Do the nightmare Ultherapy reviews match the doctors' experiences?

No.  In experienced hands Ultherapy is a very safe and effective treatment for the right candidates.  Ultherapy should not be recommended for those with significant laxity to where surgery would be their best option.The attached link provides more information.

Devices like Ultherapy are just tools, which in different hands can produce different results. First and foremost, you need to make sure you are an appropriate candidate for treatment. Most of the horror stories you see online are individuals that were not proper candidates for the procedure to begin with. The experience of the provider is also an important factor. I perform the procedure myself, thus ensuring that the treatment goes exactly the way I want it to in order to optimize results. Approximately 30% of the patients I see are not suitable candidates for the procedure, but I have other treatments available that may be better suited to accomplish their goals. With all of that being said, with any non-surgical cosmetic treatment results will vary from person to person and a result can never be guaranteed. Make sure that all of your concerns are addressed by your provider before proceeding with the treatment. Hope this helps!

In the right hands, Ultherapy is a great treatment.  For best results, I recommend ultherapy in combination with other treatments like lasers, RF treatments, microneedling/PRP or sculptra to get increased collagen, tightening and improve skin tone.  I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an expert. Best, Dr. Emer