Houston has settled into a fairly consistent HIFU pricing band: US$2,200–US$3,200 for a full-face Ultherapy or generic HIFU session, often with the neck added separately at US$700–US$1,200. The Houston market is more transparent on price than Miami or NYC — but the floor is still well above what the procedure costs anywhere outside of brand-licensed US clinics.
At Elyzea in Lima, the same medical-grade focused-ultrasound treatment is S/1,000 (~US$286) for full face, S/1,500 (~US$429) for face + neck. Houston is unusually well-positioned for the Lima trip because United flies non-stop IAH→LIM in just under 7 hours. Door-to-treatment in 12 hours total is realistic.
This guide is the apples-to-apples cost breakdown, the trip math from a Texas departure point, and a frank assessment of who should and shouldn't make this trip.
What you actually pay in Houston for HIFU
Houston med-spas tend to be more transparent than Miami or Los Angeles, but the per-zone pricing trap still exists. Plan for ~50 units of patient-facing pricing logic: a quoted "full-face" price often excludes the brow, the lateral jaw, and the neck — which are billed as separate zones.
Practical price discovery: ask for an itemized total covering full face including brow, jowl, and submental zones. Add the neck (often US$700–US$1,200 incremental). Don't forget the consultation fee (US$100–US$250, sometimes credited toward booking within 30 days). The realistic Houston number is in the US$2,500–US$3,500 range for a comprehensive single session.
Most Houston clinics use the Ulthera-branded machine, which carries per-treatment licensing fees passed to the patient. Multi-session packages typically discount 10–20 %.
Elyzea pricing — flat rate, no per-zone surcharges
Elyzea posts all prices publicly. The numbers come straight from prices.md and the Calendico booking system. There are no per-zone add-ons.
- HIFU full face: S/1,000 (~US$286)
- HIFU face + neck: S/1,500 (~US$429) (full neck included, not surcharged)
- Consultation: Free (online or in-person)
- Follow-up at 6 weeks: Included
If you're flying down anyway, consider stacking 2–3 treatments per visit. Sample HIFU itinerary.
Houston ↔ Lima trip math
United's non-stop IAH → LIM is the highest-leverage flight option for Texas-based patients. Departure typically late afternoon, arrival in Lima around midnight (Lima is on Eastern Time year-round; effectively 1 hour behind Houston in winter, same in summer).
| Item | Cost (off-peak) | Cost (peak) |
|---|---|---|
| Round-trip economy IAH-LIM | $400–$700 | $700–$1,000 |
| 3 nights mid-tier Miraflores hotel | $300–$500 | $400–$600 |
| Food + Uber for 4 days | $120–$200 | $150–$250 |
| HIFU treatment (Elyzea) | ~US$286 | ~US$286 |
| Total trip | ~US$1,100–US$1,700 | ~US$1,500–US$2,150 |
Even at peak season, the Lima trip lands well below a single Houston HIFU session at a high-end clinic. At off-peak rates, you can pay for the trip and bring back two extra treatments and still beat a single Houston session.
Annual maintenance comparison (5-year horizon)
HIFU's primary indication is annual or biannual maintenance lifting. The cumulative spend over a multi-year horizon is the math that actually matters for most patients.
| Year | Houston (1 HIFU/year) | Lima (1 HIFU/year, including travel) |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | $2,800 | ~$1,500 (incl. flight + hotel) |
| Year 2 | $2,800 | ~$1,500 |
| Year 3 | $2,800 | ~$1,500 |
| Year 4 | $2,800 | ~$1,500 |
| Year 5 | $2,800 | ~$1,500 |
| 5-year total | $14,000 | ~$7,500 |
About 47 % savings over 5 years even after fully accounting for travel. If you stack other treatments into Lima trips (very common pattern), the gap widens substantially.
