Fractional Radio Frequency- Skin Resurfacing Treatment

What is a radiofrequency facial?

A radiofrequency facial is a non-invasive treatment that?uses heat energy to create a?controlled?injury to your skin,?which, in turn, prompts collagen and elastin production—the two key proteins responsible for skin firmness, tightness, and smoothness. As with any injury, whether it's a big cut or a tiny scratch, your body works overtime to heal the wound, churning out fresher, newer, tighter skin. So if you create a controlled "injury" to your face? Same result.

• Radiofrequency works on the following:
• Tissue Retraction:?The generated heat causes local contraction of the collagen fibers immediately tightening the skin to remodel and rejuvenate the previous effects of aging.
• Collagen Formation:?
• The local fibroblasts stimulate collagen formation by heating the dermis and it then acts as a new deep foundation for the skin. This produces further delayed tightening, which only becomes evident slowly over the next few months.
• Improved Circulation:?
• Radiofrequency also improves blood flow and lymphatic drainage and provides a better oxygen supply and greater toxin clearance.

How radiofrequency therapy for skin tightening works

Thermalift was the first type of RF available for?skin tightening, but now many companies offer similar technology.

Some of the most common types of systems in the United States include:

1. Exilis
2. Profound RF
3. Thermage
4. Thermi

Each type of technology works the same way. RF waves heat the deep layer of your skin to between 122 and 167°F (50–75°C).

StudiesTrusted Source

?have found that maintaining a temperature over 115°F (46°C) for over 3 minutes causes your body to release heat-shock proteins. These proteins stimulate your body to create new collagen fibers.

What are radiofrequency waves?

RF waves are a form of radiation. Radiation is the release of energy in the form of electromagnetic waves.

It can be classified as low energy or high energy depending on the amount of energy released. X-rays and gamma rays are examples of high-energy radiation while RF waves are considered low-energy.

Radio waves, WiFi, and microwaves are all forms of RF waves.

The form of radiation used in RF skin tightening releases about?1 billion times less?energy than X-rays.

How does the Radio Frequency treatment work?

• The radio frequency energy is directed onto the skin through optical gel which is applied before treatment. The radio frequency energy works by heating the dermal (ie lower) layers of your skin without having to pass directly through the epidermis (the surface skin) so that the skin is maximally protected.
• The heat energy delivered to the lower layers is absorbed by the many water molecules present in this area. The water molecules then begin to vibrate from the energy delivered causing additional frictional heat.
• The neurotransmitters to the brain interpret this delivery of heat to the lower layers of the skin as being a perceived threat/potential injury and the body responds to this by stimulating collagen with the further benefit of tightening elastin fibers.
• This is the body’s natural reparative response and how it would deal with wound healing. The result is tighter, firmer, younger-looking skin.
• There is also a freshness and youthfulness that results from the treatment due to the excitation of the water molecules which produces high levels of oxygenation (water being made up of part hydrogen and part oxygen).
• Oxygen stimulation below the skin surface promotes general skin health (assisting with acne and another scarring) in addition to the lifting and tightening that the technology is most well known for.

Are all radiofrequency facials the same?

No! There are a bunch of different radiofrequency treatments, and depending on the level of energy they give off and the depth at which they penetrate the skin, each one can provide different results. Some radiofrequency facials are simple.?These gentle radiofrequency facials work superficially for an instant—but short-term—sculpting effect?(think: perfect for a little boost right before a big event, but not the best for long-term collagen building).

Other radiofrequency face treatments are more intense. These in-office procedures should only be performed by licensed medical professionals in a dermatologist's or plastic surgeon's office and because of their higher intensity,?they're able to deliver more noticeable and longer-lasting lifting and tightening results.

Radiofrequency can do more than just firming though. When it's combined with micro-needling (called "RF micro-needling," for short), it's?great at improving skin tone and texture,?minimizing the appearance of pores?and acne scars, and smoothing fine lines. There are a few different devices that combine micro-needling with radiofrequency (talk to your doctor to find out what's best for your skin type and goals).

