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NCT Number: NCT07614997

Effectiveness and Safety of the Ulthera® System for Skin Laxity in the Lower Face, Submentum and Neck

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate superiority of treatment with the Ulthera System compared to untreated control for the improvement of skin laxity of the lower face, submental area and neck and to demonstrate the safety of treatment with the Ulthera System for the improvement of skin laxity of the lower face, submental area and neck.

Recruiting

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Key information

Age range

35 year–65 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Merz Investigative Site, Beijing, Beijing Municipality, China

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Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Mild to moderate lower face, submental and/or neck laxity, that is amenable to improvement with non-invasive intervention and not severe enough for surgical intervention.
  • Willing to abstain from all other aesthetic treatments on ANY part of the face, submentum or neck, including but not limited to injectable fillers, implants, neurotoxin, skin peels, laser treatments, surgical treatments, etc. for the clinical investigation's duration.
  • Willing and able to refrain from chronic use of aspirin, ibuprofen, naproxen, or other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for 10 to 14 days post-treatment.
  • Has an adequate understanding of the Chinese language.
  • Willing and able to comply with protocol requirements.

Exclusion criteria

  • Scarring in area(s) to be treated.
  • Any active implants.
  • Any metallic implants in area(s) to be treated.
  • Any open wounds or lesions, including active herpes simplex, in the area(s) to be treated.
  • Presence of an active systemic or local skin disease, including active, cystic, or severe inflammatory acne in the area(s) to be treated.
  • History of keloid formation or hypertrophic scarring.
  • History of the following cosmetic treatments in area(s) to be treated:
  • Skin-tightening procedure,
  • Injectable crosslinked hyaluronic acid (HA)/collagen temporary dermal fillers of the lower face, submentum or neck within the past 12 months.
  • Injectable non-crosslinked HA dermal fillers of the lower face, submentum or neck within the past 6 months.
  • Injectable semi-permanent/permanent facial fillers
  • Neurotoxin treatment of the lower face, submentum or neck within the past 6 months.
  • Liposuction of the lower face, submentum or neck within the last 12 months.
  • Fat grafting of the lower face, submentum or neck within the last 12 months.
  • Deoxycholic acid within the last 12 months; and/or
  • Chemical peeling or dermabrasion treatments within the past 12 months.
  • Cryolipolysis
  • Had prior surgery in the lower-facial area and/or neck/submentum or has a permanent implant or graft in the lower-facial area that could interfere with effectiveness assessments.
  • Has undergone oral surgery in the past 30 days.
  • Participants who have used isotretinoin or other retinoid medications within 6 months prior to enrollment or have applied topical retinoid-containing medications on the face or neck area within 2 weeks prior to enrollment or planning such treatments during the study period.
  • Marked facial asymmetry, deep dermal scarring, or thick sebaceous skin in the full face.
  • Severe solar elastosis.
  • Facial nerve palsy or history of facial nerve palsy.
  • Tattoos in the area(s) to be treated (excluding microblading eyebrow).
  • Current smoker or history of smoking in the last 12 months.
  • Current daily user of any nicotine-containing products
  • Is a female of childbearing potential1 and not using medically effective birth control 2 or is pregnant, lactating, or planning to become pregnant during the clinical investigation.

Treatment and study plan

Ulthera System

Device

Participants will receive treatment with the Ulthera system which consists of three primary components: the control unit, handpiece and interchangeable transducers.

Primary outcomes

  1. Proportion of Participants With at Least "Improved" in Lower Face, Submental and Neck Skin Laxity on Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale as Determined by the Blinded Live Evaluator (eGAIS) at Day 90 Compared to Baseline Photographs

    Time frame: Day 90

    Blinded live evaluator will use eGAIS to evaluate global aesthetic improvement in the facial appearance of participants. The GAIS is a 5-point scale (1-5), where: 1(very much improved); 2 (much improved); 3 (improved); 4 (no change); 5 (worse). Higher scores indicate a worse outcome.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Three Independent, Blinded Raters GAIS (rGAIS) Score in Lower Face, Submental and Neck Skin Laxity at Day 90 Compared to Baseline Photographs

    Time frame: Day 90

    Three independent, blinded raters will use rGAIS to evaluate global aesthetic improvement in the facial appearance of participants. The GAIS is a 5-point scale (1-5), where: 1(very much improved); 2 (much improved); 3 (improved); 4 (no change); 5 (worse). Higher scores indicate a worse outcome.

  2. Treating Investigator's GAIS (iGAIS) Score in Lower Face, Submental and Neck Skin Laxity at Day 90 Compared to Baseline Photographs

    Time frame: Day 90

    Treating investigators will use the iGAIS to assess overall aesthetic improvement of the lower face, submentum, and neck. The GAIS is a 5-point scale (1-5), where: 1(very much improved); 2 (much improved); 3 (improved); 4 (no change); 5 (worse). Higher scores indicate a worse outcome. This outcome measure is prespecified for the Treatment Group only.

  3. Participant's GAIS (pGAIS) Scores in Lower Face, Submental Skin and Neck Laxity at Day 90 Compared to Baseline Photographs

    Time frame: Day 90

    Participants will self-report using the pGAIS to assess overall aesthetic improvement of the lower face, submentum, and neck. The pGAIS is a 5-point scale (1-5), where: 1(very much improved); 2 (much improved); 3 (improved); 4 (no change); 5 (worse). Higher scores indicate a worse outcome. This outcome measure is prespecified for the Treatment Group only.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Public Disclosure Manager Merz Aesthetics

CONTACT

[email protected]

+1 984-301-3095

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Merz North America, Inc.

Industry

Collaborators

  • Ulthera, Inc

Registry information

Official study title

Evaluation of the Effectiveness and Safety of the Ulthera® System for Treating Skin Laxity in the Lower Face, Submentum and Neck

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2027
First posted
May 29, 2026
Registry last updated
Jun 17, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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