Profound RF Skin Tightening

Profound is one of Dr. Brace’s favourite technologies in our clinic and is performed by Nurse Jocelyn. The engineering of this device is a marvelous addition to Guelph Facial Plastic’s minimally invasive tools.

Dr. Brace using device on patient's skin

Profound

Profound combines the benefits of radiofrequency tissue heating with the benefits of microneedling to produce consistent, reliable and beautiful results. There are 2 applications of Profound. The first is the treatment of the skin’s dermis. The second is treatment of the subcutaneous fat below the skin.

Who is a candidate for Profound?

There are no age restrictions on Profound. Most people start thinking about a Profound Dermal treatment in their mid 30’s to early 50s as early aging changes in the skin begin to show. This is the ideal age to start treatment. Profound will naturally boost the collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid in the skin and produce dramatic results. For those wanting to address fullness under the chin, Profound SubQ can be considered in your 20s.

When the tissues of the face and neck begin to thin and sag significantly, Profound will improve but not correct these changes completely. In these cases Dr. Brace will counsel you on the limitations of Profound and benefits of a surgical approach. After a facelift or neck lift, Profound is an excellent maintenance strategy to slow the aging of your skin. Profound itself can be repeated as your skin ages. Treatments can be spaced every 4-5 years.

Profound Before & After

View More Profound Results

Profound dermal treatment

Nurse Jocelyn begins by gently numbing the treatment area with local anesthesia, making the Profound® Non-Surgical Facelift a virtually painless procedure. Once the treatment area has been thoroughly numbed with a local anesthetic, Nurse Jocelyn will insert five high-tech pairs of silicone-coated micro-needles.

Under the skin surface, the microneedles of this device create a micro-injury, which, alone would stimulate collagen production and healthier thicker skin. However, these 5 needle pairs (ten needles) are equipped with a radiofrequency energy delivering tip and a temperature gauge.

Once inserted and engaged, radiofrequency energy is passed between the paired needle tips to heat the skin to the desired and customizable temperature for the specified period of time. The result is a constant temperature for a constant time that produces identical and precise micro-zones of thermal injury. This induces collagen, hyaluronic acid and elastin production in 100% of patients.

There is no need to worry about dental implants or other implanted metal with this device as the energy is confined between the needle tips.

The results of Profound Dermal treatments are not immediate. It takes 6 months to see the full result. This device is proven to consistently result in 30% improvement of skin thickness and tightness. It improves skin hydration and significantly decreases fine lines. Results are expected to last 4-5 years. Skin will continue to age after treatment and less invasive treatments like eTwo Sublime can be used as a maintenance strategy every 6-12 months.

Profound SubQ Treatment

The needles of the SubQ Profound handpiece are directed more vertically to pass through the skin and into the fat layer below the skin. The same technology is used to generate a higher temperature for longer time duration to thermally destroy fat. Nurse Jocelyn uses this technology to treat the fat under the chin and in the jowl to sculpt the neck. This hand piece is usually used in conjunction with the Profound Dermal treatment to tighten skin during the same treatment.

Profound procedure

Profound treatments in Kitchener are provided by Nurse Jocelyn in the office with the use of local anesthetic. A total treatment time varies between 30-90 minutes depending on the areas treated.

Recovery

You are able to drive and return to normal physical activities after a Profound treatment but this treatment does require social downtime of 5-7 days. Profound causes immediate swelling of the lower face and neck. Swelling will peak the first day after treatment. Minor bruising is common from injection of local anesthetic. Often small bumps of swollen skin from the needle insertions will be visible and will resolve within the first 2 weeks. Nurse Jocelyn will assess you 1-2 weeks after the procedure. At 1 month, 3 months, and 6 months. Individual skin responds to Profound treatment differently, but in general the following can be expected.

1 week- swelling resolved
2 weeks- skin bumps resolved
1 month- skin looks thicker and hydrated but no tightening seen
3 months- skin looks thicker and hydrated. Tightness is felt and begins to show
6 months- full skin tightening achieved

It is common for patients to wonder if Profound did anything after a treatment as the changes are slow and steady. Once photographs are reviewed the results become obvious. In a very small portion of patients, the only result seen will be skin thickening. If this occurs, Profound can be repeated with different settings to attempt to gain a tightening effect. Fluctuations in weight will affect the result from Profound in Milton. If you are planning a weight loss program it is best to delay this treatment until a steady desired weight is achieved.