RF Needling Vs Microneedling: Which Is Better?

Microneedling and RF Needling are both used to promote collagen and elastin in the skin and reduce scar tissue for a smoother, more radiant complexion. The procedures involve causing microdamage to the skin with tiny, sterile needles without creating an actual wound. This process will cause your body to release growth factors (the hormones that stimulate cell repair) as new blood vessels form, and the collagen fibers begin to rebuild and regenerate themselves. As a result, fine lines and textural concerns are improved, and your skin will look refreshed and healthier. To help promote healing and improve results post-treatment, Laser Resurfacing treatments can be combined with both RF needling and microneedling.

Continue reading to see the benefits and a comparison of traditional microneedling and RF microneedling:

What is RF Needling?

RF microneedling, short for radiofrequency microneedling, adds radio frequency (RF) energy to the traditional microneedling technique to further stimulate the creation of growth factors. RF microneedling uses specialized needles to create micro-punctures to the skin and delivers radiofrequency energy through these punctures simultaneously. The addition of radiofrequency energy into the dermis amplifies the production of skin-improving proteins and enzymes than traditional microneedling alone. It can treat deeper scarring, some skin sagging and more stubborn textural concerns such as crepey skin because it can safely reach deeper layers of the skin.

Benefit 1:

RF microneedling combines the greatness of skin needling, with the thermal element of radio frequency which makes a very powerful combination. Microneedling creates mini controlled trauma to the skin, which tricks your body into producing more collagen, as part of the natural healing process. The RF element provides thermal stimulation, where the needles produce/emit heat into the skin, which further boost collagen production and causes skin to tighten and contract as a response to the treatment, leading to a lifted and tightened look.

Compared to regular microneedling, RF microneedling can reach deeper layers of the skin without creating significant damage to the top layers of the skin. This is due to the RF energy being delivered past the tip of each needle to deep layers of the skin to stimulate collagen production and tighten the skin.

Benefit 2:

RF microneedling treatments can be customised for each patient, as needle depth and RF Energy intensity can be altered to meet the unique needs of each patient. Non-insulated micro needles emit radiofrequency energy over the entire surface area, heating both the upper and lower layers of the skin at once. Insulated microneedles are specifically designed to deliver RF energy to the dermis and not the top layers of the skin (epidermis), which allows the procedure to be performed on darker skin types.

RF microneedling is able to treat scars more so than traditional treatments, because of the added RF component. RF energy breaks up scar matter better than needle punctures alone and higher levels of RF can be focused on specific areas to maximize results.

Microneedling can be done with different methods to create controlled micro damage along the skin. These minor skin injuries stimulate the skin’s natural healing process resulting in the production of skin firming proteins like collagen and elastin.

A dermal roller is used along the skin to make small pricks to the skin to stimulate a healing process in the skin. This can be an at home treatment although it is crucial to be sterile and soft with use otherwise infections and skin tears can occur.

Alternatively microneedling pens are an alternate device to the dermapen, often confused with microdermabrasion. Microdermabrasion exfoliates the skin for cell turnover whilst microneedling stimulates skin repair for textural concerns and anti-ageing results. The needles on a microneedling pen move extremely fast in and out of the pen as it’s moved along the skin. The quick movement and retraction of the needles on a microneedling pen are much less likely to cause unwanted damage and micro-tears than a derma roller.

As mentioned above, microneedling stimulates a wound healing response without creating an actual wound. Your skin responds by producing new collagen and repairing itself for a healthy appearance. Rebuilding collagen helps with textual concerns on the surface of your skin, such as large pores and mild surface scarring.

Benefit 1:

Microneedling can help treat sun damage. This is due to the power of controlled skin injury, as it triggers the skin’s wound healing process and allows new, fresh skin cells to replace damaged ones. 

Simultaneously it boosts collagen and elastin production to remodel skin by altering tissue formation. 

Benefit 2:

Traditional microneedling can reduce fine lines, improve texture and minimise pores. Pores are tiny openings at the surface of the skin that allow sebum, our body’s natural oils, to pass through it. The release of sebum onto the skin through pores is essential for maintaining healthy skin, although sometimes too much sebum is produced which causes clogged pores. When pores are clogged, they appear larger than they actually are, due to the tightening and smoothing effects of microneedling, pore will appear smaller.

Benefit 3:

Microneedling improves product absorption and allows products to penetrate the skin on a deeper level. Having regular Microneedling treatments will create invisible holes in your skin that are ready to absorb products in a way that clogged pores could never. When topical medications and skincare penetrate skin more efficiently, it allows you to reap greater benefits of any product in your routine.

What is the difference?

Traditional microneedling is an effective treatment in its own right, it is a great option to boost collagen in the skin, and is overall a milder treatment. Alternatively, RF microneedling uses two types of microdamage: the stamping penetration of the needles and then the heat emitted from the tips once in the skin. This combination allows the exact temperature and depth of the treatment to be customised, making it the best option to address scarring and tightening the skin, for all skin tones and types. 

Ultimately RF microneedling is a more superior treatment compared to traditional microneedling. Although both have their respective benefits, RF needling produces much more effective results after one session then multiple microneedling treatments.

Both options utilise the same technique, causing micro damage to the skin to kick start the skin’s collagen production, although traditional microneedling stops there, and Microneedling combined with RF will help treat the skin more effectively and efficiently.

Do you want to improve collagen and reduce scar tissue?

To learn more about rejuvenating your skin without surgery and minimal downtime, we invite you to book in a consultation with our brilliant skin therapist based at our Collingwood Clinic.

Don’t hesitate to ask me any questions you have – I’d love to hear from you so we can start working together on a refreshed, healthy and confident you.

Best wishes,

The Lumea Aesthetics Team