Sofwave

Sofwave is a non-invasive ultrasound system made by Sofwave Medical Ltd. of Yokneam, Israel. It uses a design the company calls SUPERB, short for Synchronous Ultrasound Parallel Beam: an array of cooled piezoelectric transducers rests directly on the skin and fires non-focused, high-intensity ultrasound at 10 to 12 MHz in parallel. FDA summaries describe a treatment depth of 1 to 2 mm in the mid-dermis, tissue temperatures of 60 to 70 °C in the treated zones, and a thermoelectric cooler with a heat exchanger inside the applicator to protect the skin surface. The FDA first cleared the system in September 2019 to improve facial lines and wrinkles, based on a blinded 59-subject study.

Its cleared uses grew after that. Clearances in 2021 added eyebrow lifting and lifting of lax submental and neck tissue, and in January 2023 the company announced a clearance for short-term improvement in the appearance of cellulite, supported by a 68-patient study at four US sites. The December 2022 clearance summary, K223237, gives a 35 mm treatment width for the applicator and indicates use in patients 22 and older.

The console's capability depends on which applicators came with it. Clearance K230019, issued in March 2023, compares two: the larger Lift applicator with seven piezoelectric plates and the smaller Precise applicator with three. SUPERB is the name of the technology, not a separate model, and listings that say Sofwave Precise usually refer to the smaller applicator rather than a different console.

When you describe a Sofwave unit, start with the applicators: name each one, give its serial number, and note any damage to the transducer face or cable. Because cooling lives in the applicator, a buyer will ask whether it has run without faults and when the manufacturer last serviced the system. Report the software version and any usage counters shown on the screen, and photograph the console label, the main screen and each applicator.