Onda Seoul: microwave lifting, price and planning it around a trip
Thinking about Onda lifting in Seoul? What Onda MAX is, what it costs, how many sessions it takes and how it fits around your flights.
Onda Seoul: why visitors ask for microwave lifting
Most people who search for Onda Seoul already know what bothers them: a softening jawline, a little fullness under the chin, and cheeks they do not want to lose. They also have a trip with fixed dates, so they want a lift that does not need a week of hiding in a hotel room.
I am Dr. Hyo Seop Ryu, a board-certified dermatologist (M.D., Ph.D.) and Chief Director at WELLS Clinic in Apgujeong. I trained as a clinical instructor and assistant professor of dermatology at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. This is how I explain Onda lifting to someone flying in for it.
In short, Onda is a lower-face lifting device that is comfortable, has little downtime, and is designed to tighten without hollowing the cheeks. Those three things are exactly why it suits a visit to Seoul.
What is Onda, and what is different about Onda MAX?
Onda is made by DEKA in Italy. It uses Coolwaves microwaves that pass through the skin surface with almost no energy loss and heat the dermis and the fat layer, while the surface is cooled in real time. Many lifting devices lose part of their energy on the way through the surface, which is why they often need higher output and more numbing.
People sometimes search for Onda Korea, Onda Coolwaves Korea or the "Onda Korean treatment", as if the device were Korean. It is Italian. It has become a popular choice for lower-face contouring here, and what differs between clinics is not the machine but how its energy is delivered and what goes on the skin with it.
Onda MAX is how we run Onda at WELLS. Most clinics use jojoba oil so the handpiece slides. We apply our own Detology cream — collagen peptide plus CeraXosome — which raises conductivity so the energy travels deeper, protects the skin barrier while it heats and supports collagen synthesis afterwards. You take a jar home for aftercare.
Two handpieces do the work. The 3 mm handpiece acts in the dermis to rebuild collagen and firmness; the 7 mm handpiece reaches the fat layer under the jawline and chin. The dermatologist decides where each one goes, so the sagging areas tighten while the cheeks keep their volume. The full protocol is on our Onda MAX page.
Onda lifting in Seoul: who it suits, and who it does not
I recommend Onda MAX most often for three groups of people:
- Sagging along the jawline and a soft double chin
- Anyone who wants lifting without losing cheek volume
- Patients concerned about discomfort or time away from daily activities
It is not the answer for every face. If your cheeks are already thin or hollow, the dermatologist limits the 7 mm handpiece or may suggest a different plan altogether. When the upper and lower face are both sagging, one device may not be enough, and combining it with Thermage or other lifting treatments may be advised.
If a double chin is your main concern, InMode lifting is another option we use for fullness under the chin; if collagen loss across the whole face is the issue, Sculptra works in a different way. The consultation is where we decide which fits.
Onda MAX price in Seoul
Onda MAX is priced by the total microwave energy delivered in the session. More energy covers a larger area or more passes, and the dermatologist chooses the level for your jawline, chin and neck at the consultation.
| Energy | Price |
|---|---|
| 60 kJ | ₩700,000 (VAT excluded) |
| 80 kJ | ₩800,000 (VAT excluded) |
| 100 kJ | ₩900,000 (VAT excluded) |
Every level includes the Detology cream to take home, which retails at ₩70,000. Prices exclude 10% VAT, and the dermatologist confirms your plan and the final price before anything starts.
Send a photo of your jawline from the front and side, with your travel dates. We will suggest an energy level and appointment times.
Ask for an Onda planPlanning Onda in Korea around your flights
This is where Onda is easy for travellers. Because the surface is cooled in real time, most patients are treated without numbing cream, and mild redness usually settles within a few hours. There is little swelling, so you can go back to sightseeing or meetings the same day.
A single session gives an immediately visible tightening, and people generally notice the jawline looking cleaner about one to two weeks later. For collagen remodelling that holds, our dermatologists recommend about three sessions four to six weeks apart. On a short trip you will usually have one session; if you visit Seoul regularly, the rest fit into later trips.
For most people planning Onda lifting in Seoul, the practical sequence is simple: consultation and treatment on the same visit, then normal plans that evening. If you have an important event, leave a few days between the session and the date so any mild redness has long settled.
Since Onda rarely needs numbing, it does not usually call for Air NOX, the awake, non-sedation option we use with local anaesthetic for Thermage, Ultherapy and Genius. If you are combining Onda with one of those on the same trip, the dermatologist plans the order.
Onda vs Ultherapy for a trip to Seoul
Visitors often weigh Onda against Ultherapy. They work on different layers, and the right choice depends on your face rather than on which device is more popular.
| Ultherapy | Onda MAX | |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | Focused ultrasound to the SMAS layer | Microwaves to the dermis and fat layer |
| Cheek volume | Strong energy can reach the fat layer and hollow the cheeks | Depth and range are controlled to keep cheek volume |
| Comfort | Numbing cream, sometimes injections or sedation | Real-time surface cooling — usually no numbing cream |
| Downtime | Some swelling possible | Little swelling; back to daily life the same day |
If deeper sagging is the main problem, Ultherapy may still be the better tool, and I explain how we plan it in our Ultherapy guide. Some faces benefit from both, at different depths.
How an Onda visit at WELLS works
You message us on WhatsApp with your concern, a photo if you like, and your travel dates. We reply in English with options and appointment times. At the clinic, a dermatologist examines your face and confirms the plan and price before anything starts, and you leave with aftercare instructions and the Detology cream.
Consultations are available in English. We are on the 8th floor of the Apgujeong Building, five minutes on foot from Apgujeong Station, Exit 3, open Monday to Friday 10:00–20:00 and Saturday 10:00–17:00. Results vary with skin thickness, sagging and fat distribution, and side effects are possible, which is why every Onda Seoul treatment starts with that consultation. Our FAQ for international patients covers booking and VAT.
Tell us your dates and what you would like to change. You will get a suggested plan before you fly.
Message us about OndaPlan your Onda session before you fly
Send a front and side photo of your jawline and your dates in Seoul. We reply in English with a suggested energy level and appointment times.
Message the clinic on WhatsAppReplies on WhatsApp · prices in KRW, excluding 10% VATBefore you message us
What is Onda lifting?
Onda is a microwave-based lifting device made by DEKA in Italy. Its Coolwaves microwaves heat the dermis and the fat layer while the skin surface is cooled in real time. At WELLS we run it as Onda MAX, with our own Detology cream.
How much does Onda cost in Seoul at WELLS?
Onda MAX is ₩700,000 (VAT excluded) for 60 kJ, ₩800,000 (VAT excluded) for 80 kJ and ₩900,000 (VAT excluded) for 100 kJ. Every level includes the Detology cream to take home.
Does Onda hurt? Do I need anaesthesia?
Most patients complete the session without numbing cream, because the surface is cooled while the layers underneath are heated. Pain tolerance differs, and the dermatologist adjusts the energy to you.
How many Onda sessions do I need?
A single session gives immediately visible tightening. For collagen remodelling that holds, our dermatologists recommend about three sessions four to six weeks apart.
Will my cheeks look hollow after Onda?
The plan is tailored to reduce that risk. The 7 mm handpiece is kept to areas with excess fat and limited on thin cheeks; if you have already lost cheek volume, a different plan may be suggested.
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. Hyo Seop Ryu
- Board-certified dermatologist, M.D., Ph.D.
- Clinical instructor, Department of Dermatology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
- Assistant professor, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital
- Visiting professor, Dubai Maris Clinic, through International St. Mary's Hospital
- Former chief director, Bundang Bon Dermatology Clinic
