French version — the French version is the authoritative one.
Fractional radiofrequency with microneedling is a non-surgical skin remodelling technique. It uses a tip made up of fine micro-needles that deliver radiofrequency energy at a controlled depth into the dermis and the subcutaneous tissue.
The device used at the practice is a CE-marked medical device. It allows treatment in depth, up to 8 mm depending on the settings, over extensive areas.
The principle combines two effects. The micro-needles create controlled micro-perforations that trigger a skin healing response. The radiofrequency delivered at their tip produces targeted heating of the deep dermis, causing existing collagen to contract and new collagen to be synthesised.
The technique sits midway between microneedling alone and the fractional CO2 laser.
The objective is to improve the quality and firmness of the skin. The commonest indications are:
The indication is established after examining the quality of the skin and the extent of the laxity. It concerns women and men alike.
This is the most important point to understand before starting treatment.
This technique acts on the quality of the skin and on early laxity. It does not remove skin. It therefore corrects neither established jowls, nor excess skin of the neck, nor significant laxity — situations that call for a facelift.
The result is gradual, partial and varies from person to person. It is not comparable to that of a surgical procedure.
The session takes place at the practice. An anaesthetic cream is applied beforehand to the area to be treated. The duration depends on the extent of the area.
The protocol most often involves several sessions a few weeks apart. The number is adapted to the indication and to the response observed, and is specified during the consultation.
Redness and slight swelling are usual in the hours following the session and subside within a few days. Small pinpoint crusts may appear.
Strict sun protection is necessary afterwards, since exposure increases the risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation.
The expected effects include redness, temporary swelling and tenderness of the treated area.
The risks include post-inflammatory pigmentation, particularly on darker skin or in the event of sun exposure, skin infection, reactivation of a cold sore, and exceptionally a burn or a scar.
The contraindications include in particular pregnancy and breastfeeding, an active skin infection in the area to be treated, the presence of an implanted electronic device, and certain current treatments. They are looked for during the preliminary consultation.
No, and it is important to say so clearly.
I use this technology in my practice in two ways. As an alternative to surgery in a patient in her early fifties whose laxity remains early, or who does not want surgery. And as a complement to a facelift, to prepare the skin for re-tensioning or to refine the result, for example on a persistent marionette line.
It is no substitute for a facelift where one is indicated.
No. Skin ageing continues, and maintenance sessions are generally necessary to sustain the benefit obtained.
Darker skin carries a higher risk of post-inflammatory pigmentation. The settings are adapted accordingly and the indication is discussed case by case.
Last updated: August 2026 · Medical content reviewed by Dr Benjamin Pulvermacker, board-qualified plastic surgeon in Paris 16.
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