Hillcrest · University Heights
XERF Skin Tightening in San Diego
XERF radiofrequency tightens skin at the deep, facelift layer with no surgery, no needles and no numbing cream. Registered nurses from Satori Medical Aesthetics firm jawlines, jowls and necks in Hillcrest.
- 0Needles
- 0Incisions
- RNPerformed
Use code CONJURE1 when you call or text. Watch a real treatment
Prepping or just treated? XERF aftercare guide (PDF) · See aftercare steps
Medically reviewed by Dr. James Veltmeyer, MD. Performed by the registered nurses of Satori Medical Aesthetics.
- Soft jawline
- Jowls
- Loose neck
- Under-chin laxity
- Crepey décolleté
- Arms, abdomen & knees
Unedited · 10:29
Watch a Real XERF Skin Tightening Treatment in San Diego
Ten unedited minutes in the chair: a XERF session on a client's jawline and neck, with the provider answering questions as she works. You'll hear how XERF compares with Morpheus8 RF microneedling, why it pairs with Sculptra and Botox, and where it fits with GLP-1 weight loss and “Ozempic face.” Tap any transcript line to jump to that moment.
- 0:54XERF vs Morpheus8
- 2:06No needles or numbing
- 3:09How it feels
- 3:58Skin types & melasma
- 4:28Who should skip it
- 4:37How many treatments
- 5:13XERF + Sculptra & Botox
- 7:28GLP-1 & Ozempic face
- 8:29Treatment time
- 9:38Results timeline
- 10:11The result, one side treated
XERF Video Transcript
Tap a line to play- 0:09
Interviewer I might ask you some of the same questions again.
- 0:14
Provider Yes, please do. Now we're going to get started.
- 0:20
Provider So that was an impedance reading, and basically that's just making sure the tip's working perfectly. It already measured the hydration in her skin.
- 0:27
Provider Every treatment is customizable to your skin density and also how hydrated you are.
- 0:32
Provider So the most important thing with XERF is to be really hydrated, because RF is traveling through your water.
- 0:38
Provider It shouldn't even hurt at all. I mean, if you have a glass of wine before, it's fine, but just don't have three cups of coffee in the morning and no water.
- 0:47
Client I'm like, how many Diet Cokes today? No, I didn't have one.
- 0:54
Interviewer So how is this different from Morpheus8, with the needles and RF?
- 0:59
Provider Yeah, so needles and heat primarily can't go as deep, because we don't want the needles to puncture anything in the skin and risk any volume. But it's really good for more texture and superficial concerns, so they can be used in conjunction.
- 1:12
Provider XERF is just going to go deeper, and of course there's no downtime or numbing. So you've got a little bit of a difference in comfortability, but also with what your specific skin care goals are.
- 1:20
Provider So, like, microneedling is amazing if you've got ice pick scars, more of those deeper acne scars, or more static lines.
- 1:30
Provider But then using it with XERF, or alternating, you're going to get that deep lifting and tightening, and then also superficial pore reduction, help with fine lines, all that good stuff.
- 1:40
Interviewer Why do they like you to do Sculptra before?
- 1:42
Provider Sculptra is going to hydrate your tissue, and it's a natural way to help build more collagen in your skin.
- 1:48
Provider So basically you're doing outside-in, like a mechanical and thermal injury, and then inside-out is that Sculptra. So it's going to just give you a lot more volume.
- 1:56
Client It doesn't hurt yet.
- 1:58
Provider Good, so you feel comfortable. Do you feel like you're getting a hot stone?
- 2:03
Client It just feels warm. Yeah, it feels like a hot stone.
- 2:06
Provider So no needles, no downtime, no numbing. So literally, of course we always want you to wear SPF,
- 2:13
Provider but technically she could go to a workout class after. It doesn't prevent you from doing anything.
- 2:19
Interviewer You don't have to worry about generating more heat after?
- 2:22
Provider No, you're totally good.
- 2:25
Interviewer That's really cool.
- 2:26
Provider And you hear this little kind of ticking noise? That's the cryogen spraying the inside of the tip, so that's what's keeping the surface of the skin cool but allowing the energy to penetrate really deep.
