Sponsored By ViOL Co., Ltd.;
Performing energy-based treatments for patients with darker skin types requires great caution. An innovative bipolar radiofrequency microneedling (RFMN) device allows providers, including physician extenders, to address skin laxity, acne and acne scars in all skin types safely and effectively, without risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation (PIH).
Sarah Haydel, MD, a dermatologist in Houma, La., said that her practice has performed more than 500 procedures on the face, neck and chest with the Scarlet SRF by ViOL Co., Ltd. (Gyeonggi-Do, Korea). “The neck has been the most “homerun location” for skin laxity and tightening,” she shared.
Scarlet SRF’s patented ‘Na effect’ minimizes thermal damage to the epidermis.1 With non-insulated microneedles, maximal tissue coagulation occurs around the tip of each electrode and forms a teardrop shape as treatment time increases, resulting in less epidermal damage.
In southern La., most of Dr. Haydel’s patients have darker skin. “I feel very comfortable with this procedure not burning their skin or creating a risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.” Recent studies in which most patients had Fitzpatrick type III skin and acne, acne scarring or facial and neck wrinkling bear out her experience.2,3
Having tested several RFMN options herself, Dr. Haydel found Scarlet SRF to be the most comfortable for patients, requiring only pre-procedure topical anesthesia. “Some of the other devices can only be tolerated with local nerve blocks, nitrous oxide or under anesthesia,” she explained. While demand for laser treatments that require strict sun avoidance lags during summer, Dr. Haydel added, the Scarlet SRF stays busy year-round.
Most patients require three treatments, performed one to three months apart, then one to three treatments yearly depending on their overall skin health, she shared. “This procedure is very fast and efficient,” she mentioned. Treating around the eyes can take five to ten minutes, versus 15 to 20 minutes for the neck, 30 minutes for the full face and 45 minutes for the full face and neck. “This short treatment time makes it quick to turn over the room for the next patient.”
Moreover, quick treatments facilitate synergistic treatment combinations. “For eyelid bags and lower-face laxity, we often combine Scarlet SRF and Agnes RF on the same day for 20% more dramatic results,” Dr. Haydel shared. “Results are even more noticeable when we incorporate EXO|E, a skin revitalization serum with exosomes that helps reduce inflammation and aids with cell proliferation.” Scarlet SRF, Agnes RF (Agnes Medical) and EXO|E are distributed in the U.S. by Aesthetic Management Partners (Cordova, Tenn.).
With a quick learning curve, the Scarlet SRF allows Dr. Haydel to delegate procedures to physician extenders. Additionally, the device’s low-cost disposable tips and easy cleanup boost her practice’s return on investment and bottom line by allowing treatment of one or two more patients daily.
Dr. Haydel also likes the customer service she has received. “One thing that Aesthetic Management Partners does extremely well is take care of the practice after the purchase of a device. Their continuing education and advanced training are by far the best I have seen in 20 years in practice.” Attending a 2022 users’ sumit in Atlanta, Ga. markedly improved her staff members’ technique and results, she added.
References:
1. Na J, Zheng Z, Dannaker C, Lee SE, Kang JS, Cho SB. Electromagnetic initiation and propagation of bipolar radiofrequency tissue reactions via invasive non-insulated microneedle electrodes. Sci Rep. 2015;5:16735. Published 2015 Nov 13. Doi:10.1038/srep16735
2. Kim J, Lee YI, Kim J, Jung JY, Lee WJ, Lee JH. Safety of combined fractional microneedle radiofrequency and CO2 as an early intervention for inflammatory acne and scarring treated with concomitant isotretinoin. Dermatol Surg. 2020;46(10):e71-e77. doi:10.1097/DSS.0000000000002364
3. Serdar ZA, Tatliparmak A. Comparison of efficacy and safety of fractional radiofrequency and fractional Er:YAG laser in facial and neck wrinkles: six-year experience with 333 patients. Dermatol Ther. 2019;32(5):e13054. doi:10.1111/ dth.13054
