Collagen Stimulating & Lifting With Sofwave™: Is the Non-Invasive Skin Treatment Worth the Heat? by Belinda Lichty Clarke

As I close in on 55, I’m all for skin regeneration treatments – provided they don’t involve scalpels, needles, string, my own plasma or basically anything that punctures my face. So, when I heard about a new collagen-stimulating and skin lifting beauty treatment called Sofwave™, which also promises minimal discomfort and relatively no downtime, I enthusiastically signed up. Even better? It’s completely needle-free.

What Is Sofwave?

In short, FDA-approved Sofwave is an ultrasound wand with a medium-sized tip that directs heat (lots of heat) 1.5 mm into the mid-dermis without burning your skin. The body’s healing response stimulates cellular activity to stimulate collagen production, thus lifting the affected areas of your face and neck over the course of 12 weeks. For many, it’s a great alternative to Ultherapy, which goes deeper, is incredibly painful and may have unwanted side effects.

Photo: Belinda Clarke before the Sofwave procedure.

What Does Sofwave Feel Like?

When the med spa technician told me I’d be sitting in a room with lidocaine on my face for an hour, I knew I was in for a more than a little discomfort. It wasn’t until I got settled in the treatment room and she offered up a tank of nitrous oxide that I knew it was about to get real. I started to sweat. To add to my mild embarrassment, she said that the nitrous was actually used in much more invasive procedures, but she had a sense I might fair better with the added help of a steady stream of laughing gas. She was right.

Hot, Hot, Hot!

In order to work, the Sofwave wand needs to get hot, almost too hot to endure. But it is bearable, and that’s the key. It’s in the timing. Just when you think you're going to jump out of your seat, the wand turns off, and it’s over. The laughing gas helps – a lot.

The procedure takes a while, because the tip of the wand isn’t huge, but it’s worth the time to treat all the desired areas. I opted for my face with a focus on my brows to help lift my middle aged, starting-to-sag eyelids. She also spent time on my jaw to help boost my jawline.

Does Sofwave Work?

One of the greatest benefits of this procedure I noted is there is nothing you can’t do immediately afterward, and there are no visible aftereffects whatsoever. I didn’t even see any redness, despite the 55 minutes of a superhot wand permeating my face.

Photo: Belinda Clarke after the Sofwave procedure.

The other great benefit is that for most people, one treatment is all it takes, and the results can last up to a year. Very few non-invasive procedures are one and done, which makes this more financially appealing. Having said that, Sofwave is not cheap, with a starting price tag of about $3,500 depending on where you live.

For a few weeks, I didn’t see much of a change in my skin or the shape of my face. It was about a month or two later that the procedure seemed to take effect. My skin actually looked younger and bouncier. My forehead and brow line, while not overly wrinkled yet, looked pretty good.

At two months, I deemed the procedure worth it, as my eyelids seemed less saggy and my jaw line was visibly lifted. I would definitely recommend this procedure to my best friend, which is my standard for success.

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