You may have seen Sofwave on Instagram or at a downtown clinic: one session, no needle, and a neck that firms up over the following weeks. It is a serious device, authorized in Canada since 2021.
XERF targets the same loosening with a different energy, radiofrequency. It arrived in Canada in 2025, and we chose it after comparing the options. Here is the comparison, prices included, and what each one does better.
XERF: a radiofrequency that firms the face and neck.
XERF is made by Cynosure Lutronic and authorized in Canada since April 2025. It heats the skin below the surface to tighten it and restart collagen, while built-in cooling protects the surface. Here is what the treatment looks like at Clinique DC.
| What is treated | The full face and the neck |
|---|---|
| The session | 90 min, no needles or numbing |
| How often | Two sessions, then yearly upkeep |
| Afterwards | No downtime |
| The result | Immediate, then gradual over 3 to 6 months |
| The price | $1,500 per session, taxes extra |
Two different energies, one goal: tighten skin that is loosening.
Both heat the skin below the surface to restart collagen production, with cooling that protects the surface. Sofwave does it with ultrasound, XERF with radiofrequency. Neither cuts or needs a needle.
- They don’t remove excess skin: when skin hangs and folds at rest, the honest answer is surgery.
- They don’t restore volume to a hollowed cheek: that is what filler does.
What sets them apart, point by point.
What comes from a manufacturer is labelled as such. The rest comes from the studies cited at the end.
| Criterion | XERF | Sofwave |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Monopolar radiofrequency, two frequencies in the same pulse (manufacturer) | Ultrasound, in parallel non-focused beams |
| Depth | Chosen for each area by the person holding the device | About 1.5 mm, the middle of the dermis |
| During the session | No numbing, built-in cooling (manufacturer) | No numbing required per the manufacturer; a cream may be applied |
| Length | 90 min | 30 to 45 minutes, according to the manufacturer |
| Afterwards | No downtime | No downtime, according to the manufacturer |
| Sessions | Two sessions, then yearly upkeep (at Clinique DC) | One, according to the manufacturer |
| Full result | Immediate, then gradual over 3 to 6 months | In about 12 weeks, according to the manufacturer |
| In Canada | Authorized in April 2025 | Authorized in February 2021 |
| At Clinique DC | $1,500 per session, full face and neck | Not offered |
What the full face and neck cost, on each side.
We gathered the prices clinics post for Sofwave on the full face and neck, the area our XERF covers. XERF is done in two sessions, so we compare the full protocol, not one session against one session.
| Where | What is treated | Posted price |
|---|---|---|
| Sofwave, Toronto | Full face and neck | $2,950 |
| Sofwave, one clinic’s range | Full face, under the chin and neck | from $2,500 |
| Sofwave, one clinic’s range | Full face, under the chin and neck | up to $4,500 |
| Median, Sofwave | Full face and neck, one session | $2,950 |
| Clinique DC, Laval | The ultimate XERF offer: 2 XERF sessions, 2 LaseMD Ultra face and neck sessions, ZO Firming Serum | $3,000 |
For roughly the price of one Sofwave face and neck session, the XERF protocol includes two radiofrequency sessions, two laser sessions for the surface and a serum. A higher price doesn’t guarantee a better result: no study compares the two devices.
XERF sells at the same price in every clinic, since its manufacturer sets a price floor. You don’t pay for the address.
Prices posted online, gathered October 3, 2026, before taxes (plus HST in Toronto). Clinic names are in the sources. The offer is for a first visit, once per person; its conditions are on its page. À la carte, a XERF session is $1,500. Taxes extra.
XERF reaches the depth each area calls for.
Four points where the difference is clear, each with where the fact comes from.
A depth chosen area by area
According to its manufacturer, XERF sends two frequencies in the same shot, and the person holding it sets the depth for each area. Sofwave works at a single plane of about 1.5 mm.
Full face and neck, one price
$1,500 per session covers the full face and the neck. The price is posted, taxes extra.
Energy is dosed with every pulse
The device reads the skin’s resistance and adjusts the energy, according to the manufacturer.
A 3D analysis before you decide
We measure your skin with the free LINE VU analysis before suggesting anything. If XERF is not indicated, we tell you.
Sofwave has the track record and its studies, and it should be said.
An article that only praises one device doesn’t help you choose. What Sofwave has going for it:
- Four more years in Canada: authorized in 2021, XERF in 2025.
