Radiofrequency (RF) Skin Tightening: Everything You Need To Know Before You Try It

Ahh, how wonderful it would be to have youthful, silky-smooth skin again! If you wake up in the morning and see wrinkles and loose skin that weren’t there before, you’re noticing the signs of something that happens to 100% of women: aging.

Maybe one day scientists will find a way to turn back time or bottle up the fountain of youth. But until then, we’ve got your back.

Fortunately, there are certain ways to make the clock slow down just a bit and help you get the tighter, smoother skin you dream of. If you’re wondering about radiofrequency (or RF for short) skin tightening as one such option, this article is for you.

Radiofrequency skin tightening is a non-surgical treatment that can tighten up loose skin, reducing wrinkles and sags. But how does it do that, and what do you need to know before trying it? We’re here to tell you.

The Science Behind Radiofrequency Skin Tightening

Radiofrequency (RF) skin tightening uses an electrical current to reduce wrinkles and sags. The idea of treating your skin with electrical currents might sound scary, but the radiofrequency used is on the low end of the electromagnetic spectrum.

Without getting into physics, just know that the current in this type of treatment is similar to things you use every day — like wifi and the microwave — and it’s very safe.

So how do those radiofrequency waves reduce your wrinkles? It’s not magic — the science behind it is pretty straightforward. RF skin tightening is all about collagen.

When your dermatologist gives you a radiofrequency treatment, the energy from the electrical current heats your skin.

The careful heating of this deep layer of skin does two things: it tightens up the collagen fibers you already have (which means your skin tightens), and it stimulates your cells to produce new collagen, which gives you tighter, firmer skin down the road.

The Importance Of Collagen

You might be asking yourself, “What’s the big deal about collagen?”

Collagen is crucial for glowing, youthful-looking skin because it’s one of the proteins in your skin that helps keep it strong, full, and wrinkle-free.

After the age of 20, you produce 1% less collagen with each passing year. As a result, your skin begins to lose strength and shape and can’t repair itself as well. And that’s when wrinkles and sags gradually make an appearance.

While collagen loss is inevitable as you mature, you’ve still got a ball in your court! The things you do in everyday life will either speed up or slow down collagen loss. So maybe there is a way to turn back the clock, after all...

Poor habits, like smoking and not getting enough sleep, speed up the collagen loss (bad news!). But using the right products to care for your skin, getting enough sleep, and staying out of the sun help you hold onto the collagen you’ve got.

Now that you know about collagen, back to radiofrequency skin tightening. As we said, it smoothes wrinkles and tightens up loose skin by boosting and building collagen. 

Sounds pretty good, right? Fewer wrinkles is always a good thing, but not every wrinkle-reducing procedure is the same.

Here’s what you need to know about RF skin tightening in order to decide if it’s right for you.

What To Expect From Radiofrequency Skin Tightening

The Procedure

While RF skin tightening is now a procedure that you can do yourself at home, for the safest and best results, we recommend seeing a professional.

When you go for a radiofrequency treatment, the dermatologist will apply a numbing cream to help with any discomfort, then a gliding gel to help the tool slide smoothly across your skin.

It’s not a painful procedure, and the only thing you’ll notice is a warm feeling as your skin heats up. The whole treatment usually takes 30 minutes to an hour, depending on what part of your body you’re treating.

RF skin tightening can be done just about anywhere you have unwanted wrinkles and sags. Women often want to do away with facial wrinkles, but you can also treat your stomach, arms, or legs.

While you’ll probably notice that your skin is a bit firmer and fuller as soon as you walk out of an RF skin tightening treatment, most women need more than one session to see real results. 

You should probably plan on three to eight treatments to get the best results, and you can go for a treatment every three or four weeks.

Since new collagen growth doesn’t happen immediately after RF skin tightening, neither do the results. Your skin will gradually become tighter for up to six months after your session.

Side Effects

Especially compared to harsher and more invasive procedures, radiofrequency skin tightening has very few side effects. It does not damage your skin, especially if you’re under the experienced eye of a professional.

Your skin will be tender and a little red after your treatment, but everything should calm down within a day or two.

RF skin tightening is beneficial for sensitive skin that can’t handle harsher treatments, like laser resurfacing or microneedling. It is also a good choice for women whose skin is too dark for chemical peels.

However, this particular treatment may not be right for you if you’re pregnant or prone to skin infections or skin allergies. Ask your dermatologist what treatment would be best for your specific skin type and your particular situation. 

Cost

Like most wrinkle treatments that require an office visit, RF skin tightening is not exactly easy on your wallet. A full-face treatment costs between $150 and $500, and remember that most professionals will recommend having it done more than once.

You can buy a radiofrequency tool to treat yourself at home for anywhere from $50 to $200. But like we said, it’s generally best to leave it to the professionals.

Interested in a less expensive way to improve the appearance of your skin? Opt for a more wallet-friendly way to get gorgeous skin and invest in SiO Beauty patches.  Simply apply these hydrating patches to your face before bedtime and they do the rest of the work.

SiO’s silicone patches create a special climate that draws moisture from the lower layer into the outer layer of your skin, moisturizing and plumping skin cells to fill in and smooth wrinkles.

If your wrinkle worries go beyond just your face, SiO Beauty patches have you covered from head to toe!  Hydrate and tighten the delicate skin on your neck with SiO NeckLift patches. Show some TLC to saggy skin on your hands, elbows, and knees with SiO Elbow & Knee Rescue Lift and SiO HandLift.

It’s an especially smart investment because the patches can be reused up to 10 times! Simply take your patches off when you wake up in the morning and save them for that night.

An instant way to freeze time and reduce the appearance of expression lines to reveal smoother, healthier-looking skin is with our SiO Cryo Fill which contains skin-plumping peptides that reduce the appearance of fine lines while providing hydration to volume deficient areas.

Radiofrequency skin tightening may or may not be right for you. Only you and your dermatologist can decide that.

But what is right for you is gorgeous, glowing skin! Don’t put it off any longer — try SiO Beauty patches for yourself and you’ll soon be on your way to smoother, younger-looking, tighter skin!