It is radiofrequency at one specific frequency, 448 kHz, which raises the internal temperature of the tissue in a controlled way without damaging the surface of the skin.
It works at two depths: capacitive mode, more superficial, and resistive, deeper, depending on the tissue to be treated.
It has an aesthetic side and a therapeutic one: facial and body laxity, cellulite and remodelling on the one hand; postoperative oedema, resorption of bruising, muscle pain and recovery from injury on the other.
The session is painless — it feels like warmth — and lasts around 30 minutes on the face and up to 60 on the body, with no rest afterwards. The first effects appear in the first or second session.
It is not used in pregnancy, in people with implanted electronic devices such as pacemakers, or where there is active infection in the area.
INDIBA has established itself as one of the most effective and safest technologies in aesthetic medicine and functional recovery. At the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo, in Valencia, we offer this innovative radiofrequency therapy to anyone looking to improve the quality of their skin, reduce cellulite, reshape areas of the body or speed up muscle recovery after surgery or injury.
In this article we explain clearly what INDIBA is, how it acts on your body and why it is recommended both in aesthetic treatments and in medical recovery. We also help you understand its benefits, when it is advisable to use it and what results you can expect.
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INDIBA is a patented radiofrequency technology that works at a precise frequency of 448 kHz. That frequency makes it possible to stimulate the tissue from within, without damaging the surface of the skin. Its main purpose is to reactivate cell metabolism, encouraging the natural production of collagen and elastin, the two elements that keep skin firm and elastic.
What INDIBA does is not limited to appearance. Its ability to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation and support tissue regeneration also makes it a suitable treatment for people recovering muscle function or dealing with sports injuries.
How does INDIBA work on the skin and tissues?
The treatment combines two modes of application: capacitive (more superficial) and resistive (deeper), which allows different levels of tissue to be worked on precisely, according to what the patient needs.
The body treatments we offer are not in competition with one another: they work on different tissues. Pressotherapy, manual lymphatic drainage and the Renata França method act from outside — the first with pressurised air, the other two by hand — and their effect is on fluid: they push the lymph towards the nodes. Mesotherapy infiltrates active ingredients into the superficial dermis, and carboxytherapy introduces medicinal CO₂ into the subcutaneous tissue. INDIBA infiltrates nothing: it raises the temperature of the tissue from within, with a more superficial capacitive mode and a deeper resistive one. Knowing which acts where is what allows them to be combined with judgement rather than simply stacked. Diagram by the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo, simplified for explanatory purposes.
By transferring energy, INDIBA raises the internal temperature of the tissues in a controlled way, which produces a series of beneficial effects:
It stimulates the production of collagen and elastin.
It improves microcirculation and cellular exchange.
It helps clear toxins and accumulated fluid.
It reduces inflammation and muscle pain.
It promotes the regeneration of damaged tissue.
Together, these actions make it possible to treat everything from facial or body laxity to cellulite, postoperative oedema, muscle injuries and skin ageing.
Aesthetic applications of INDIBA
In aesthetics, INDIBA stands out for results that are visible from the first sessions. At the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo we apply this technology in two broad areas:
Facial INDIBA
This treatment is particularly suited to tackling laxity, improving skin texture and producing a lifting effect without surgery. Because it stimulates collagen, the result is firmer, brighter skin with a noticeable reduction in wrinkles and expression lines. It requires no recovery time, which makes it a safe option for people with busy schedules.
Body INDIBA
In its body version, INDIBA can act on specific areas such as the abdomen, buttocks, thighs and arms. It is effective for reducing cellulite, reshaping contours and treating skin that has lost firmness. It also helps clear retained fluid and improves the quality of the subcutaneous tissue, leaving smoother, more even skin.
Therapeutic benefits of INDIBA
INDIBA technology is not confined to aesthetics: it is increasingly part of medical recovery protocols, particularly in plastic surgery and sports medicine.
Postoperative recovery
After an operation it is common to have swelling, bruising or discomfort in the treated area. INDIBA speeds up regeneration and the resorption of bruising thanks to increased blood flow and reduced oedema. It is a routine tool in postoperative care after surgery such as liposuction, blepharoplasty or a facelift.
Sports injuries and muscle pain
INDIBA has also shown its effectiveness in treating muscle pain, contracture and recovery from injury. Elite athletes use this technology to speed up the repair of muscle fibres, reduce inflammation and shorten time out. Used regularly, it contributes to faster, more effective functional recovery.