- 2:36
Client Ugh, get the neck. I'm literally trying to avoid a facelift because, like, I hate my neck.
- 2:45
Interviewer May we ask how old you are?
- 2:46
Client I'm 53. Wait, how old am I? I think I'm 52. Well, I was born in '74. That's how old I am, when you forget how old you are. I think I'm going to be 53 in January.
- 2:59
Interviewer Have you had any kind of facelift before?
- 3:01
Client No. God, I wish. I want everything. I want a bleph. But I've been doing Botox since I was 30.
- 3:09
Interviewer And this one has built-in cooling? How does it compare to older RFs?
- 3:14
Provider So there's something called a wave-fit pulse. With traditional RF technology, they have cooling too, but they do three to five pulses of heat before the cryogen is delivered. This is alternating every other pulse.
- 3:26
Provider So it's not as much full heating. It feels like a stone massage versus a curling iron, which is what most other tightening technologies feel like. So that pulsing in between is what keeps it very, very comfortable.
- 3:37
Provider Exactly. And then the provider is getting live feedback every single time on how well the energy is being delivered to the tissue, so they can adjust settings in real time to make sure you're getting a really good treatment.
- 3:48
Interviewer I actually feel like I do see a difference on her, like under her chin, already.
- 3:58
Interviewer Is it safe for all skin tones and types?
- 4:01
Provider Very safe for all skin types. RF is not really targeting anything. It's traveling through your water molecules, but it's colorblind, so it's not going to cause any PIH or anything with it.
- 4:11
Interviewer So no risk of dark spots, or increasing melasma?
- 4:14
Provider Same with melasma. It will not exacerbate the melasma at all.
- 4:19
Provider Of course, if you do XERF and then go to a hot yoga class and you have melasma, that might be a problem, but...
- 4:25
Interviewer Because you're generating heat that way.
- 4:27
Provider Exactly.
- 4:28
Interviewer Who should skip it? Should anyone?
- 4:30
Provider Pacemakers and pregnancy. Everything else is pretty smooth sailing with XERF.
- 4:36
Client Sorry, Mom.
- 4:37
Interviewer So normally you buy a package of two?
- 4:40
Provider Two to three. Two to three gets you through, like, twelve months.
- 4:44
Provider And it just depends, like with collagen, right? As we age we lose more and more every single year. So if you do a package of three right away, you're kind of feeding yourself before it gets to that point. You're tricking your body into being, like, biologically younger.
- 4:57
Provider Two is great, though. All the studies have been done on two. I would not do less than two.
- 5:01
Provider So it really just depends. My mom did three over the course of a year. She did her first two one month apart, and then she did her third nine months later, just because she wanted a little nudge. But we did her pictures for all three, and she looked better every single time.
- 5:13
Interviewer Can you combine it with, like, Botox or Sculptra?
- 5:17
Provider Yeah, so it's kind of provider's choice. You can do Sculptra right before, or you can do it right after. Botox, it would be right after,
- 5:24
Provider because we're really superficial with Botox. Sculptra is a little bit different because we're injecting it. You can go deeper or superficial with Sculptra. It just depends where you're injecting it and then what you're using it for.
- 5:36
Provider Yeah, I did that twice.
- 5:42
Provider So it's going to help with, like, tone, and then it's not going to be as much structure. XERF is really going to get to the deepest level of the structure, but Sculptra is also going to help speed up that process and then really hydrate your skin, so your tone's going to be really nice and glowy too.
- 5:55
Provider And then you can also target it, so you can fill it in the gaps where XERF might not have fully contracted those areas.
- 6:02
Provider We typically use Sculptra for hollows. As we age we start to lose volume and get a hollow here, or women get a hollow in here, and then it kind of starts to make you feel or look a little bit more aged.
- 6:14
Interviewer What hollow, like?
- 6:15
Provider Like underneath the cheek, or in the temple, where you get that hollow.
