How is Sofwave different from Ultherapy?

The depth they reach is different. Ultherapy focuses ultrasound to a point and sends it deep, as far as the SMAS; Sofwave uses parallel beams to warm a broad area of the mid dermis, at about 1.5 mm. So Ultherapy suits deeper sagging, while Sofwave suits fine lines and an early loss of firmness. Which one fits you is decided at the examination.

Is there really no downtime?

There is next to none. A cooling system built into the device protects the surface while only the layers beneath are warmed. Redness and a feeling of warmth can follow immediately afterwards, but they usually settle within a few hours and make-up is fine. If your skin is sensitive, redness may linger for about a day.

Is it less painful than Ultherapy?

Most people say it is. It does not go to the deeper layers and the surface is cooled as we work, so the sharp sensation is shorter and shallower. That said, pain differs greatly from person to person, and areas close to bone are still felt. We apply numbing cream before starting and adjust the intensity if you are uncomfortable.

Is Sofwave a one-session treatment?

It is often planned as one, with the change appearing over several months as new collagen forms. If the loss of firmness spans several layers, or your goal is ambitious, we may discuss adding a session. Rather than fixing a number at the outset, it is more accurate to review at two to three months and decide then.

Can I have it while pregnant or breastfeeding?

We do not recommend it. Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been sufficiently established, so as a rule we postpone. Please also tell us if there is any chance you are pregnant. We also adjust the timing if you have an electrical device implanted, or if there is an infection or a wound in the treatment area.

How do I choose a clinic for Sofwave in Gangnam, Seoul?

Look at the examination and the plan rather than the treatment name. First, what the clinic checks before deciding — at QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, the first thing we look at for this treatment is “Loss of elasticity in the mid dermis and the area to treat”. Second, whether it explains why it recommends that scope and method, compared with the alternatives. Third, whether it reviews your progress with you when results are expected. Our doctor goes through these three points at consultation before the treatment is decided.

Where can I get Sofwave in Seoul?

At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea. We are at 3F, 502 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Nonhyeon-dong, Seohee Building), a 4-minute walk from Exit 3 of Nonhyeon or Sinnonhyeon Station. Call +82-2-514-1650 or use the consultation form on this site to book a doctor’s consultation first.

Sofwave in Gangnam, Seoul | QD Clinic | Skin & Plastic Surgery Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul

is this for me

Who it’s for

Even if none of these describes you, we will look again at the consultation.

Fine lines and early laxity on the face
Those who want a non-invasive option with minimal downtime
People looking to complement other lifting treatments

Suitability and expected change are confirmed during consultation.

start with your concern

Before you pick a treatment name, start with the cause of your concern.

Even a treatment with the same name takes on a different role and scope depending on your current structure, the change you want, what you have had before and the recovery time you have.

Where you are now, and where we start
Loss of elasticity in the mid dermis and the area to treat
The change you want, the impression you keep
Suitability and expected change are confirmed during consultation.
How it differs from similar options
These are all non-invasive, energy-based lifting treatments — but they use different energy and reach different depths, so they suit different goals.
Health information and recovery schedule
Little to no downtime; most people return to daily activities the same day. Temporary redness, mild swelling or tenderness may occur. Use sun protection and follow the aftercare guidance we provide.

the principle

How it works

We plan the area and the intensity of the parallel ultrasound aimed at the mid dermis around your skin thickness and sensitivity.

Sofwave delivers ultrasound energy to the mid-dermis at a controlled depth to create fractional zones of warmth that stimulate the skin’s collagen renewal over the following weeks. An integrated cooling mechanism helps protect the skin surface. Sofwave is cleared by the US FDA for improving the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and for lifting the eyebrow, submental (under-chin) and neck tissue.

How it works

Ultrasound to the mid-dermis
Sofwave delivers ultrasound energy (SUPERB) to a controlled depth in the mid-dermis — around 1.5 mm — rather than reaching the deeper SMAS layer.
Fractional zones of warmth
The energy creates spaced zones of heat within the mid-dermis while leaving the tissue around them intact, which prompts the skin’s natural repair response.
The surface stays protected
An integrated cooling mechanism cools the skin surface while the energy works below, helping protect the epidermis.
Collagen renews gradually
The repair response builds new collagen over the following weeks, so changes are progressive rather than immediate.

the qd standard

The same treatment, never the same plan.

Rather than a fashionable name or a fixed package, we weigh the structure found at examination, safety, recovery and the limits within one plan.

DIAGNOSIS FIRST
Cause before name
We first separate out the tissue and the function behind your concern.
LESS, PRECISE
Only as much as needed
Rather than an excessive change, we plan the smallest scope with a clear role.
HONEST LIMIT
The limits, explained too
We explain the change you can expect, the alternatives, individual differences and the risks.

personal plan

From consultation to follow-up, planned as one flow.

Sofwave is a non-invasive treatment that uses ultrasound energy directed to the mid-dermis to warm the skin and prompt collagen renewal. At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, we assess your skin first, then decide the areas to treat. A session usually takes about 30–45 minutes with little downtime. (Results vary by individual.)

Layer-by-layer diagnosis
Consultation and skin assessment
Mapping by area
Cleansing and mapping of treatment areas
A plan built on response
Many people have a single session, with changes appearing gradually over about 6–12 weeks as collagen renews. Your plan is decided at consultation. (Results vary by individual.)