- A single session, according to the manufacturer, with a full result in about 12 weeks.
- A specific US clearance to lift the brow and the tissue under the chin and of the neck, obtained in 2021.
- Published studies, including a 2021 trial on fine lines. Those on XERF are recent, small and tied to the manufacturer.
No study compares XERF and Sofwave.
The pages pitting the two against each other at the top of Google are clinic pages, not studies. Here is what actually exists.
| Study | Device | What it shows, and its limit |
|---|---|---|
| Wang et al., 2021 | Sofwave | Parallel ultrasound for fine lines and facial wrinkles |
| Hongcharu et al., 2023 | Sofwave | Tightening with parallel beams at a depth of 1.5 mm |
| Erlich et al., 2026 | XERF | 16 women, one session, 3-month follow-up; first author is a manufacturer trainer |
| Hong et al., 2024 | XERF | Tissue analysis, no patient results; authors employed by the manufacturer |
What it means: Sofwave is somewhat better documented than XERF, and neither has been shown superior. The choice comes down to your skin, the depth your loosening calls for, and the price.
The right choice depends on what you are looking for.
| If… | Rather |
|---|---|
| You want the full face and neck, at a price known in advance | XERF |
| You want the depth set for each area | XERF |
| You want the device with the longest track record in Canada | Sofwave |
| You want a single session | Sofwave |
| Your skin hangs and folds at rest | Neither: surgery |
| It is mostly volume that is missing | Neither: filler |
Why we chose XERF.
We wanted to treat loosening at the depth where it sits, area by area, rather than at a single plane. And we wanted a session without numbing or downtime, one you agree to repeat at the yearly upkeep.
We also wanted to treat the face and neck in the same appointment, at a price we can post. And we wanted to know it inside out: the clinic’s owner has trained clinicians for Cynosure, the XERF supplier.
A good device is one you agree to come back for the following year.
Questions we get asked
Is Sofwave HIFU?
Not strictly. Sofwave uses ultrasound, but in parallel beams described as non-focused, at about 1.5 mm. HIFU, like Ultherapy, concentrates energy into points. XERF is neither: it is radiofrequency.
Do you offer Sofwave at Clinique DC?
No. For firming the face and neck we chose XERF, and TempSure for a smaller budget (from $100 per zone). The prices other clinics post for Sofwave are in the “The price” section, with their source.
Which one hurts more?
No study compares them. Both manufacturers say no numbing is required; for Sofwave, a cream may be applied.
Why two XERF sessions when Sofwave advertises one?
It is how we do it: two sessions, then yearly upkeep. That is why the price section compares the full protocol, not one session against one session.
Is it too late at 60?
Age doesn’t decide, the skin does. XERF tightens loosening skin; it doesn’t remove skin that hangs and folds at rest. The free 3D skin analysis is there to tell you before you pay anything.
How much does XERF cost in Laval?
$1,500 per session at Clinique DC, full face and neck, taxes extra. Payment can be spread over instalments with Klarna.
Sources
- Wang JV, Ferzli G, Jeon H, Geronemus RG, Kauvar A. Efficacy and safety of high-intensity, high-frequency, parallel ultrasound beams for fine lines and wrinkles. Dermatol Surg. 2021.
- Hongcharu W, Boonchoo K, Gold MH. The efficacy and safety of the high-intensity parallel beam ultrasound device at the depth of 1.5 mm for skin tightening. J Cosmet Dermatol. 2023.
- Erlich G, Dahan E, Wolf Y. Objective and subjective retrospective evaluation of XERF, a novel single-shot dual-frequency non-invasive monopolar radiofrequency. Lasers Med Sci. 2026;41:194.
- Hong J, Ryu HG, Park C, et coll. Efficacy of dual-frequency noninvasive monopolar radiofrequency in skin tightening: histological evidence. Skin Res Technol. 2024;30:e13821.
- Sofwave Medical. Questions fréquentes des patients.
- Sofwave Medical. Autorisation au Canada, communiqué de février 2021.
- FDA. Sofwave, autorisation K211483, 16 novembre 2021.
- Cynosure Lutronic. XERF, fiche produit.
- Prix : PearlMD Rejuvenation (Toronto) et Ellevate MD, pages de prix consultées le 3 octobre 2026.
Facts attributed to a manufacturer come from its documents. Other clinics’ prices are those they post online, as of the date gathered; Clinique DC’s are before taxes. Results vary from person to person.