"Microwaves hollow your cheeks": onda coolwaves korea by the numbers
Onda Coolwaves is DEKA's microwave device that heats the dermis and fat layer while cooling the skin. In onda coolwaves korea treatment it tightens a soft jawline; thin cheeks need the deep handpiece kept away.
What Onda Coolwaves heats, and why the skin stays cool
If you searched onda coolwaves korea, you're looking at a microwave device from DEKA in Italy that heats the dermis and the fat layer under it while chilling the skin surface, used to tighten a soft jawline and reduce small fat pockets without needles or incisions. The worry most travelers raise next is the calendar: one session gives a tighter feel right away, but the course that holds is about three sessions four to six weeks apart, so you may fly home between visits. At WELLS in Apgujeong, a board-certified dermatologist does both the consultation and the treatment, and the session runs on the clinic's own Detology cream.
The twist in the definition is that Onda is a heat tool, and heat can't tell which fat you want to keep. For a full lower face that's useful. For a narrow face, the result depends on where the 7 mm handpiece goes, and that is what the rest of this page is about.
If you're planning a trip, send two things on WhatsApp: a daylight photo of your face from the front and the side, and the dates you'll be in Seoul. You'll get a reply in English with a suggested plan and an appointment time before you travel, so you can see how the visit fits your dates before you book flights.
Send a clear photo and your travel dates, and we will tell you what fits the time you have in Seoul.
Send your dates and a jawline photo on WhatsAppCoolwaves is DEKA's name for the microwave energy Onda delivers. It passes the surface with little loss, heats the dermis and the fat beneath it, and the handpiece cools the epidermis at the same moment. Heat in the dermis tightens collagen and starts remodeling over the following weeks; heat in the fat layer stresses fat cells.
That second effect is why the same device shows up in body contouring, and it shapes how you should read the research. Most published work on Onda, including the 2024 recommendations of an international advisory board in Bioengineering and a 2024 evidence review in the Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, deals with localized fat, cellulite and skin laxity on the body. Facial use rests on a thinner evidence base, which is a fair reason to plan facial depth and energy cautiously.
The cream on the skin is part of the method. Jojoba oil is a common glide medium for Onda. WELLS uses Detology cream, made with collagen peptide and CeraXosome, to raise conductivity so the microwave energy travels deeper and to protect the skin barrier while it heats.
The four numbers on an Onda plan
Four numbers decide most of an Onda plan: two handpiece depths, the total energy, and the session count.
| Number | What it is | Why it matters for your face |
|---|---|---|
| 3 mm | Handpiece working in the dermis | Rebuilds collagen and firmness; the main tool on thin areas |
| 7 mm | Handpiece reaching the fat layer | Targets jawline and under-chin fat; kept off cheeks that need their volume |
| 60 / 80 / 100 kJ | Total microwave energy in one session | More energy covers a larger area or more passes |
| About 3 sessions, 4–6 weeks apart | The course WELLS doctors recommend | Builds a base that lasts about six months, up to a year |
The kJ figure is the number people fixate on, and it's the least personal one. It tells you the total dose, not where it lands. Two people booked at the same level can leave with very different maps of their face: one with deep passes under the jaw and chin, the other with mostly 3 mm passes and almost none of the deep handpiece.
The session count carries most of the result. The first session starts collagen work and fat-cell shrinkage, the second tends to show the contour change, and the third consolidates it. How much energy reaches the target layer, and whether aftercare happens, shape the rest.
Will onda coolwaves korea treatment hollow thin cheeks?
Usually not, when the deep handpiece stays where there is excess fat. Hollowing comes from heat reaching fat that was giving the face its shape. The 7 mm handpiece is kept to the jawline and chin, and on thin cheeks the dermatologist limits it.
The harder case is someone who has already lost cheek volume, for example after a big weight change or several earlier energy treatments. More heat in the fat layer points the wrong way for that face, and the dermatologist may suggest a different plan, such as working mainly in the dermis or dealing with volume separately. If volume is your real question, read about why some faces end up looking overfilled before assuming filler is the answer.
WELLS runs a 3D skin analysis before lifting treatments. That gives the conversation something firmer than a mirror: where the lower face carries weight, where the midface is already flat, and how the two sides differ.
If hollowing is your main worry, the most useful first message on WhatsApp is a front photo and a 45-degree photo in daylight, plus one line listing any lifting treatments you've had in the past year. You'll get a reply in English with a suggested plan and an appointment time for your dates.
Send a clear photo and your travel dates, and we will tell you what fits the time you have in Seoul.
Send your dates and a jawline photo on WhatsAppHow is Onda different from Ultherapy?
