Sofwave explained: lifting and firming without needles

How Sofwave works

Sofwave™ is a needle-free ultrasound treatment. Its SUPERB™ technology, short for Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam, fires a row of ultrasound beams at once, creating controlled zones of heat in the mid-dermis, 1.5 mm below the surface. This is the layer where collagen and elastin are made, and the heat is designed to prompt your skin to renew them, so it can look firmer and smoother in the months that follow.

Meanwhile, the Sofcool™ system cools the surface of your skin and checks its temperature in real time, to protect the outer layer and keep you comfortable. Sofwave is designed to stay above the fat layer, which typically begins at around 3 mm, so it works on the structure of the skin itself and isn't designed to reduce fat.

What it is designed to treat

In the US, the FDA has cleared Sofwave to improve facial lines and wrinkles, lift the eyebrow, and lift lax tissue beneath the chin and on the neck, for adults aged 22 and over. Later clearances added short-term improvement in the look of cellulite, the treatment of acne scars and improving the look of skin laxity on the upper arms. FDA clearance isn't a UK approval, and some areas we treat, such as the stomach and knees, aren't covered by these clearances.

At our Chichester clinic we treat the brow and forehead, the lower face and jowls, under the chin, the neck and décolletage, and selected body areas. But I want to be clear: Sofwave isn't a facelift. More advanced sagging or heavy jowls may be better helped by a different approach, including surgery, and your practitioner will be honest with you about that.

Your treatment, step by step

Here's what to expect, from your first chat to your results.

• A free consultation at our Chichester clinic, to check Sofwave suits you, agree the areas and plan any other treatments around it.
• For 48 hours before, avoid the sun and active skincare such as retinol and acids, and arrive with clean skin and no make-up.
• Arrive 20 minutes early for numbing cream, unless you'd rather numb at home. Appointments take 30 to 75 minutes, depending on the areas.
• You'll feel heat with each pulse, and some people find it uncomfortable, especially across the forehead and temples. Your practitioner can adjust the energy as you go.
• Afterwards you may have some redness or slight swelling, which usually settles within a few hours. Avoid saunas, hot baths and other intense heat for 24 hours.
• Some people notice an early change within a week or two. New collagen builds slowly, and results are usually assessed at around three months.
• If you had the full face and neck treated, an optional maintenance treatment of the same areas within 12 months can help keep your results.

Sofwave, BTL Exion or NIR skin tightening?

All three use energy to encourage your skin's own collagen without needles, but they suit different people. As a rough guide:

• Sofwave: usually a single treatment for the face and neck, with results over around 12 weeks. Designed for lines and wrinkles, a lower brow, and loose skin under the chin and on the neck. Chichester only.
• BTL Exion Face: radiofrequency and targeted ultrasound together, as a course of four treatments one to two weeks apart, with results building over one to three months. Designed for early laxity, fine lines and dull, dehydrated skin. Chichester and Petersfield.
• NIR skin tightening: gentle near-infrared heating with no downtime, typically six sessions two to four weeks apart, for gradual improvement or maintenance between more intensive treatments. Chichester and Petersfield.

Who should wait, or choose something else

The manufacturer states that Sofwave is suitable for all skin types, and the US clearance for the face and neck is for adults aged 22 and over. It shouldn't be used over open wounds, severe or cystic acne, or a pacemaker or electronic implant in the treatment area. Pregnancy, breastfeeding, having given birth in the last three months, metal implants in the face, dermal filler in the area and some medicines taken in the past six months all need extra care, so please tell us about everything at your consultation. Less commonly, tenderness, bruising or changes in skin colour can happen, and your practitioner will talk these through with you. Results vary from person to person.