Scientific evidence on INDIBA radiofrequency
The mechanism of 448 kHz radiofrequency is documented in the scientific literature. Two randomised crossover trials in healthy adults, by Kumaran and Watson, measured what actually happens in the tissue:
In 2015, in the International Journal of Hyperthermia, they found that both the capacitive and the resistive mode significantly raise skin temperature and keep it raised for the following 45 minutes after the session, with greater retention in resistive mode (PMID 26524223).
In 2018, in Electromagnetic Biology and Medicine, they compared 448 kHz radiofrequency with pulsed shortwave, placebo and control: only high-dose radiofrequency increased and sustained skin blood flow (p < 0.001), without altering nerve conduction velocity (PMID 29308927).
That controlled rise in temperature and blood supply is the physiological basis for the applications described above. It is worth putting this precisely: the published evidence is solid on the mechanism and more limited on specific aesthetic outcomes such as reducing cellulite, where much of the published work is still laboratory-based. That is why we indicate INDIBA within a plan assessed case by case, and not as a closed promise of a result.
In clinical practice the following effects are attributed to it:
It improves skin elasticity even where laxity is advanced.
It significantly reduces the appearance of cellulite.
It supports lipolysis and lymphatic drainage.
It speeds up healing after surgery.
It reduces pain and recovery time after muscle injuries.
In a regulated medical setting such as the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo, every indication is assessed individually and the patient is told what can and cannot be expected.
The randomised trials available are concentrated in the therapeutic field — pain and recovery — and there the results are consistent.
In low back pain, a trial of 60 patients compared ten sessions of this radiofrequency against laser: the radiofrequency group improved significantly in pain and disability at every follow-up, while the laser group did so only at the first, with a difference in favour of radiofrequency at one and two months after treatment.
In recovery, a crossover trial in runners measured what happened after an exhausting training session: those who received the treatment showed a more efficient running pattern — longer stride and lower cadence — than those who simply rested, with equivalent physiological parameters between groups.
That is consistent with the use we make of it after surgery: helping tissue that is working hard to return to normal sooner. On that specific application the evidence remains thinner than the evidence for the mechanism, and it should be presented that way.
What does an INDIBA session feel like?
Treatment with INDIBA is completely painless. Most patients describe the sensation as a pleasant warmth that is adjusted to each person’s level of tolerance. The session is carried out in the clinic, with no need for anaesthesia or any preparation beforehand.
A facial session usually lasts around 30 minutes, while body treatments run up to 60 minutes. Afterwards the patient can go straight back to their daily activities without needing to rest, since it leaves no marks and causes no significant side effects.
Visible, sustainable results
Results may begin to show from the first or second session, although a continued course is usually recommended for longer-lasting effects. As the sessions add up, the skin becomes firmer, volume is reduced in areas with cellulite, texture improves and muscle discomfort eases.
What is more, because it also works preventively, INDIBA is useful for people who want to maintain the results obtained with other aesthetic or surgical treatments.
Who is INDIBA for?
This treatment is indicated for men and women looking for a non-invasive, scientifically tested way to improve the appearance of their skin, reshape their body or speed up recovery after a medical or sporting procedure. There is no specific age, although it is particularly worth considering from the age of 30, when the natural production of collagen begins to fall.
It is contraindicated in pregnancy, with implanted electronic devices (such as pacemakers) or with active infection in the area to be treated. That is why we always carry out an initial, personalised medical assessment at our clinic in Valencia.
Our clinic in Valencia has the most advanced technology in aesthetic and therapeutic radiofrequency. We have personalised protocols for each need, applied by professionals trained in the clinical use of INDIBA.
Beyond the visible results, we offer a safe, hygienic environment adapted to each patient. We have session packages that give access to complete courses of treatment at adjusted rates.
INDIBA treatment in Valencia has become one of the most complete options for looking after the skin, improving the figure, preventing ageing or recovering quickly and safely after surgery or injury.
Its scientific basis, its many applications and the satisfaction of our patients make it one of the pillars of modern aesthetic medicine.
If you would like to know how INDIBA can help you, we invite you to book an assessment with no obligation at the Instituto de Cirugía Plástica del Mediterráneo. Your wellbeing and aesthetic health are in expert hands.
