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Key takeaway: Oligio XM being newer than Oligio X does not make it the better device for everyone. Oligio X firms the dermis with its radiofrequency G mode and X mode, while Oligio XM adds high-intensity focused ultrasound 3.0 and 4.5 modes to plan treatment down to deeper layers. The standard for choosing is not which is newest but at what depth in the skin your concern lies.

Whenever a new device comes out, one question always follows in the clinic: is the old device now worse? Since Oligio XM was introduced, I often hear that since XM is the latest, it must naturally be better than Oligio X.

This article explains how Oligio XM and Oligio X actually differ and what standard to use when choosing between the two devices. To say it up front, the mere fact that a device is the latest does not guarantee a better result.

First, let us look at how the two devices relate. The energy source of Oligio X is radiofrequency (RF), and it has both a G mode that heats the shallow dermis and an X mode that sends heat into the deep dermis. The design of Oligio X uses these two modes to treat the entire dermis evenly.

Oligio X also has reinforced cooling compared with the original Oligio. It is configured to cool and protect the skin surface while focusing on delivering heat deep into the dermis.

Oligio XM adds high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) 3.0 and 4.5 modes to the radiofrequency G mode and X mode of Oligio X. The key change in Oligio XM is that the lower supporting structures, which radiofrequency heat had difficulty reaching, can now be treated with the same device.

Oligio XM displays skin temperature and impedance in real time during the procedure and is designed so that cooling is repeated several times with each shot. In a sentence, the stage of Oligio X is the dermis, and the stage of Oligio XM is the dermis plus the deeper layers beneath it.

A common misunderstanding here is the expectation that more functions mean better results. More modes simply mean the physician has more tools to use, and that does not in itself mean a greater effect. Sending energy to depths where it is not needed can actually burden volume that should be preserved.

So the relationship between Oligio XM and Oligio X is not one of superiority; it is more accurate to understand it as Oligio XM covering a wider range.

Oligio X suits people who are more bothered by fine wrinkles, rough texture and reduced elasticity than by sagging. The same goes for people with thin skin and little cheek fat, or those who have not sagged much but want firmer skin. In these cases the layer to treat is mainly the dermis, so the radiofrequency of Oligio X alone often points in the right direction.

On the other hand, Oligio XM is worth considering for people who also have deep-layer sagging, where the deep cheek has dropped and the jawline border has broken down. People who want to address skin elasticity and the face line at once, or who found it burdensome to receive radiofrequency and ultrasound treatments separately, may also want to discuss Oligio XM. If the concern spans the dermis and the deeper layers beneath it, being able to divide two energies within a single plan becomes the strength of Oligio XM.

Even for the same person, the right device can change over time. Even if Oligio X fits now because texture comes first, if sagging is added later, the choice of device may need to be made again.

That is why I do not decide on a treatment just because someone asks for Oligio XM. The first thing I ask in consultation is not which device you want, but in which layer of the skin the change that bothers you began. Only after separating whether the texture has roughened, the contour has broken down, or both, and adding thickness, cheek fat and where the sagging started, can I see which of Oligio X and Oligio XM fits.

If the concern stays in the dermis, I see no need to send energy to the lower layers just because a device is new. Conversely, repeatedly treating only the shallow layers when sagging started deep can also leave the result disappointing.

Before the procedure, I check the condition and depth of sagging by looking at and feeling the face directly, and after the procedure I follow how the change settles to decide the next plan. With both Oligio X and Oligio XM, temporary warmth, mild swelling and redness can occur after treatment, so it is best to schedule with this in mind. Because skin condition and the pace of aging differ from person to person, it is difficult to promise the same change with any device.

In short, Oligio X firms the dermis in depth, and Oligio XM adds layers deeper than that. The answer is not the newest device but the device that matches the depth of your concern, so I recommend checking which layer your concern is in before choosing a device.

Is a newer lifting device more effective than an older one?

Newer models usually expand modes and range of use, but that does not mean they produce better results on every face. Depending on the depth at which your concern lies, Oligio X suits some people and Oligio XM suits others.

If I have both texture and jawline concerns, do I have to choose just one device?

Texture is often a matter of the dermis while the jawline is a matter of the supporting structure beneath it, so you can consider including radiofrequency and ultrasound together in one plan. After determining which of the two stands out more, we decide how far to go and in what way.

I have little cheek fat. Is it okay to get lifting down to the deep layers?

If too much deep energy goes to an area whose volume should be preserved, hollowness can become more noticeable. That is why we look at how much cheek fat there is and how thick the skin is, then separate the areas to treat with energy from those to leave alone.

O.N Clinic is located near Gangnam Station, so it is fairly easy to reach by subway.

If you are wondering which of Oligio XM and Oligio X suits you, noting before your visit whether texture or the face line bothers you more and what lifting you have had before makes the consultation smoother. If you have any questions, feel free to reach us through Chat with us now.

Written by Dr. Oh Seung-min (Representative Director of O.N Clinic, graduate of Seoul National University College of Medicine, Academic Committee Chair of the Korean Society for Laser, Skin and Hair). You can find his full background on the medical team page. First published 2026-10-30, last reviewed 2026-11-10

This article is for general information only, and the appropriate treatment and results may vary depending on each individual's condition.