How Is Morpheus8 Different from Traditional Microneedling?

Why would you deliberately create wounds in someone’s skin to improve its appearance? When you’re talking about microneedling, it’s because those wounds begin a process that erases fine lines and wrinkles, fills in scars, and gives your skin increased strength and a more even tone.

At Pure Touch Skin Center, our expert aestheticians understand that our patients in the Glendale and Sherman Oaks, California, areas may be uncomfortable with the visible signs of aging. That’s why we offer traditional microneedling treatments and the radiofrequency (RF) Morpheus8 system, so you don’t have to live with those visible signs anymore.

Here, the team explains the difference between the two treatment options.

Supporting structure

When you were a kid, and through your teen years, your skin was smooth and taut. That’s due in large part to two proteins, collagen and elastin, which support the skin and make it strong, plump, and flexible.

The trouble is, by the time you reach 25, your body naturally decreases production of these proteins. And whatever stores are left may be further depleted because of damage caused by your environment, including the sun’s UV light, tobacco smoke, and a variety of pollutants.

The upshot is you lose volume in your face and hands, which develop hollows, fine lines, and wrinkles. These wrinkles are known as “static” wrinkles because they’re always present, even when your face is at rest.

At the same time, you also develop “dynamic” wrinkles, the result of repeated facial expressions. Whenever you smile, frown, or raise your eyebrows, the muscles that create these expressions tug on the skin above them. Without enough elastin to rebound quickly, you develop a furrow over the muscles.

When your wrinkles are in the early stages of development, dermal fillers can temporarily address your static wrinkles, while Botox® and Dysport®, neurotoxins that prevent muscle contractions, can temporarily address your dynamic ones. As the wrinkles deepen, though, you need something more.

The miracle of microneedling

Microneedling, sometimes referred to as “collagen induction therapy,” uses rows of very small needles to puncture your skin’s surface, creating micro injuries. Your body responds in two important ways:

1. Expedites healing factors to the affected area to repair the wounds
2. Jumpstarts collagen production to fill in the furrows and replace damaged skin layers

The result is smooth, healthy-looking skin.

At Pure Touch Skin Center, we rely on the FDA-approved SkinPen® microneedling system. The handheld device creates thousands of micro injuries, stimulating wound healing while preventing collateral tissue damage.

How Morpheus8 differs from traditional microneedling

Morpheus8 is like microneedling on steroids. According to its manufacturer, Morpheus8 is a “minimally invasive facial and body fractional remodeling system.” Like other microneedling systems, it uses rows of tiny, insulated needles; however, these needles penetrate deeper into the subdermal tissue layer than most other systems, to where collagen and elastin reside.

As they move over your skin, the needles also deliver high-frequency RF energy into the wounds, which accelerates the skin restructuring process. It’s safe for use on all skin types and poses little risk of hyperpigmentation, a common side effect of resurfacing methods that use heat.

Morpheus8 also increases tissue vascularization, bringing additional, nutrient-filled blood to nourish the developing skin cells.

Your treatment time depends on the size and number of the areas we address. In addition, most people generally need more than a single session, depending on the extent of skin damage and their aesthetic goals. The average patient needs three to five sessions, with initial results appearing after the second session.

You should space each treatment session out by a few weeks to allow for wound healing and for collagen and elastin supplies to increase to therapeutic levels. Improvements continue for up to six months after your final session, as your protein levels continue to increase.

If you’re looking to plump up aging skin, we have two great options for you: microneedling and Morpheus8. Give us a call at either of our locations to set up a consultation with one of our aestheticians, or send us a message online today.