ONDA lifting is known as a treatment with relatively little downtime while also being associated with fat reduction.

 

In real practice, some people come in because sagging is the main issue, while others visit the clinic because the jawline looks blurred due to under-chin fat and heaviness.

 

However, many people still are not exactly sure how it works, and when they look it up, most explanations tend to sound very similar.

 

So in this article, I would like to go over the mechanism and effects a little more clearly, based on published research, while keeping the explanation easy to follow :)

ONDA lifting is a treatment that uses microwave energy (high-frequency electromagnetic energy) and focuses more on refining the fat layer and contour around the jawline.

 

In other words, rather than being a treatment that strongly pulls the skin upward, it is closer to an approach that helps make a heavy-looking jawline and double chin appear lighter and more defined.

 

That is why ONDA may be a better fit for people who do not have severe skin laxity, but still look a little full under the chin, or whose side profile looks soft or blurred even if the double chin is not very pronounced.

 

What kind of changes were seen in the actual paper?

The paper referenced here is a study by Zappia et al., published in Lasers in Medical Science in 2025.

One of the reasons this paper is useful is that it does not only describe the results in text.

It also includes a graph of SMSLG (Submental Skin Laxity Grade) changes in Fig. 1 and actual before-and-after photographs in Fig. 2.

 

That means it allows us to look at changes in the double chin and jawline area both numerically and visually.

 

This study was conducted in 10 women with moderate to severe submental laxity, and treatment was performed twice at 30-day intervals.

 

Each session lasted 10 minutes, and the final evaluation was performed 12 weeks after the last treatment.

 

The device used in the study was described as a noninvasive 2.45 GHz microwave system. The results were fairly straightforward.

 

The average SMSLG decreased from 3.6 before treatment to 2.3 after treatment.

 

The paper described this change as a statistically significant improvement, and it also explained that standardized photographs showed reduced submental laxity and overall tightening.

The paper also presented the case of a middle-aged woman who was dissatisfied with the appearance of the anterior cervicomental triangle.

 

According to the study, after two treatment sessions, the photographs showed reduced skin laxity, improvement in neck wrinkles, and overall tightening.

 

*The paper also noted that this case was treated with 70 W power and 35,000 energy.

So how should we understand ONDA lifting results?

 

Looking at this paper alone, ONDA lifting results are probably better understood not as a strong upward lifting effect, but as a change that reduces heaviness and makes the area look lighter and more defined.

 

In other words, it may be a better fit for people whose side profile looks heavy even if the double chin is not severe, for those with mild looseness under the chin, or for those whose facial contour looks more blurred from the side than from the front.

 

The paper also reported that no significant side effects were observed after treatment, and that photographic evaluation showed improvements in skin tone and tightening.

 

So rather than expecting an overly dramatic lifting effect, it may be more accurate to think of ONDA as something that helps the area look cleaner and more refined.

 

Who may be a better candidate for it?

 

Based on this kind of data, ONDA lifting may be better suited for people whose lower face is not severely sagging overall, but whose jawline looks less defined because of a double chin or under-chin heaviness.

 

On the other hand, if the whole facial contour appears to have descended and deeper-layer lifting is needed, another lifting approach may need to be considered first.

 

In the end, even if two people seem to have the same jawline concern, one person may need fat reduction and contour refinement first, while another may need lifting first.

That is why, in order to properly judge ONDA lifting results, it is best to decide after consulting with an experienced doctor about whether this is truly the right treatment for your face and structure.

 

To sum it up, ONDA lifting is a device that uses microwave energy and may help improve areas where under-chin fat and skin laxity are present together.

 

As shown in the paper by Zappia et al., 2025, which included both a graph and before-and-after photographs, after two treatments performed at 30-day intervals, the average score improved from 3.6 to 2.3 at the 12-week follow-up, and tightening changes were also visible in standardized photographs.

 

However, not every face improves in the same way.

So whether what you really need is ONDA-type contour refinement, or whether deeper-layer lifting should come first, is something that should be assessed structurally through consultation.

 

In the end, no matter how good a treatment is, diagnosis and design still matter a great deal :)

 

This was Dr. Won Dae-han, Medical Director.

 

Thank you for reading.

 

Source: Zappia E, Bonan P, Coli F, et al. An innovative microwave technology for the treatment of submental skin laxity. Lasers in Medical Science. 2025;40(1):28. DOI: 10.1007/s10103-024-04270-1.

 

※ This article is intended for general medical information only. The suitability and method of treatment may vary depending on each individual’s skin condition and facial structure. Accurate diagnosis and treatment planning should be determined through consultation.