“Does RF or RF microneedling help fibrosis? After 24+ years in my industry I have seen hundreds of women and men with fibrosis from both surgery and non-surgical treatments. This experience and also my theoretical research in radiofrequency in the last 14 years has shown that both RF and RF microneedling are exactly the opposite of what is needed to break down fibrosis, especially when applied at high intensities in order to reduce fibrosis quickly - this is a disastrous approach. Fibrosis needs several medium intensity ultrasound and specialised massage treatments over a long period of time to be effectively reduced.”
Post-liposuction fibrosis reduction with radiofrequency or RF microneedling: is it a good idea?
Radiofrequency for fibrosis | In summary
Radiofrequency to break down fibrosis from liposuction and non-surgical procedures gone wrong
Microneedling or RF microneedling to reduce fibrosis after procedures gone wrong
So what can break down fibrosis?
Ultrasound combined with strong massage (NOT manual lymphatic drainage): the best way to break down fibrosis
How about red light therapy for fibrosis reduction?
One more important thing needed for fibrosis reduction: patience
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Radiofrequency for fibrosis | In summary
Fibrosis, a hardened form of connective tissue caused by inflammation or trauma, is increasingly common following cosmetic surgeries such as liposuction, vaser, or non-surgical treatments like RF microneedling, HIFU, and cryolipolysis. These procedures can result in fibrotic lumps or hardened areas of skin, especially on the stomach, thighs, or buttocks.
Fibrosis consists of disorganised collagen fibres, unlike healthy, aligned collagen found in normal skin. While some believe radiofrequency or RF microneedling can treat fibrosis, these methods are fundamentally unsuitable. Both techniques aim to stimulate collagen production, which worsens fibrosis by increasing already excessive, scar-like collagen. RF microneedling, often recommended by uninformed practitioners, is particularly problematic since it’s designed to create collagen, not reduce it.
The most effective treatment options are strong, fibrosis-specific massage and deep-acting ultrasound cavitation, applied repeatedly over time. Manual lymphatic drainage is ineffective once fibrosis has set in, though it can help prevent its development post-surgery. Red or infrared light therapy can enhance results if used immediately after massage or cavitation.
Breaking down fibrosis is a slow process requiring 6–24 sessions or more, depending on severity. Quick fixes do not work, and proper treatment must be adapted to individual tissue tolerance to avoid further damage.
Radiofrequency to break down fibrosis from liposuction and non-surgical procedures gone wrong
Over the last 24+ years I have seen countless clients with fibrosis after cosmetic surgery as well as after harsh non-surgical procedures and as such procedures become more and more popular, the number of people with fibrosis increases.
Body cosmetic surgery (such as liposuction, cellulaze, vaser, smart lipo etc) as well as harsh non-surgical treatments (such as RF microneedling, extreme intensity HIFU, cryolipolysis, extreme intensity radiofrequency etc) can result in fibrotic lumps or entire fibrotic regions of hard skin around the stomach, thighs, buttocks etc.
Fibrosis refers to previously inflamed hardened skin or other connective tissue (or even hard lumps) comprising of scar tissue-type, randomly aligned collagen fibres. This is in contrast to firm, healthy skin, which is comprised of functional, properly aligned collagen fibres.
This is sometimes the result of a surgeon doing a bad job; sometimes the result of your body reacting really badly to even the best surgeon’s work; and sometimes the procedure itself being unsafe.
After all that I have seen over the decades, I would never undergo smart lipo, cellulaze, vaser or RF microneedling, for example, just to avoid adverse reactions, such as inflammation and post-inflammatory fibrosis - but hey, each to their own…
When such cases occur, many surgeons who do not have knowledge of how radiofrequency works, recommend radiofrequency or even RF microneedling to break down fibrotic lumps (fibrotic nodules) or entire areas of skin fibrosis (a recent client described her fibrosis as a “hard tyre around my stomach and waist”). However, this could not be more wrong and shows ignorance of the biophysics of radiofrequency and RF microneedling.
Radiofrequency aims to provide intense heat to tissues which results in an increase of collagen production. However, the last thing you want on a tissue with excess collagen arranged in a fibrotic, scar tissue-like manner, is to add more collagen to it.
Clearly, radiofrequency is the WRONG treatment if you want to break down fibrosis and scar tissue.
