Promising to reduce lines and wrinkles, minimize age spots, and tighten and tone skin, radio-frequency microneedling is a popular procedure that addresses multiple signs of aging at once. Different treatment options exist, but the basic function is the same: an applicator with tiny needles penetrates the skin at various depths to deliver radio-frequency energy waves and create microinjuries. This prompts the body’s response to generate more collagen resulting in smoother skin with a fresh glow.
You may see various “microneedling RF” treatments that remodel skin the same way, but they’re not all the same. Here, we asked top aesthetic experts to share which microneedling RF treatment they rely on and the features that set them apart.
According to New York dermatologist Jody Levine, MD Morpheus8 is one of the deepest fractional treatments available: “It penetrates subdermal tissue up to 8 millimeters to improve the skin’s appearance without damaging the surrounding area.”
Beverly Hills, CA, dermatologist Ava Shamban, MD says Vivace Ultra’s combination of ultrasound imaging, updated needle sets and new options for the radio-frequency pulses make it more customizable during the treatment. “Being informed by individualized data produces more patient-centric opportunities for providers to deliver the highest level results,” she explains.
Not just reserved for the face, neck, and décolleté, Miami medical aesthetician Amy Peterson also uses her Genius device to treat the abdomen, arms and legs. “It has the ability to analyze the skin during the treatment to adjust the needle depth and penetration to adapt to different textures. It’s really great for treating a variety of concerns on the face and body.”
For acne scars, skin of color, sun damage and general signs of aging, Centreville, VA dermatologist Abrahem Kazemi, MD counts Secret RF as his not-so-secret weapon. “It’s the only device that has a CO2 handpiece which gives it the ability to do a more advanced treatment that combines CO2 laser energy with RF microneedling to treat an incredible range of skin concerns all at once.”
“Profound, like Morpheus8, goes deeper through the skin delivering radio frequency through the applicator tip to tighten in a very precise way,” says Campbell, CA plastic surgeon Kamakshi R. Zeidler, MD. “The radio-frequency then remodels the collagen in the deeper layers of the skin to achieve tightening.” The system is getting a major upgrade with the new Profound Matrix device that is coming soon.
New York dermatologist Elaine Kung, MD likes the SmoothGlo treatment for treating darker skin tones. “It’s my go-to for skin discoloration, volume loss and laxity. I combine the synergistic energies of SmoothGlo’s Intense Pulse Light (IPL) to target red areas of the skin and radio frequency microneedling. Typically, patients need three sessions performed once a week.”
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