Radiofrequency microneedling · face, body and eyes
Radiofrequency microneedling works below the surface, where laxity and texture actually begin. It is not one treatment but six configurations — and choosing the wrong one is the most common reason people are disappointed.
Assessed before it is recommended. If it is not the right treatment for you, we will say so.
Microneedling creates controlled micro-injuries in the skin, which prompts a healing response and some new collagen. Radiofrequency adds heat at a chosen depth, and the heat is what does the structural work — contracting existing collagen and prompting the body to lay down more over the following months.
This matters because most visible ageing is not a surface problem. Skin that has lost its spring, a jawline that has softened, texture that no longer bounces light evenly — these sit below the surface, where a topical treatment cannot reach.
What it does not do is replace lost volume or lift skin that has descended significantly. Those are different problems with different answers, and we will tell you if that is what we are seeing.
The same device, six different setups. The choice is a clinical decision made after assessment, and it is the single thing that determines whether the treatment works.
| Configuration | Best for | Performed by | Time | Downtime | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deep tissue | Pitted scarring, established scar tissue, structural support and contouring | Dr Chahal | ~70 min | 1–2 days | $1,750 |
| Superficial and Deep Tissue | Early textural change, pore appearance, maintenance | Dermal clinician | ~70 min | 1–2 days | $1,150 |
| Forma | Elasticity and firmness with no needling at all | Dermal clinician | ~45 min | None | $500 |
| MiniFX | Small pockets of fat and the skin above them | Dermal clinician | ~30 min | 1–2 days | $500 |
| Body | Abdomen, arms, flanks, thighs and knees | Dr Chahal or Dermal Clinician | On assessment | 2–3 days | On assessment |
| Periorbital | The delicate skin around the eyes | Dr Chahal | On assessment | 2–3 days | On assessment |
Prices are per treatment. Most people need more than one, and where a course is likely we tell you the expected number and the total at your assessment rather than after the first session.
The body handpiece treats larger areas at greater depth than the facial tips. In our clinic it is used on the abdomen, arms, flanks, thighs and knees — areas where skin has loosened and texture has changed, often after weight loss or pregnancy.
It is worth being clear about what body treatment is and is not. It addresses skin quality and mild to moderate laxity. It is not a substitute for weight loss, and it does not remove significant loose skin, which remains a surgical problem. If that is what we see at assessment, we will tell you rather than sell you a course that cannot deliver it.
If your weight is still changing, we will usually suggest waiting. Treating a moving target means paying twice.
A dedicated periorbital tip allows treatment of the thin, delicate skin around the eye at a depth appropriate to it. This is the area people ask about most, because it is often the first place skin quality changes and the hardest to treat with anything topical.
It is a precise treatment in an unforgiving area, which is why it is performed by Dr Chahal and only after assessment. Crepiness and fine texture change are what it addresses. It does not treat under-eye hollowing, which is a volume problem, or heavy upper lids, which are surgical.
The honest list, including where results tend to be modest.
Skin laxity · Acne scarring · Volume loss after weight loss
If your main concern is pigmentation or redness, this is usually not the right first treatment. Those respond to different technology.
If your concern is volume loss rather than laxity, tightening can make a face look more drawn, not less. If you have significant skin descent, a device is unlikely to give you what you are picturing and a surgical opinion is the more honest referral.
Active acne, certain skin infections and some medications make treatment inappropriate for now rather than forever. If you are still losing weight, we will usually suggest waiting.
All medical procedures carry risk, and individual results vary. Suitability is determined at assessment, not on the phone.
Topical anaesthetic is applied beforehand and most people describe pressure and heat rather than pain. The deeper settings are more intense, and we adjust as we go.
Commonly one to three, spaced four to six weeks apart, depending on what is being treated and how your skin responds. You will be given an expected number at assessment.
Forma heats the skin without needling it, so there is no downtime and it is aimed at elasticity. Morpheus8 needles the skin and reaches deeper, which is what allows it to treat scarring and structural laxity.
Results are not permanent, because ageing continues. Many people maintain with a treatment once or twice a year. That maintenance is part of the cost, and we would rather say so upfront.
Radiofrequency energy is not absorbed by pigment the way laser light is, so this treatment is generally suitable across all skin tones. Suitability is still confirmed individually.
Yes. A dedicated body handpiece treats the abdomen, arms, flanks, thighs and knees at greater depth than the facial tips.
Six setups, one device, and the choice between them is the whole treatment. An assessment tells you what is causing what you are seeing, and whether this is the right answer at all.
240 Riley St, Surry Hills · (02) 8074 1559
Deciding between devices
Morpheus8 and Sofwave work at different depths, which is what usually decides between them. Read the comparison.
