Sofwave is an ultrasound treatment for the skin, made by Sofwave Medical. A hand-held applicator with seven parallel ultrasound transducers (emitters) heats a band of the dermis, the living layer of the skin, about 1.5 mm below the surface to 60 to 70 degrees for a few seconds per pulse, while a cooling plate keeps the surface cool and protected. The heated dermis contracts and lays down new collagen over the following three months, which is the lift and the smoothing you see. Nothing goes through the skin, the fat layer beneath is not reached, and you go straight back to your day.
Heat in the right layer
The thermal effect is confined to between 0.5 and 2 mm, centred at 1.5 mm, which is the depth of the mid-dermis where collagen lives. The fat layer begins at about 3 mm and is not reached; the manufacturer states that Sofwave does not cause fat loss, and a 2025 biopsy study found the thermal injury restricted to the dermis. That is the difference from treatments that heat deeper, and it is why Sofwave tightens without hollowing the face.
The applicators
- Lift: the standard applicator for the face and neck.
- Precise: a smaller applicator the manufacturer designed for harder-to-reach areas around the eyes, the mouth and the chin; it was cleared on bench testing, without a clinical study of its own.
- Smooth: the largest applicator, added in 2024, for larger areas.
The clinician chooses the applicator by the area and sets the energy for your skin.
What it is cleared for
Sofwave is FDA-cleared in the US to improve facial lines and wrinkles (2019), to lift the eyebrow and lift lax tissue under the chin and on the neck (2021), for the short-term improvement in the appearance of cellulite (2022), for acne scars (2023) and to improve the appearance of skin laxity on the upper arms (2023). It has carried a CE mark since 2020 for fine lines and wrinkles. We say "cleared", not "approved", because that is the regulator's word.
A session, step by step
- Consultation. The clinician looks at your face at rest and moving, checks that nothing rules Sofwave out, agrees the areas and quotes in writing.
- Numbing. A topical anaesthetic cream goes on for 45 to 60 minutes.
- The treatment. The applicator is moved across the area pulse by pulse. You feel a warming sensation and, at each pulse, a few seconds of heat; most patients in our clinic rate it 4 to 6 out of 10 with the numbing. The face and neck take about an hour, the brow about 15 minutes.
- After. The skin is red for one to three hours and may be mildly swollen or tender for up to a day. Makeup can go on and you resume your day as usual; we ask you to avoid retinoids and acids for a week and to use SPF in the sun.
Why it is usually one session
The whole area is treated in one visit and the collagen builds for three months afterwards, so most faces need one session. The brow and neck, cellulite and upper-arm clearance studies used two treatments, and in our experience some skin benefits from a second session at six to twelve weeks; the clinician says which at the consultation. The sessions page covers it, and the results page the timeline.
Who it is for
Sofwave suits skin that has started to loosen or line, from the mid-thirties to the late sixties in our experience: a brow that has dropped, a softening jawline, early jowls, lax skin under the chin and on the neck, fine lines and wrinkles. The clearance study for lines and wrinkles enrolled all six skin types, from very fair to very dark (Fitzpatrick I to VI). Sofwave is not used over open wounds or lesions, severe or cystic acne, or a pacemaker or electronic implant in the area. It is not suitable, or needs a conversation with the clinician first, if you are pregnant, breastfeeding or gave birth in the last three months, or have an active skin infection, significant scarring, a metal implant in the face, dermal filler in the area, a retinoid in the last six months or blood-thinning medicines. The full Sofwave guide covers who it suits and the comparison with the alternatives.
See it for yourself
Book a free consultation at Sofwave Clinic on 0207 099 9640 or through the form below. The clinician shows you the device, explains what it will do for your face, and gives you the price per area in writing.