Ultherapy sends focused ultrasound to the SMAS, the fibrous layer beneath the fat; Onda sends microwaves to the dermis and the fat layer. Different depth, different tissue, different trade-offs.
On comfort, ultrasound lifting usually needs numbing and sometimes more, while Onda cools the surface as it works and most people finish without numbing cream. Swelling is possible after ultrasound; after Onda it is usually slight. Strong ultrasound energy can also reach fat, so a thin face needs care with either device. A loose jawline with some fat often points toward Onda, deeper laxity can point toward ultrasound, and some faces use both over time. For how ultrasound lifting is assessed and booked, see what to check at an Ultherapy clinic in Korea.
Risks, side effects and who should skip it
Common, short-lived reactions are redness, warmth and mild swelling, and the redness usually settles within a few hours. Less common are burns, blisters and firm lumps under the skin. That is why the energy level and the handpiece map are set by a dermatologist, who adjusts the energy to how your skin responds during the session.
Energy-based treatment is generally postponed or avoided in pregnancy, with an implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker, over metal implants in the treated area, and over skin that is infected or inflamed. Faces that have already lost the volume they need belong on this list too. Tell the dermatologist about earlier fillers, threads or energy treatments in the area; tolerance and results differ from person to person, and suitability is confirmed at the in-person consultation.
The U.S. CDC's medical tourism guidance suggests keeping copies of your treatment records and planning follow-up care at home before you travel. For Onda that means keeping a note of the handpieces and energy used, so a dermatologist at home can read it if a blister or lump appears after you fly back.
How many Onda sessions fit a trip to Seoul?
One session fits almost any trip; a full course of about three sessions needs either a stay of two to three months or return visits four to six weeks apart. People who live in Asia or visit Seoul regularly often find the second option the easier one to schedule.
Planning onda coolwaves korea sessions around travel is mostly about the gap between them, since the day itself asks little of you. The skin surface is cooled and swelling is usually slight, so most people go straight back to their day. WELLS is a five-minute walk from Apgujeong Station (Line 3) Exit 3, open Monday to Friday 10:00–20:00 and Saturday 10:00–17:00, closed Sundays and Korean public holidays. A Saturday slot often suits a short trip.
Onda tightens and trims; it doesn't change pigment, texture or scars. If those are on your list for the same trip, read about planning pico laser for pigment in Seoul, fitting acne scar treatment into a Korea trip, or Juvelook for depressed acne scars, and mention every concern in your first message so the visit can be planned as one.
Before you book anything, send your travel dates on WhatsApp, add one daylight photo of your jawline, and say whether you could come back within four to six weeks. You'll get a reply in English with a suggested plan and an appointment time, so you can see whether a single session or a full course fits your calendar.
Plan your visit before you fly
Send a daylight photo, your travel dates and what you have tried before. A dermatologist will suggest where to start and what fits your stay.
Send your dates and a jawline photo on WhatsAppReplies on WhatsApp · prices in KRW, excluding 10% VATBefore you message us
Does Onda hurt, and do I need anesthesia?
Onda cools the skin surface while it heats the layers underneath, so most people complete the session without numbing cream. Pain tolerance differs, and the dermatologist adjusts the energy to you during the session.
Is onda coolwaves seoul treatment done by a doctor?
At WELLS in Apgujeong, a board-certified dermatologist does the consultation and the treatment. The same doctor decides where the 3 mm and 7 mm handpieces go and which energy level suits your jawline, chin and neck.
What is Onda MAX?
Onda MAX is the name WELLS uses for its Onda session: the DEKA Onda microwave device used with the clinic's own Detology cream, which contains collagen peptide and CeraXosome. The device and the depth plan are the same as described on this page.
Can Onda be used on the body as well as the face?
Yes. At WELLS, Onda is also part of a body slimming program for the lower abdomen or upper arms, combined with a deoxycholic acid injection that targets fat while Onda tightens the skin over it. Weight, body composition and the area are checked first.
Can I do the consultation in English?
Yes. Consultations at WELLS are available in English, and WhatsApp replies are in English, so you can plan the visit without a translator.
Results and recovery vary by individual. Every treatment carries possible side effects, which are explained at the consultation. Prices are in Korean won, excluding 10% VAT, and confirmed at your consultation. This article is general information from the clinic, not a diagnosis.
Dr. Won Woo Choi
- Board-certified dermatologist in Korea; trained at Seoul National University Hospital
- Dermatology residency, Seoul National University Hospital; board certification in dermatology in Korea
- Ph.D. in Dermatology, Seoul National University
- Former clinical instructor, Seoul National University Hospital
- Adjunct professor, Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Hospital
