You’ve probably heard of radiofrequency (RF) microneedling. It may also be known to have a skin tightening effect. But what exactly is it? As the name suggests, this treatment combines microneedling (which studies have shown can help reduce acne scars, fine lines, and uneven texture) and heat. For what purpose? “It can effectively reduce the appearance of fine lines, even skin tone, and provide some skin tightening,” says Darren Smith, MD, FACS, a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York City.
Beforehand, Dr. Smith and other skin experts will explain everything you need to know about the treatment, including how it works, what to expect, and how much pain it will be.
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What is RF microneedling and what are its benefits?
Age, sun exposure, and habits like smoking can cause collagen and elastin breakdown, but board-certified dermatologist Ariane Shady Kourosh, MD, MPH, says treatments like RF microneedling can help restore some firmness to the skin.
Conventional microneedling involves creating micro-injuries in the skin, triggering a wound-healing response that stimulates collagen production. RF microneedling combines this treatment with radiofrequency energy to “heat the underlying tissue and stimulate the production of more collagen as well as elastin and hyaluronic acid,” says Kourosh. “It also has a skin tightening effect.”
Your skin tone or skin type does not affect whether you are a candidate for treatment. Dr. Smith says the best candidates are people with mild to moderate skin tone or texture concerns (such as slight sagging or mild discoloration) who don’t need the power of deeper laser treatments (such as Fraxel). RF microneedling cannot address significant skin laxity or severe sun damage. Dr. Smith says the best candidates are people with mild to moderate skin tone or texture concerns (such as slight sagging or mild discoloration) who don’t need the power of deeper laser treatments (such as Fraxel). RF microneedling does not address more severe skin laxity or severe sun damage.
RF microneedling has many names
There are many different RF microneedling devices out there, and the difference between them is simply a difference in marketing budget and advertising campaign. Although they all use the same core technology, “there are subtle differences in how deep the needle goes into the skin,” says Dr. Mona Gohara, a board-certified dermatologist with Connecticut Dermatology. She further explained that deeper penetration can increase collagen production. Here are some of the most popular brands:
secret RF
Dr. Shereen Idris, a board-certified dermatologist in New York City, offers Secret RF in her office to patients with darker skin, who are particularly susceptible to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation from the microneedling component of the treatment. Secret RF “has been shown in studies to have a lower risk of post-procedure hyperpigmentation compared to other RF microneedling devices,” she says.
morpheus 8
Idriss also offers Morpheus8 for his practice. Morpheus8 is an RF microneedling device that “can treat up to 8 mm deep in the skin, whereas other RF microneedling devices can typically only treat up to 3 mm deep, which makes it ideal for dissolving fat,” says Dr. Idris.
genius
genius. This device has 49 needles per tip compared to 24 needles per tip on other devices. “The main benefit of using more needles is that the practitioner can treat a larger surface area with each pulse, which increases treatment speed (especially on larger areas) and reduces the time for each treatment session,” said Gina Kim, senior vice president of global marketing at Lutronic, the beauty device company behind Genius.
