Density Alpha is a tip, not a machine
“I heard Alpha is a better machine than Density” is something we hear in consultations. Alpha is a tip. Here is what changes when the tip changes, and why we use this one most.
The short answer
Density Alpha is not a different machine. It is the name of a tip. Density is one device, and the single-use tips fitted to it are ALPHA, Eye, Face and Body. Each carries its own sealed shot count: ALPHA 600, Eye 600, Face 1,000 and Body 600. So “I had Density Alpha” means “I had Density with the ALPHA tip”. ALPHA is the tip Miso Clinic in Daegu uses most for Density lifting. Miso Clinic is at 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, in front of Exit 1 of Kyungpook National University Hospital station. Phone 053-428-2700. Weekdays 11:00–19:00, Saturday 10:00–16:00 with no lunch break, closed Sunday and public holidays.
Why it looks like a separate machine
Search for Density Alpha and it appears alongside Density, which makes it read like a higher model or a successor. It is a consumable. Three things cause the confusion.
- Prices in the market are quoted per tip. A line such as “Density Alpha 600 shots” looks like a device name, but it states which tip and how many of them.
- A different tip feels different. The same device treated with another tip is easily remembered as another device.
- Radiofrequency devices are generally defined by their tips. XERF has four effectors, and Thermage has a separate eye tip.
The four Density tips
| Tip | Sealed shots |
|---|---|
| ALPHA | 600 |
| Eye | 600 |
| Face | 1,000 |
| Body | 600 |
One thing should be stated plainly. XERF publishes the area of each handpiece tip as a number, but as far as we can establish, the areas of the Density tips are not published. So this column gives no areas. It also means the question “how much surface does 600 shots cover?” cannot be calculated for Density.
The counts above are what the tip is sealed with, not a recommendation for how many shots a face needs. A tip is single use and stops firing once the count is spent, so “how many shots would you like?” is closer to “how many tips would you like?”
Why we use the Alpha tip most
Miso Clinic uses the ALPHA tip for most Density lifting. This is clinical judgement, not a conclusion from a trial comparing tips.
- The area we usually treat with Density is the broad surface of the face, and keeping a tip suited to that as the default keeps the plan simple.
- We mix in other tips by site. A narrow, thin area such as around the eyes is hard to treat with the same tip.
- We do not pick a tip and then fit a shot count to it. We draw the area first and then choose the tip that fits it.
What actually changes when the tip changes
In radiofrequency, depth is set by the geometry and arrangement of the electrodes rather than by power. Change the tip and that geometry changes, so the heated plane and area change with it. XERF makes this visible in numbers.
| Handpiece | Tip area | Sealed shots | Area × shots |
|---|---|---|---|
| i05 | 5 × 10 mm = 50 mm² | 400 | 20,000 mm² |
| i10 | 10 × 10 mm = 100 mm² | 300 | 30,000 mm² |
| E40 | 20 × 20 mm = 400 mm² | 600 | 240,000 mm² |
| E60 | 20 × 30 mm = 600 mm² | 600 | 360,000 mm² |
600 shots with E40 and 600 shots with E60 differ by a factor of 1.5 in nominal area. The same principle applies to Density, which is why Density Alpha 600 and Density Face 600 are not the same amount of treatment.
Does the Alpha tip give a better result
We found no human study comparing tips against each other. There is one neighbouring result worth citing: the study that compared XERF effector tips by size found no statistically significant difference. There is also no human measurement of the depth reached by tip size.
So choosing a tip is not a question of which is better but which fits the site. A large tip on a narrow, thin area leaves surfaces untouched, and small tips alone over a broad area need far more shots to cover it.
Worth asking in the consultation
If the price list says only “Density Alpha, so many shots”, these three questions are worth asking.
- Which tip do you plan to use on which part of my face
- Will you mix two or more tips, or use one throughout
- Is that shot count one tip, or several divided up
The third matters more than it sounds. Market figures of 300, 600 and 900 generally fall out as multiples of tip specifications; 900 is usually one and a half tips, or two tips divided between sessions.
Summary: what is established and what is not
Established
- Density Alpha is a tip, not a device
- The Density tips are sealed at ALPHA 600, Eye 600, Face 1,000 and Body 600 shots
- With a different tip, the same shot count covers a different area
Not established
- The area of the Density tips, which the manufacturer does not publish
- Any human comparison of results between Density tips
- Any human measurement of the depth reached by each tip
Density Alpha tip: common questions
Is Density Alpha a different machine from Density?
