At-home RF device

Radiofrequency treatments pass an alternating current through tissue, where resistance turns it into heat. In a clinical setting, controlled heating of the deeper skin is used to prompt a wound-healing style response involving collagen. Home devices apply the same principle at much lower power, with built-in temperature limits, and are used in short sessions several times a week over a course of weeks.

Independent evidence for consumer devices is thinner than the marketing suggests. Where studies exist, results are usually modest, gradual and dependent on continued use, and they are not comparable to surgical or energy-based clinical procedures.

These devices have real contraindications. Manufacturers generally advise against use if you have a pacemaker or other implanted electronic device, metal implants in the treatment area, or are pregnant, and against treating over active infection, inflamed acne or recently injected areas. Use the conductive gel supplied, keep the head moving, don't exceed the recommended time — burns are possible — and check with your doctor or dermatologist if you have any medical condition or recent procedure.