Radio frequency treatment for cellulite and skin tightening: what is it and how does it work?

Radiofrequency: the ultimate skin tightening and cellulite technology

• What is radio frequency treatment exactly?

• Where on the skin does radiofrequency focus?

• Radio frequency for cellulite and skin tightening

• What about focusing deeper with radiofrequency, for deep fat reduction?

• For cellulite reduction and skin tightening with radiofrequency, Depth and power are essential

• Book an expert cellulite / skin tightening treatment in London, at LipoTherapeia®

• Check our professional consultancy for a masterclass in radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening

What is radio frequency treatment exactly?

High-power, deep tissue radiofrequency is widely accepted as the strongest SAFE skin tightening/lifting and cellulite reduction technology known today.

(Gimmicky hyped-up treatments, such as microneedling RF and HIFU, are either unsafe or ineffective - or both. On the other hand, low power or superficial RF are ineffective.)

Radio frequency is also a powerful anti-ageing treatment that not only firms the skin but also boosts circulation and is proven to stimulate collagen and elastin production, for tighter, more elastic skin and overall skin rejuvenation.

However, there is huge ignorance and misinformation about radiofrequency treatments: what it is, what it does and how it works.

In this article we examine the basics of radiofrequency: what it is exactly and how it works.

Radio frequency treatments have been used for more than five decades in physiotherapy and for about two decades in the beauty industry.

Radiofrequency treatments refer to high frequency electrical currents, or sometimes electromagnetic fields:

• From a very low 300kHz (longwave RF)

• To a high 40MHz (shortwave RF)

• And to a very high 3GHz (microwave RF)

Applied on the body or face at lower frequencies than the above, electrical currents may produce muscle contraction or other effects.

At "radio" frequencies, electrical currents produce just heat - nothing else.

Where on the skin does radiofrequency focus?

Depending on the machine used, the protocols applied and even the skin products used for its application (cream, gel, oil etc), heat can be:

• Very superficial, e.g. focusing on epidermis for acne treatment

• Very deep, e.g. focusing in joints or muscles for physiotherapy

• Or anywhere in-between, e.g. for skin tightening, cellulite removal and anti-ageing

Radio frequency for cellulite and skin tightening

For skin tightening, cellulite and anti-ageing treatments, the focus is anything between the dermis and the intermediate fascia, with main emphasis on the deeper aspect of the dermis and the hypodermal adipose tissue (what people call “cellulite”).

What about focusing deeper with radiofrequency, for deep fat reduction?

Treatment of deeper tissues, such as the subcutaneous adipose tissue (what people call “fat”) for fat reduction is not very successful, as this tissue is very resistant to all non-surgical methods of fat reduction.

HIFU, cryolipolysis, laser and electromagnetic muscle stimulation treatments do not work very well for fat reduction either, so the best solution for fat reduction without diet and exercise is liposuction.

For cellulite reduction and skin tightening with radiofrequency, Depth and power are essential

So, in summary, radiofrequency is the utilisation of high frequency electrical currents in order to provide intensive heating on the deeper skin layers.

Intensive heating on those tissues stimulates:

• Fat release from fat cells

• Fat cell apoptosis (early fat cell death)

• Existing collagen contraction

• New collagen synthesis

• New elastin synthesis

• Blood circulation / lymphatic drainage

The combined result of those actions leads to cellulite reduction and skin tightening.

On the other hand, treating the skin superficially or providing low intensity heating (as with the vast majority of RF treatments available today) does not work.

Hence the dissatisfaction of a large part of the public by radiofrequency and our emphasis on real, high-intensity, deep tissue radiofrequency.

Check our professional consultancy for a masterclass in radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening

Do you want to deeply understand radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening? Attend a half-day, 1-day, 2-day or 3-day professional consultancy / one-to-one training and confidently offer your clients the safest, strongest and most effective treatment possible. Service available via Zoom or at our central London practice.