A HIFU cartridge is the consumable component that fits into the handpiece and emits the energy. Each cartridge is rated by its manufacturer for a certain number of shots, and each is stated to focus at a particular depth. When the rated shots are used up, you buy another cartridge.
That single sentence is the whole commercial story of owning a HIFU machine, and it is the part that is routinely left out of a sales conversation until after the machine is paid for.
What the depth numbers refer to
Cartridges are usually identified by a depth in millimetres — the depth at which the manufacturer states that cartridge's energy is focused. A machine supplied with several cartridges is supplied with several stated depths, which is what lets one platform be used across different areas.
Which depths you need is a clinical question for your practitioner and the manufacturer's documentation, not something to take from a website. What you need commercially is simpler:
The depths we stock, and the area each is generally used for. Note there are six of them — so a machine supplied with this full set is a six-depth machine, whatever number is printed on its name. This is the list to ask any supplier for; see the D-number guide for why the count matters more than the label.
| Depth | Target area | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| 1.5 mm | Under-eye | Fine tightening |
| 3.0 mm | Cheeks / forehead | Dermal lift |
| 4.5 mm | Jawline | Lifting |
| 6.0 mm | Chin / small body zones | Deeper tightening |
| 9.0 mm | Arms / abdomen | Body firming |
| 13 mm | Thighs / broad zones | Deep firming |
- Which depths are included in the price you are being quoted.
- Which depths are not included but you will need for the services you intend to offer — those are an extra purchase, and should be priced before you buy the machine.
- Whether the depths you need are actually available for that model, and how long they take to arrive when you order one.
- How many distinct depths the supplied set really covers, once duplicates are excluded. This is the number the D on the box is supposed to represent, and frequently does not — see the D-number guide.
Shot ratings, and how to turn them into a real number
Cartridges are rated for a number of shots. To convert that into something you can budget with, you need two figures from the supplier and one from your own plan:
- Rated shots per cartridgeFrom the supplier, in writing, per cartridge type. Ask for the power / output rating per cartridge in the same message — a cartridge set can be padded out with weaker, shorter-lived cartridges to make the count look generous.
- Replacement cost per cartridgeFrom the supplier, in writing, today's price, per cartridge type.
- Shots you expect to use per client sessionFrom your practitioner and the manufacturer's documentation - not from a website, and not from a salesperson's optimistic estimate.
Divide cost by rated shots to get a cost per shot, multiply by shots per session, and you have a consumable cost per client. That figure — not the machine price — is what determines whether the service makes money at the price you intend to charge. The running-cost page walks through the arithmetic with a worked example.
Compatibility — the lock-in question
Cartridges are generally specific to the machine they were designed for. That creates a dependency you should look at with open eyes before you buy, not after.
- Can you buy cartridges from more than one source? If only your supplier can supply them, your running cost is set by them for the life of the machine.
- What is the lead time on a cartridge order? A cartridge that takes three weeks to arrive is three weeks of a booked service you cannot deliver.
- Are cartridges stocked in India, or imported per order? Ask directly. The answer changes your downtime risk considerably.
- If the model is discontinued, how long will cartridges remain available? Get an answer in writing. A machine you cannot get consumables for is scrap, regardless of its condition.
- Are third-party or 'compatible' cartridges available — and do they void the warranty? Cheaper consumables that invalidate your cover are not cheaper.
On this last point we will be straight about our own position: Beauty Flex offers lifetime spare-part support on machines bought from us, and the parts themselves are chargeable and orderable from our website. That is a commitment about availability, not a claim that parts are free. Ask any supplier to state their equivalent in the same plain terms.
Cartridges and handpieces are the usual warranty exclusions
Cartridges are consumables, so a warranty will not normally cover them being used up — that is reasonable and expected. What matters is the wording around everything adjacent to them:
- Is the handpiece (the part the cartridge fits into) covered, excluded, or covered on different terms?
- If a cartridge arrives dead on arrival or fails well before its rated shots, what is the replacement process and who decides?
- Does using a third-party cartridge void cover on the rest of the machine?
- Is there a shelf-life or expiry on cartridges bought in advance? If so, bulk-buying to secure a price may not be the saving it appears to be.
- Are cartridges covered in transit if one arrives damaged?
The warranty page covers the wording to insist on in full. Do not accept a period without a parts list — "one year warranty" on its own is a duration, not a commitment.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a HIFU cartridge cost?
It varies by machine, by cartridge type and by supplier, so any figure quoted on a website is unreliable by the time you read it. Ask for today's replacement price in writing, per cartridge type, for the exact model you are being quoted. Treat a supplier's unwillingness to put it in writing as a data point.
Can I use another brand's cartridges in my machine?
Usually not, and where a 'compatible' option exists you need to confirm in writing whether using it affects your warranty. Assume lock-in unless the supplier documents otherwise.
Should I buy spare cartridges upfront with the machine?
Sometimes it makes sense, but ask two questions first: is there a shelf life or expiry, and is the price protected if you order later? Buying a year of consumables in advance to save on unit price is a poor trade if half of them expire.
Are cartridges included in the machine price?
Some are, some are not, and the number included varies. It should be listed explicitly in the quotation, by depth. If the quotation just says 'with cartridges', the quotation is incomplete.