Sofwave

It takes time for new collagen and elastic fibers to form in the heated dermis. So changes appear gradually over several weeks, and progress is usually checked at around 3 months (12 weeks) after treatment. Some people notice changes from around 1 month. The degree and timing of change vary from person to person.

Each pulse brings a hot, painful feeling that lasts 4–5 seconds. So numbing cream is usually applied and left for about 1 hour before treatment. During treatment, a cooling system on the base of the handpiece cools the skin surface. Pain is reported to average about 4–7 on a 10-point scale, and how much you feel varies from person to person. If it hurts too much, tell us right away during treatment.

A full-face Sofwave treatment usually takes 30–45 min. This does not include the roughly 1 hour for applying numbing cream and waiting. Adding the neck or the area under the chin makes it longer, and we tell you the total time after an examination.

Redness and swelling usually settle within a few hours. You can usually wash your face, wear makeup, and go about daily life from the day of treatment. While redness remains, skip saunas, hot compresses, alcohol, and intense exercise. Rarely, redness or swelling may remain for a few days or bruising may occur, so it is a good idea not to schedule treatment for the day right before an important event.

For the face and neck, progress is usually checked at around 3 months after 1 session. Depending on your skin, 2 sessions are sometimes planned 2–12 weeks apart. Results are known to last up to about 1 year, but this varies with age and skin condition, so we cannot promise a set duration. We decide on the next session after checking progress, with about 1 year as a guide.

Sofwave targets the mid-dermis at about 1.5 mm. Ulthera and Thermage FLX reach different depths in different ways, so they are sometimes planned together. Treatment is not recommended directly over areas with filler, so if you have recently had filler, Botox (botulinum toxin), a thread lift, or laser treatment, tell us the dates and areas. Whether to have them on the same day, and the order and interval, are decided after an examination, based on your skin.

Both use ultrasound heat. Sofwave uses 7 parallel beams to create cylinder-shaped heat zones in the mid-dermis at about 1.5 mm, while the handpiece cools the epidermis. Ulthera focuses ultrasound on one point to create small thermal coagulation points at depths such as 1.5, 3.0, and 4.5 mm, and it can reach the fascia layer (SMAS). They reach different depths; neither one can be called better. We choose one, or plan both, based on your areas of concern and skin thickness.

Thermage uses radiofrequency (electrical energy), and Sofwave uses ultrasound. Thermage passes through the cooled epidermis and spreads heat widely into the dermis and the connective tissue below. Sofwave creates a row of cylinder-shaped heat zones in the mid-dermis at about 1.5 mm. Because the energy and the way heat spreads differ, we choose based on your skin condition.

Loose skin on the neck and under the chin is also a treatment area. Fine lines around the eyes fall within facial wrinkle treatment. To lift the brows, the forehead and temples are treated. For very thin areas such as the eyelids, the treatment range is decided after an examination.

DM Dermatology in Apgujeong offers Sofwave in three options: 100, 200, and 300. We explain what the numbers stand for and the treatment area of each option at your examination. Which option suits you depends on your face size, skin thickness, degree of sagging, and whether the neck and under-chin area are included.