Worth the hype?

THE LOWDOWN

Morpheus8 is the treatment everyone’s talking about, especially after Dr Judy Todd’s transformation on Judy Murray went viral in February. For those who still don’t know, Morpheus8 by InMode was the first device on the UK market to combine radiofrequency with microneedling for fractional subdermal remodelling and contouring. The device has 24 coated pins that deliver the RF energy into the subdermal tissue, coagulating fat and contracting connective tissue. Simultaneously, directional RF energy generates bulk sub-necrotic heating in the dermis. It is ideal for those with skin laxity and surface irregularities to help redefine facial contours while lifting, tightening, and smoothing the skin, with some reduction in facial fat, especially in the submental and jowl region, also possible.

THE EXPERIENCE

I went to gorgeous clinic RejuvLab on Harley Street to have my Morpheus8 treatment with plastic surgeon Dr Omar Tillo – Morpheus8 can be used as a “finishing” treatment for surgical face lift patients – back in March. In consultation, I told Dr Tillo that my mid and lower face were the areas I was interested in addressing with the treatment. My submental fat and slight slackening of the skin on my cheeks and around the nasolabial area are what indicate to me that I’m 30 next year, and while I don’t have real laxity or deep surface irregularities like heavy wrinkles, Dr Tillo explained that I would still see some smoothing and tightening of the skin.

He explained that we would treat everything below the periorbital region and down onto the submental area. After sitting with topical anaesthetic for around 45 minutes until I could no longer feel my face, the cream was removed, and we began. Dr Tillo passed the device over my skin in a gentle stamping motion as the needles pushed in with a spring-like mechanism. The experience isn’t particularly relaxing – you can hear the needles being released into the skin and the machine makes a loud beep to indicate to the practitioner to move to another area – but then, I personally don’t expect hardworking device-based treatments to make me feel pampered. It would probably be worth making nervous patients aware of what to expect noise-wise, though.

Dr Tillo went over the entire treatment area twice, and it took around half an hour in total. The treatment was pretty comfortable just until the last 5-10 minutes or so, when the anaesthetic began to wear off, but it was tolerable and wouldn’t put me off doing it again.

THE VERDICT

Immediately after treatment I was very red and had visible needle punctures in my skin, but I was prepared for this and it subsided in a couple of days with the help of some rich, oxygenating postprocedure moisturiser. I only had one session with Morpheus8, and while a course is recommended – three sessions spaced four to six weeks apart seems to be the magic formula – in the weeks that followed I noticed a definite tightening of my skin and seemed to have more volume in my cheeks, with my cheekbones appearing subtlety lifted. The results I’ve seen on someone older with more visible signs of ageing are very impressive, and there’s clearly a reason why so many practitioners love this treatment and are hailing it as a complete face makeover.