- 6:19
Provider I have a rounder face and I didn't have that hollow; I have a little bit of it here. So we hyper-diluted it, which is basically just adding more saline to it, making it a little bit thinner product,
- 6:26
Provider and we did a wash underneath the skin, so it spread out here, here, and we did it under here. And then I did the laser right after, because it's good to help it melt into the skin and under the tissue.
- 6:43
Interviewer Interesting.
- 6:45
Provider This patient did Sculptra, and this was five months later. So if you look at the tightness and then the tone, that glow,
- 6:53
Provider that's from the combination.
- 6:56
Provider She did Sculptra and XERF the same day, and this was five months later.
- 7:02
Provider Like, her skin is completely different.
- 7:04
Interviewer What's Sculptra again?
- 7:06
Provider It's a biostimulatory filler, which just means it's a more natural way to put volume in your face.
- 7:11
Interviewer But it's something that you inject with a needle?
- 7:13
Provider Yes.
- 7:14
Interviewer So, you know, like Restylane?
- 7:17
Provider Yeah. This one goes in and stimulates your own collagen.
- 7:20
Interviewer You should get this right before your wedding, too.
- 7:25
Provider This, with Sculptra and XERF together. Yeah.
- 7:28
Interviewer What about clients that are doing, like... because everyone's on GLPs, right? Ozempic face, that kind of thing.
- 7:34
Provider This is the perfect resolution for that, because it's going to help preserve your skin integrity and then give you that more full look, which is also why other combinations are really important too.
- 7:44
Provider We have a lot of clients who, if they've been on a GLP for a bit, or if they're thinking about it, we'll pre-treat with XERF or incorporate XERF into it, so their skin starts to, you know, catch up with the potential weight loss they're having.
- 7:55
Provider I have a photo here of a client. She went through about 25 pounds of weight loss, and there's about five months in between the photos.
- 8:02
Provider You'll see that the structural integrity of her face is preserved, and there's no hollowing really, even though she lost a lot of weight.
- 8:14
Interviewer That's actually amazing.
- 8:29
Interviewer So how long does each treatment last?
- 8:38
Interviewer Sorry, how long does it take?
- 8:40
Device rep For a full face and neck, it's about an hour.
- 8:43
Interviewer And you do both?
- 8:45
Device rep I would, because I'm like, why would I do this without this?
- 8:49
Interviewer What training do they go through?
- 8:51
Device rep They have about eight hours of hands-on training, they have virtual training, and then we do master classes every couple months that they can attend.
- 9:00
Device rep Yeah, there's so many conferences.
- 9:06
Interviewer So you do the training?
- 9:06
Device rep I help with it. I'm not a clinician, but I can help with technique, reading the machine. Our actual clinicians, PAs, NPs, nurses, doctors, they're the ones that lead the actual hands-on, and they've been working with us for 10-plus years.
- 9:20
Interviewer I feel like I really see a difference on her neck.
- 9:23
Provider I just love to carve the jawline with this.
- 9:30
Interviewer I mean, her whole left side, yeah, it works.
- 9:38
Provider That was just one treatment, so the recommendation would be two to three for this patient.
- 9:44
Provider But you can basically treat anywhere on the body. Again, there's no numbing, no needles, no downtime,
- 9:50
Provider super, super comfortable, and you're going to see the glow right away. Not everyone gets this immediate lift, but I would say most people do.
- 9:59
Provider About two and a half weeks after your first treatment, you'll look in the mirror, like you're looking in your car, and you'll be like, "Yeah, I feel like I look a little bit snatched."
- 10:04
Provider And then results six to eight months after your second treatment. It's continuous improvement.
- 10:09
Interviewer And then what's the main...
Transcript lightly edited for readability. Example results. Individual results vary. Treatment suitability is determined at your consultation.
What it is
What Is XERF Skin Tightening?
XERF is the newest generation of radiofrequency skin tightening, FDA cleared in August 2025, and it reaches where older RF devices couldn't. Dual-frequency monopolar energy heats the deep structural layer of the face, the same foundation a surgical facelift addresses, triggering an immediate tightening response and then months of fresh collagen building on top of it. No needles, no incisions, and thanks to built-in cooling, most sessions don't even need numbing.
