XERF lifting in Daegu — everything to know before treatment, in one place
Miso Clinic’s writing on XERF is spread across the product reference, the evidence, tips, shot counts, side effects and comparisons. This column is the first page to read if you are looking into XERF in Daegu: each question gets a short answer and a link to the detailed page.
The short answer
XERF is a monopolar radiofrequency (RF) lifting device made by Lutronic that uses two frequencies, 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz, and four handpieces of different sizes chosen by area. Miso Clinic considers XERF first for early-to-moderate sagging and loss of firmness when avoiding anaesthesia and returning to normal the same day matter most. There are three human XERF studies (20, 39 and 16 people), none with a control group, and the indication of XERF’s US 510(k) (K251327) is electrocoagulation and haemostasis, not lifting. Pain without anaesthesia averaged in the 4s out of 10 in XERF studies, and XERF results are judged two to three months after treatment.
What kind of lifting device is XERF? At a glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| XERF manufacturer | Lutronic (Cynosure Lutronic), South Korea |
| XERF delivery | Monopolar RF, 6.78 MHz + 2 MHz |
| XERF handpieces | i05 (5×10 mm) · i10 (10×10 mm) · E40 (20×20 mm) · E60 (20×30 mm) |
| XERF approval in Korea | Medical device approved by Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS, the national regulator of medicines and medical devices), class general-purpose electrosurgical unit — approval number not verified in the original record |
| XERF in the United States | 510(k) K251327 (2025-08-11) — indication electrocoagulation · haemostasis, no clinical data submitted |
| XERF human data | Three studies, 75 people (20 · 39 · 16), none with a control group |
| Anaesthesia for XERF | Usually not needed; topical anaesthesia depending on the person |
| What XERF does not treat | Lost volume, severe sagging, pigmentation, reduction of fat itself |
The “General-purpose electrosurgical unit combination-2024-16-054” on XERF promotional material is an advertising pre-review number, not an approval number. “FDA approved” is not accurate for XERF either — 510(k) clearance is not approval, and US federal regulation 21 CFR 807.97 treats presenting it as approval as misbranding.
What do XERF’s two frequencies and four handpieces change?
In computer simulation and porcine tissue, XERF’s 2 MHz heated the fat layer broadly and deeply, while 6.78 MHz heated locally along the fibrous septa. Most of the authors work for the manufacturer and it was not a human study, so whether this difference produces different results on a human face has not been confirmed.
Physics and measurements from other fields suggest that, under the same conditions, a smaller XERF tip has higher current density and heats a narrow spot more strongly, and that depth increases with electrode size. We could not find any study that measured heating depth by tip area in human skin, however. So the practical criterion is “does this XERF tip sit evenly on this area?” (the four XERF EFFECTOR tips).
How far have XERF results been confirmed?
| Study | Design | Reported results | Limits |
|---|---|---|---|
| XERF — Hwang 2025 (Korea) | 20 women · one session · 12 weeks | Blinded raters identified the post-treatment photo 80%; VAS 4–5 without anaesthesia | No control group · not indexed in PubMed |
| XERF — Weiss 2026 (USA) | 39 people (2 men) · two sessions · 90 days | GAIS 3 or above by treating physician 92.3%; pain 4.2/10 | Unblinded · manufacturer support |
| XERF — Erlich 2026 (Israel) | Retrospective, 16 women · one session · 3 months | Pain 4.31; 12% scored 7 or more | Retrospective · no superiority conclusion possible (authors) |
What can be said about XERF today is that “data have begun to accumulate”, not that it is “clinically proven”. Miso Clinic uses XERF because the principle of monopolar RF is well established and a handpiece set that can be divided by area is useful in practice.
XERF pain, shot count, recovery, duration and the fat question
- XERF pain — XERF is usually done without anaesthesia, but mean pain without anaesthesia was in the 4s out of 10, and 2 of 16 people scored 7 or more. The forehead, jawline and temples are more sensitive.
- XERF shot count — even between XERF studies the dose differed: 568.8 shots (one large tip · two sessions) versus 600 shots (three tips · one session). Shot counts alone do not allow comparison (how many XERF shots are right).
- XERF recovery — physician-rated improvement rose from 84.6% at 30 days to 92.3% at 90 days. Results are judged at two to three months (the first three months after Density or XERF).
- How long XERF lasts — the longest XERF follow-up is 90 days (how long Density and XERF last).
- XERF and fat — the preclinical finding that XERF’s 2 MHz heats the fat layer must not be turned into “XERF removes fat” (do Density and XERF reduce cheek or double-chin fat?).
XERF in Daegu summary — what is established and what is not
What is established about XERF
- XERF is monopolar RF at 6.78 + 2 MHz with four handpieces
- Three human XERF studies, 75 people, no serious adverse events reported, none with a control group
- The indication of XERF’s US 510(k) is electrocoagulation and haemostasis, with no clinical data submitted
What we could not find for XERF
- A controlled XERF study, or a direct comparison with another device
- XERF duration beyond 90 days
- Whether XERF’s two frequencies or tip sizes change results in people
XERF in Daegu: frequently asked questions
What kind of lifting is XERF?
XERF is a monopolar radiofrequency lifting device made by Lutronic that uses two frequencies, 6.78 MHz and 2 MHz, and four handpieces of different sizes chosen by area. XERF aims at sagging, firmness and skin texture; it does not add volume.
Is XERF FDA approved?
