Sofwave

Sofwave is a revolutionary ultrasound device unlike traditional ultrasound technology such as ultherapy or H.I.F.U. (See separate FAQ). Its unique features include direct contact skin cooling (SofcoolTM) which protects the surface of the skin from undue damage and side effects. It aims to improve the health and quality of the skin by triggering the remodelling of the skin structure. This happens by stimulating the production of key building blocks like collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid. The process occurs over many months with gradual improvements peaking at 6-12 months. Skin becomes tighter, firmer and plumper (essentially, younger). There is negligible downtime and you can return to most activities on the day of treatment.

Remodelling of skin is triggered by causing controlled damage to the skin or underlying tissues. Traditional ultrasound devices used for skin remodelling create perpendicular zones of injury which can often involve layers we do not wish to target. Furthermore, to hit the target layer, we use visualisation using another form of ultrasound (as one would have in medical scanning). Many devices do not even have this feature, compromising safety. This can result in varying amounts of the skin being treated effectively and significant variability in results. With Sofwave, the energy is delivered at a fixed and predictable depth of 1-2mm, hitting the desired target area (dermis) without the need to employ visual scanning. This also allows the treatment of 8-10 times more skin tissue.

Some areas where more energy has been applied will appear red and mildly swollen. This can look a little like a stinging nettle rash. This typically settles over a few hours and 99% of patients will look totally normal within this time period. Some may not experience any side effects.

In safe, trained hands, complications are highly unlikely to occur. These are key criteria for getting FDA clearance. There has been no reported adverse events globally, at the time of publication. Sofwave has an enviable reputation for being an ultra-safe treatment. However, as heat is generated there is a rare risk of superficial burns, ulceration, disturbance of pigmentation (hyper or hypopigmentation), swelling and prolonged redness.

There is often an immediate lifting effect seen post-treatment due to the thermal contraction of the skin. However, the process of your skin making new collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, is going to be kick-started from the day of treatment and as the proteins rebuild in your skin over the coming months, your results will improve more and more. Most patients will see their best results at around 6-12 months but it is common for people to notice improvements much earlier on.

This is impossible to answer precisely as ageing is a dynamic process and is influenced by both environmental and genetic factors. However, results will generally improve for up to a year! After that, there will be a gradual decline as ageing starts catching up, which is why maintenance sessions with Softwave, or a suitable alternative treatment are useful as part of your longer-term skincare plan.

As ageing is a dynamic process that never stops, one can actually have Sofwave done every 6 months as part of a skin fitness program.  However, in reality, it is ideal to have a treatment session every 12-18 months. If budget restricts this, it is still very beneficial to have a one-off treatment because even one session will reset the skin age in regards to structure and integrity.