Treatment with the Morpheus8 device from InMode uses advanced fractional radiofrequency micro-needling. The technical name for it is a Sub-Dermal Adipose Remodelling Device (SARD).
Treatment is designed to tighten and lift loose skin, for rejuvenation, anti-ageing, and facial recontouring, including redefining the jawline, without the need for a surgical face lift, and to remodel fat to sculpt various parts of the body.
The Morpheus8 device is a specialised machine that has been clinically proven for use in medical aesthetic treatments. It has a handpiece that is used to deliver fractional radiofrequency energy into the skin through a tip that has an array of 24 micro-needles, in this case gold coated pins.
This causes heating in the collagen layer of the skin and in the fat at a controlled depth causing a coagulation of the tissue and contraction in the skin The energy and corresponding heating effect is delivered from each individual pin on the tip, leaving an area surrounding each pin that is not exposed to the effects of the radiofrequency. By leaving this area of untreated tissue in between each of the microchannels created, the procedure can be called fractional, as it is not fully ablating or contracting all the tissue, just injuring a controlled area or fraction of the skin for clinical effect. The untreated areas help with stimulation of a wound healing response in the body for natural healing, encouraging, and aiding in the production of new collagen, elastin and all that is required for new skin cell formation to rejuvenate the areas that have experienced the effect of the heat. Over time, skin repairs, tissue is strengthened and lifted, and loose skin is tightened further through skin cell remodelling.
Usually, a programme of two to three treatment sessions is required for good results when treating the face, and three to four for areas on the body, these are spaced four to six weeks apart. Treatments take 30-60 minutes to perform.
The Morpheus8 has been approved by the health regulator in the USA, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), for ‘skin ablation and resurfacing, coagulation, haemostasis (stopping blood vessels from bleeding) and the treatment of wrinkles’. It later became the first device and technology to be cleared by the U.S. FDA to provide deep (8mm) subdermal adipose (fat) tissue remodelling.
All of this means that it has been clinically proven to be used to improve the tone and texture of the skin, to rejuvenate and restore a more youthful appearance, as well as tightening and reshaping the contours of the face and neck. The device can also be used to effectively recontour small areas of the body.
Morpheus8 can be used to:
There will be some noticeable and immediate tightening effect straight after treatment, due to contraction in the dermal layers of the skin caused by heat, although the real works starts in the coming days and weeks as your natural wound healing response is initiated. Your body will start to repair the controlled, micro-injury damage in the microchannels by making new collagen and elastin and rejuvenating the area.
Skin texture, tightening and the remodelling of any underlying fat will continue for weeks, even months, depending on the specific protocols of your treatment.
Treatment is suitable for both men and women, and skin colour or ethnicity is not a concern, as there is minimal risk of causing post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (darker patches of pigment change on the skin) which can be a risk with using treatments like lasers on darker skin types.
A thorough consultation and full medical history should be taken by your aesthetic medical practitioner to determine if there are any underlying medical conditions, allergies, or medication which may represent a caution or mean you are unsuitable for treatment. It is important to be honest with your healthcare practitioner who can assess and make sure this is the right treatment for you and a safe one for you.
If you have recently (within the last 3-6 months) had other medical aesthetic treatments in the area to be treated including cosmetic surgery, laser, dermabrasion, chemical peels, or dermal fillers, you may be required to wait before commencing treatment with radiofrequency depending on the proximity to the treatment area.
If you are generally healthy, there are few reasons why you would not be suitable for treatment with Morpheus8. Treatment cannot be performed if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Expect some downtime following the procedure, perhaps 24-72 hours, depending on the depth of your treatment, so you may wish to take some time away from work or normal activities.
After treatment, you will see small dots on the skin’s surface where the pins entered the very top layer of your skin. They will heal up after a couple of days, but you must not scratch or pick at the small scabs as you could cause scarring, infection, or changes to the skin colour. Expect some tightness, redness, warmth to the skin, swelling, tenderness and possibly minor bruising which should all resolve within a few days. Any pain or discomfort can be managed with over-the-counter pain relief such as paracetamol. Your practitioner should provide you with aftercare advice and may give you creams to apply to the skin in the days following treatment.
Downtime may be longer for treatments on the body, or if your treatment plan includes deeper facial tissue targeting.
The Morpheus8 treatment produces heat within the skin so it can be painful. A topical anaesthetic or numbing cream can be applied before treatment to reduce any discomfort. You may still feel a warming sensation and pressure from the application of the treatment tip. If you are particularly sensitive to pain, your practitioner can usually offer additional options that may include skin cooling techniques.
Morpheus8 and radiofrequency micro-needling is safe to use on all skin types or colours as unlike with light treatments, such as laser skin resurfacing, there is virtually no risk of causing a side effect called post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation which can create patches of even darker skin on those with darker skin types.
Results, after completion of the treatment programme for Morpheus8, are long-lasting, approximately one to three years. Most people are advised to have a maintenance treatment every year to keep the results looking good as natural ageing continues.
