What is GENIUS RF Microneedling?
GENIUS RF Microneedling is an advanced skin rejuvenation treatment that combines traditional microneedling with radiofrequency (RF) energy.
Ultra-fine, sterile needles create controlled microchannels in the skin while delivering RF energy into the deeper layers. This stimulates your body's natural healing response, increasing collagen and elastin production to improve skin quality over time.
GENIUS RF can help improve:
- Fine lines and wrinkles
- Skin laxity (loose skin)
- Acne scars and other textural scars
- Enlarged pores
- Uneven skin texture
- Overall skin firmness and elasticity
While no non-surgical treatment can replicate the results of a facelift, GENIUS RF helps restore collagen and skin thickness, creating a firmer, smoother, more youthful appearance.
Before Your Treatment
To prepare for your appointment:
- Discontinue retinoids (Retinol, Retin-A®, tretinoin, adapalene) and exfoliating acids (glycolic, salicylic, AHA/BHA products) for 5–7 days before treatment.
- Do not use self-tanner on the treatment area.
- Stay well hydrated during the week leading up to your appointment.
- Avoid alcohol for approximately 48 hours before treatment.
- If medically appropriate, avoid aspirin, NSAIDs, fish oil, Vitamin E, St. John's Wort, and other blood-thinning supplements as directed by your provider to minimize bruising. Never stop prescription medications without first consulting the prescribing provider.
- If you have a history of cold sores, notify your provider. An antiviral medication may be recommended beginning 1–2 days before treatment.
- Patients prone to melasma or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation may be instructed to use a pigment-suppressing topical product prior to treatment.
Day of Your Appointment
Please arrive:
- With clean skin free of makeup.
- On time to allow adequate numbing time.
- Wearing comfortable clothing, especially if your neck or chest will be treated.
Plan to spend approximately 2–2½ hours in the office.
Your appointment includes:
- Thorough cleansing of the skin.
- Approximately 75 minutes of topical numbing.
- Treatment lasting approximately 30–50 minutes, depending on the treatment areas and whether LaseMD Ultra® is being combined.
- Application of post-treatment healing serums selected by your provider.
For additional comfort, Pro-Nox™ ("laughing gas") may be available for an additional fee if medically appropriate. Because its effects wear off within minutes, patients are typically able to drive themselves home afterward.
After Your Treatment
Immediately following treatment, it is normal to experience:
- Redness similar to a moderate sunburn.
- Mild swelling.
- Warmth or tenderness.
- Tightness of the skin.
These effects typically improve significantly within the first few days.
You may also notice:
- Mild swelling for 1–3 days
- Redness lasting 3–5 days
- Tiny pinpoint marks where the needles entered the skin
- Dryness or rough, sandpaper-like texture as your skin heals
If LaseMD Ultra® is performed during the same appointment, mild flaking or peeling may occur for several additional days.
Aftercare
For the best results:
- Avoid makeup for 24 hours.
- Avoid strenuous exercise, excessive sweating, hot tubs, saunas, swimming pools, and natural bodies of water for 24–48 hours (or as directed).
- Avoid retinoids and exfoliating acids for one week.
- Protect your skin with a broad-spectrum SPF 30+ sunscreen every day.
- Avoid direct sun exposure during the first week whenever possible.
- Stay well hydrated.
For the first 3 days, use only the products recommended by your provider.
A typical aftercare routine includes:
Morning & Evening
- Gentle Cleanser
- Repair Serum or Dermal Repair Cream
- Optional SkinMedica HA5 or Hyaluronic Acid Serum
- Moisturizer
- Sunscreen (morning only)
You will receive an aftercare kit with recommended products to support proper healing.
Risks & Side Effects
Most side effects are temporary and resolve without complication.
Common effects include:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Mild tenderness
- Dryness
- Flaking
- Temporary acne flare
Rare risks include:
- Infection
- Hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation
- Prolonged redness
- Scarring
- Burns (very uncommon)
Following your post-treatment instructions significantly reduces these risks.
Results
Collagen remodeling occurs gradually, with improvements continuing for up to six months after each treatment.
The number of treatments recommended depends on your concerns:
- Skin rejuvenation: Often 3–4 treatments
- Acne scarring: May require additional sessions depending on severity
- Advanced aging concerns: Your provider will develop a personalized treatment plan
- Our standard rule of thumb is 1 session for every decade
Treatments are generally spaced 6–8 weeks apart.
Maintenance treatments 1–3 times per year are often recommended to preserve collagen production and long-term results.
Individual results vary based on age, genetics, hormones, lifestyle, sun exposure, nutrition, smoking, stress, and overall skin health.
