We Asked a Real Patient—and Her Derm—What to Expect from a Sofwave™ Treatment

A lot can get lost in translation in the busy world of skin-tightening technologies, but a newcomer in the space, Sofwave™, is here to shake things up. With a NewBeauty Award for Innovation already under its belt, beaming accolades from the country’s top doctors and countless happy patients, the ultrasound option is quickly cutting through the noise.

But what can you expect from the skin rejuvenation and lifting treatment? And what sets it apart from similar technologies? We tapped New York dermatologist Doris Day, MD, along with one of her Sofwave™ patients, to help explain what to know about Sofwave™, the results you can expect and how it differs.

What is Sofwave™?

Sofwave™ is a skin rejuvenation and lifting device that uses high-frequency, low-divergence ultrasound and heat to reach the exact layers of skin where collagen contraction and formation are stimulated. “It uses a Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam, or SUPERB™, technology and is FDA cleared for the improvement of facial lines and wrinkles,” explains Dr. Day, noting it is also indicated for lifting the eyebrows, the neck and under the chin.

Who is an ideal candidate for Sofwave™?

The treatment is cleared for patients 22 and up and works well on all skin types. Dr. Day notes Sofwave™ is an ideal treatment for those in their late 30s, early 40s, or someone who has milder laxity. She also notes that while Sofwave™ is not intended to replace a facelift, she has seen great success in patients who have opted to use Sofwave™ (around six-months post-op) to enhance their facelift results.

What a real patient says: “I reached out to Dr. Day regarding the fine lines and wrinkles on my face. I wanted to address my marionette lines, and the fine lines around my mouth. Overall, I was interested in a treatment that would help my skin look more youthful.”

How does Sofwave™ lift and rejuvenate the skin?

According to Dr. Day, each Sofwave™ applicator features seven transducers responsible for delivering ultrasound energy into the skin. “The energy is delivered at a specific temperature, between 60 to 70 degrees Celsius, to a specific depth of the skin of the mid-dermis, which is where we get collagen contraction, collagen formation and new and improved elastin,” says Dr. Day. “All of those things are what gives your skin radiance, resilience, firmness and youthfulness.”

What makes Sofwave™ different?

According to Dr. Day, what makes Sofwave™ unique is its ability to localize the depth of thermal injury (or delivered heat) in order to target the specific collagen layer. “It’s a very controlled thermal injury, and it goes down between .5 to two millimeters, centered at about 1.5 millimeters,” says the doctor. “It’s really hitting the layer where you want the benefit.” Another point of differentiation, according to Dr. Day: Sofwave’s proprietary skin-cooling mechanism, Sofcool™. “This also improves patient safety and helps with any discomfort,” she says.

What happens during a Sofwave™ treatment and what does it feel like?

What a real patient says: Topical numbing will be applied to the treatment area to make the treatment more tolerable. “During the treatment, I felt different levels of heat on my skin. At first the discomfort was minimal and then the heat gradually increased but diminished right before it became too intense.”

How long does a Sofwave™ treatment take?

Dr. Day says it takes about 30 minutes for a full treatment but can vary.

What a real patient says: “The procedure lasted approximately 45 minutes to an hour for my full face, excluding my neck.”

How quickly can you see results from Sofwave™?

Because collagen formation takes six weeks, Dr. Day says lasting results take about six weeks to appear. However, some results are seen immediately after the treatment. So much so, Dr. Day often treats half of the face at a time to show the patient how the brow appears lifted and how the skin looks tighter on the treated side. “Some of that is swelling, but a lot of it is also a sign of where you’re going to end up when the new collagen begins to form,” says the doctor.

Unlike other ultrasound treatments, Dr. Day says you don’t have to worry about any bruising or downtime after a Sofwave™ treatment. “Some of my patients come in before they go out because they know their skin is going to look good that night. Others do it as a treat before an event,” she says. As far as how many treatments are required, Sofwave™ is a single treatment protocol. Per brand data, most patients were marked as improved or significantly improved 12 weeks after a single treatment in a multi-center clinical study to evaluate the clinical effects of Sofwave’s™ technology on facial wrinkles. 

The bottom line, according to a real patient:

“I am thrilled with the results from Sofwave™. Immediately after the treatment I noticed an improvement on my lower face which also made my complexion appear smoother. For those considering the treatment, I would keep in mind that it is not a totally painless procedure. There is some discomfort involved, but the end result is well worth it.”