If you own a Salon then you’ve probably heard of Microneedling and have a fair idea of what its does. However Radiofrequency Microneedling is a newer addition to the beauty and aesthetic industry which has some similarities but is also very different. If you’re looking to invest in a new device and want to know the pros and cons of these 2 pieces of equipment, you’re in the right place. I’ve been using these devices for many years, and am going to give you an easy to understand comparison… Microneedling vs Radiofrequency Microneedling?
Microneedling
This treatment involves using a device with needles which penetrate the skin causing controlled damage. At the same time you may use a hyaluronic serum which can be driven into the skin with the needles, for a better effect.
Traditional Microneedling – also called Dermaroller is basically a roller with needles protruding from it, which is rolled back and forth over the skin causing controlled damage. The needles may penetrate anything from 0.5mm up to 1.5mm on the face. However this method has been overtaken by a more advanced version…
Electronic Microneedling – uses a pen device where the needles go in and out electronically, so the needles penetrate the skin at a much faster rate. This more advanced version is more precise and more effective. There’s also more versatility with electronic devices because you can usually adjust the needle depths and speed.
The Pros and Cons of Microneedling;
- The cost to set up and start offering Microneedling is quite low. You can get good Electronic devices for around £1,500 – £2,000 with training.
- The treatment itself is fairly easy to carry out and master, and is an excellent addition to your treatment menu if you want to offer more advanced skin treatments.
- You can achieve very good results on general skin texture, lines and wrinkles and even some scarring (although you may need to go deeper than 1.5mm).
- Overall it’s a very good anti-ageing treatment with a fairly high price tag. You could charge up to £250 per session depending on the size of the area.
- On the downside, you will need to use a single needle head per client for hygiene reasons, so the cost of that mounts up. This means you have to buy a lot of needles, and you need to safely dispose of them in a sharps box.
- Needles will cost around £20-£25 each.
- The downtime of Microneedling is something you need to consider and be very clear about with clients. If you carry out treatments at deeper settings you will get bleeding and scabbing.
- The downtime/scabbing can last from 3-5 days which is longer than RF Microneedling. This can put many clients off.
- To carry out a treatment at depths of 1mm or deeper you’ll need to apply numbing cream to make it tolerable.
Radiofrequency Microneedling
This more advanced treatment is a combination of both Microneedling and Radiofrequency in a single handpiece. With Radiofrequency Microneedling there’s usually a choice of needle heads, ranging from 10pin, 25pin and 50 or 60pin. So you have more choices and treatment options than standard Microneedling. With a good system you can set the needle depth from as little as 0.3mm to as deep as 3.5mm. You will also be able to adjust the Radiofrequency energy, which means you can completely tailor your treatments.
The Pros and Cons of Radiofrequency Microneedling
- The cost is more than Microneedling alone as you need a more advanced machine. So good professional machines can cost from £14K up to £48K
- You can carry out a wide range of face and body treatments.
- You can achieve fantastic results on lines, wrinkles, lifting and tightening, scarring, sagging skin, stretch marks and general skin condition.
- The results are far and away better than standard Microneedling.
- Even though you can carry out much deeper treatments, you can safely pass over the skin 2 or even 3 times.
- Despite carrying out more aggressive treatments, the downtime is much less than standard Microneedling.
- The Radiofrequency energy stops bleeding and also means the downtime is much less, with redness usually lasting only a few hours.
- Your clients don’t usually experience any scabbing or obvious redness. So they can resume normal activities the following day.
- The treatment is very quick to carry out. (Quicker than standard microneedling)
- It’s a fairly straightforward treatment to perform but is more advanced than standard microneedling and requires more technique and more thought about the settings and options.
- You can charge from £300-£800 for a full face treatment depending on your system and area.
- Needles are also single use and need to be disposed of safely.
- Needle tips cost anything from £20 up to £65 (for the most expensive machines)
- To carry out a treatment at depths of 1mm or deeper you’ll need to apply numbing cream to make it tolerable.
If I was to choose only one system I would now choose Radiofrequency Microneedling vs standard Microneedling. Even though the set up cost is more, the benefits of this treatment are far greater. Financially it’s more profitable in the long run if you attract the right clients. The superiority of Radiofrequency Microneedling means you can carry a wider range of more advanced treatments, with better results.
If you’re a Salon or Clinic owner, I hope this article has helped you understand the difference between these two treatments. And if you need any help then feel free to email me here: rachael@comeandcopyme.co.uk.