XERF

Some people feel a tightening sensation right after treatment. Collagen takes time to rebuild, so progress is usually checked at around 1 month and 3 months. Results are usually described as lasting 6–9 months, but this varies with age and skin condition, so we cannot promise a set duration.

Each shot feels warm or hot, and cooling gas comes out at the same time to cool the skin. Treatment is sometimes done without numbing cream; if you are worried about the heat, numbing cream is applied for about 30 min before starting. Pain is reported to average about 4 on a 10-point scale, but it varies from person to person, from 2 to 8. Whether to use numbing cream is decided with you at the examination.

A full-face XERF treatment usually takes up to about 45 min. Adding the eye area makes it longer. If numbing cream is applied, waiting for it takes about 30 min more. Treatment time depends on the area covered and the number of shots, and we tell you the total time after an examination.

Redness and swelling usually settle within a few hours and may last up to 1–2 days. You can wash your face and go about daily life from the day of treatment, and we tell you when to start wearing makeup after an examination. Skip saunas, hot showers, intense exercise, and harsh cosmetics for 48 hours. Recovery varies from person to person.

You may have one session and check progress, or plan 2 sessions 4–6 weeks apart. After that, maintenance treatment is often done once every 6–12 months. The specific schedule is decided after seeing how your skin responds to the first treatment.

Ulthera and Shurink use focused ultrasound to create dot-shaped heat at set depths, down to near the fascia layer (SMAS). XERF uses radiofrequency to deliver heat across an area of the dermis and connective tissue. Because they reach different layers in different ways, they are sometimes planned together. The doctor decides whether to do them on the same day, and the order and interval, based on your skin.

Both devices use monopolar radiofrequency to deliver heat to the dermis and the connective tissue beneath it. Thermage FLX uses a single frequency of 6.78 MHz, while XERF adds 2 MHz and uses three depth modes that combine the two frequencies. The cooling and energy control methods and the tip shape also differ, but neither can be called better. We choose based on skin thickness and your areas of concern.

They are three settings that choose how deep the heat reaches. The shallow mode uses only 6.78 MHz to gather heat in the dermis, and the deep mode sends 2 MHz right after 6.78 MHz within one shot to spread heat into deeper connective tissue. The middle mode heats the layers in between. Modes are changed for each area, even within one face.

XERF has a separate small Effector for narrow, curved areas such as around the eyes. This Effector is used on the skin below the brows, at the outer corners of the eyes, and toward the temples, and the energy is delivered outside the orbital rim so it is not directed toward the eye. The treatment extent for DM Dermatology's XERF Eye 300 · 400 is decided at the examination after checking the eye area.

A shot is one placement of the Effector on the skin to deliver energy. DM Dermatology in Apgujeong offers XERF 600 and XERF Eye 300 · 400. At the examination, we explain what the numbers count and how they are distributed by area, based on face size, degree of sagging, and whether the eye area is included.

Common reactions are redness, swelling, and a burning feeling, which usually settle within a few hours to 1–2 days. Rarely, burns, blisters, or scabs may form where the Effector or return pad touched. Treatment is not given if you have an implanted electronic device or are pregnant or breastfeeding. If you notice unusual heat or a wound, tell us right away.