Sofwave™ is a nonsurgical skin-tightening procedure that utilizes ultrasound energy to stimulate growth of collagen and elastin in skin thereby improving skin tone and elasticity. Sofwave™ improves wrinkles, fine lines and skin laxity on the face, neck, chest, and body. It is also approved for brow lift. Sofwave™ is not just another device but a real breakthrough in ultrasound technology that is FDA/Health Canada approved for improving fine lines and wrinkles, lifting of the eyebrow, tightening a lax jawline and neck tissue. Sofwave™ utilizes high intensity, low divergence, ultrasound beams. There are 7 highfrequency ultrasound beams that create 3D thermal zones, (tissue healing) which results in tissue tightening. Completely non-invasive with minimal discomfort and downtime, this procedure also stimulates the production of new collagen and elastin. SUPERB plus Sofwave™ technology protects the skin and reduces/eliminates downtime.

Sofwave™ employs a high-tech delivery system, which uses patented parallel beam technology to evenly deliver heat at a depth of 1.5 millimetres which is the dermal level of the skin. Unlike rival devices, which heat much deeper into the muscle/fat layer, Sofwave™ targets the mid-dermis, where optimal collagen and elastin production occur leading to that all-important lifting effect.

Ultrasound is a long wave energy that is highly effective for skin-tightening. Previous generations of high-frequency ultrasound were sometimes painful and tediously long procedures. Sofwave™ is remarkably more comfortable and treatment sessions are much shorter.

The ideal candidate for Sofwave™ is a relatively healthy individual who have started to notice early laxity skin of the face or crepiness/laxity of the neck or chest. Typically, these are individuals between the age of 35 and 65 years old. Sofwave™ is an excellent option to maintain skin tightness and prevent laxity in younger individuals 30 to 40 years old.

Typically, only one or two treatments are required to achieve results. Your consulting medical laser technician will advise you as to whether one or two treatments would be best for you. Ultrasound technology bypasses the epidermis during treatment so there is no visible change to your skin surface with Sofwave™ treatment. You may be pink, or a bit swollen the day of your treatment but typically there is minimal if any downtime.

Sofwave™ is contraindication in individuals with pacemakers or implanted electrical devices and for those with metal pins and plates in the face. Sofwave™ treatment cannot be performed on individuals with open wounds on the face or neck, or in individual with severe or cystic acne or active skin diseases such as eczema or psoriasis. Like all energy-based treatments Sofwave™ is contraindicated in individuals who are pregnant or breast-feeding. Those with Bell’s palsy, muscle weakness or severe/unstable heart disease should not undertake treatment with Sofwave™. Topical numbing is used before Sofwave™ treatment so if you are allergic to lidocaine, betacaine or tetracaine talk to your treatment provider before undergoing Sofwave™ pre-treatment numbing.

Sofwave™ is not painless but it is very tolerable compared to previous ultrasound-based skin tightening procedures such as Ultherapy™ or Thermage™. Treatment sessions are also quite short typically lasting only 30-45 minutes. At ArtMed we use prescription strength topical numbing agents to greatly improve comfort during treatment and we also offer analgesia with Pro-Nox laughing gas to further minimize discomfort should this be required. Sofwave™ is a tunable system which means your technician can increase or decrease the energy delivery to optimize treatment while adjusting for an individual’s level of pain sensitivity.

Sofwave™ is a very safe treatment. Ultrasound therapy for skin tightening has been available as a treatment technology for over 20 years. Sofwave™ is the newest member of this class of energy-based device and has been available in Canada since 2021. As with any energy-based device there can be a very rare risk of burn, changes in skin pigmentation, persistent redness or swelling, ulceration or bruising. The vast majority of patients treated with Sofwave™ can return to their daily activities immediately with no visible evidence of having been treated.

Ultrasound and Radiofrequency Microneedling are two very different technologies that each have their ideal candidate, so the right treatment for you depends on your concerns and treatment goals. Sofwave™ is particularly effective if more significant tightening is required or if a patient has thinner or more sun-damaged skin. RF microneedling resurfaces the skin, smoothing fine lines and age spots and provides a modest degree of skin firming. Sofwave™, on the other hand, has one primary focus – delivering a deep skin , tightening effect to the treated area. RF microneedling typically requires a series of treatments for optimum results, whereas Sofwave™ is a one-time treatment with results lasting approximately one to two years. This can make Sofwave™ significantly less expensive overall and much easier to fit into a busy schedule. There can be significant down-time with RF microneedling since the epidermis is pierced by tiny needles. RF microneedling has an adjustable needle depth in most systems with optimal results seen with deeper needle penetration, however this also means the treatments may be significantly more painful than Sofwave™ as a result, and recovery entails significant social downtime.

Sofwave™ may be combined with other treatments such as Radiesse dermal filler or Belkyra (submental fat reduction treatment). As your ArtMed clinician if a combination treatment may be right for you.

Studies show that if the Sofwave™ System is used to treat the forehead and brow area it lifts the eyebrows/eyelids by up to five millimeters!