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XERF skin tightening is a non-invasive treatment that helps address loose or sagging skin. One of its biggest advantages is that the procedure involves virtually no downtime, and as a result, it requires almost no recovery effort. However, it’s still important to know what to expect after XERF and how you can achieve the best results. This recovery guide explains what XERF is, what treatment typically looks like, and how you can care for your skin to see optimal results.
What is XERF?
XERF is a non-invasive radiofrequency (RF) treatment designed to tighten skin and stimulate collagen without needles, numbing, or significant downtime. Most traditional RF treatments operate at a single frequency, but XERF combines two frequencies– 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz– to deliver controlled energy to shallow, middle, and deeper tissue layers.
The controlled RF energy gently heats tissue beneath the surface. In doing so, it creates changes in the existing collagen and encourages long-term collagen remodeling. As a result, your skin becomes firmer in the weeks and months following treatment.
XERF can be customized to three depth settings and ten intensity levels, so your provider can adjust treatment based on your skin, treatment area, and goals.
Since the procedure doesn’t use needles or resurface the outer layer of skin, XERF recovery looks different from a lot of other popular treatments. Most patients can return to their regular routine immediately, with little to no downtime.
What to Expect During XERF Treatment
Treatment is pretty straightforward and doesn’t require anesthesia or even numbing cream. During your XERF consultation, your provider will talk to you about what you hope to achieve and come up with a general treatment plan. XERF also uses real-time impedance feedback to help tailor energy delivery to your skin.
During treatment, a handheld device is placed against the skin to deliver a series of RF pulses. You can expect to feel alternating warmth and cooling as each area is treated. One technology of the machine controls how the RF energy is delivered, and another technology cools the skin’s surface to make treatment more comfortable and avoid excessive heat.
Your provider might make multiple passes or adjust the depth/intenity as they move between treatment areas. A full-face treatment usually takes around 45 minutes, but this can be more or less.
After treatment, you may notice some temporary warmth, redness, or swelling, but most patients can leave and jump right back into their normal routine.
XERF Recovery Timeline
XERF skin tightening recovery isn’t the traditional kind of recovery we associate with facial rejuvenation treatments. Instead, recovery involves a gradual collagen response happening beneath the skin. Here’s what you can expect for your XERF results timeline.
Day 1
Right after treatment, your skin may look a little pink or flushed and feel warm, like you just spent some time in the sun. There may also be a little swelling or tenderness, but many patients have no visible reaction at all. Studies show that redness and swelling don’t last long and always resolve on their own.
Your skin may also feel a little tighter right away, but you’re far from seeing the final results of your XERF treatment.
Week 1
Any temporary redness, warmth, swelling, or sensitivity should resolve very quickly, and your skin will go back to normal. XERF doesn’t cause any peeling or crusting, like other resurfacing treatments, so you won’t have a prolonged visible healing period.
You need to protect your skin from the sun and follow your provider’s exact recommendations for skincare and exercise.
Weeks 2-6
During the weeks following your XERF treatment, you’ll begin to notice your results gradually take shape. Your body is rebuilding and remodeling collagen, which leads to progressive improvements in firmness, smoothness, and skin laxity.
It can be hard to see changes from day to day. One thing that helps is to take daily photographs and compare photos taken several weeks apart. These XERF before and after photos will help you see how your skin is slowly changing.
How To Care For Your Skin After XERF
One of the best things about XERF is that it involves virtually no downtime. Your skin doesn’t need time to heal, because the procedure treats tissue beneath the surface. That means you can go back to your normal routine almost instantly. Here’s what you need to know about caring for your skin during XERF treatment recovery.
Skincare
For XERF skin tightening aftercare, use a gentle cleanser and lightweight, non-occlusive moisturizer for the first few days after treatment. After 24-48 hours, you can resume your normal skincare routine and use products that contain active ingredients.
Makeup
Depending on how your skin reacts to the treatment, you may be able to apply makeup on the same day as your procedure, once your skin feels calm and comfortable. However, if your skin is still noticeably warm, red, swollen, or sensitive, you may want to wait a day or two to use makeup.
Sun Protection
Sun protection is always a priority for maintaining a healthy, youthful appearance, but it’s even more important after XERF face treatment. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with at least SPF 30 to help reduce the risk of post-treatment pigmentation and protect your skin while it recovers.
In addition, you might try using a wide-brimmed shade hat and staying in the shade, especially during the first few days of XERF recovery.
Things to Avoid
To keep your skin from being irritated, try to avoid:
Heat exposure such as saunas, hot tubs, and hot showers for the first 24-48 hours.
Vigorous exercise that raises your body temperature for the first 24 hours.
Aggressive exfoliation and harsh skincare products until your skin has completely returned to baseline.
