XERF and Eye XERF: a different machine? — One device, a different tip
Because “Eye XERF” has a name of its own, many people take it for a device separate from XERF. In fact it is the name for fitting a small eye effector to the same XERF device. This article sets out what that small tip changes and what it does not, and how far the data on the eye area go.
The short answer
Eye XERF is not a separate device; it is the name for a treatment around the eyes using XERF fitted with the i05 eye effector (5 × 10 mm · rated 400 shots). The radiofrequency device, frequency and approval are the same; what changes is the area in contact at one time. The eye area is narrow, curved and thin, so a large tip does not sit evenly on it, which is why a small tip is used. We could not identify a XERF human study that looked at the eye area separately. Miso Clinic (4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, South Korea; +82-53-428-2700) has all four effectors and uses the i05 around the eyes; rather than treating the eyes in isolation, we often design them in continuity with the face (clinical judgement).
Is Eye XERF really not a different machine?
Yes, it is the same machine. There is one XERF unit, and the single-use effector fitted to its end is changed to suit the area. “Eye XERF” is the name for XERF used with the small eye effector among them.
| Item | XERF (face) | Eye XERF (eye area) |
|---|---|---|
| Device unit | XERF | The same XERF |
| Radiofrequency type | Monopolar, 6.78 MHz + 2 MHz | Same |
| Korean device class | General-purpose electrosurgical unit | Same |
| Effector | Mainly E40 · E60 (broad areas), i10 (narrow areas) | i05 (5 × 10 mm) |
| Area in contact at one time | 400–600 mm² | 50 mm² |
The confusion arises because treatment menus and notices are written per effector. “Eye XERF, so many shots” describes which effector is used, not the name of a device. The earlier column Is Eye XERF a different machine? covered the same subject from a different angle.
How do the four XERF effectors differ?
| Effector | Tip size | Area | Rated shots | Main use (clinical judgement) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| i05 | 5 × 10 mm | 50 mm² | 400 shots | Narrow, thin areas such as around the eyes |
| i10 | 10 × 10 mm | 100 mm² | 300 shots | Narrow areas of the face |
| E40 | 20 × 20 mm | 400 mm² | 600 shots | Broad areas of the face |
| E60 | 20 × 30 mm | 600 mm² | 600 shots | Broad areas of the face |
The shot count is the rated count sealed into the tip, not a recommendation to fire that many. Tips are single-use. Note that the electrode pattern dimensions in the US FDA 510(k) summary (05 Tip 9 × 4.5 mm and so on) are given differently from the manufacturer’s published specification, and we could not confirm which describes the true conducting area. Areas in this article follow the manufacturer’s published specification. Tip choice in general is in XERF handpieces: how to choose.
Why is a small tip used around the eyes?
Not because a small tip is a “better tip”, but because it makes contact around the eyes. Three things overlap.
- It is narrow. Place a 20 × 30 mm tip by the eye and the greater part of it sits outside the eye area.
- It is curved. On a curved surface a large flat tip touches on one side and lifts on the other. In radiofrequency, a spot where the tip lifts is a spot where no heat goes in.
- It is thin. Skin around the eyes is thin, so even small differences show up as shadow and translucency.
So Eye XERF is closer to “switching to a tip that makes contact around the eyes” than to “doing XERF on the eyes as well”. There is no human study comparing the effect of XERF tips by size, so we tell you there are no confirmed data on differences in effect by tip size.
Does a lower shot count around the eyes mean less treatment?
The number looks small because the area is small. Calculating tip area × rated shots from the manufacturer’s specification gives 50 mm² × 400 = 20,000 mm² for the i05 and 600 mm² × 600 = 360,000 mm² for the E60, an 18-fold difference. This nominal area was calculated by Miso Clinic, and since shots are overlapped in practice, the area actually covered is smaller.
So setting “Eye XERF, so many shots” beside the shot count of facial XERF and judging more or fewer has no meaning. One XERF study described a mixed-tip set-up of E60 300 + E10 200 + E5 100 shots (Erlich 2026, as written in the paper); a number gains meaning when it is written together with “which tip, how many shots” like this. More detail is in How many XERF shots are right.