You can book your own appointment. Pick the day and time from the free slots in the diary, in a panel that opens right here, without leaving this page.
A pleasant, gradual warmth. A head is applied to the skin with a conductive gel and the area is worked with continuous movements; the sensation of heat is adjusted during the session and should never become uncomfortable. If at any point it burns, say so: the intensity can be turned down.
It is not a painful treatment, it leaves no marks and you can carry on as normal afterwards. That tolerability is one of the reasons it fits well into recovery after surgery, when other things still cannot be done.
What has it been shown to do?
More than is usually reported, and in one particular field: pain and function. A systematic review with meta-analysis published in 2026 brought together 19 randomised trials and 911 participants with lower-limb problems, with a mean methodological quality of 7.78 out of 10, and found:
a significant reduction in pain compared with control groups;
a significant improvement in function;
and, in the narrative section, benefits for spasticity after a stroke and for reducing limb volume in lipoedema and lymphoedema.
The authors themselves urge caution: heterogeneity between studies is high and protocols vary a great deal, so specific figures cannot simply be carried over from one study to another. And their practical conclusion is the one worth keeping: it works better as an adjunct to active treatment than as a treatment on its own.
And for aesthetic purposes?
There the specific evidence is thinner, and the honest thing is to say so. What is attributed to it — better local circulation, more metabolic activity in the tissue, a sense of firmness — is consistent with the mechanism that has been studied, but firmness and contour have been measured far less than pain and function.
To put it another way: this is not a technology without a basis. It is a technology with a solid basis in one field and a thinner basis in another, and knowing which is which is what allows you to ask it for what it can give.
Does it help you lose weight?
No, and it is best to get that out of the way early: it does not remove fat and it is no substitute for diet, physical activity or liposuction. If your contour goes down after several sessions, it is most likely fluid, and fluid comes back.
That does not take away its value: improving pain, mobility and swelling in an area is a legitimate, measurable goal. It is what it does well.
Does it work after surgery?
It is one of its most reasonable uses, and this is where its origins work in its favour: recovery after surgery is recovery of injured tissue, which is exactly the field in which this technology has its trials. It is used to accompany the inflammatory phase and the softening of the tissues.
When to start and at what intensity is decided by the surgeon who operated, not by the centre where it is applied: it depends on the technique, on the drains and on how healing is going. And as with any regimen, the surgeon tailors it to how each case is progressing and to each patient’s situation.
When should it not be used?
With a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, over osteosynthesis material depending on the area and the mode of application, in pregnancy, over a thrombosis or an active infection, over open wounds and in areas with altered sensation — because the patient cannot warn of excessive heat. In oncology patients it requires individual assessment.
That last point explains why it is not a self-service treatment: thermal safety depends on the person receiving it being able to feel and speak up.
Sources
Notarnicola A, Maccagnano G, Gallone MF, Covelli I, Tafuri S, Moretti B.Short term efficacy of capacitive-resistive diathermy therapy in patients with low back pain: a prospective randomized controlled trial. J Biol Regul Homeost Agents. 2017;31(2):509-515. PMID 28685560 — 60 patients: significant improvement in pain and disability at every follow-up, with an advantage over laser at one and two months.
Duñabeitia I, Arrieta H, Torres-Unda J, Gil J, Santos-Concejero J, Gil SM, Irazusta J, Bidaurrazaga-Letona I.Effects of a capacitive-resistive electric transfer therapy on physiological and biomechanical parameters in recreational runners: A randomized controlled crossover trial. Phys Ther Sport. 2018;32:227-234. PMID 29870922 — crossover trial: a more efficient running pattern after the session, with equivalent physiological parameters.
Kumaran B, Watson T.Thermal build-up, decay and retention responses to local therapeutic application of 448 kHz capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency: A prospective randomised crossover study in healthy adults. Int J Hyperthermia. 2015;31(8):883-895. PMID 26524223 — characterises the heating of tissue in capacitive and resistive mode.
Kumaran B, Watson T.Skin thermophysiological effects of 448 kHz capacitive resistive monopolar radiofrequency in healthy adults: A randomised crossover study and comparison with pulsed shortwave therapy. Electromagn Biol Med. 2018;37(1):1-12. PMID 29308927 — effects on skin temperature, blood flow and nerve conduction compared with pulsed shortwave.
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