Its lane is the geography of gravity: softening jawlines and jowls, loosening neck and under-chin skin, crepey décolleté, and laxity on the body: arms, abdomen, above the knees. There's a subtle lift visible soon after the session, but the real result arrives over eight to twelve weeks as the collagen rebuilds, and because radiofrequency heats tissue without targeting pigment, XERF suits every skin tone.
Why XERF
Deep Tightening, Without Surgery
The Facelift Layer, Without Surgery
XERF's dual-frequency energy reaches the deep structural layer surgeons work on, a depth older RF devices never touched, and tightens it without a single incision.
No Numbing, No Downtime
Built-in cooling keeps the treatment comfortable without numbing cream, and there's nothing to recover from: mild redness fades fast, and makeup and normal life resume immediately.
Every Skin Tone
Radiofrequency heats tissue without targeting pigment, so XERF treats all skin tones and types, including many people light-based treatments have to turn away.
Face, Neck & Body
Jawline, jowls, neck and décolleté are the headliners, but the same energy firms crepey arms, abdomen and above-the-knee skin in the same chair.
A real Conjure result
XERF Results: One Side Treated
This client is from our own XERF treatment video. Only one side of her lower face was treated, so you can compare both sides of the same face in a single photo: the gold ellipse marks the treated side, and the dashed ellipse marks the side that was left untreated.
In the video, the provider notes the session shown was a single treatment and that her recommendation for this client would be two to three. How many sessions you need, and whether XERF suits you, is decided at your consultation.
How it works
A XERF Session, Step by Step
Screening & Plan
A medical review first: monopolar radiofrequency means your nurse screens for pacemakers, implanted devices and metal in the treatment area, along with pregnancy and skin condition. Then the plan: which zones, what depth, how many sessions.
Prep, Without the Numbing Wait
There's no numbing cream and no half-hour waiting for it to work. XERF's pulse technology and built-in cooling are engineered for comfort at full power, so you're on the table and underway in minutes.
The Settings
XERF treats at three distinct depths (the skin itself, the layer beneath it, and the deep structural foundation) across ten energy levels. Your nurse maps depth and energy zone by zone: one plan for a softening jawline, a different one for crepey neck skin.
The Pass
The handpiece moves zone by zone, each shot spreading its energy across twelve micro-pulses with cooling between every one: a steady build of deep warmth rather than spikes of heat. Expect thirty to sixty minutes depending on how many areas you're treating.
Straight Back to Your Day
Some warmth and light redness afterward, gone within hours. No peeling, no swelling to hide, no aftercare beyond sunscreen you should be wearing anyway. There's often a subtle tightness you can feel immediately; that's the collagen contracting on day one.
The Build
The immediate tightening is the preview; the feature is the rebuild. Over the following eight to twelve weeks, collagen and elastin thicken and shorten, and the improvement keeps building at the one-, three- and six-month marks. Most plans run about two treatments, with an annual session to maintain the structure.
Why Conjure
Why Have XERF at Conjure
XERF at Conjure is performed by a registered nurse from Satori Medical Aesthetics under Medical Director Dr. James Veltmeyer, MD, in a dedicated medical room inside the studio in Hillcrest, with free private parking at the door. Energy at facelift depth belongs in exactly those hands.
And it slots into a menu built to give the honest answer instead of the available one. If your concern is surface texture (lines, scars, sun damage), that's Opus Plasma resurfacing, not tightening; for sun damage, brown spots and uneven tone, there's the Lutronic Ultra laser. If it's skin quality and glow, PRX Biorevitalization is the gentler tool. XERF's job is structure: the jawline, the jowls, the neck. Your nurse will tell you which one your face is actually asking for.
It's also the go-to for skin laxity after significant weight loss, including for clients in our GLP-1 weight loss program.
Pricing
XERF Pricing in San Diego
Single sessions or a series of 3, booked directly with the Satori medical team. Mention code CONJURE1 when you call or text.
