Kim and Khloe Kardashian are Sofwave’s latest fans, but is the skin tightening and face lifting treatment worth the hype – and the pain?
Any products in this article have been selected editorially however if you buy something we mention, we may earn commission. Images: Shutterstock and Instagram/@kimkardashian, @khloekardashian
If there’s one thing we know about Kim Kardashian, it’s that she loves a beauty treatment. From 2013’s infamous vampire facial selfie to singing the praises of having skin-smoothing toxin injections in her neck, the 44-year-old reality star really does seem to have tried it all. She causes skyrocketing demand for each treatment she posts about and so, when she recently proclaimed in Instagram that Sofwave – an ultrasound treatment for the face and body that often comes with a pain warning – is “probably the best machine out there for lifting and collagen production”, we were keen to know more.
Is Sofwave really the best treatment since sliced bread, or just another celebrity-endorsed trend you can probably ignore? And what about reports that it is eye-wateringly painful? We spoke to leading practitioners and an award-winning beauty journalist who has actually tried it.
What is Sofwave?
With a promise of tighter skin and smoothed wrinkles in a single treatment, Sofwave sounds like a powerful and efficient non-invasive option for sagging skin.
“Sofwave has received outstanding feedback since its launch,” says leading aesthetic doctor Dr Sophie Shotter, an early adopter of the treatment at her Illuminate Skin Clinic in Kent. “The non-invasive treatment uses high-frequency, low-divergence ultrasound and heat to boost collagen production and soften fine lines and wrinkles. It has also been FDA-cleared to lift the eyebrow and lift lax neck tissue – making it ideal for lifting jowls and hooded eyelids without surgical intervention.”
The purported benefits of Sofwave include:
- Skin tightening and lifting of the face, neck and arms
- Wrinkle reduction
- Non-invasive with no downtime
- A one-off treatment with results lasting up to two years
- Visible results from three months
Do the benefits of Sofwave measure up to the hype?
Kim Kardashian isn’t alone in her love for Sofwave; Kim’s sister Khloe is a fan, as is controversial biohacker Bryan Johnson, who is on a mission to reverse his age (you can read about when I tried out one of his favourite gadgets, a vagus nerve stimulator here). There’s a lot of love for Sofwave’s technology from actual skin experts too.
Leading aesthetics journalist and founder of The Tweakments Guide Alice Hart-Davis, who has reviewed just about every tweakment on the market including this one (she went to Dr Sophie Shotter), says the Kardashians are right to get excited.
“I’m always fascinated to hear which device or tweak has become Kim’s latest obsession – and she’s right, Sofwave is great,” says Hart-Davis. “It’s one of the only machines with an FDA-cleared claim for lifting the skin – Ultherapy, which also uses ultrasound energy, is another – and it’s good for stimulating collagen which tightens the skin, too.”
That clinically backed ‘lift’ is hard to quantify in percentage increase terms, but the proof is in the picture: you can visibly see it in Hart-Davis’s before-and-after photographs below.
It is not the only device that can lift your skin though. “All the radiofrequency microneedling machines (eg Sylfirm X or Morpheus8) or lasers can do it too,” says Hart-Davis. However, RF micro needling will leave you visibly red afterwards.
Sofwave v Ultherapy: which is best?
Sofwave delivers more energy across a wider area than other ultrasound treatments which can mean better results. “Each shot of Sofwave treats an area of tissue far greater in size, and the energy delivered is up to around six times higher than with other ultrasound devices,” says Dr Shotter.
As for how it specifically compares to Ultherapy – another exciting (and trending) ultrasound technology for skin lifting: the big difference between the two competitors is that Sofwave works more on the mid-dermal layers of the skin (at a depth of 1.5mm to 2.0mm), while Ultherapy penetrates deeper into the dermis (up to 4.5mm).
This can make Ultherapy best for more significant skin lifting and tightening and Sofwave better for treating moderate skin laxity, but the former can be more uncomfortable (due to the deeper penetration), trigger more side effects – especially redness and swelling – and you may need to wait longer for the albeit longer-lasting results.
