What I Know about Secret RF Microneedling
What I Know about Secret RF Microneedling
by Colleen Connolly
I had been wanting to try the Secret RF microneedling treatment for quite some time and I finally got a chance to see what the hype is all about! I’m going to tell all about my experience with it but first I want to go over what the treatment actually does.
Secret RF is a radiofrequency microneedling device that is designed to dramatically stimulate collagen by directly applying radiofrequency based heat to the dermis. What this means is because the system is using needles and heat, it is giving a much better result than traditional microneedling which uses needles alone. As result, patients will see an incredible improvement in their lines, wrinkles, scars of any type, acne scars, saggy or loose skin, and even stretch marks!
What Secret RF Treats
Your provider will ask you what concern you are looking to treat and then will ask you if you would like to try the normal treatment or an aggressive treatment. The aggressive treatment is usually needed for those looking for bigger changes.
Normal Secret RF treatment: Best suited for those with fine lines, mild wrinkles, texture, superficial scars, pores, and texture. Basically those who want to look refreshed and prevent aging.
Aggressive Secret RF treatment: Best suited for those with deep lines and wrinkles, sagging skin, crepey neck or eye skin, stretch marks, rolling acne scars, and jowl tightening. This treatment can be used on the body as well to treat thin and wrinkly skin above the knees, banana roll area, thin skin on the chest, tightening of loose skin anywhere including the belly, scarring from surgeries, and stretch marks.
My Experience
Now I have always done regular microneedling so the question that came to my mind was, “is this treatment more effective than a traditional treatment?” The short answer... YES! The heat produced from the radio frequency results in a more effective and enhanced treatment by not only stimulating collagen and elastin production BUT also tightening of the skin. Who doesn’t want tightening of the skin as they age?! While commonly it tightens skin, it has also been shown in some studies to destroy fat cells if the correct settings are used. This would be excellent for those that have fat herniation or puffiness under their eyes. It has also been said that one single Secret RF treatment is equivalent to about 6 normal microneedling treatments, which when speaking to a patient about Secret RF, I try to explain how it is more cost effective for those that are on a budget while also yielding better results. The other plus to Secret RF is that the heat helps reduce recovery time and usually a patient looks ok within 24 hours.
How Soon will I see results?
As soon as the deepest layers of your skin are penetrated by the needles, "microwounds" are created triggering your body’s response to stimulate the inflammatory process to heal your body immediately. However patients can expect to see results about 4-6 weeks after treatment and will continue to look even better as time goes on as collagen/elastin builds.
Is it painful?
While it is more painful than traditional microneedling because there is heat involved, the pain is tolerable. We treat patients about 40 minutes prior using a combination numbing cream of Lidocaine and Tetracaine to help with pain. Most believe the treatment is manageable and with all patients we have the ability to decrease the intensity to make the treatment more tolerable.
What to expect after the treatment
Patients can expect to feel heat, warmth, and tightness to their face or area that was treated. Most often it looks like a sunburn and some patients can have minor to mild swelling. For those that swell we offer an anti inflammatory to help. Patients will need to avoid all heat generating activities such as exercise, and cannot apply anything to their skin for 24 hours except a gentle cleanser and some skin healing and repairing products we offer at the clinic. If a patient has grid marks the use of a retinol will help speed this up and yes, this is 100% normal and it can still be faintly noticeable for up to several weeks depending on the patient and how aggressive the treatment was. Other side effects a patient might experience, white heads, skin flaking, mild breakouts, or bruising (rare). Majority of the time, patients do not have any issues but we are always available in case a question or concern arises.
This treatment definitely worked to tighten and smoothe the skin out and is best when used in combination with Botox and Dermal fillers for an overall anti-aging effect! If you are interested in scheduling the Secret RF treatment, I highly recommend going to Artavi Med Spa in Houston, Tx. Their number is 832-649-7266 or you can book online directly through their website artavimedspa.com. If you are unsure whether this treatment is for you, I recommend doing an in-depth consultation with Dr. Desai which you can also book online here.