Single session, face
One XERF treatment
Single session, face and neck
One XERF treatment
Series of 3, face
3 sessions, about $1,167 per session. Saves $1,900 vs 3 single sessions ($5,400).
Series of 3, face and neck
3 sessions, about $1,400 per session. Saves $2,700 vs 3 single sessions ($6,900).
Your XERF Plan
- Session 1: right away.
- Session 2: 30 to 45 days later.
- Session 3: 3 to 6 months out.
Most people do 2 to 3 sessions. The manufacturer recommends this spacing for optimal, longer-lasting results. Your nurse confirms your plan at your consultation.
How much does XERF cost in San Diego?
At Conjure in Hillcrest, XERF with the Satori medical team is $1,800 for a single face session and $2,300 for a single face and neck session. A series of 3 is $3,500 for the face (about $1,167 per session, saving $1,900 vs singles) or $4,200 for face and neck (about $1,400 per session, saving $2,700). Mention code CONJURE1 when you call or text 442.655.8617. See the full price list.
How many XERF sessions do I need?
Most people do 2 to 3 sessions. The manufacturer recommends the first session right away, the second 30 to 45 days later, and the third 3 to 6 months out for optimal, longer-lasting results. Your nurse sets your plan at your consultation. A series of 3 is priced as a package.
Does XERF hurt?
No numbing is used, and none is needed; that's engineered, not bravado. Each shot spreads its energy across twelve micro-pulses with cooling gas between every one, so you feel a deep, building warmth rather than spikes of heat. Most people describe it as intense but entirely manageable.
How is XERF different from Opus Plasma?
Different layers, different jobs. Opus resurfaces: it renews the surface for texture, lines and sun damage. XERF tightens: it heats the deep structural layer to firm jawlines, jowls and necks. One is about the quality of the canvas, the other about the frame it hangs on. Plenty of faces eventually want both.
How many treatments will I need?
Most people do 2 to 3 treatments, and the manufacturer's own results photos are taken after two. Once your plan is complete, a yearly session can maintain the structure. Your nurse sets the plan by how much laxity you're starting with. And if your laxity is early and mild rather than structural, ask about Forma, a gentler, no-downtime radiofrequency series that may be all your skin actually needs.
When will I see results?
There's often a subtle tightness immediately; collagen contracts on contact with the heat. The real result builds over eight to twelve weeks as collagen and elastin rebuild, and keeps improving through the six-month mark. This is a treatment that gets better after you've stopped thinking about it.
Is XERF safe for darker skin tones?
Yes, radiofrequency heats tissue without targeting pigment, so XERF is suitable for every skin tone and type. It's one of the treatments we point people toward when light-based options like IPL have to turn them away.
Who shouldn't get XERF?
It's skipped with pacemakers or any implanted electronic device, metal implants in the treatment area, during pregnancy, and on skin with an active infection or flare. The medical screening at the start of your appointment covers all of it before the device is ever switched on.
Can XERF help with Ozempic face?
It can be part of the plan. In our treatment video, the provider explains that clients on a GLP-1, or thinking about starting one, are often pre-treated with XERF or have it added along the way so their skin can keep up with the weight loss. Lost volume is a separate job, usually handled with a collagen-stimulating injectable like Sculptra. Individual results vary, and your nurse will tell you at your consultation whether XERF suits you.
Can I combine XERF with Sculptra or Botox?
Often, yes. In the video, the provider explains that the timing is the provider's choice: Sculptra can be done right before or right after XERF, and Botox goes right after. XERF works on deep structure, while Sculptra adds gradual, collagen-building volume to hollows such as the temples and under the cheekbones. Your nurse sets the order and timing at your consultation.
How long does a XERF treatment take?
About an hour for a full face and neck, with no numbing cream to wait for. There's no downtime to plan around: wear SPF afterward, and most people head straight back to their day. If you have melasma, skip heat-heavy workouts like hot yoga right after.
How do I prepare for XERF?
Avoid tanning and sunburn for 2 to 4 weeks and wear SPF 30 or higher daily. Tell your nurse about pacemakers or implanted devices, metal implants, pregnancy or breastfeeding, Accutane, cold sores, recent Botox, filler or threads and all medicines, including blood thinners. Pause retinoids and acids for 5 to 7 days, drink plenty of water, and come with clean skin and no jewelry in the area.
