The Notox Facial
Move Your Face.
Just Glow.
Aesthetic Shockwave is regenerative facial therapy without needles, neurotoxin, or downtime. It stimulates your skin’s own collagen production, builds new microcapillaries beneath the surface, and restores the natural glow age steals. For patients who want to age slower without giving up their face.
Regenerate, Don’t Paralyze
For Patients Who Are Done With Botox — or Never Wanted to Start.
Botox freezes muscles to hide a wrinkle. It works — for three to four months. Then you’re back.
Aesthetic Shockwave does the opposite. Instead of shutting down what your face does, it wakes up what your skin does. Precision acoustic waves stimulate the fibroblast cells buried deep in the dermis — the cells that build collagen and elastin, the cells that keep skin firm, plump, and elastic. Waves trigger new microcapillary formation in facial soft tissue, restoring the perfusion that gives young skin its glow.
You don’t lose expression. You don’t look “done.” You don’t need injections every three months for the rest of your life. You look like you’ve been sleeping better, eating cleaner, and getting outside — because your skin is actually regenerating from the inside out.
That’s the difference between hiding aging and addressing the mechanisms that drive visible aging.
Applications
What Aesthetic Shockwave Addresses
Fine Lines & Wrinkles
Forehead lines, crow’s feet, smile lines, and lip lines. Shockwave stimulates fibroblasts to rebuild the collagen and elastin scaffolding that supports smooth skin — reducing wrinkle depth over a series of sessions.
Skin Laxity & Firmness Loss
Sagging along the jawline, mid-face heaviness, and softening around the neck. Acoustic waves tighten connective tissue and improve dermal density, restoring definition without cutting or injecting.
Uneven Skin Texture
Roughness, dullness, and irregular surface. Mechanical stimulation increases cellular turnover and reorganizes collagen fibers, refining texture from the dermal layer up.
The Glow
The signature aesthetic shockwave effect. New microcapillary formation increases blood flow to the skin’s surface, restoring the luminosity that fades with age.
Facial Scars & Post-Acne Marks
A specialty area with over a decade of clinical experience at City Integrative Rehabilitation. Shockwave breaks up disorganized scar collagen, softens fibrotic tissue, and stimulates orderly remodeling. Used for acne scars, surgical scars, and healed injury scars on the face.
Enlarged Pores
Skin firming from the collagen layer may reduce the visual appearance of pore size. Clinical studies using 3D imaging have documented measurable pore reduction after a full treatment series.
The Mechanism
Three Simultaneous Regenerative Effects
Fibroblast Stimulation → Collagen & Elastin
Acoustic waves deliver mechanical energy deep into the dermis, where fibroblast cells convert that stimulus into a biological signal — a process called mechanotransduction. These cells respond by producing new collagen and elastin, the two proteins that keep skin firm, resilient, and youthful. Peer-reviewed research has documented upregulation of collagen type I and III expression following shockwave treatment.
Angiogenesis → The Glow Effect
This is what makes aesthetic shockwave different from anything else in the Notox category. Shockwave upregulates VEGF, eNOS, and SDF-1 — signaling molecules associated with new blood vessel formation. In practical terms: your skin gets more oxygen, more nutrient delivery, and better perfusion. That’s what people see when they say a treatment gives someone “a glow.”
Reference: Extracorporeal Shock Wave Stimulates Angiogenesis and Collagen Production in Facial Soft Tissue, Journal of Surgical Research.
Metabolic Activation & Lymphatic Drainage
Beyond collagen and blood vessels, acoustic waves increase cellular metabolism, improve lymphatic drainage, and modulate the connective tissue environment. The result is reduced puffiness, better skin structure, and the kind of freshness that photographs differently than pre-treatment skin.
Real Patient Reviews
What Our Patients Say
“I was getting Botox for years and it was always temporary. This actually lasted. I was very impressed with the results.”
“I was against Botox but wanted the benefits. My face looks and feels years younger.”
“I had a procedure on my cheek that left a scar that always bothered me. Now you can’t even notice it. I can’t believe how well this worked.”
“I tried SoftWave in the past, both in the US and Asia, and focused shockwave delivered much better results. I could actually feel this working. My face feels rejuvenated and looks noticeably different.”
Individual results vary. Testimonials reflect individual experiences and are not a guarantee of outcomes.
Published Clinical Evidence
This Is Not Cosmetic Speculation
Aesthetic Shockwave Therapy is built on the same acoustic wave platform used across clinical rehabilitation and sports medicine. For facial and aesthetic applications, a growing body of peer-reviewed research has documented what happens to skin when acoustic waves are applied to it.
Twelve patients treated with the Storz D-ACTOR 200 across six sessions in six weeks. 3D camera measurement documented significant reduction in facial wrinkles and pores, plus improvement in skin texture.
Focused and radial acoustic wave therapy assessed via 3D digital imaging showed measurable facial tightening. The authors concluded acoustic wave therapy is positioned as a promising non-invasive modality for facial tightening and rejuvenation.
Patients reported noticeable skin improvements in an average of 2.5 sessions. 91% said they would recommend the treatment. No side effects reported.
