XERF vs Thermage

In short

Thermage is the best known monopolar RF device. It delivers one radiofrequency at one fixed depth.
XERF delivers two frequencies at once, 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz, across shallow, middle and deep layers in the same pass.
Neither uses needles and both are normally one treatment. Neither needs time off work.
XERF shows some lift the same day. Thermage results generally appear over two to six months.

Close relatives, not the same device

Thermage and XERF belong to the same family. Both use monopolar radiofrequency: energy delivered through the skin surface, with no needles, to heat the tissue underneath in a controlled way. That heat makes collagen contract and then prompts the skin to build new collagen over the following months. That shared mechanism is why people compare them.

The difference is in how the energy is delivered. Thermage works at a single frequency and one fixed depth. XERF delivers two frequencies in the same shot, 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz, and has shallow, middle and deep modes, so one pass reaches more than one layer of tissue.

Facial laxity rarely sits in one layer. Skin, the fibrous network under it and the deeper support tissue all soften with age, which is why depth range matters more than it sounds.

How XERF compares.

If you have already had skin tightening in London, this is the part worth reading. The technologies are not interchangeable and they do not behave the same way.

Aspect	XERF	Ultherapy (HIFU)	Thermage	RF microneedling
Frequencies at once	26.78 MHz + 2 MHz, monopolar RF	—Focused ultrasound, not RF	1Monopolar RF	1RF through fine needles
Depths per pass	3Shallow, middle and deep together	1Set depths, treated one at a time	1One fixed depth	1Whatever the needles are set to
Pain level	1–2 / 10Warm, like a hot stone massage	HigherCommonly described as sharp at depth	ModerateBrief heat spike with each pulse	ModerateTolerable once numbed
Numbing needed	NoCooling is built into the tip	SometimesPain relief is sometimes used	Not usuallyHeat is felt in pulses	YesTopical numbing is required
Needles	None	None	None	Yes
Sessions	1For most patients	1	1	3+Normally a course
When results show	Same dayThen building over the months after	2–3 months	2–6 months	Several weeksAfter completing the course
Downtime	NoneBack to work the same day	NonePossible tenderness	NonePossible redness	2–3 daysRedness and swelling
Mainly works on	Structural firmness and lift across several layers.	Lift at specific deep points.	Surface tightening and skin quality.	Texture, scarring and pores.

Comparison describes each technology in general terms and reflects typical protocols rather than any one clinic's. Not every treatment listed is offered at Dermamina. Suitability is confirmed at consultation.

How each one feels

Thermage is usually described as a brief spike of heat with each pulse. It is tolerable, and numbing is not usually needed, but you feel it.

XERF uses a pulse pattern called Wave Fit, which spreads the energy across variable pulses with cooling in between, so the temperature rises steadily rather than spiking. Cooling points sit across the tip itself. Most patients put it at one to two out of ten and describe it as warm, like a hot stone massage. No numbing is needed.

When you see a difference

Both treatments rely on new collagen, which takes months to build. The difference is at the start. Thermage results generally appear over two to six months. With XERF, tissue contracts as it is heated, so some lift is visible the same day, and firming continues to build over the months that follow. Results typically last around a year, after which most patients plan a maintenance treatment.

Cost and number of visits

Both are normally a single treatment, so the comparison is more direct than it is with treatments sold as courses. At Dermamina, XERF full face is £2,000 and face and neck together is £2,250. The full price list, including body areas and add-ons, is on the XERF cost page.

Which one suits you

Thermage may suit you if

You are mainly after surface tightening and skin quality.
You are comfortable with a brief heat spike on each pulse.
You are happy to wait a few months to see the change.

XERF may suit you better if

Your concern is firmness at more than one depth: the jawline, the lower face or the neck.
You would like to see some change before you leave.
You want a treatment most people describe as warm rather than sharp.
You want one appointment and no time off work.

Thermage is not offered at Dermamina, so this page is not a sales pitch for both. If XERF is not the right fit for what you want to change, your clinician will tell you at consultation. If you are also weighing ultrasound, read XERF against Ultherapy.

Questions, answered.

No. Both are monopolar radiofrequency treatments with no needles, but Thermage works at one frequency and one fixed depth, while XERF delivers two frequencies at once, 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz, across shallow, middle and deep layers.

Most patients put XERF at one to two out of ten and describe it as warm. Thermage is commonly described as a brief heat spike with each pulse. Neither usually needs numbing.

XERF normally shows some lift on the day, with more building over the following months. Thermage results generally appear over two to six months.

Both are normally a single treatment. Your clinician confirms the plan for XERF at consultation.

No. We offer XERF. The consultation is £100 and fully redeemable against your treatment if you go ahead.