues to make headlines for dewy skin in her fifties. Her choice is to get necessary procedures at the right time rather than rely on expensive cosmetics. What strategy lies in a combination that even someone who dislikes treatments will not give up? Botox, Thermage and Ulthera: is receiving them together a good combination? Let's examine their effects and the order in which to try them.
Thermage, Ulthera and Botox, mentioned by Kim, work at different skin levels and improve different problems, but together create a more multidimensional youthful effect.
Thermage first addresses skin texture. It delivers radiofrequency energy deep into the dermis, contracting collagen and promoting new production over time. Fine lines fill out, pores tighten and the surface becomes smooth and firm. Because it uses heat, it is sometimes called a radiance lift, producing lustrous texture alongside lifting. It also smooths the entire face so makeup does not slip or pill.
Ulthera, meanwhile, structurally lifts facial contours. High-intensity ultrasound reaches the SMAS fascial layer and contracts stretched tissue. Although the change may not initially be visible, the jawline, nasolabial folds and double-chin contour noticeably improve from two to three months onward. If Thermage is an outer lift that refines the surface, Ulthera is a deep lift pulling from within. Their different working depths bring overall firmness and dimension back together when combined.
Adding Botox to refine wrinkles completes the youthful-face puzzle. Lines formed by expression muscles on the forehead, between the brows and around the eyes are difficult to prevent even with excellent skin. Botox gently controls these lines and reduces excessive expressions, creating a calmer, younger impression. Recently, soft Botox that preserves a natural smile instead of strongly immobilizing expression has also become more common.
It also reduces overdeveloped muscles such as the jaw, trapezius and calves, beyond facial wrinkles. Jaw Botox can soften a square jawline, while trapezius Botox smooths the shoulder line and changes the silhouette. Calf Botox suits those wanting slimmer muscular legs. With such a broad treatment range, precise design and understanding of muscle anatomy are essential practitioner skills.
Thermage + Ulthera + Botox: are they better together?
The three procedures work in clearly distinct layers and have different ranges of effects. Ulthera acts on deep SMAS fascia, Thermage on the middle dermis, and Botox on superficial expression muscles. Combining them produces a layer-specific customized effect that addresses lifting and wrinkles multidimensionally. The whole face is pulled and tightened at multiple levels, creating natural contours and a youthful impression together.
They need not be done simultaneously. Ulthera and Thermage can be repeated roughly once a year, Botox every three to six months. Intensity and sequence must vary with skin condition, age and elasticity, so a personalized plan following thorough clinical consultation matters more than indiscriminate combination.
Ultimately, the three approach skin differently but together can address radiance, elasticity, dimension and wrinkles. Planning them sequentially rather than treating intensely all at once gives a more natural, longer-lasting result.
As Kim's comments suggest, frequent dermatology visits are not automatically better, and avoiding them is not a virtue either. Receiving what is truly needed even without frequent visits is the wisest way to let skin turn back the clock as time passes. If you want maximum change from minimal procedures, first assess where your skin is losing support. Whether lifting or wrinkle improvement, strategy is ultimately the skin's strength.