Shockwave application to facial soft tissue upregulates VEGF, eNOS, and SDF-1 — supporting new microvessel formation and collagen production. This is the mechanistic backbone of the “glow” effect.
Your Treatment
What a Session Looks Like
Consultation & Skin Assessment
We evaluate your skin, discuss your goals, and design a protocol targeting the specific zones and outcomes you want. If you’re a candidate for shockwave facial therapy, we walk you through the exact treatment plan and expected timeline.
The Session
You lie back on a treatment table. We apply an acoustic coupling gel to the treatment zones. A handpiece delivers precisely calibrated pulses across the face and neck — you’ll feel a rhythmic tapping and mild warmth, similar to a firm massage. No anesthesia is needed. No skin is broken. Every treatment is measured by shot count and defined anatomical zones, not by minutes on the clock.
Post-Session
You return to your day immediately. You can wear makeup, exercise, and be photographed. Mild pinkness fades within an hour. There is no downtime.
The Series
Standard protocol is six sessions, once per week for six weeks. Some patients see visible improvement after two to three sessions. Full results build over the twelve weeks after your final session as collagen remodeling completes. Maintenance sessions once every 4–6 weeks preserve results long-term.
How It Compares
Aesthetic Shockwave vs. Injectables vs. Lasers
| Feature | Aesthetic Shockwave | Botox / Neuromodulators | Fillers | RF Microneedling / Ultrasound |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanism | Stimulates skin’s own regeneration | Paralyzes muscle | Adds volume via injection | Heat / micro-injury to skin |
| Needles | None | Yes, multiple injections | Yes, multiple injections | Yes for microneedling or device-based energy |
| Downtime | None | None to 24 hours | 1–3 days bruising | 3–7 days visible healing |
| Result duration | Months to years with maintenance | 3–4 months | 6–18 months | 6–12 months |
| Loses expression? | No | Yes, that is the point | No | No |
| Regenerative? | Yes — supports new collagen and vessels | No — masks movement | No — replaces volume | Yes, heat/injury-driven |
| Facial scars | Yes — actively remodels | No effect | Fills depressed scars only | Yes, with downtime |
| The glow | Yes — via microcirculation | No | No | Partial, short-term |
Mechanism
Needles
Downtime
Result duration
Loses expression?
Regenerative?
Facial scars
The glow
Why Our Clinics
A Decade of Shockwave Expertise — Applied to the Face
Most aesthetic clinics offering shockwave therapy adopted it in the last year or two. At City Integrative Rehabilitation, we’ve been practicing clinical shockwave for over a decade — building the tissue-response expertise, protocol precision, and safety knowledge that only comes from thousands of treatments.
Dr. Justin Katz, DC — Co-Founder — has personally used shockwave on the face for the past ten years, primarily for jaw dysfunction and facial scar remediation. That decade of face-specific experience shapes every aesthetic protocol we run.
We’re a clinical rehabilitation practice, not a med-spa. That means:
Investment
Aesthetic Shockwave Package Pricing
Every package below represents a complete clinical regenerative protocol including consultation, baseline imaging, six treatment sessions, and follow-up assessment. Pricing is by protocol and total treatment program — not by minutes of chair time.
Focused Zone Series
Full Face Series
Full Face + Neck Series
Full Face + Neck + Décolletage Series
Facial scar remediation, specialty protocols, pre-event glow single sessions, and post-series maintenance pricing are available at consultation. Pre-Event Glow single sessions start at $395.
Cherry offers 0% APR promotional options for qualified patients. Pre-qualification uses a soft credit check with no impact to your credit score. Payment plans are customized to your total investment and Cherry approval.
For post-series patients maintaining results: one Full Face session per month, 10% off add-ons, 15% off retail, and priority booking. Available after completion of any package series.
Questions & Answers
Aesthetic Shockwave — Common Questions
I’m thinking about starting Botox. Is shockwave a real alternative?
I’ve been on Botox for years. Can I switch to shockwave?
Can I do both — Botox in some areas, shockwave in others?
Will shockwave prevent the wrinkles Botox treats?
Is aesthetic shockwave the same as Botox?
Does it hurt?
How long do results last?
Am I too old for this treatment?
Is there any downtime?
How does it compare to microneedling, Morpheus8, or Sofwave?
What conditions would rule me out?
Which locations offer aesthetic shockwave?
Is aesthetic shockwave FDA-cleared?
See What Your Skin Can Do
Book a consultation to discuss your goals, evaluate your skin, and design a protocol tailored to what you want to achieve. $95 consultation fee credited toward your first treatment when you book within 30 days. Available at our Manhattan and Great Neck locations.
Facial scar and jaw-focused protocols may be available at West Hills by evaluation: (631) 659-2980.
Aesthetic shockwave therapy is offered as an off-label application of shockwave technology by licensed medical providers. Shockwave devices are FDA-cleared in the United States for musculoskeletal indications. Individual results vary. Patient testimonials reflect individual experiences and are not a guarantee of outcomes. Aesthetic shockwave is not a substitute for medical or dermatological evaluation. Consult with our providers to determine whether this treatment is appropriate for you. Studies referenced on this page are cited in the medical literature and available upon request.