Skin laxity rarely announces itself. It arrives as a jawline that photographs differently than it used to, a brow that feels heavier by evening, or a neck that no longer holds the clean line it once did. By the time most people notice, the underlying change has been developing for years, and the question becomes what to do about it before surgery is on the table.
At Snatched Beverly Hills, two of the most frequent answers to that question are XERF, and Sofwave. Both are non-invasive, both stimulate collagen, and both are used to tighten and lift the lower face and neck. They are also genuinely different technologies that suit different faces, and the reason we keep both in the practice is that no single device is right for everyone who walks through our door.
Two Different Forms of Energy
The most important distinction between these treatments is what they use to heat tissue. XERF uses radiofrequency. Sofwave uses ultrasound. That difference shapes everything downstream: which layer is treated, how the treatment feels, what it addresses best, and who it suits.
Radiofrequency generates heat by passing energy through tissue and meeting resistance, which means the energy distributes through a volume of tissue rather than concentrating at a fixed point. XERF is a dual-frequency monopolar radiofrequency system that delivers 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz energy sequentially within a single pulse, allowing it to reach shallow, middle, and deeper structural levels. Erlich and colleagues published a retrospective evaluation of XERF in Lasers in Medical Science in 2026, using three-dimensional stereophotogrammetry, morphometric analysis of periorbital lifting, and validated FACE-Q instruments to assess facial laxity and skin quality outcomes.
Ultrasound behaves differently. Sofwave uses Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam technology, known as SUPERB, to deliver high-intensity, non-focused ultrasound energy at a fixed depth of 1.5 millimeters. That depth is deliberate. It places the thermal effect in the mid-dermis, the structural layer responsible for firmness and elasticity, while leaving the epidermis above it undisturbed. Hongcharu and colleagues evaluated this device at that specific depth in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology in 2023 and reported statistically significant reductions in nasolabial fold and marionette line depression volume at one and three months. Gold and Biron published a separate prospective trial in the same journal in 2024 examining eyebrow, submental, and neck lifting.
Depth Range Versus Depth Precision
The practical way to think about the two is range against precision. XERF can be tuned across multiple tissue depths, with real-time impedance feedback allowing energy delivery to adapt to the tissue it encounters. Sofwave commits to one depth and treats it consistently every time.
Neither approach is superior in the abstract. Adjustability is valuable when a face presents different problems in different zones, which is common in patients with a mix of surface crepiness and deeper laxity. Consistency is valuable when the concern sits squarely in the mid-dermis and what matters is reliable, even coverage. Zhang and colleagues, reviewing the landscape of radiofrequency technology in Health Science Reports in 2026, make the broader point that outcomes with energy-based devices depend heavily on parameter customization and operator expertise rather than on the device alone.
What Each Treatment Addresses Best
Sofwave tends to be our first consideration for structural lifting. It is well suited to brow descent, where gradual heaviness creates a tired appearance that neuromodulators alone cannot fully correct, and it produces a subtle lateral brow lift without the frozen quality that comes from overusing injectables. It also works well along the jawline for early jowling, in the submental area, and for mild to moderate neck laxity, which is one of the harder concerns to address without surgery.
XERF is often the better fit when the concern is skin quality across a broader area rather than lift in a specific zone. It suits crepey texture, fine lines, an overall loss of firmness, and softening along the jawline and beneath the chin, and it can be used on select areas of the body where improved firmness is wanted. Because it does not change facial features and works on the quality of the skin itself, it appeals particularly to patients who want their face to look like their own face, only better supported.
There is one context where XERF has become especially relevant. Rapid weight loss, including weight loss associated with GLP-1 medications, can reduce facial volume quickly enough that pre-existing collagen loss and laxity become far more visible. Weight loss does not age skin directly, but it can unmask changes that were already underway. XERF can be built into a post-weight-loss plan to support collagen remodeling and improve firmness in areas where laxity has become more apparent.
The Treatment Experience and Downtime
For many patients, this is the deciding factor, and the two treatments differ meaningfully here.
XERF is designed as a Never-Numb procedure. Integrated Cryogen Delivery cooling protects and cools the skin surface while Wave Fit pulse technology manages the delivery, and topical numbing cream or anesthesia is generally not required. Most patients describe controlled warmth as the energy is delivered. Many appointments are completed in under an hour, and there are no needles, incisions, or injectable products involved.
Sofwave does involve topical numbing cream, applied before your provider begins. A full-face treatment takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes, with focused areas such as the brow or neck taking less. You will feel warmth as the ultrasound energy is delivered in passes, and most patients find the sensation more tolerable than they anticipated.
Downtime is minimal for both. XERF may leave temporary warmth or mild redness, and most patients return to their usual activities shortly afterward. Sofwave patients can return to normal routines immediately, including work and social plans, with some experiencing mild redness or swelling that resolves the same day. Neither involves activity restrictions, wound care, or visible evidence that anything was done.
Timelines and Realistic Outcomes
Both treatments are collagen-remodeling procedures, which means neither produces its result on the day of treatment. Some patients notice an early improvement in how firm the skin feels, but the meaningful change develops as new collagen forms and matures over roughly 12 weeks. With Sofwave, improvement often continues for up to six months after a single session, and results from one session typically last 12 months or longer depending on skin condition, age, and lifestyle.
We are direct with patients about what these treatments can and cannot do. They improve firmness, texture, and definition in skin with mild to moderate laxity. They do not remove significant excess skin, and they are not equivalent to a surgical lift. Someone with advanced laxity is better served by an honest conversation about surgery than by a series of energy treatments that will not meet their expectation.
Sofwave is generally appropriate for patients in their 30s through 60s with mild to moderate laxity, and because ultrasound energy does not carry the pigmentation risk associated with some light-based devices, it is safe across all skin types and tones. XERF suits a similar range and is a reasonable entry point for patients who want to avoid numbing entirely. Anyone who is pregnant, has an active infection or inflammatory condition in the treatment area, or has an implanted electronic device should discuss this with us before treatment, as radiofrequency in particular carries specific considerations.
Why We Offer Both
Snatched Beverly Hills was founded by master injectors Ani Malkhasyan and Sadiyah Karimi, who worked side by side in the ICU for three years before moving into aesthetics. That background shaped the Snatched Technique, an anatomy-first approach that treats every face with respect for its natural structure rather than applying the same protocol to everyone. Our team includes medical director Dr. Joubin Gabbay and nurse practitioner Hegi Harutyunyan.
Practices that offer one skin-tightening device will recommend that device. It is not dishonesty so much as an inevitable consequence of a limited toolkit. Because we offer XERF, Sofwave, Morpheus8, and CO2 laser within our laser and energy-based device offering, the recommendation you receive is based on your anatomy, your skin quality, and your goals.
Both treatments are also used as components of the Snatched Regimen rather than as standalone quick fixes. Structural tightening tends to make injectable work look more refined, because the tissue supporting those treatments has improved. In some cases the right answer is to combine them, using each where it performs best.
Beginning the Conversation
The honest answer to which treatment is right for you is that it depends on your face, and that is a question best answered in person rather than online. What we can say is that both are legitimate, well-supported options, and that the choice between them should be made by someone who has examined your skin and has no reason to favor one device over the other.
You can view our before and after gallery, read our frequently asked questions, or learn more about our practice. When you are ready, submit a new patient application and we will build a plan around what your skin actually needs. We are located at 144 S Beverly Dr, Suite 302, in Beverly Hills.