RF Microneedling

Frequently Asked Questions About RF Microneedling

• What downtime or recovery should I expect with RF Microneedling?

  Fractional RadioFrequency works to minimize your downtime and maximize the speed at which you achieve results in two ways: Fractionated Energy: fractional energy treatments deliver energy to a portion of the skin. The percentage of skin treated during Fractional Radio Frequency Microneedling can be adjusted during each treatment. Treating the entire skin at once would lead to a very long recovery with high risk for infection and complication (think intense chemical peels and fully ablative laser therapy). Treating a portion of the skin means the skin is able to recover quicker and keep risks and complications at a minimum. Using a series of treatments, Fractional RadioFrequency treats each cell at least once during the series. This way you can achieve the same effectiveness as an invasive treatment, with fewer risks and a shorter downtime. Minimized Damage to the skin surface: Unlike laser skin resurfacing, Fractional Radio Frequency is able to deliver the energy where its needed most, in the lower dermis, while minimizing the damage to the skin’s surface. This means you will experience the absolute minimum in visible downtime, without sacrificing results. Fractional RadioFrequency does have the potential to create bleeding, due to the microneedles. We have seen this vary from patient-to-patient. Typically bleeding is minimal and resolves immediately without any additional side effects or required action. Most patients elect to take the evening off from social activities. You should feel comfortable to return to normal social activities no later than 48 hours post-treatment, without the risk of anyone knowing you’ve had a procedure.

• Is RF Microneedling painful?

  Treatments with Infini and Intensif are tolerated quite well. To ensure your treatment is comfortable, we utilize a topical numbing cream (lidocaine), and can offer additional numbing with injection, if desired.

• When will I start to see results from a RF Microneedling treatment?

  Fractional RadioFrequency works by causing your skin to rebuild old and damaged cells, thus the results are not immediate and depend upon the speed at which your body responds. Typically, improvements are noticed 6-8 weeks after a session. Each patient typically wants to have 3 or more sessions to see significant results. However, the number of sessions recommended for your acne scars will be included in your customized treatment plan, provided during your consultation.

• Is RF Microneedling safe? Can radiofrequency microneedling be dangerous?

  RF MicroNeedling is very safe. Because the energy spares the most superficial layer of the skin, most of the risks of side effects seen with aggressive lasers or deep chemical peels can be minimized or completely avoided. The two devices we use most often are the Intensif made by Endymed 3Deep and the INFINI made by Lutronic. Both have been FDA cleared for their safety and effectiveness. Infini is unique in that it insulates the tiny microneedles. This is an added safety measure to protect the very top layer of the skin, which is the area most prone to damage with laser treatments, especially in patients with darker skin. (epidemis not treated)

• Is RF Microneedling safe for my skin tone or type?

  The range of treatment settings in these two devices allow our physicians to create treatments which are safe for all skin types, including darker skin tones and skin which is prone to hyperpigmentation. This makes RF MicroNeedling a better alternative than laser skin resurfacing for the majority of patients with dark skin or skin which is prone to scarring or pigmentation. This also means those with lighter skin tones no longer have to post-pone laser therapies during the summer – Fractional RadioFrequency doesn’t have to wait for your tan to fade.

• How many treatments will I need? How far apart are treatments spaced?

  Generally, patients require 3-4 treatment sessions that are spaced one month apart in order to give the skin time to fully rejuvenate and rebuild its foundational matrix, restoring the skin’s texture and strength. Your initial recovery period should last no longer than 48 hours, but it’s important to allow your skin to naturally and sufficiently rebuild itself before your next treatment session. This treatment plan allows us time to measure your skin’s progress and determine whether further treatments are needed (or whether you might benefit from other treatment options in the meantime). We recommend you undergo at least 3 treatment sessions in order to see significant changes and improvements in the skin’s smoothness and texture, but this can vary based on your aesthetic goals and prior treatments. RF MicroNeedling can be a final step in an acne scar treatment process, however, which might also require other treatments prior to this procedure in order to elevate deep scars and achieve the best results for your skin. We offer a wide array of laser- and technology-based treatments for your unique skin concerns, so our experts can help you create the best treatment plan for you and your schedule during your skincare consultation.

• How is Microneedling different from RF Microneedling?

  RF Microneedling (Radiofrequency Microneedling) is not the same as the dermapen or dermaroller Microneedling that you’re seeing offered at spas across the country. Instead, tiny needles are set to various depths (usually several depths within the same treatment, performed as several passes over the treatment area), with various energy settings for the radiofrequency. Here’s how that is different from regular Microneedling:
  1. Needles stay perpendicular (unlike rollers). This is key as rollers insert and drag needles across the skin, creating trauma and the propensity for additional scarring and infection. We do not use or recommend derma rollers for this reason.
  2. Needles can be set to various depths and energy strengths – allowing us to tailor the treatment to the individual, as well as reach deeper depths and create really big changes for collagen, which is located in the deepest layers of the skin.
  3. Combining Microneedling with heat creates the same fractional type of treatment as a laser does, but unlike lasers, RF Microneedling is “color blind” – meaning it does not target the melanin or pigment in the skin. This makes it safe to be very aggressive on all skin types with this treatment, even those who would normally not be good candidates for aggressive laser treatments.
  With RF Microneedling, because the heat is delivered below the top layers of the skin, the downtime is significantly less than with an aggressive laser, but can generate the same results. For example, an aggressive CO2 laser can have up to 4 weeks of downtime where the skin is very red and visibly healing itself (swollen with scabs at first, then peeling and flaking off). RF Microneedling tends to have a week or possibly up to 2 weeks of downtime when treating as aggressively. When we add PRP to this procedure, not only do we see bigger results from that single treatment, we also see the downtime drop to just a few days, and it’s something much more manageable during those days, so that most patients take a day at most off from work.