Scarlet RF – RF Microneedling

Scarlet RF Scottsdale

Many of our patients are looking for minimally-invasive ways to rejuvenate the face or address issues with the skin’s appearance. Microneedling is an excellent way to do this. This treatment modality produces a tightening and lifting effect, which can help with a variety of different skin issues.

Although microneedling is powerful on its own, we now have a way to enhance the effects of the treatment. Scarlet RF uses radiofrequency energy to get even more powerful results from microneedling.

What is Scarlet RF?

Microneedling uses a device that’s passed across the surface of the skin. Very tiny needles penetrate into the surface of the skin, creating tiny puncture wounds. These needles are so small that they generally don’t even cause bleeding. However, the tiny puncture wounds stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, which are the main structural proteins of the skin.

With Scarlet RF, a tiny current of radiofrequency (RF) energy is also passed through the tiny needles. This creates heating of the tissue as the needles penetrate it. The needles aren’t insulated, so the RF energy is delivered across the entire depth of the needle. The heating produced by the RF energy further stimulates the skin’s healing response, which greatly increases the production of collagen. Because the treatment uses RF rather than visible light, this treatment is not affected by skin tone, and is suitable for use on all skin types. Scarlet RF uses short-pulse RF energy, which is gentler and produces fewer side effects than devices that use more intense RF energy.

What can Scarlet RF do?

The tiny puncture wounds caused by the microneedles, along with the heating produced by the RF energy, cause the production of the skin’s structural proteins, collagen and elastin. This is what creates the lifting and tightening effects. As a result, Scarlet RF can address a variety of skin concerns, including:

• Fine lines and wrinkles
• Loose or sagging skin
• Sun damage
• Acne scars
• Enlarged pores
• Rosacea
• Small spider veins

Scarlet RF needles are extremely tiny. This makes the treatment gentle enough to be used in the area around the eye. Many other microneedling devices are not considered suitable for use in this area, because the skin around the eyes is so thin and delicate. However, because the needles used by Scarlet RF don’t penetrate as deeply as those on other microneedling devices, Scarlet RF can be used around the eyes. This allows the treatment to be used to create lifting and tightening of the eye area, which is an area of concern for many people. 

It’s important to note that it’s not recommended to combine Scarlet RF with acne medications like Accutane. If you’ve recently used this medication, it’s best to wait at least six months after stopping Accutane before you have Scarlet RF. Similarly, people with moderate to severe skin conditions (like eczema or psoriasis) may not be good candidates for this treatment, as it can provoke a flare-up of the condition. However, most people are able to receive Scarlet RF with minimal side effects.

Is one Scarlet RF treatment enough?

One treatment with Scarlet RF will generally produce noticeable results. However, most people get the best results with a series of treatments. The specific number and spacing depends on the particular skin concerns that you’re trying to address. We recommend a minimum of 3 and preferably up to 6 treatments spaced about 4 to 6 weeks apart.

Once you’ve achieved your desired results, having maintenance treatments once or twice a year will help to maintain your results and keep your skin looking young and vibrant.

What is it like to get a Scarlet RF treatment?

Many people feel a little nervous at the mention of needles. However, it’s important to emphasize how very tiny the Scarlet RF needles are. The depth of penetration can vary depending on skin thickness, but is generally less than 2 mm on the face and neck, with deeper treatment used on other body areas. Furthermore, the needles are only about 0.25mm wide – that’s one quarter of a millimeter, meaning that it would take four of these needles stacked up together to equal the thickness of the screen protector on your phone. 

Because of this, getting a Scarlet RF treatment certainly doesn’t feel like getting an injection. Most people describe it as feeling like deep pressure, or like a light scratch across the skin. To increase your comfort, we offer numbing cream on the surface of the skin before the treatment, to make sure that you won’t feel any pain. However, because of how small the needles are, it’s unlikely that you would feel any intense sensation from the treatment anyway.

A single Scarlet RF treatment takes only about half an hour or even less. This makes it a perfect “lunchtime” treatment. Because there’s minimal to no downtime required after Scarlet RF, you can have the treatment and then go about the rest of your day.

What is recovery like from Scarlet RF?

After your treatment, the skin will generally have some mild redness and swelling, and may feel a little bit irritated. This actually indicates that your body has activated the healing response, which is exactly what we want the treatment to accomplish. The redness and swelling are generally not enough to interfere with your activities, and should fade over the next few days. We generally don’t recommend applying makeup on the treated area during this early period, because it may further irritate the skin.

Over the next three to six months, your skin’s production of collagen and elastin will remain increased. Your results will gradually develop over this time period. This means that, although you’ll see some results quickly, you can expect continued improvement for a few months following the treatment. The results can last up to a year. Repeating the treatment amplifies the effect.

Scarlet RF Scottsdale

If you’re considering Scarlet RF, we invite you to schedule a consultation here at our office. This will allow you to discuss your concerns about your skin, and learn about all of the treatment options that you have. Multiple treatments can often be combined to produce more powerful results; for example, many people choose to have an AquaFirme XS medical-grade facial along with Scarlet RF. 

Once you’ve learned about your options and made your treatment decisions, you can often receive your desired treatment right away. Please contact our office to schedule your appointment.