What are the similarities and differences, and how to determine which procedure is a better option for your skin concerns.
As we age, collagen and elastin production slow down as does cell turnover (cellular senescence). All these changes result in dullness and loss of skin laxity leading to wrinkles. Both RF Microneedling and Laser Skin Resurfacing are effective treatments for reversing signs of aging.
Microneedling uses a device with multiple fine needles to make tiny punctures on the skin’s surface, creating many micro-wounds. These micro-wounds stimulate collagen and elastin production, stimulating the skin’s natural healing process. These natural healing processes trigger repair mechanisms and rejuvenation in the skin, helping to improve and reduce the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, scars, and other imperfections. Adding RF allows for enhanced treatment results by delivering controlled heat for maximum collagen production and skin tightening.
PRF (platelet-rich fibrin), exosomes, and peptides are usually combined with these procedures for further collagen and elastin stimulation and to speed up the healing process and recovery.
Laser Skin Resurfacing is another way to trigger skin regeneration and repair. Laser treatment uses focused beams of light to remove damaged skin cells and stimulate new, healthy skin. Lasers emit a single wavelength of light that the skin absorbs via specific targets (like water or skin pigment), and the heat from the laser energy causes the desired result. Lasers can either be ablative (vaporize the outer layers of damaged skin) and tend to produce more dramatic results or nonablative (uses heat to stimulate collagen, elastin production, and cellular renewal rather than removing the skin’s outer layers). The effects of non-ablative laser treatments tend to be more subtle and cause less pain. Ablative lasers usually require the use of anesthetics. Laser Skin Resurfacing is effective in the treatment of wrinkles, age spots, discoloration, uneven skin tone, uneven skin texture, fine lines, and sun damage.
The limitation with lasers is that they are not appropriate for every skin tone because of the risk of discoloration and scarring. RF Microneedling works on all skin types and is safer than laser resurfacing for darker skin, but results may not be as efficient as lasers for certain skin issues.
If you have an active skin infection or any open sores (herpes), these treatments should be postponed until they are healed. In addition, any clotting or bleeding disorder, high blood sugar, blood thinner medication, autoimmune disease, pregnancy or lactation, proclivity towards scarring, and any acne medication that contains isotretinoin may make these procedures unsuitable.
Both modalities help with fine lines, wrinkles, skin texture, skin discoloration, and skin tightening. Both stimulate new collagen and elastin production as well as new skin cells by eliminating old senescent tissue.
Numbing cream, the Zimmer cooling device, and ProNox can all be used for patient comfort and relaxation during both treatments
As mentioned above, RF microneedling is better for darker skin tones, whereas laser resurfacing is used more frequently with lighter skin tones. Results with laser resurfacing tend to be more dramatic (especially ablative lasers), are better for more advanced skin aging, and has more downtime. Also laser resurfacing is considered more painful than RF microneedling but easily controlled with anesthetics and the ancillary modalities (Zimmer cooling and ProNox). Laser resurfacing can be costly, and multiple treatments may be needed.
RF Microneedling can also be more budget-friendly than laser skin resurfacing, but full results may take a while. Multiple sessions are usually required with minimal downtime, and they are usually quick and easy.
Microneedling and laser therapy use different approaches to trigger the healing process and increase the production of collagen and elastin. Because they tackle the same problems from different angles, at times the two therapies (nonablative laser) are often used effectively together.
