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Ultrasound Lifting · SOFWAVE

Sofwave

A parallel-beam ultrasound lifting designed from the start to target the mid-dermis at 1.5 mm.

Duration

30-45 min

Incl. topical anesthesia

Depth

1.5 mm

Mid-dermis

Downtime

Same day

Same-day return

Price

₩1,100,000~

100 shots

All prices shown include VAT.

What is Sofwave?

Sofwave is a non-invasive ultrasound lifting device developed by Sofwave Medical of Israel. It belongs to the family of treatments that use ultrasound heat to have the skin rebuild its own collagen and elastin.

It uses the same ultrasound but takes a different approach from conventional HIFU. Where HIFU focuses energy to a point and sends it down to the deep fascial layer, Sofwave fires seven transducers in parallel and simultaneously, laying heat broadly and evenly across the mid-dermis at about 1.5 mm. This method is called SUPERB (Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam).

In Korea it is used to improve wrinkles of the cheeks, chin, brow, and neck. In the United States, it holds FDA 510(k) clearances for improving facial lines and wrinkles, lifting the eyebrow, lifting lax submental and neck tissue, acne scars, short-term improvement in the appearance of cellulite, and improving the appearance of skin laxity on the upper arms.

Device specifications

Technology
SUPERB (synchronous parallel beams)
Transducers
7, firing in parallel at once
Frequency
12 MHz
Working depth
Mid-dermis, about 1.5 mm
Epidermal protection
Built-in cooling (Sofcool) with real-time skin temperature monitoring
Thermal zone
Confined to 0.5–2 mm depth · dermis at 60–70°C
Spot size
1 cm × 4 cm
Use in Korea
Age 22+ · cheeks, chin, brow, neck wrinkles
Sessions
100 / 200 / 300 shots
Mechanism

How it works — SUPERB

Focusing ultrasound to a point makes that point very hot, but leaves the space between points untouched. SUPERB works the other way: seven transducers emit beams side by side, at the same moment, heating one layer as a surface rather than as dots.

That layer is the mid-dermis, about 1.5 mm below the surface. Heat delivered at this depth creates cylindrical thermal coagulation zones in the tissue, and as the body repairs them, new collagen and elastin are produced. The epidermis is protected by cooling built into the transducers.

Parallel

A surface, not dots

Seven beams enter side by side at the same moment, covering one layer evenly. The gaps left between points in a focused approach are reduced.

1.5mm

Heat that stays at 1.5 mm

The energy stays in the mid-dermis. The epidermis is protected by cooling, and the fat layer below is not reached.

Depth

Why does Sofwave target the dermis at 1.5 mm?

Collagen, elastin, and the skin's other elastic fibers sit mainly in the dermis — and the fibroblasts that produce them are found there at high density as well. This is why Sofwave was designed from the start to target the mid-dermis at 1.5 mm.

Conventional HIFU devices focus their ultrasound energy at comparatively deep targets — 4.5 mm, 3.0 mm. The target there is not the dermis but the SMAS, the fascial layer beneath the subcutaneous fat. By concentrating on the SMAS, HIFU improves sagging — and along the way it also melts away some of the fat layer, slimming the face, which can be an effect or a side effect depending on the patient. RF devices, by contrast, are defined by bulk heating across the full thickness of the skin: the broad thermal stimulus promotes collagen production evenly, but it is not an approach that targets one particular depth.

Sofwave directs its energy at 1.5 mm, where the dermis sits, and delivers it as a plane rather than a point — a device well suited to stimulating the dermal fibroblasts. Because it does not target the deeper subcutaneous fat, it is comparatively safe from unwanted volume loss. If overall sagging is your main concern, HIFU (LinearZ) or radiofrequency (XERF) may be the better fit — at the consultation we look at skin thickness and fat together and tell you which.

Lifting device comparison

ItemSofwaveHIFU (LinearZ)RF (XERF)
EnergyUltrasound (parallel beams)Ultrasound (focused)Radiofrequency (monopolar RF)
Working depthMid-dermis, ~1.5 mm1.5 / 3.0 / 4.5 mm (to the SMAS)Dermis to subcutaneous
Heat deliveryCovers one layer as a surfacePoint-by-point coagulationBulk heating over a wide area
Primary targetSkin thickness, firmness, wrinklesFascial lifting, jawlineOverall tightening, contour
Reaches subcutaneous fatNoYes, depending on depthYes
Duration30-45 min10-20 min30-90 min
HIFU (LinearZ) →RF (XERF) →

What to expect, and when

  1. Right after treatment

    You may feel a slight tightening, with temporary redness or warmth. This usually settles the same day, allowing an immediate return to daily life.

  2. 4-6 weeks

    As the thermal coagulation zones are repaired, new collagen and elastin are produced. Changes in skin thickness and firmness start to become visible from this point.

