"Isn't ONDA ultimately an ultrasound treatment like Ultherapy?"
"Once I get it, the line takes shape right away, right?"
These are the things people looking into body-contour and firming treatments often ask.
Greetings from DA Clinic Myeongdong.I'm Director Kwon Si-jin ^^
We're getting ready to open our doors in Myeongdong soon, and since so many people have been weighing up ONDA ahead of our opening, we wanted to put together this overview for your information first.
As the season for lighter clothing approaches, we completely understand that feeling.
But surprisingly, many people come in not knowing that ONDA is neither ultrasound nor RF.It's a treatment whose very type of energy differs from ultrasound like Ultherapy or RF like Thermage. So let us walk you through the principle first — what on earth ONDA uses and how it works.
ONDA Is Neither Ultrasound Nor RF
ONDA isn't ultrasound (HIFU) or RF; it's a treatment that uses microwaves (2.45GHz).It's the method commonly called Coolwaves.
Let me clear up the part that confuses people the most first.
Its very type of energy differs from ultrasound like Ultherapy and RF like Thermage.
So if you come in knowing it as "ONDA = ultrasound," there'll be parts that diverge from the actual principle.
Let Me Walk You Through How It Works
ONDA is a treatment that selectively heats the subcutaneous fat layer with microwaves.
When the microwaves reach the deep fat layer inside the skin and generate heat, that heat acts on the fat cells and at the same time gives firming stimulation to the surrounding tissue.
It tends to be designed to disturb the epidermis and the dermal surface as little as possible, focusing on delivering heat to the deep layer.
That's why many people look into it thinking of localized body-contour and firming care for areas like the abdomen or thighs.
There's a Reason It Doesn't End in One Session
ONDA is closer to a treatment that builds up slowly over several sessions than one finished all at once.
Changes in the fat layer and firming stimulation aren't something sorted out in one go with a single application of heat; it's a flow that accumulates in stages over successive sessions.
So it's usually done over several sessions at set intervals, and the number of sessions needed varies by area and condition.
Rather than expecting "the line completed in one go," it'll be easier on your mind to see it as a process where you build up sessions and hope for change. (the degree and speed of response vary by individual)
What About Downtime, and Does It Hurt a Lot?
Since it's a non-invasive method with relatively easy return to daily life, many people are curious.
ONDA isn't a method that cuts the skin or pricks it with a needle; it's a treatment that delivers heat, so it's known to have little downtime.
During the treatment you feel a warm sensation, as if being heated, and the intensity is adjusted according to the area and settings.
That said, let me mention in advance that 'non-invasive' doesn't mean the stimulation is zero, and after the treatment you may temporarily have redness or a lingering warm feeling. How much you feel it varies by individual.
Set beside the other lifting families
To see where Onda sits, the quickest way is to line the families up.
- Ultrasound (HIFU)deep layers, point by point. Lifting what has descended
- Radiofrequency (RF)warming the dermis as a plane. Firmness and skin texture
- Microwavereaching the fat layer. Tidying the contour. This is where Onda sits
So Onda is hard to place as "instead of Ultherapy" or "instead of Thermage." What it targets is different.If sagging is the main concern, the ultrasound side; if firmness is, the radiofrequency side; if a buried contour is, Onda.
That's why all three families are at our Myeongdong clinic: Ultherapy PRIME, Shurink Universe and Sofwave on the ultrasound side; Thermage FLX, InMode, XERF and Volnewmer on the radiofrequency side; and Onda.
It isn't about showing off a device count. You can only say "Onda isn't the answer right now" if there are alternatives.
These People Should Take an Extra Moment to Check
ONDA isn't a treatment casually recommended to everyone.
If you're pregnant, it's safer to postpone the treatment and check your condition first.
Also, if you have a metal implant in the treatment area or a related deep-seated condition, it's best to decide carefully whether to proceed.
In these cases, it's best to check your condition first before getting it and decide together whether to proceed.
Better to hear the session plan at the start
Onda isn't described as a one-and-done treatment. It's closer to something built across several sessions.
So hearing these three before you start gives you a plan.
- How many sessions count as one course
- What interval sits between them
- At what point there's a mid-course review
And because the change is gradual, memory alone won't hold it. Keeping a record before you start and after the course, under the same lighting at the same angle, makes comparison far easier.
When more sessions are suggested, listen for whether the reason is a broad area to cover or a weak response.If it's the latter, it may be the approach rather than the session count that needs revisiting.
- It is a device that uses microwave
- It reaches down to the fat layer
- It is a process of stacking sessions
FAQ
Q. Is ONDA a weight-loss treatment?
A. ONDA is less a diet treatment that reduces body weight and closer to a treatment people look into thinking of localized body-contour lines or firming care.Because it's a method that delivers heat to the subcutaneous fat layer with microwaves and gives firming stimulation, the aim is often to manage areas you're conscious of, like the abdomen or thighs, in a localized way.That said, it isn't a treatment that replaces overall weight loss, and it's good to keep in mind that the degree and speed of change vary by individual.
Q. Is one session enough?
A. It varies by area and condition, but with ONDA it's common to build up change over several divided sessions rather than one. That's because changes in the fat layer and firming stimulation accumulate in stages over successive sessions rather than being sorted out in one go with a single application of heat.So rather than nailing down the number of sessions at the start, it's more reasonable to adjust the interval and number of sessions together as you watch how things progress.
Q. Can I get it together with ultrasound lifting?
A. ONDA uses microwaves and ultrasound lifting uses ultrasound, so as treatments whose very type of energy differs, their purpose and target areas can differ from each other.That said, whether it's appropriate to do the two treatments together or in sequence depends on the condition of your skin and fat layer and the area. So it's better to decide which combination suits you after checking your condition first, and please also remember that the results vary by individual.
Q. Is it for the face, or only the body?
A. Both are mentioned.The approach differs by area though — the face leans towards tidying the contour, the body towards handling broad surfaces.
Q. Is it a weight-loss treatment?
A. It's hard to see it as one. It's closer to tidying the outline of an area, and its purpose differs from weight management.
Q. Can I have it with other treatments?
A. They target different layers, so they're sometimes planned together. Order and interval matter, so it's safer to settle that in consultation.
Q. Is anaesthesia needed?
A. It's generally described as being done without separate anaesthesia. Warmth is what's mainly felt, and if it's hard to bear, saying so lets the intensity be adjusted.
Q. Can I go about my day straight afterwards?
A. Generally yes.It's safer to postpone anything that adds a lot of heat for a few days, and drinking enough water helps recovery.
Neither ultrasound nor RF
The heart of what I've said today is right here.
ONDA is a microwave treatment that's neither ultrasound nor RF, and it's a process of building up sessions rather than ending in one go.
This is the answer to the question thrown in the first line.
If localized body contour and firming have been on your mind ahead of the season for lighter clothing, it's good to look into it once you understand the principle accurately. Just please remember that the number of sessions and the results vary by individual.
DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon.We'll share news of our opening and treatment information first on our blog and Instagram ^^
Thanks for reading all the way through.Director Kwon Si-jin, DA Clinic Myeongdong.
This column is an informational article meant to provide general medical information, and the effects and side effects of treatments may vary by individual. DA Clinic Myeongdong is set to open soon. (Medical Service Act Art. 56)