WHY THE 25-MINUTE SKIN-TIGHTENING TWEAKMENT HAS GOT CELEBS QUEUING UP!
JUDY MURRAY HAD IT TO TREAT HER ‘TURKEY NECK’. WHILE AMANDA HOLDEN SAYS IT’S ‘THE BEST HOUR INVESTMENT FOR LOOKING 5 YEARS YOUNGER’!
When tennis coach, mother of Wimbledon champ Andy Murray and former Strictly contestant Judy Murray hit the headlines with her youthful skin transformation, everyone wanted to know what the 61-year-old had had done. Her lines softened, her jawline noticeably tighter and wrinkles smoothed in a very natural-looking way. She revealed she’d had three sessions Morpheus8, and interest in the skin tightening radiofrequency micro-needling treatment hit an all-time high
Her doctor Judy Todd, treated her at Glasgow’s Synergy Clinic over the course of a year. She shared Judy’s incredible before and after images. “‘I’d say [Morpheus8 has] taken at least ten years off my appearance,” Judy said. “I am absolutely thrilled to bits with the result. My skin is fresher, clearer, and I feel much better about myself”. Judy also had a strong prescription anti-pigmentation treatment called Obagi Nuderm, which played not a small part in her results.
WHAT IS MORPHEUS8?
The handheld zapper used in Morpheus8 is in fact a power couple tweakment. This brings together two of the most effective anti-ageing salon treatments: micro-needling and radiofrequency, with little downtime.
“Micro-needling and radiofrequency both work to create a controlled trauma triggering the body’s healing response; collagen and elastin production, meaning you get two treatments in one; a stronger treatment (dubbed ‘micro-needling on steroids’) and quicker results than having micro-needling and RF individually,” explains Dr Sabrina Shah-Desai, who offers it at the Perfect Eyes clinic in London.
SCIENCE FICTION OR SCIENCE FACT?
It might sound like a Harry Potter broomstick or a character from The Matrix, but Morpheus8 ‘injects’ radiofrequency energy into the skin via lots of tiny needles, which also act as a collagen-stimulating micro-needling treatment themselves. Both are collagen stimulating in different ways. Micro-needling creates a micro-trauma in the skin stimulating the healing response while radiofrequency uses heat to shrink wrap and tighten the skin. It is for use on the face, neck and body for skin tightening and contouring. “It stimulates the production of new collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid in the skin, resulting in firmer, smoother, more lifted and hydrated skin,” explains Dr. Tatiana Lapa, who offers the procedure at her London clinic, for £500 per session.
TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE?
Amanda Holden is also a convert to the treatment, first having Morpheus8 ahead of filming the live Britain’s Got Talent shows in November 2020 and reported on Instagram: “The results have been absolutely amazing. I’ve noticed a real plumpness to my skin and it’s much tighter. I’m more than happy to shout from the rooftops about how brilliant this new treatment is! It’s been the best hour investment for looking at least five years younger.”
Amanda had the procedure on her face. Meanwhile, Kim Kardashian chose it as a tightening treatment on her ‘mum tum’ after giving birth to two children.
It’s one of those tweakments that sounds like it does it all. “You’ll see an improvement in contour and sometimes a slight difference in volume. It can also have a plumping effect. Skin will be tighter, healthier and more youthful and you’ll see an improvement in texture and tighter pores too, ” she says. Done on the brow bone, it’s particularly effective on hooded eyes too.
The Morpheus8 has been gaining traction since it first appeared in 2019. It now has found a new niche treating ‘Zoom chin’ and jowls, says Dr. Sabrina, the area of the face that many people have found more noticeable on video calls.
It’s also particularly effective on scarring, included pitted scars, and active acne, adds Dr Tatiana.
Tummy, knees and thighs can also benefit from a Morpheus8 treatment. The machine has deeper pins which we use for cellulite and stretch marks, adds Dr Sabrina.
WHAT HAPPENS IN A MORPHEUS8 TREATMENT?
Firstly, a numbing cream is applied. “After the area is numbed the tip of the handpiece is applied to the skin and using a foot pedal the needles are delivered into the skin at the programmed depth and energy,” explains Dr Sabrina. This delivers pulses of radiofrequency heat energy into the skin.
The depths of the needles is adjustable depending on the area and what it is being treated for, as Dr Sabrina explains. “For skin tightening you’d work in the dermis [deeper layer of skin], for resurfacing you’d work in the epidermis [outer layer of skin] and for contouring you’d work in the subdermal tissue [the deepest skin layer].”
Newly released 7mm needles to work on the deepest layers, particularly great for areas such as the thighs and abdomen; for treatment with these you’d require local anaesthetic. While the full face takes around 20 minutes, the abdomen takes around 30 minutes, Dr Sabrina says. She recommends one to three treatments, but says results are often seen even after one.
Amanda Holden says that you’ll be left with a red shiny face for a couple of days afterwards. If you’ve ever had salon micro-needling you’ll be familiar with that slightly sunburned ‘tight face’ feeling afterwards, but this soon dissipates.
Adapted from an Article by Melanie Macleod, getthegloss.com