No. It is the same Density device, and Alpha is the name of the tip fitted to it.
What is the difference between Density Alpha and standard Density?
The tip. A different tip changes the shape and arrangement of the electrodes, which changes the area and the plane that is heated. The device itself does not change.
How many shots is the Density Alpha tip?
It is sealed at 600 shots. That is the specification of the tip, not a recommendation for how many shots a face needs.
Does the Alpha tip work better?
We found no human study comparing the effect of one tip against another. Tips are chosen to fit the site, not ranked.
Which tip does Miso Clinic use?
ALPHA for most Density lifting, mixed with other tips depending on the site.
Are Density Alpha 600 and Density Face 600 the same amount?
No, because a different tip covers a different area. The areas of the Density tips are not published, so we cannot give you the calculation in numbers.
Where can I discuss Density Alpha in Daegu?
Miso Clinic is at 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, in front of Exit 1 of Kyungpook National University Hospital station, 053-428-2700. Weekdays 11:00-19:00, Saturday 10:00-16:00, closed Sunday and public holidays.
Read next
Product pages
Product pages: Density · XERF · Oligio Kiss
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Lee Chi-Hak, MD, director of Miso Clinic, Daegu. The treatment standards and injection design set out here are the ones we use in practice.
| Medical director | Lee Chi-Hak, MD |
|---|---|
| Address | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea · Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station |
| Phone | +82-53-428-2700 |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 (lunch 13:00–14:00) / Saturday 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break) / Closed Sundays and public holidays |
| Columns | All clinical columns |
| Reference library | All booster and device references |
References
- Density specifications — Jeisys Medical published data: monopolar then bipolar in sequence, up to 400 W, RIC impedance adjustment, five-stage gas cooling, tips ALPHA 600 · Eye 600 · Face 1,000 · Body 600 shots (sealed guaranteed count). Approved as a medical device by the Korean MFDS. Tip areas are not published by the manufacturer.
- XERF specifications — Lutronic published data: monopolar, 6.78 MHz plus 2 MHz, handpieces i05 (5×10 mm · 400 shots) · i10 (10×10 mm · 300 shots) · E40 (20×20 mm · 600 shots) · E60 (20×30 mm · 600 shots). The shot count is sealed into the tip; it is not a recommendation for how many shots a face needs.
- A shot is a sealed specification — US FDA GUDID entries and each manufacturer’s published data. The 300 / 600 / 900 sold in the market fall out as multiples and combinations of those specifications. It is a consumable unit, not a clinically defined dose.
- The same shot count is a different dose with a different tip — nominal area is tip area × shot count, and real coverage is smaller because passes overlap by 15-30%. Yang YS et al., J Clin Aesthet Dermatol 2024;17(2):20–22 (3 versus 4 cm², 300 shots per side) · Suh DH et al., Lasers Med Sci 2025;40:530 (0.25 cm² eye tip, 225 shots per lid). Nominal area is our own calculation and appears in no paper.
- Comparisons between tips — the study that compared XERF effector tips by size found no statistically significant difference. We found no human measurement of depth reached by tip size, and no human comparison between Density tips.
- Thermage — Solta Medical, 6.78 MHz monopolar. US FDA GUDID entries: TT0.25F6-450 = eye tip 0.25 cm² · 450 REP, TT4.00F6-600 = TOTAL tip 4.0 cm² · 600 REP. Miso Clinic has neither Thermage nor Ultherapy.
- Medical advertising law — Medical Service Act of Korea, Article 56(2), which prohibits testimonial advertising, comparison with other clinics, superlative claims and advertising that guarantees or implies a guaranteed treatment effect. That is why this column reports mechanisms and data without ranking devices.
- Miso Clinic practice guidance — indication criteria, site-by-site design, and the explanation and consent procedure. This is the source for every sentence marked as clinical judgement.
Everything in this column is general information and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Effects and side effects vary with individual skin condition, age and underlying illness, and the same result is not guaranteed for everyone. Any decision to proceed should be made in an in-person consultation with a physician.
← Clinical columns · Reference library · Miso Clinic home
한국어 · English