Over the years at the clinic I have seen many clients whose skin and fascia developed fibrosis after a surgical or non-surgical procedure and ended up worse after following the surgeon’s recommendation to have radiofrequency or RF microneedling in order to “break down the fibrosis” 🤷🏻
Microneedling or RF microneedling to reduce fibrosis after procedures gone wrong
Especially when RF microneedling, extreme intensity radiofrequency - or even extreme intensity HIFU - is recommended, things are even worse, as those techniques specifically aim to create fibrotic, scar tissue-like collagen.
(And no, it is not homeopathy when you think you can fight scar tissue with more scar tissue, it is ignorance.)
Specifically for RF microneedling and even plain microneedling: the whole idea of using those techniques is to create more collagen, not to break down collagen. Microneedling itself is also called ‘collagen induction therapy’ (CIT) - the name says it all. It is not ‘collagen reduction therapy’, which fibrosis reduction is, it is the opposite of that.
So RF microneedling is also the WRONG treatment if you want to break down fibrosis and scar tissue.
So what can break down fibrosis?
OK we have now cleared that:
Radiofrequency (normal or extreme intensity) does NOT work for fibrosis
HIFU (normal or extreme intensity)
RF microneedling definitely does NOT work for fibrosis
Ultrasound combined with strong massage (NOT manual lymphatic drainage): the best way to break down fibrosis
The only two things I would recommend for fibrosis are strong, fibrosis-specific massage and deep acting ultrasound cavitation.
Strong*, fibrosis-specific massage, is quite similar to strong, cellulite-specific massage and it works pretty well with repeated application.
BTW, lymphatic massage will not work, so don’t waste your time and money. Lymphatic massage is great during the first 1-2 months after surgery, to help PREVENT the development of fibrosis. However, by the time fibrosis is established, manual lymphatic drainage will just literally ‘caress’ the fibrosis, resulting in next to nothing.
Strong*, deep acting ultrasound cavitation (but not strong enough to overheat the tissues) will work faster than strong massage but it still needs repeated application.
The combination of the two is ideal, as massage offers a macro-stimulation to tissues while cavitation offers a micro-stimulation to tissues.
* Strength has to be adapted to tissue tolerance and treatment must be provided by an experienced therapist, otherwise too strong treatment - of any kind - will always lead to more inflammation and more fibrosis. In some cases tissues can stay sensitive for up to two years or more after surgery, in which case treatment intensity has to be very low, meaning that fibrosis reduction will be very, very slow.
How about red light therapy for fibrosis reduction?
Red and infrared light LED therapy (at ~630nm and ~830nm wavelength, respectively) can help maximise the results of the above two treatments, if provided right after massage or right after cavitation.
However, red/infrared light therapy will not work nearly as well if you have it the next day or even just a few hours later.
One more important thing needed for fibrosis reduction: patience
In both cases (massage and/or ultrasound) be prepared for 6-24 sessions to really break down fibrosis, depending on severity. In very bad cases more than 24 sessions may be needed.
On the other hand, hoping to “get rid of fibrosis” with 3-4 sessions and/or in a couple of weeks will not work. Fibrosis needs REPEATED and STRONG treatments as well TIME to break down and it is a very GRADUAL and SLOW process which you cannot accelerate with any “miracle treatment”. Don’t believe the irresponsible people who may sell you those instant miracles.
I know that after spending five, ten, fifteen grand for an operation you don’t want to spend another one, two or three grand on fibrosis reduction treatments but in many cases you must, at least if you do not want to wait - sometimes - for years for fibrosis to go down naturally.
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At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.
This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.
As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.
(Of course, we keep looking for new technologies every day and if/when a better technology materialises we will be the first to provide it. However, we will never follow the latest ineffective gimmick, just because it’s good marketing to offer the latest hyped up - yet ineffective and/or unsafe treatment.)
Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.
And for even better, faster results, we now combine our RF/ultrasound treatments with high-power red/infrared light LED treatment.
Our radiofrequency/ultrasound/LED treatments are comfortable, pain-free, downtime-free, injection-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.
(No unsafe and ineffective RF microneedling or HIFU and no safe but ineffective acoustic wave therapy, superficial RF (bipolar/tripolar/multipolar etc), low power RF/cavitation, electrical muscle stimulation, lymphatic massage, cupping, dry brushing and no ridiculous bum bum creams.)
Our focus is on honest, realistic, science-based treatment, combined with caring, professional service, with a smile.
We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.
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