How far do the data on XERF around the eyes go?
There are three XERF human studies, none with a control group (Hwang 2025, 20 people · Weiss 2026, 39 people · Erlich 2026, 16 people). The longest follow-up is about 3 months. We could not identify any among them that reported results for the eye area separately.
Pain in Hwang 2025 was VAS 4–5 without anaesthesia. However, this value is for full-face treatment and cannot be carried over as eye-area pain. The precautions to keep in mind are set out separately in XERF side effects and precautions. In short, that Eye XERF is not a separate device is confirmed fact; how much difference it makes around the eyes is something the XERF data cannot yet tell us.
How does Miso Clinic design treatment around the eyes?
Miso Clinic has all four XERF effectors. We use the i05 around the eyes, E40 · E60 on broad areas of the face, and the i10 on narrow areas (clinical judgement).
Rather than treating the eyes alone, we often design the eye area in continuity while treating the face. If the eye area is treated in isolation, a boundary can show between the eyes and the cheeks. This is Miso Clinic’s clinical judgement, not a criterion drawn from a comparative study. If you ask at consultation “which effector, how many shots, the eyes alone or continuous with the face”, the design becomes concrete. Which skin XERF suits continues in the hub article XERF lifting in Daegu: which skin it suits.
Eye XERF: frequently asked questions
Are Eye XERF and XERF different devices?
They are the same device. Using XERF fitted with the i05 eye effector (5 × 10 mm · rated 400 shots) is what is called Eye XERF.
How many shots is Eye XERF?
The rated count sealed into the i05 tip is 400 shots. That is a specification, not a recommendation for how many shots to use around the eyes.
Can a large tip be used around the eyes?
A large tip does not sit evenly on the narrow, curved surface around the eyes. In radiofrequency a spot where the tip lifts is a spot where no heat goes in, so a small tip is used.
Has the effect of Eye XERF been confirmed by research?
The three XERF human studies all lack a control group, and we could not identify a XERF study that reported results for the eye area separately.
Can I have the eye area treated on its own?
It is possible. However, Miso Clinic often designs it in continuity with the face so that no boundary shows (clinical judgement).
Where can I have an Eye XERF consultation in Daegu?
Miso Clinic is at 4F Bombom Building, 125 Dongdeok-ro, Jung-gu, Daegu, in front of Exit 1 of Kyungpook National University Hospital Station. +82-53-428-2700. Weekdays 11:00–19:00, Saturdays 10:00–16:00 (no lunch break); closed Sundays and public holidays.
Read next
Product pages
Related: XERF product information
Who wrote this
Written and reviewed by Lee Chi-Hak, MD, director of Miso Clinic, Daegu. The treatment standards and injection design set out here are the ones we use in practice.
| 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
- XERF specifications — Lutronic published data: 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). In Korea the device is approved in the general-purpose electrosurgical unit class; the mark “2024-16-054” seen on promotional material is a medical advertising pre-screening number, not an approval number.
- Two records of XERF effector dimensions — Lutronic published specifications: i05 5 × 10 mm (400 shots) · i10 10 × 10 mm (300 shots) · E40 20 × 20 mm (600 shots) · E60 20 × 30 mm (600 shots). The electrode pattern dimensions in US FDA 510(k) summary K251327 (05 Tip 9 × 4.5 mm, 60 Tip 27.6 × 17.6 mm and so on) are given differently, and we could not confirm which describes the true conducting area. Areas in this column follow the manufacturer’s published specification, and the nominal area of tip area × shot count was calculated by Miso Clinic.
- 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 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.
- Medical advertising law — Medical Service Act of Korea, Article 56(2), which prohibits testimonial advertising, comparison with other clinics, superlative claims and advertising that guarantees or implies a guaranteed treatment effect.
- Miso Clinic practice guidance — indication criteria, site-by-site design, and the explanation and consent procedure. This is the source for every sentence marked as clinical judgement.
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.
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