What should I expect during a radiofrequency facial?

• This will fully depend on the type of treatment you have. Most patients say traditional in-office radiofrequency (without micro-needling) feels like a hot stone massage for your face. It's?fairly quick, requires little to no downtime, and is pretty painless, which is contrary to what many people think. Radiofrequency?micro-needling?treatments are more intense and come with a bit of pain. Before the treatment, you sit with a topical numbing cream on the face for about an hour. Once the numb feeling fully kicked in, the face was cleansed and wiped with alcohol (since micro-needling creates tiny holes in your skin, it's super important to sterilize your skin first).
• During the treatment, a handheld device will be moved over the entire face three times in a "stamping" motion.?With each stamp, heat and sterile needles will be pressed into the skin to stimulate collagen in deep skin tissue.?And while this sounds torturous (heat! needles! what!), it's actually not that terrible. The first pass would be painless, the second pass could feel prickly, and the third pass could be slightly painful (especially around the upper lip and eye area). However, each stamp would be so quick, the entire treatment would take 30 minutes maximum.

Once the treatment is complete, a calming peptide serum will be applied all over the face. There are two important post-procedure rules.

Rules

• No touching your face or applying anything for the next 24 hours?(Remember the tiny holes? They stay open for a few hours, so you don't want them to get filled with bacteria!).
• No active ingredients (like?glycolic acid?and retinol) for a few days, since RF micro needling can make skin temporarily more sensitive.
• Immediately post-treatment, the face would look like you got a bad sunburn. Rest assured, the redness subsides within two hours, and then you would look pink for the next few hours or the rest of the day. On the second and third days, the skin would go back to normal, with just a little blotchiness in the area around the nose. On the fourth day? The pores will look teeny-tiny and the skin will feel super smooth!

How long does radiofrequency skin tightening last?

One of the great things about in-office radiofrequency and RF micro-needling is that the results are both immediate and long-lasting. After the treatment, the skin would look great in a few days, and notice even more skin tightening and smoothing in the coming months since the collagen-building process takes time.?"On average, the skin tightening results last about six months."

The best way to maintain those skin-tightening results is to incorporate collagen-boosting?face serums that contain active ingredients like peptides, retinol, and growth factors into your daily routine.

Key Benefits Of Radio Frequency Skin TighteningTightening sagging or loose skin

• Reduction of fat accumulation under the dermis?
• Lifting face to a V-shaped face
• Cellulite reduction and skin contouring?
• Improving skin tone?
• Promoting collagen production?
• Less pain
• Satisfied outcomes could be noticed quickly
• No downtime or post-treatment skin care is required?
• High level of safety approved by US FDA.?
• Long-lasting effect up to 1-2 years*

Specific Areas That Are Recommended For Radio Frequency Skin Tightening?Facial area:

• forehead, cheek, brow line, and lips
• Neck and shin
• Eyelid: upper and lower eyelids
• Body: abdomen, arm, and tight

Suitable Candidates For Radio Frequency Skin Tightening

Radio-frequency skin tightening is highly suggested in people with skin problems as follows:

• Sagging facial skin and fat accumulation?
• Loose skin or poor skin tone
• A double chin (or submental fat) that makes the face become unshaped?
• Wide face in which facial lifting and shape adjusting is needed
• Women after giving birth?

What areas can be treated most effectively with Radio Frequency?

The best results are usually seen on the face, neck, and decolletage. It is good for loose jaw lines, nasal labial folds (those lines from nose to mouth), lines and wrinkles around the eyes and on the forehead, under eye bags and circles, and general skin that has aged chronologically and through exposure to damage environmental elements such as the sun, smoking, wind in the winter months, alcohol and poor hydration over the years.

