XERF vs. LaseMD Ultra: What’s the Difference and Which Is Right for Your Skin?
If you’re looking for a way to improve your skin without surgery or significant downtime, you’ve probably noticed there are a lot of treatment options out there. Two of our favorites at Blu Spa & Salon are XERF and LaseMD Ultra, but they work in very different ways.
The simplest way to think about it is that XERF is a non-invasive skin tightening treatment focused on firmness and laxity, while LaseMD Ultra is a laser skin resurfacing treatment focused more on tone, texture and overall skin quality.
Both can be great options depending on what you’re seeing in the mirror and what you’d like to improve. Here’s how to tell which treatment may be the better fit for your skin.
XERF is a non-invasive skin tightening treatment that uses radiofrequency energy to deliver controlled heat into deeper layers of the skin. That heat stimulates the body’s natural production of collagen and elastin, helping skin gradually look firmer, smoother and more lifted.
At Blu, we use XERF for concerns such as mild to moderate skin laxity, fine lines and loss of firmness. It can be used on the face and neck as well as areas of the body where loose or crepey skin may be a concern.
Rather than changing the surface of the skin, XERF works deeper to support the structures responsible for firmness.
XERF may be a good fit if you’re noticing:
• Loose or sagging skin
• Less definition around the jawline
• Skin laxity on the neck
• Fine lines associated with loss of firmness
• Mild to moderate laxity on areas of the body
• Gradual changes in firmness due to aging, weight changes or other factors
Because collagen remodeling takes time, XERF results develop gradually rather than creating an overnight change.
LaseMD Ultra takes a different approach.
It is a non-ablative fractional laser skin resurfacing treatment that creates tiny microchannels in the skin, triggering the skin’s natural renewal response. The treatment can be customized based on your skin’s needs and can help improve pigmentation, sun damage, uneven tone and texture, all with minimal downtime.
That makes LaseMD Ultra particularly useful when the issue isn’t necessarily loose skin, but rather the quality and appearance of the skin itself.
LaseMD Ultra may be a good fit if you’re concerned about:
• Uneven skin tone
• Sun damage
• Pigmentation or brown spots
• Rough or uneven texture
• Dullness
• Fine lines
• Overall skin rejuvenation
Think of XERF as working primarily on firmness and LaseMD Ultra as working primarily on skin quality. If your main concern is that your skin feels looser than it used to, such as you’re noticing changes along your jawline or neck, XERF may make more sense.
If your skin feels fairly firm but you’re bothered by sun damage, pigmentation, uneven texture or dullness, LaseMD Ultra may be the better option.
In simple terms:
XERF → tighten and firm
LaseMD Ultra → resurface and refresh
Yes! In fact, because the treatments work differently, they can complement each other.
XERF targets deeper tissue to support firmness, while LaseMD Ultra works on skin resurfacing and rejuvenation closer to the surface.
For someone concerned about both laxity and things like sun damage, pigmentation or texture, a treatment plan incorporating both technologies may make sense.
However, that doesn’t mean everyone needs both. Our medical team can evaluate your skin and recommend a plan based on your individual concerns rather than simply adding more treatments.
For clients looking to improve both firmness and skin quality, our Premier Rejuvenation Package combines two XERF treatments for the full face and neck with three full-face LaseMD Ultra treatments, including PDRN with each Ultra session.
This complementary approach addresses laxity alongside brown spots, sun damage and uneven texture for more comprehensive rejuvenation.
The package is $4,350—a savings of $675 compared with purchasing the two treatment series separately at $5,025. Our medical team will help determine whether this combination is right for you and personalize your treatment schedule.
Both treatments are appealing for people who want noticeable skin improvements without the recovery associated with surgery or more aggressive procedures.
XERF is non-invasive and requires little to no downtime.
LaseMD Ultra is also designed as a lower-downtime laser resurfacing option. Downtime typically involves about one day of redness, followed by a few days of rough, sandpapery texture as the skin renews. Recovery can vary depending on treatment intensity and your skin’s response.
Your provider will walk you through exactly what to expect before your treatment.
Start with what bothers you most.
If you find yourself thinking, I wish everything just felt a little firmer, you may want to ask about XERF non-invasive skin tightening.
If your main concerns are sun damage, pigmentation, uneven texture or dullness, LaseMD Ultra laser skin resurfacing may be the better option.
If you are thinking, “both” that’s useful information too.
There isn't one treatment that is automatically better. The right choice depends on your skin, your goals and what you're hoping to improve.
At Blu Medspa & Salon in West Seneca, NY, we offer both XERF and LaseMD Ultra for clients throughout Buffalo and Western New York looking for advanced skin treatments without surgery.
Our medical aesthetics team can evaluate your skin, talk through the changes you’ve been noticing and help determine whether non-invasive skin tightening with XERF, laser skin resurfacing with LaseMD Ultra, or a combination of treatments makes the most sense for your goals.
For more information and to book a consultation, view our XERF and LaseMD Ultra webpages: