Fractional RF Microneedle
- Time in clinic
- 60 to 90 minutes, with numbing
- Sessions
- Usually 3, spaced 4 to 6 weeks apart
- Downtime
- Usually 1 to 3 days
- Results from
- Several weeks, building for months
At a glance
This treatment combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy that delivers gentle heat into the deeper layers of the skin. It is designed to help improve firmness, texture, and the appearance of scars and enlarged pores. Treatments are tailored to your skin, with a few days of mild redness as part of the process.
- Consultation
- Complimentary
- Available at
- Legian Ubud Canggu
Before your visit
Ideal for
- Acne scars and rough, uneven texture
- Pores that look larger
- Fine lines and early wrinkles
- Skin losing a little firmness
- Some other scars and stretch marks
Please note
We will not treat you during pregnancy, or with a pacemaker, stent or other implant. The same goes for a bleeding disorder or blood thinners, a skin infection, keloid scarring or skin cancer.
To prepare
- Tell your practitioner about medication, allergies, active skin conditions and any recent facial procedure.
- Do not come with sunburnt or irritated skin.
- Arrive with clean skin where you can.
- Pause retinoids and exfoliating acids before and after, as your practitioner advises.
- If the area has an infection, an open wound or severe inflammatory acne, we will postpone your treatment.
- Please mention cold sores, abnormal scarring, poor wound healing or pigment changes after past treatments.
- Let us know about prescription skincare and isotretinoin, now or recently.
The needles carry the heat
Time in clinic60 to 90 minutes, with numbing
The FRM tip holds 25 fine, insulated gold needles. They enter your skin at a depth your practitioner sets for the area and your skin.
Radiofrequency energy then travels down the needles and is released as heat in the dermis, below the surface.
The insulation keeps the top layer of your skin cool, and much of the skin between the needles is left alone.
Your skin heals each tiny channel like a wound, and as it does, it remodels collagen and elastin.
On the day
Numbing cream goes on first, and we leave it for 30 to 40 minutes.
Your practitioner then passes the handpiece across the area section by section, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes for a full face.
A collagen mask follows, then aloe vera, hyaluronic acid, Aquaphor and SPF 30.
Our doctor for this treatment
Where it can be used
- Full face
- Forehead
- Cheeks
- Around the mouth
- Chin
- Jawline
Aftercare
DowntimeUsually 1 to 3 days
Until it settles
- Keep the skin clean and hydrated while it settles, and do not pick at dry patches.
- No makeup for the first 24 hours.
- No hard exercise, saunas, hot tubs or steam rooms for at least 24 hours.
- Keep out of direct sun and wear sunscreen every day.
- Contact us if anything unexpected develops afterwards.
For 48 hours, skip pools, the sea and hot tubs. For at least 7 days, keep out of direct sun, tanning beds, saunas, steam rooms and hot yoga, and sleep on a clean pillowcase. When makeup returns, choose mineral makeup and apply it with clean hands or tools.
Day by day
- Day 0 to 1
Your skin will be red, warm and a little swollen, much like sunburn, perhaps with pinpoint bleeding. A cool compress eases it.
- First 24 hours
Use only the serum or cream we give you, and skip makeup, massage and hard exercise.
- First 3 days
Wash with a mild cleanser and lukewarm water, using clean hands and no scrubbing.
- First 2 to 3 nights
Sleep with your head raised to help bring the swelling down.
- Days 1 to 3
Your skin can feel tight, itchy or rough like sandpaper. Use a light, non-comedogenic moisturiser, with SPF 50 or higher outdoors.
- Days 3 to 5
Light flaking may start. Let it shed naturally, and please do not pick or scratch.
- Days 5 to 7
Your skin feels smoother and the pinkness fades, though sensitive skin can stay a little flushed.
- Two weeks
Hold off retinol, AHAs, BHAs and low-pH vitamin C until your practitioner clears them.
- 2 to 4 weeks
Pores look finer and texture smoother, and collagen goes on building for months.
Results
Results fromSeveral weeks, building for months
Needle marks usually fade by about day four. Texture and firmness start to change within several weeks, and the tightening can go on building for six to eight months.
Results vary, and your practitioner will tell you what to expect from a course.
Your skin may feel dry or rough for a few days. Burns, infection, scarring and pigment changes are uncommon, but they are possible.
Questions people ask
Dermapen is microneedling alone. FRM adds radiofrequency heat inside the tissue, which makes it particularly useful for acne scars and loosening skin.
Three is the usual course. Long-standing acne scars, uneven texture or looser skin may need more, depending on how your skin responds.
Redness and swelling usually settle within one to three days. If you have photographs or a special dinner planned, keep them for after that.
Please wait until your skin has settled. The same goes for intensive facials and strong vitamin C formulas.
For deep wrinkle folds and acne scars, a fractional CO₂ laser can follow the microneedling. Your practitioner will decide whether that is right for your skin.
Yes, the two can be done together, and our Bio Cell Lift Package pairs them. A little bruising is more likely where the plasma goes in.