XERF vs. Popular Facial Rejuvenation Procedures
XERF is one of several popular facial rejuvenation treatments, and each one offers specific benefits. The right choice depends on what you want to address, how dramatic of results you’re looking for, and how much downtime you’re comfortable with.
XERF vs. CO2 Laser
Both treatments stimulate collagen, but each one addresses different concerns. XERF helps tighten mildly to moderately lax skin, making it best if you want firmer skin. CO2 laser removes damaged outer layers of skin, so it helps treat concerns like wrinkles, sun damage, uneven texture, and scars. CO2 laser also involves a more involved recovery, where the treated skin crusts and peels to reveal healthier-looking skin underneath.
XERF vs. RF Microneedling
XERF and RF microneedling both use radiofrequency energy to stimulate collagen, but it’s delivered in different ways. RF microneedling uses tiny needles to deliver energy beneath the skin, making it useful for texture, acne scars, and wrinkles. XERF offers skin tightening without needles, so the skin is never broken.
XERF vs. Facelift
A facelift can remove excess skin and reposition deeper facial tissues, addressing significant jowls, sagging, and other advanced facial aging. Although XERF is sometimes described as a ‘nonsurgical facelift,’ it can’t produce the same results as surgery. However, XERF does offer a non-invasive option for mild-to-moderate skin laxity, without incisions or surgical recovery.
| XERF | CO2 Laser | RF Microneedling | Facelift | |
| Best for | Mild-to-moderate laxity and firmness | Wrinkles, texture, sun damage, scars | Texture, acne scars, wrinkles, mild laxity | Significant sagging, jowls, loose skin |
| How it works | RF energy heats tissue at multiple depths | Laser resurfaces damaged skin | Needles deliver RF energy beneath skin | Surgery– Excess skin is removed and deeper tissues repositioned |
| Downtime | Little to none | About 1–2 weeks of initial healing | A few days | About 2–3 weeks of initial recovery |
Ready to See if XERF is a Good Fit?
XERF can help you address loose facial skin without using needles, numbing, or an interruption to your daily routine. But like any facial rejuvenation treatment, whether it’s the right choice depends on your skin, its laxity, and the results you’re hoping to see.
During a consultation at Neaman Plastic Surgery and Medi Soa, we’ll evaluate your skin and discuss whether XERF or another treatment is right for you. If you decide XERF is the right fit, you’ll work with your provider to choose a treatment plan that helps meet your unique goals.
Schedule a consultation with our board-certified plastic surgeons to learn whether a non-surgical facial rejuvenation plan is right for you.
Is there downtime after XERF?
Because the treatment isn’t invasive, there’s virtually no XERF downtime. Most people can jump right back into their normal routine after treatment, but you’ll want to double-check with your provider about what you can expect.
What should I expect after XERF?
XERF requires little to no downtime, so most patients can return to their normal routine immediately. You may experience mild redness, warmth, tightness, or swelling for the first few hours to a few days. Some patients also notice an immediate feeling of tighter skin, while results continue to develop as collagen rebuilds over the following weeks and months.
Can I wear makeup after XERF?
Yes, most patients can wear makeup the same day they have XERF treatment, once their skin feels calm and comfortable. However, you may want to wait a day or two if you experience lingering warmth, redness, or sensitivity.
Can I exercise after XERF?
You could go for an easy walk, but it’s best to avoid strenuous exercise for a couple days after XERF. Overheating your body can cause redness and warmth to linger.
What skincare should I use after XERF?
For XERF aftercare, keep your routine simple while your skin settles. Use a gentle cleanser, moisturizer, and broad-spectrum sunscreen, and keep the treated area well hydrated. After a few days, you can resume using products that are potentially irritating, like retinoids or exfoliating acids.
How soon will I see results after XERF?
You may see some tightening after XERF treatment, but it can take weeks or even months to see your full results. The procedure encourages collagen remodeling, so it takes a while for collagen production to change the look of your skin.
How many XERF treatments do I need?
There’s no hard and fast rule about the right number of treatments you’ll need. It depends on how much loose skin you have, the degree of skin laxity, treatment area, and how your skin responds once you start treatment. During your consultation, your provider will talk to you about your goals and explain whether a single session or series of treatments would be best.
Is XERF recovery easier than CO2 laser recovery?
Yes. XERF generally has a much easier recovery than CO2 laser resurfacing because it does not remove or damage the outer layers of skin. XERF is designed to require no downtime, while CO2 laser can cause redness, swelling, peeling, and crusting as the skin heals.
Is XERF recovery easier than RF microneedling recovery?
Generally, yes. RF microneedling creates controlled micro-injuries with needles, so patients may experience redness and swelling for several days. XERF delivers RF energy without needles or breaking the skin, allowing most patients to resume normal activities immediately.
Who is a good candidate for XERF?
XERF may be a good option for patients who want to address mild to moderate skin laxity, sagging, fine lines, or loss of firmness without needles or significant downtime.