How to choose between Houston and Lima
If you're a Texas resident with two free weekdays and a passport, Lima is the rational choice. The non-stop flight removes most of the friction. If you can't travel, your best Houston option is to negotiate the consultation fee waiver and request a multi-zone bundle (often 15–25 % cheaper than à la carte).
Read how many HIFU sessions you actually need before booking either way. The maintenance cadence is what drives the long-term cost, not the first-time visit.
Pairing HIFU with other treatments on the same trip
Houston-based patients flying down often combine HIFU with one or more of:
- Morpheus8: S/2,000 (~US$571) facial. Pairs perfectly with HIFU for layered anti-aging
- Hyaluronic acid filler: S/850 (~US$243) per syringe
- HydraFacial: S/200 (~US$57). Day-of-departure glow
- Picosecond rejuvenation: S/600 (~US$171). Skin-quality compounding
- Hollywood Peel: S/600 (~US$171). Same-day no-downtime celebrity-facial effect
Most patients who do HIFU + 2 other treatments on the same trip still beat a single Houston HIFU price point including travel.
Who shouldn't fly for HIFU
HIFU is non-invasive with effectively zero downtime — that makes it ideal for medical tourism. The exception: patients with active facial inflammation, recent facial surgery (under 6 months), or pacemakers should not get HIFU, and the consultation will catch this.
Free virtual consultation with Dra. Geldres covers contraindications and protocol design before you spend a dollar on travel. Detailed contraindications.
What to expect from a 4-day Lima HIFU trip
- Day 1 (Thursday evening): United IAH → LIM, arrive ~11 PM. Uber to Miraflores hotel (~US$25). Sleep.
- Day 2 (Friday morning): Free consultation. HIFU treatment (~60 min). Mild redness for 1–2 hours, then social. Lunch in Miraflores. Walk Malecón cliff path
- Day 3 (Saturday): Lima sightseeing — Centro Historico, lunch at Central or Mayta, return to Miraflores for dinner
- Day 4 (Sunday): Brunch in Barranco, light shopping, head to LIM for evening flight back to IAH
Total time off work: Friday + Monday morning. Treatment-to-departure window: 48+ hours.
Frequently asked questions
Does Elyzea use Ulthera or generic HIFU?
Generic medical-grade HIFU. Ulthera is a US-licensed brand of HIFU; the underlying physics are identical. Elyzea's machine offers all standard depths (1.5/3/4.5 mm) plus 13 mm body capability.
Is HIFU FDA-cleared?
Yes. The FDA has cleared specific HIFU systems for non-surgical lifting indications. The technology principle is the same regardless of regulatory jurisdiction.
Can I get HIFU and fly home the same day?
Short-haul flights yes; for the IAH → LIM 7-hour flight, one overnight is more comfortable. Detailed flying-after guide.
Are results comparable to Ulthera in Houston?
Yes for typical indications (jawline lifting, brow elevation, neck tightening). Ulthera's marketing differentiator is its visualization technology — useful in some hands but not material to typical aesthetic outcomes.
What if I want to do HIFU twice in one trip?
HIFU should be spaced 6–12 months apart. Two sessions in one trip would be inappropriate — and any clinic offering this is a red flag.
What about combining with surgical procedures?
Elyzea is a non-invasive practice. For surgical procedures, separate consultation with a plastic-surgery clinic is needed. HIFU works as preventive maintenance, not as facelift replacement for severe laxity.
How long do results last?
Peak result at 12 weeks; gradual softening over 12–18 months. Annual maintenance is the typical cadence. Sessions detail.
Bottom line for Houston-based patients
United's non-stop IAH-LIM makes Houston one of the easiest US origins for a Lima HIFU trip. The off-peak math beats a single Houston HIFU session even before stacking additional treatments. The 5-year cumulative savings (~50 %) is the number that actually matters for maintenance treatments.
If you'd treat HIFU as a once-every-1-2-year procedure for the next decade, Lima is the rational answer. The free virtual consultation lets you make the decision with full information before any flight is booked.