A Bali holiday usually means rice terraces and yoga classes. It can now also include a skin-tightening session, because Healthy Look Aesthetic in Ubud has become the first clinic in the area to offer XERF, a newly FDA-cleared radiofrequency treatment that lifts and firms without needles, surgery or downtime.
XERF works differently from standard RF devices. Instead of a single frequency, it uses two, which allows it to reach multiple layers of skin and stimulate collagen remodelling. Some people see early changes within two weeks, though fuller results typically build over about three months. A session lasts 30 to 60 minutes depending on the treatment area and number of shots, so it slots easily into a holiday schedule. The clinic is upfront that it is aimed at mild to moderate skin laxity and fine lines, mostly in people aged 30 and over, and that it is no substitute for a surgical facelift.
What sets the clinic apart is the process around the machine. Before anything happens, you fill out a medical and aesthetic history form, then sit down with an aesthetic doctor for a 10-to-15-minute consultation covering facial structure, skin type and expectations. Head doctor Dr Irene Sienatra is candid that XERF is not pushed on everyone; depending on the assessment, HIFU, dermal fillers, Botox or collagen stimulators might be a better fit. All procedures are performed by licensed, experienced doctors rather than technicians.
The setting helps too. The clinic sits inside Ubud Nyuh Bali Resort on Jl Raya Silungan in Lodtunduh, so it feels more like a wellness retreat than a strip-mall beauty parlour. It opens daily from 10am to 8pm. Pricing starts from IDR 9,800,000, with the final cost depending on the area treated and shot count. If you are staying elsewhere on the island and book a XERF session of at least 300 shots, the clinic throws in complimentary private transfers, plus a wellness elixir at the resort afterwards.
For travellers, the appeal is practical: a doctor-led, science-based aesthetic treatment with no anaesthesia or recovery period, meaning you can have it done and head straight back to your villa, your spa day or the airport. Anyone considering it should book a consultation first and treat the doctor's assessment, rather than the marketing, as the deciding factor.