There have also been anecdotal reports of unwanted fat loss, leading to hollowness around your eyes and cheeks post-Ultherapy, especially if used too aggressively (so always see a very well-trained practitioner). This is due to the focused ultrasound energy targeting the deeper layers of the skin, including potentially disrupting subcutaneous fat. Sofwave, due to its more superficial treatment depth, is unlikely to lead to any unwanted fat reduction.
What does Sofwave treat and who is it for?
Sofwave is for you if your lower face or your eyelids need a lift. “It is best suited to anyone with mild-to-moderate skin laxity, such as sagging under the chin and jawline, hooded eyelids, or wrinkles forming on the chest,” says Dr Shotter.
It’s also a prejuvenation treatment. “For people in their 30s, ultrasound can help prevent ageing and treat early signs of skin laxity. For women in their 40s and 50s, it can really tighten sagging skin and open the eyes, refreshing the face as a whole,” she says.
Can Sofwave lift and tighten the skin on your body?
“Yes absolutely it works on the body: skin is skin,” says Hart-Davis. “Those clinical claims for lifting were made on assessments done on the face, but practitioners tell me they get great results on the body too – on wrinkly tummies, on droopy knees, on crepey inner arms. It helps to have deep pockets – treatment costs around £3k and once you start having chunks of your body treated, it’s going to get really expensive.”
I’ve heard Sofwave is really painful. Is that true?
Unfortunately, for a lot of people, there’s no gain without pain with Sofwave, with what are commonly described as intense zaps or heat spikes to be endured. We haven’t found anyone yet who says it’s a breeze.
“I had Sofwave all the way from my neck to my hairline: some practitioners tell me it shouldn’t hurt, but I found it really uncomfortable,” reveals Hart-Davis. “The pain is definitely the main drawback. I had plenty of numbing cream but after ten minutes, I had to call for a couple of painkilling tablets for backup.
“The bit that always hurts most is the forehead, and that was the last area to be done. But the good news is that it definitely worked – three months later, there was visible tightening. Only a millimetre or two, but still visible, and I’ll take that!”
Another tester we spoke to said it was the most painful thing she’d had done and she had to ask for the treatment on her face and neck to be stopped.
View this post on Instagram
Is there such a thing as pain-free Sofwave?
Yes, according to Dr Galyna Selezneva who says her signature is just that – painless Sofwave. “I do a lot or arms, decolleté, neck, abdomen but the brilliant results are on the face.”
How does she do it painlessly? “I’ve done dozens of treatments, ask any of my patients – it doesn’t hurt. I use simple topical numbing cream but it’s about having a deep understanding of the device and how it works that’s my secret. I also make sure to do the treatment myself, I don’t delegate it to a therapist.”
It’s not a lunchtime procedure either, she says. A consultation followed by a mostly one-off “long and productive treatment,” is her approach.
How much does Sofwave cost and how long does it take?
“This treatment is amazing, but it is also expensive and mostly you get what you pay for,” says Dr Selezneva. She explains that you might find a £1000 treatment where you only get a few shots of ultrasound, but that could mean you won’t see the full benefits.
She charges £3600 for the lower face and £4600 for full face at her Knightsbridge clinic, which take 40 and 120 minutes respectively. So, there is a time commitment to bear in mind, depending on your concerns and the treatment area (and don’t forget extra time for numbing).
At Illuminate Skin Clinic in Kent, where Sofwave prices are lower than in the London branch, and where the treatment is done by one of Dr Shotter’s nursing team, expect to pay £1800 for lower face and £3200 for a full face with a hands-on treatment time of 40 and 60 minutes respectively.
If you are offered a much quicker (and cheaper!) Sofwave session, your practitioner may not be administering enough energy shots to generate the claimed results. It’s worth checking how long the treatment is before you shell out.
How quickly can you see results?
“You can expect to see and feel an immediate change in the treated areas,” says Dr Shotter. “The skin is tighter and looks fresher. Over the following months, the skin will improve, becoming firmer and smoother. It is a solid option if you’re looking for a refresh without going under the knife.”
Alice Hart-Davis’s experience and her before and after images certainly back that up. But it’s clear that for a big result you need time, money and probably an expectation of discomfort – or let’s just call it pain.
Who to see for Sofwave
Dr Galyna Selezneva, Knightsbridge London. From £3600
Dr Sophie Shotter and team Illuminate Skin Clinic. From £1800
