SkinPen Microneedling vs Vivace RF Microneedling
The Takeaway
- Controlled injury builds collagen and elastin.
- Collagen and elastin give skin a youthful glow.
- SkinPen microneedling and Vivace radiofrequency microneedling build collagen and elastin by creating a controlled injury.
- Vivace radiofrequency microneedling adds the element of heat to improve results.
- Treatments are safe and approved for all Fitzpatrick skin types.
- There are some key differences between each type of microneedling.
- A series of 3-6 of either is recommended for best results.
What Concerns do SkinPen Microneedling and Vivace Radiofrequency Microneedling Address?
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Improved tone and texture
- Tightens the skin
- Decreases pore size
- Improves the appearance of scars including acne scars (RF microneedling can be used on active acne)
- OTHER
What are Microneedling and Radiofrequency Microneedling?
Microneedling and its wealthy cousin Radiofrequency Microneedling (RF Microneedling) are skin treatments that use tiny, sterile needles to make itty bitty injuries to the skin. RF microneedling adds the benefit of thermal stimulation to create more dramatic results. The microneedles stimulate the body’s healing response and result in an increase in collagen and elastin, which help give skin its plump, supple appearance. We call this “collagen induction therapy” and many aesthetic treatments utilize this mechanism to do their job. Lasers and chemical peels also get their amazing results from this process.
How does Collagen Induction Therapy work?
Our bodies’ capacity for healing is impressive. Remember when you were a kid and you tripped and scraped your knees?
You were probably convinced that it would never heal.
Your knee would hurt forever!
Mom tried to comfort and reassure you while she wiped your tears and applied your band-aid. Fast forward a few days or so and your scabbed-over knee was making its way towards healing. Mom was right. But did mom understand how your body did that?
A Very Brief Description of the Wound Healing Process
- When there is a break in the skin and underlying tissues, it may bleed. Those blood cells contain platelets that help the wound clot. Think about a garden hose that has a leak; the first thing you do is put your finger over the hole to prevent water going where you don’t want it to go (like all over your clothes instead of in the garden).
- The break in the system also signals the inflammatory response. This response contains white blood cells to help fight infection and produce growth factors.
- Those growth factors produce our beloved collagen which repairs the damaged tissue (How Wounds Heal, 2021).
This process takes a few months to complete. The remodeling of collagen can result in scars when the injury is uncontrolled and traumatic. My sister still has a scar from dinging her shin on a table when she was 10.
What to Expect at a Microneedling or Radiofrequency Microneedling treatment
Unlike the pavement you may have skidded along as a kid, microneedling creates a controlled injury to produce just the right amount of healing response.
You are probably thinking that the words “needles” and “controlled injury” sound painful. It certainly can be in the wrong hands. Microneedling and RF microneeedling are performed with devices that create an injury in a precise, targeted manner so the result is uniform and beautiful. They both can be used on almost the entire body. Most often they are used on the face, neck, and decolletage. Because the needles a quite tiny, the procedure is not particularly painful. But because most trained aesthetic providers are super nice, we numb you up with a topical ointment beforehand. Most patients don’t feel much and some even doze off during treatment.
Once you are assessed, numbed, and properly cleansed, the procedure begins. Here is where there are a few key differences between microneedling and RF microneeedling.
Microneedling, the Traditional Version
At Maxwell Aesthetics we use a device called SkinPen to perform these treatments. SkinPen is the first FDA-approved microneedling device. It uses a motorized mechanism to create tiny punctures in the treatment area. The depth is customized based on your skin sensitivity, concerns, and area of treatment. The SkinPen is moved around the treatment area for and even distribution of penetration. Specific areas, such as scars, can be targeted with more passes to induce a greater response.
Your aesthetic provider may use a targeted serum or Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) to enhance the results and stimulate faster healing.
You may have some redness after the treatment that usually resolves in one to three days.
Radiofrequency Microneedling, the Next Level
The process looks a little different for RF microneedling with Vivace. Vivace is stamped all over the treatment area for several passes. The needles create a physical puncture while the addition of radiofrequency adds heat into the dermis to remodel collagen and elastin from within. Targeted serums and PRP are also often used during treatment. You may have mild redness immediately after treatment but it should go away within a few hours. In fact, most patients look amazingly glowy right afterward. There is virtually no downtime.
What are the Differences Between SkinPen Microneedling and Vivace Radiofrequency Microneedling?
Both SkinPen and Vivace have great benefits for the skin. Vivace ups the ante with the use of radiofrequency yielding quicker, longer-lasting, quicker healing results. The best way to know which treatment is right for you is to schedule a complimentary consultation with one of our skincare experts.
Call (520) 751-1225 to book your appointment today.