Sofwave MedicalDuring the summer months, many aesthetic treatments have no choice but to go on vacation too. But that’s not the case for Sofwave, a non-invasive skin-tightening device that taps ultrasound to lift and firm skin on the face, neck and body. Unlike most similar options, there is truly zero downtime with Sofwave—you can literally go straight from the derm’s office to the beach. (Just be sure to apply sunscreen first.) That’s what makes the device incredibly popular, especially during the summer months.“Unlike many other fractional treatment approaches, Sofwave does not break the skin barrier,” explains James Bartholomeusz, Chief Innovation Officer at Sofwave Medical. “In fact, during the treatment, even though the internal skin needs to be heated to 65°C the system ensures the surface temperature stays below or at its ambient temperature of 35-37°C, which is completely unique in this treatment category and means sun exposure poses no additional risk.”As a result, it’s back to business as usual immediately after a session. “That makes it very easy to do these treatments in summer, for instance, because you don’t have to worry about being in the sun,” says Jennifer Chwalek, MD, a board-certified dermatologist and Mohs surgeon at Union Derm in New York City. “There’s no bedtime and they don't have to take a nap. People can just go back to their regular lifestyle.”Sound too good to be true? It’s not. Experts explain everything you need to know about Sofwave.Before and after Sofwave treatmentSofwave MedicalWhat is Sofwave?“Sofwave is the first non-invasive, non-resurfacing fractional procedure to lift and regenerate healthy skin with no risk of fat loss or nerve damage,” Bartholomeusz says. The device uses high-frequency ultrasound technology to lift skin, reduce fine lines and stimulate collagen production. It can also help with acne scars.“It’s a great treatment for improving skin firmness and helping with crepey skin,” Dr. Chwalek says. “It uses a form of high-intensity microfocus fractional ultrasound going about 1.5 millimeters deep in the skin, creating localized microscopic ultrasound thermal wounds. That means you're getting this very controlled injury to the skin and that's stimulating collagen.” What are the benefits of Sofwave?“Sofwave SUPERB technology ensures that each treatment produces long-term clinically visible results,” Bartholomeusz says. “Sofwave can be used for skin laxity on various areas of the body and face, including brows, lower face, neck and arms. Patients will notice an increase in healthy collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, the building blocks of the structure of the skin. This allows skin to be lifted, with visible signs of aging reduced, and additionally gives each patient a youthful glow to the skin.”Before and after Sofwave treatmentSofwave MedicalHow often should people get Sofwave?One treatment per year is the typical recommendation. Dr. Chwalek likes to use Sofwave as one element of a larger, comprehensive in-office anti-aging plan. “I really like it as part of the overall skincare regimen that I have people use,” she says. “We'll do topical skincare, then I'll have people do a little bit of injectables, and maybe light laser resurfacing or microneedling. All these things complement each other well and you get better results when you're combining treatments. Software plays nicely with virtually everything in somebody's practice.”Since Sofwave doesn’t have a recovery period, you can even pair it with different treatments on the same day. For example, Dr. Chwalek will do Sofwave right before giving a patient Botox. She recommends her patients start Sofwave by their late 30s or early 40s. “Sofwave is great for improving firmness in the skin or maintaining,” she says. “It helps improve the quality of their skin and to minimize laxity as they continue to age, which is especially important for women because as we approach menopause, there’s a drastic loss of collagen in the skin and we want to get ahead of that as much as possible. The more you're doing this earlier on, it can help skin plumpness.”The Sofwave Medical deviceSofwave MedicalWhat results can people expect from Sofwave?“After one treatment, collagen usually starts building within a few weeks, and it plateaus or hits its peak around three to four months,” Dr. Chwalek says. Lifting and tightening becomes more visible over 8 to 12 weeks as new collagen and elastin develop. “Results continue to improve over time and are long-lasting, with many patients maintaining visible improvement for about a year before choosing a maintenance treatment,” Bartholomeusz says. “With our latest and most advanced treatment protocol, Treat to Total Energy (TTE), our goal is to treat 20-30% of the skin volume per treatment while also reducing discomfort. This controlled and area-specific approach ensures that we, at the very least, get just as much (20-30%) new collagen and elastin stimulation. By optimizing how energy is delivered across the treatment area, we're able to maximize the regenerative response while improving patient comfort.”Before and after Sofwave treatmentSofwave MedicalDoes Sofwave have any potential drawbacks?Sofwave is safe for all skin types and tones. However, in this case, pain is beauty. Though the pain level is different for everyone and also varies according to the area being treated, it can feel like a rubber band sharply snapping on skin. The device has a cooling tip to help relieve the heat sensation. For those who find it a little too spicy, numbing creams are typically an option.“Unlike a lot of treatments that claim to be pain-free, Sofwave is not painless, so patients should be aware that they should feel something, a hot pinch at the end of each pulse that is completely manageable,” Bartholomeusz says. “This is what ensures each patient receives a true controlled large volume fractional effect, which is imperative to produce consistent and meaningful skin regeneration.”Luckily, the stinging is only in the moment—once the treatment is over, so is the pain, but the results last. In fact, the consistency of results is Bartholomeusz’s favorite thing about Sofwave. He says, “When done correctly and consistently using our Treatment to Total Energy (TTE) protocol, any provider can ensure consistent outcomes from patient to patient, area to area, or even face to body.”