Can You Get Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedling If You Have Fillers?

Cosmetic treatments have become steadily popular partly due to our desire to maintain a youthful appearance. With the wide variety of aesthetic treatments available to combat signs of aging, concerns arise as to whether or not these treatments are complementary procedures with each other. Case in point: radiofrequency microneedling and hyaluronic acid fillers.

So can you get fractional radiofrequency microneedling if you have fillers? Yes, because they are typically utilized as a combination procedure to maximize the benefits of these procedures against body skin concerns. Note however that these procedures must be properly given sufficient time apart to avoid possible complications.

Learn More: Do You Really Need To Wait For 6 Weeks Before You Do Morpheus8 Treatment Again?

Does Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedling Ruin Your Fillers?

Fillers may be classified as temporary, semi-permanent, or permanent based on the length of time they stay on the skin. Fillers may also be classified based on their source, with hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers being the most widely used and studied.

Since HA fillers are synthetic and can have a theoretical risk of melting when exposed to a certain level of heat, this typically leads to the spread of the fillers to parts other than the one where you intended to place the fillers. Its safety when followed by RF microneedling treatments has long been a subject of discussion as well.

Effect Of Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedling On Hyaluronic Acid Fillers

Studies on the effect of fractional radiofrequency microneedling on HA fillers show conflicting results, with studies mentioning no adverse reactions conferred by microneedling on injectables, while others stating the complete opposite.

A notable study is that of the effect of microneedling on abdominoplasty (a surgical procedure reducing skin and fat) skin samples, which suggests that damage to dermal fillers occurs when micro needling is done to the skin. This study, despite the limitation of not being done on living tissue, gives a good perspective on weighing the benefits of microneedling with fillers against risks.

When To Get Fractional Radiofrequency Microneedling After Having Fillers

If you want to have fillers in conjunction with microneedling on the same day, regardless of the spacing, you have to do RF microneedling first before having your skin injected with HA fillers to avoid skin manipulation after HA fillers.

In fact, aftercare tips for HA fillers include avoiding being exposed to extreme temperatures for 48 hours, which further proves that the sequence (that is, micro needling first before HA filler) for same-day application of these procedures is the biggest factor to consider when deciding to do these procedures together or not.

Similarly, you don’t have to fret when you already have dermal fillers before deciding on undergoing radiofrequency microneedling despite the possible damage that the radiofrequency energy brings to the HA fillers. It takes at least 6 months before dermal fillers are incorporated within the tissues, which results in lesser damage to the fillers after microneedling procedure compared to what is expected and predicted.

With that, you just have to wait for the dermal fillers to settle and for the adverse effects such as mild redness, swelling, and allergic reactions to subside before you proceed with your normal activities and in your microneedling session.

To ensure that sufficient recovery time will be allotted for the skin, it pays to follow these aftercare tips so as not to give additional damage to your dermal fillers when it precedes microneedling treatment:

• Avoid strenuous activities at least 6 hours after the treatment. Massaging the treated area should be avoided as well.
• Sleep with your head raised to allow blood cells to flow freely in the treatment area.
• Resume application of skincare products only at least 24 hours after treatment.
• Avoid direct sun exposure and use sunscreen containing zinc oxide to avoid additional damage to the skin, such as dark spots due to sun damage, from occurring.

Read More: What Happens To The Skin After CO2 Fractional Laser?

Other Cosmetic Procedures That Go Along Well With Fillers

Alternatives to RF microneedling that also have collagen production-boosting benefits without posing significant damage to the dermal fillers are also available, should you decide that the risk of combining dermal fillers outweigh its benefits to you.

1) Ultherapy

Ultherapy uses ultrasound energy to stimulate collagen production of the skin. Although it also uses energy that may be damaging to the fillers, there’s still no study to this day that proves such an effect, and anecdotal evidence says that they haven’t experienced any adverse effect when fillers go first before Ultherapy.

2) Laser Treatments

The same study that predicted the damage that RF microneedling confers to the abdominoplasty samples predicted that no damage to the fillers may be observed although they applied the same energy levels of laser to the samples like that of RF microneedling. The collagen-boosting effects of laser treatments also work synergistically with that of dermal fillers so they surely go along well with each other.

3) Botox

Since Botox procedures such as Botox Juvedérm don’t use heat in addressing age-related skin concerns, it can be considered as a good alternative to RF microneedling when you already have dermal fillers. The robust skin tightening effects of Botox over time to improve on the appearance of wrinkles also complement the volume-adding effects of fillers, making you achieve a maximal youthful appearance without surgery.

Professional Cosmetic Services At aNu Aesthetics

An improved appearance without surgery is achieved through the collagen-boosting effects of a wide variety of non-invasive treatments such as RF microneedling and fillers, especially when they’re used together. However, safety shouldn’t be compromised in the name of beauty.

We at aNu Aesthetics are a team of skincare specialists who are a qualified provider of quality body contouring services and aesthetic services. Through our services, you’ll surely achieve that radiant skin you’ve always wanted without compromising safety. To know if you’re an ideal candidate for combination procedures, get in touch with us today. You may also book an appointment or explore more treatment options through our website.