What the procedure is like

Consultation and skin assessment
Cleansing and mapping of treatment areas
Ultrasound delivery with surface cooling
Soothing and aftercare guidance

Time: A session takes about 30–45 minutes.

Plan it with our doctors

Please read this before treatment

Little to no downtime; most people return to daily activities the same day.
Temporary redness, mild swelling or tenderness may occur.
Use sun protection and follow the aftercare guidance we provide.

Safety & considerations

Possible reactions

Temporary redness, a flushed feeling, or mild swelling
Tenderness or a warm sensation in the treated areas for a short time
Occasionally small areas of bruising
Rarely, temporary numbness or small raised areas that typically settle

When to take extra care

Pregnancy or breastfeeding — let us know at consultation
Active skin infection, inflammation or open lesions in the treatment area
Implanted electrical devices, or metal implants in the area — tell your doctor
Recent fillers, threads or other energy treatments — tell your doctor so timing can be planned
A history of keloid or difficulty with wound healing

Sofwave targets the mid-dermis and is not a replacement for surgical lifting; it does not suit every skin type or degree of laxity. Whether it is right for you is confirmed during consultation. Effects and downtime vary by individual, and side effects may occur.

what to expect

What to expect over time

A general guide to how the days and months after treatment usually unfold. Results vary by individual.

DAY 0
Treatment day
Warmth during treatment, eased by the built-in cooling; afterwards mild redness that usually settles within hours. Most people return to daily activities the same day.
DAY 1-3
Settling
Any redness or mild swelling generally eases. Makeup and normal skincare can usually resume as advised.
WEEK 2-6
Early change
Some people notice fine lines looking softer or the skin feeling a little firmer. This varies from person to person.
6-12 WEEKS
Collagen renewal
As new collagen forms, a gradual firming and fine-line improvement become more noticeable for many people. This is typically when results are assessed. (Results vary by individual.)
~6 MONTHS
Review & maintenance
Your doctor reviews the outcome and, if appropriate, discusses timing for a further session based on your skin.

Sessions & results

Many people have a single session, with changes appearing gradually over about 6–12 weeks as collagen renews. Your plan is decided at consultation. (Results vary by individual.)

how it compares

How it compares

These are all non-invasive, energy-based lifting treatments — but they use different energy and reach different depths, so they suit different goals.

Comparison
	Sofwave	Ultherapy PRIME	Thermage FLX
Energy	Ultrasound (SUPERB)	Focused ultrasound (imaging-guided)	Monopolar radiofrequency
Main depth	Mid-dermis (~1.5 mm)	Up to ~4.5 mm — reaches the SMAS	Broad heating of the dermis
Often chosen for	Fine lines and early laxity	Deeper lift; jawline and neck laxity	Overall tightening and texture
Sensation	Generally comfortable with cooling	Brief warmth at each point	Warm heating cycles with cooling
Downtime	Little to none	Little to none	Little to none
Typical plan	Often a single session	Often a single session	Often a single session

Neither is “better” — they work differently and suit different goals. The right choice is decided after we assess your skin.

before consultation

Before you decide, the questions people always ask

The depth they reach is different. Ultherapy focuses ultrasound to a point and sends it deep, as far as the SMAS; Sofwave uses parallel beams to warm a broad area of the mid dermis, at about 1.5 mm. So Ultherapy suits deeper sagging, while Sofwave suits fine lines and an early loss of firmness. Which one fits you is decided at the examination.
There is next to none. A cooling system built into the device protects the surface while only the layers beneath are warmed. Redness and a feeling of warmth can follow immediately afterwards, but they usually settle within a few hours and make-up is fine. If your skin is sensitive, redness may linger for about a day.
Most people say it is. It does not go to the deeper layers and the surface is cooled as we work, so the sharp sensation is shorter and shallower. That said, pain differs greatly from person to person, and areas close to bone are still felt. We apply numbing cream before starting and adjust the intensity if you are uncomfortable.
It is often planned as one, with the change appearing over several months as new collagen forms. If the loss of firmness spans several layers, or your goal is ambitious, we may discuss adding a session. Rather than fixing a number at the outset, it is more accurate to review at two to three months and decide then.
We do not recommend it. Safety during pregnancy and breastfeeding has not been sufficiently established, so as a rule we postpone. Please also tell us if there is any chance you are pregnant. We also adjust the timing if you have an electrical device implanted, or if there is an infection or a wound in the treatment area.
Look at the examination and the plan rather than the treatment name. First, what the clinic checks before deciding — at QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, the first thing we look at for this treatment is “Loss of elasticity in the mid dermis and the area to treat”. Second, whether it explains why it recommends that scope and method, compared with the alternatives. Third, whether it reviews your progress with you when results are expected. Our doctor goes through these three points at consultation before the treatment is decided.
At QD Clinic in Gangnam, Seoul, South Korea. We are at 3F, 502 Gangnam-daero, Gangnam-gu, Seoul (Nonhyeon-dong, Seohee Building), a 4-minute walk from Exit 3 of Nonhyeon or Sinnonhyeon Station. Call +82-2-514-1650 or use the consultation form on this site to book a doctor’s consultation first.

Sofwave

Who it’s for

Before you pick a treatment name, start with the cause of your concern.

Where you are now, and where we start

The change you want, the impression you keep

How it differs from similar options

Health information and recovery schedule