Cellulite on the side and the back of the upper thigh is a use Sofwave is FDA-cleared in the US for: the short-term improvement in the appearance of cellulite. It was cleared in 2022 on a study that treated the lateral or posterior upper thigh and the buttocks. The crepey inner thigh is treated in our practice with no clearance naming it, which we say plainly. The applicator heats the dermis about 1.5 mm below the surface with the surface cooled, so the skin contracts and builds collagen over three months. One session, from £799 as an area, at Sofwave Clinic, 8 Devonshire Place, with the price in writing at a free consultation. The study gave a second session two to four weeks later, and the clinician says whether yours needs one.
What it does on the thighs
The dimpling on the outer and back thigh looks smoother for a time, as the clearance word short-term says, and in our experience the crepey skin of the inner thigh tightens as the dermis rebuilds. It does not remove fat or cut deep fibrous bands, and a thick, pinchable layer is a fat question for our sister clinics. Because the heat stays in the dermis, the manufacturer states it does not cause fat loss.
What the study measured
The clearance study treated 68 patients twice, two to four weeks apart, on the side or back of the upper thigh or the buttocks. Three months later, blinded reviewers picked the after photograph in 89% of cases; no study measures the inner thigh.
The session and the result
Numbing cream for 45 to 60 minutes, then about 30 to 45 minutes for both thighs; redness for a few hours and mild swelling up to a day, with work fine the same day. The change shows from six to eight weeks and peaks at three months, when we take the after photograph; how long a short-term improvement holds varies, and the clinician says so.
Price and booking
From £799 for the thighs as an area, combined at a lower rate with the buttocks, in writing at your free consultation. We price match any comparable written quote, and 0% finance is available; the prices page shows how a quote is built. Call Sofwave Clinic on 0207 099 9640 or use the form below, and the full Sofwave guide covers the rest.