XERF is not FDA approved; it received 510(k) clearance (K251327, 2025-08-11). The indication is electrocoagulation and haemostasis, and no clinical trials were submitted, so the XERF clearance does not guarantee a lifting effect.
Is XERF painless without anaesthesia?
XERF is usually done without anaesthesia, but in XERF studies pain without anaesthesia averaged in the 4s out of 10 and some people scored 7 or more. If you are sensitive to pain, topical anaesthesia is used with XERF.
Have XERF results been proven?
There are three human XERF studies (20, 39 and 16 people), but none has a control group, and in the 39-person study the treating physicians rated results without blinding and the manufacturer provided support. XERF evidence is at the stage where data have begun to accumulate.
How many XERF shots do I need?
Each XERF handpiece has a different area and maximum shot count, so the XERF dose is set by area and region. No human study has randomly compared XERF shot counts.
How long do XERF results last?
The longest XERF follow-up in human data is 90 days. There are no data on how long XERF lasts beyond that, so we do not promise a number of months and decide the next session from the state of the face.
Does XERF remove cheek fat or a double chin?
We could not find human data showing that XERF facial treatment reduces fat. That XERF’s 2 MHz heats the fat layer comes from computer simulation and porcine tissue, and fat atrophy caused by excess heat is in fact a side effect.
How is XERF different from Thermage?
XERF and Thermage both belong to the 6.78 MHz monopolar RF family; XERF adds 2 MHz and four handpieces. The body of evidence for Thermage is far larger, and no direct comparison study exists. Miso Clinic does not have Thermage.
Where is Miso Clinic in Daegu, where XERF is available?
Miso Clinic in Daegu, which offers XERF, is at 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, at Exit 1 of Kyungpook National University Hospital Station. Phone +82-53-428-2700; open weekdays 11:00–19:00 and Saturdays 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break), closed Sundays and public holidays.
Read next
- XERF product reference — two frequencies and four handpieces
- Density lifting in Daegu — everything to know before treatment, in one place
- How far the evidence for XERF has come
- XERF versus Thermage: the difference
- Can XERF and Rejuran be combined?
- Ulthera and Thermage vs Density and XERF: what is different
Product pages
The device itself is covered in the XERF product reference. Other devices at the same clinic: Density · Oligio Kiss
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Lee Chi-Hak, MD, medical director of Miso Clinic in Daegu, South Korea. Every study cited above is given together with its design, its size and the limitations the authors themselves recorded, and where we could not find data, we have said that we could not find any.
| Medical director | Lee Chi-Hak, MD |
|---|---|
| Address | 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea · Exit 1, Kyungpook National University Hospital Station |
| Phone | +82-53-428-2700 |
| Hours | Weekdays 11:00–19:00 (lunch 13:00–14:00) / Saturday 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break) / Closed Sundays and public holidays |
| Columns | All clinical columns |
| Reference library | All booster and device references |
References
- Three XERF human studies — Hwang JK, Medical Lasers 2025;14(1):23–30 (20 subjects · one session · 12 weeks) · Weiss RA et al., Cureus 2026;18(3):e104546, PMID 41930066 (39 subjects · two sessions · 90 days, manufacturer support) · Erlich G et al., Lasers Med Sci 2026;41(1), PMID 42611100 (retrospective, 16 subjects · one session · 3 months). None of the three has a control group.
- XERF specifications — Lutronic published material: monopolar, 6.78 MHz + 2 MHz, handpieces i05 (5×10 mm · 400 shots) · i10 (10×10 mm · 300 shots) · E40 (20×20 mm · 600 shots) · E60 (20×30 mm · 600 shots). Korean approval class general-purpose electrosurgical unit; advertising pre-review mark “General-purpose electrosurgical unit combination-2024-16-054”.
- XERF US 510(k) — FDA K251327 (2025-08-11). The indication is electrocoagulation and haemostasis, and no clinical tests were submitted. In Korea the device is approved in the general-purpose electrosurgical unit class.
- XERF heating by frequency — Ko K et al., Lasers Med Sci 2025, PMID 41315066. Computer simulation · porcine tissue. 2 MHz heated the fat layer broadly and deeply; 6.78 MHz heated locally along the fibrous septa. Most authors work for the manufacturer, and it is not a human study.
- Thermage — Solta Medical, 6.78 MHz monopolar, device registered with the US FDA. There are many publications, but most are uncontrolled observational studies or physician surveys, and a 2020 international Delphi consensus noted that device-specific guidance is lacking. No study has compared it directly with Density or XERF. Miso Clinic does not have Thermage or Ulthera.
- Timeline of RF results — Cosmetics 2024;11(3):71 (20 Korean women: clinical assessment not significant at 4 weeks · significant at 12 and 24 weeks; device-measured elasticity from 4 weeks) · Weiss 2026 (84.6% at 30 days → 92.3% at 90 days) · Fitzpatrick 2003 and Edwards AF et al., Dermatol Surg 2013;39:104–110 (peak at 4–6 months). None has a control group.
- Medical advertising law — Korea’s Medical Service Act, Article 56(2). It prohibits advertising through treatment testimonials, comparison with other medical institutions, superlative claims and similar.
Everything in this column is general information and does not replace medical diagnosis or treatment. Effects and side effects vary with individual skin condition, age and underlying illness, and the same result is not guaranteed for everyone. Any decision to proceed should be made in an in-person consultation with a physician.