  3. About 3 months

    The point at which the change peaks. How long it is maintained afterwards varies with age, skin condition, and lifestyle, so we discuss maintenance based on how your skin looks then.

The change begins at 4–6 weeks, so it is too early to judge the result by how things look right after treatment.

Recommended for

  • Those with thin facial skin who hesitate over lifting treatments that go deep
  • Those whose cheeks hollowed after a previous lifting procedure
  • Those bothered by fine lines and surface-level elasticity — around and under the eyes, above the upper lip, on the neck
  • Those who cannot take downtime and need to return to daily life the same day
  • Those who want to focus on a narrower area such as the brow, jawline, or neck

Sofwave Launch Event

PlanListEventOff
Sofwave 100 shots₩1,100,000₩950,000-14%
Sofwave 200 shots₩2,200,000₩1,800,000-18%
Sofwave 300 shots₩3,300,000₩2,600,000-21%

Launch event pricing, applied to everyone treated during the event period. All prices include VAT. As a reference point, covering the whole face together with the neck usually takes 200-300 shots; treating only one or two areas such as the forehead or eyes takes fewer. We settle on the areas of concern first and match the shot count together at the consultation.

Frequently asked questions

It is a non-invasive ultrasound lifting device. Seven transducers emit ultrasound in parallel, simultaneously, heating the skin at a depth of about 1.5 mm — the mid-dermis — so that collagen and elastin are rebuilt there. In Korea it is used to improve wrinkles on the cheeks, chin, brow, and neck.

The way the ultrasound is concentrated, and the depth it reaches, differ. HIFU focuses energy to a point and sends it down to 3.0 mm and 4.5 mm, placing coagulation points in the SMAS fascia. Sofwave spreads energy into parallel beams rather than points, keeping it in the mid-dermis at 1.5 mm. So Sofwave works on the thickness and firmness of the skin itself; it is not a procedure that pulls the fascia. If laxity has progressed to where the fascial layer needs to be tightened, HIFU (LinearZ) is the better fit.

Sofwave confines its energy to the mid-dermis at 1.5 mm. It does not reach the subcutaneous layer where facial fat sits, so hollowing caused by fat loss is, by mechanism, a different question. That is why we suggest this device for people with thin faces, or who have seen their cheeks hollow after a previous lifting procedure and hesitate about treatments that go deep. That said, results vary between individuals, so we check fat volume and skin thickness at the consultation first.

A topical anesthetic cream is applied first, and the pain is moderate. During treatment you feel a stinging warmth passing through. Because the ultrasound does not reach the SMAS fascia, the deep ache that resonates against bone is less pronounced — but heat entering a shallow layer does produce sensation at the surface. Cooling built into the transducers chills the epidermis as it works. Pain varies by area and by person, so tell us right away if you are uncomfortable during the session.

You may feel a slight tightening right after treatment, but the substance of this procedure is the collagen remodeling that follows. Changes typically become visible from 4-6 weeks, peak at around 3 months, and are then maintained to a degree that varies by individual. Rather than treating it as a one-off, we discuss maintenance based on your skin. Results and duration vary between individuals.

The number of shots is set by how much area you want covered. Narrowing to the jawline or the brow takes fewer; covering the whole face evenly takes more. At the consultation we settle on the areas of concern first, then match the shot count. Combining is possible — because this treatment stimulates collagen within the skin, it does not overlap with treatments that address volume or texture (collagen boosters, skin boosters); their roles are separate. Whether to do them on the same day or space them out is decided based on your skin.

Yes, once two weeks have passed since the injection. Having filler or implants already in place does not rule out the treatment either, because Sofwave's heat stays in the mid-dermis at 1.5 mm and does not reach the fat layer below. Please do tell us in advance which filler you had and where.

We recommend leaving at least three months between sessions. New collagen takes time to form, so the effect of a single session also builds gradually over several months. Having sessions closer together does not improve the result. The actual interval is decided by looking at your skin.

There is almost no downtime — most people return to daily life the same day. Redness, swelling, or warmth can appear after treatment but usually subsides within 2-6 hours; you can wash your face from the same day, at any water temperature. On the day, avoid sauna, hot baths, alcohol, and intense exercise, and moisturize and use sun protection well. If redness or swelling lasts more than 48 hours, or pain or blisters develop, please contact the clinic.

We do not treat over open wounds or active skin disease on the face or neck, over severe cystic acne, or if you have an implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker. The same applies if you are pregnant or planning pregnancy, are less than three months postpartum, or are breastfeeding. The approved range of use in Korea is age 22 and over; if you are under 22, we decide whether to proceed at the consultation. If you have taken retinoids such as isotretinoin, or antiplatelet or anticoagulant medication, within the last two weeks, let us know at the consultation.

Consultation

Let's find the right depth together

We look at skin thickness, fat, and the degree of laxity, and tell you at the consultation whether Sofwave or another treatment fits.