What should I do after XERF?
Expect warmth, pinkness and mild swelling that usually fade within hours and can last up to 1 to 3 days. Skip ice packs, hot showers, saunas, hot yoga and hard workouts for 24 to 48 hours, use a gentle cleanser and moisturizer, avoid alcohol-based products for a week and wear SPF 30 or higher every day. Wait 5 to 7 days to restart retinoids and acids.
When should I call after XERF?
Call or text 442.655.8617 if you see blisters, a burn, crusting or open skin, have severe or worsening pain, redness or swelling that lasts past 3 days, a dent, lump or numbness that does not go away, signs of infection, dark or light spots, or a cold sore outbreak. Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or throat.
Aftercare
XERF Before and After Care
Simple steps for a comfortable session and lasting results. General guidance; always follow your provider's instructions and call us with concerns.
Before Your Appointment
- Avoid tanning, tanning beds, self-tanner and sunburn on the area for 2 to 4 weeks before your visit. Wear SPF 30 or higher every day.
- Tell your nurse if you have a pacemaker, defibrillator or any implanted electronic device, or metal plates, screws or implants in the area.
- Tell us if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have taken Accutane (isotretinoin) in the last 6 months, or have keloids or a rash or infection in the area.
- Tell your nurse about recent Botox, filler, Sculptra or threads, and about cold sores. You may need an antiviral first. Your nurse sets the timing.
- Tell your nurse about all medicines and supplements, including blood thinners. Never stop a prescribed medicine on your own.
- Pause retinoids, acids and scrubs for 5 to 7 days, and skip waxing, peels and laser in the area for 2 weeks, unless your nurse says otherwise.
- Hydrate: drink plenty of water for 1 to 2 days before, and go easy on coffee and alcohol.
- Shave hair in the area 1 to 2 days before. Come with clean skin: no makeup, lotion, oil or sunscreen. Remove jewelry in the area.
After Your Treatment
- Expect warmth, pinkness and mild swelling. It usually fades within hours, and can last up to 1 to 3 days.
- Most people go right back to work and normal life. There is no wound to care for.
- Skip ice packs unless your nurse says otherwise. A fragrance-free moisturizer can soothe skin.
- Keep skin calm for 24 to 48 hours: skip hot showers, saunas, hot tubs, steam, hot yoga and hard workouts.
- Use a gentle cleanser with lukewarm water. Avoid alcohol-based products for 1 week. Keep drinking water.
- Wear SPF 30 or higher every day and limit sun through your series. No tanning between sessions.
- Wait 5 to 7 days to restart retinoids, acids and scrubs, and ask before Botox, filler, a peel or laser. Check with your skin therapist before your next facial.
- Keep your follow-up visit. Most plans are about 2 sessions, often about a month apart, as results build over 8 to 12 weeks.
- Day 1Warm and pink with mild swelling that usually fades within hours. Many feel a subtle tightness. Skip heat, hot yoga and hard workouts.
- Days 2 to 3Any mild swelling or tenderness settles. Keep up SPF.
- Days 4 to 7Restart actives once your nurse says it is okay.
- Week 2 and beyondCollagen builds over 8 to 12 weeks and keeps improving to about 6 months.
When to call us
Call or text 442.655.8617 if you see blisters, a burn, crusting or open skin, have severe or worsening pain, redness or swelling that lasts past 3 days, a dent, lump or numbness that does not go away, signs of infection like pus, spreading redness or fever, dark or light spots, or a cold sore outbreak.
Call 911 for trouble breathing or swelling of the face, lips or throat.
General guidance; follow your provider's instructions, and call us with concerns.
Book XERF in Hillcrest
XERF appointments are booked directly with the Satori medical team. Call or text 442.655.8617 and mention code CONJURE1 for preferred pricing. You'll be treated in the medical room at Conjure Skin Therapies, 1450 Washington Street, Hillcrest, with free private parking at the door.