Loose skin and excessive skin laxity can cause wrinkles and sagging skin in the face, neck, abdomen, arms, and legs. Getting rid of these undesired skin problems largely helps to enhance self-confidence. Radiofrequency skin tightening provides effective results by delivering heat to the tissue below the dermis, stimulating collagen production, and contracting fibers to tighten the affected skin. It is considered a safe and effective solution that does not require downtime and post-treatment skin care. More importantly, to obtain the best possible outcome and a high degree of safety, this procedure must be performed in the hospital by highly experienced and well-trained dermatologists supported by advanced technology.?

Are radiofrequency facials safe?

Unlike laser treatments or?chemical peels,?radiofrequency and RF micro-needling are safe for the majority of skin tones (including dark or tanned skin). The likelihood of experiencing adverse side effects like scarring or skin discoloration (especially if you see a licensed pro for your treatment) is minimal, and the downtime is pretty minimal too. The only people that RF micro-needling isn't good for? Those with active acne, cysts, or incredibly sensitive or reactive skin, since the treatment can make inflammation worse.

Benefits:?

1. The primary benefit is skin tightening to help get rid of wrinkles, smooth stretch marks, and tighten loose skin in areas such as the face, chin, neck, etc.
2. Fat reduction through a cell process called adipocyte apoptosis. RF can be used for face slimming as well as the upper and lower abs, inner and outer thighs, and upper arms. It is also found to help reduce the appearance of cellulite.?
3. RF is painless, requires no downtime, leaves no surface irregularities, and reinvigorates the skin for a healthy glow.?

Not a Quick Fix:

• RF requires time and several sessions before visible signs of improvement
• Energy-based bio-stimulating treatments naturally require a course of treatments, inducing benefits gradually over serval months
• It is recommended to have treatments every 3-4 days ideally
• Having weekly treatments should show results after a month or so

When to Avoid RF:

• If you have rosacea you should avoid RF treatment?
• If you have broken blood vessels or capillaries, it is also not advisable?
• Heat-based treatments are likely to cause further inflammation, dilate vessels, and/or worsen redness with rosacea and other conditions.

How many treatments will I need?

We usually recommend a course of 8 – 10 treatments but this does depend on age and skin condition/laxity. Thereafter occasional maintenance treatments are advised. Your therapist will provide a free consultation and suggest how many treatments are recommended in your circumstances. Sometimes clients elect to have one-off treatments for a special event. But for long-lasting results (up to 2 years depending on age and lifestyle) a course will be needed. For older clients (60 years and above), for maximum results, a second course could be required after the first.

There is no limit to the number of treatments you can have, and the treatments come with a warning… you may get addicted to the new you and the compliments that are often received!

How long do I have to wait in between treatments?

• Treatments can be taken as regularly as twice a week, but most people have treatments every week or every two weeks whilst they are on their course. If your budget doesn’t allow for this you can take treatments monthly.
• The results will just take a little longer to come through. After the initial course you can take a break and then either book in for another course 3 months later (for older clients or clients with more compromised skin) or you can have occasional maintenance treatments.
• Don’t forget that as time goes by you are continuing to age and are regularly exposed to environmental hazards which will take their toll and perpetuate the aging process.
• These treatments are combating that, but will not last forever as you are always aging, so arrange a review session with your therapist once you have completed a course.

What do I need to do in between treatments?

Before treatments, you must drink plenty of water so that you get the most out of your treatments. The more water molecules in the skin the easier it is for the skin to heat up and prompt the reparative response of collagen stimulation and oxygen production. Otherwise, just turn up with or without makeup. Your therapist can remove makeup and you will be able to reapply after treatment.

What will happen after the treatment?

• After the treatment, there will be a more flushed look to the skin. For those with a sallow skin tone, this will usually generate a very healthy appearance. For those with initial red skin tones, there may be a higher-than-usual skin color but this will generally subside quickly (within an hour or two usually).
• The skin will feel warm but this will cool after a relatively short period. You will feel a tautness and probably notice an improvement in texture and a more lifted look to the skin.
• Makeup can be applied immediately and you can carry on with your day as usual, confident that you are on the path to a naturally younger-looking you! Any other questions of course can be answered in a free consultation.

SAWSAN MAHDAWI