Pros

This minimally invasive procedure is suitable for all skin tones, with little to no risk of post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation. 

It can be performed on almost any body area, to treat a wide range of skin concerns. 

The Morpheus8 device has the potential to penetrate deeper into the subdermal tissue than any similar treatment, going as deep as 7mm. The manufacturer says that this creates more dramatic results at a faster rate than similar devices.

The needle depth and intensity of the radiofrequency energy are adjustable, depending on the treatment area and goal. This helps your provider avoid fat loss, unless they’re specifically targeting excess fat—for instance, when treating a double chin.  

Morpheus8 is a type of “fractional treatment,” intentionally leaving part of the surface layer of skin intact to reduce healing time. Social downtime is just one to three days.

This versatile treatment can be combined with other procedures for even better results.

Cons

This isn’t a one-time treatment: a series of at least three monthly sessions is commonly recommended.

New collagen production takes time, so you’ll have to be patient. Full results should be apparent three months after your final treatment.

Providers also recommend yearly maintenance treatments, to keep up your results.

You can expect a few days of swelling and redness.

The heat and needles can be painful if your provider uses a higher setting, so ask in advance whether you’ll need just numbing cream or would be better off with local anesthesia and/or oral sedation.

As with other nonsurgical treatments, Morpheus8 skin tightening results can’t match what you’d get from a more invasive procedure, such as a facelift.

Morpheus8 treatments can benefit people of all skin types and tones, addressing a broad range of skin concerns. It excels at improving skin texture, firming mildly sagging skin, smoothing wrinkles, and minimizing other signs of aging.

It’s also effective at improving the appearance of acne scars.

People with sun damage and dark spots should also see clearer, brighter, more evenly toned skin post-treatment.

Notably, Morpheus8 is suitable for people with olive or brown skin tones who might otherwise be at risk of hypo- or hyperpigmentation from other skin rejuvenation treatments.

Your provider can choose a needle type that’s safest for your skin tone and most appropriate for your treatment area. The 24-pin tip is most commonly used on the face and neck, while the smaller 12-pin “Prime” tip is best for small, delicate areas, such as around the eyes and mouth. The 40-pin “Body” tip is used to treat larger areas, such as the abdomen and thighs.

Each treatment session takes 15 to 60 minutes, depending on the size of the treated area and your provider’s level of experience. 

Here’s what to expect.

Your provider will begin by cleaning and prepping the skin.

They’ll cover the treatment area with topical numbing cream or gel, which may take an hour or more to fully numb the skin.

If your provider plans to use a higher setting on the device, you may also need local anesthesia. Inhaling nitrous gas through a device like Pro-Nox can make the experience more tolerable. If you opt for oral sedation, such as Valium or Ativan, make sure you have someone there to drive you home afterwards.

The device allows providers to customize the depth of the radiofrequency heat delivered by its microneedles, to reach different depths of the dermal layers (e.g., superficial, intermediate, deep) and target specific skin concerns. Once the settings are adjusted, your provider should begin with a test spot, to make sure you don’t have any adverse reactions. 

Then they will methodically stamp the handpiece across your skin, allowing the needles to penetrate below the surface and deliver the radiofrequency energy. The number of passes and amount of energy delivered into the tissue depends on the treatment area and desired goals. 

Some areas may feel more sensitive than others. If it becomes very painful, your provider may be able to adjust the settings or pause to administer local anesthetic and/or pain medication.

The treatment should be tolerable with topical anesthesia to numb the treated area, but it can still be painful for some people.

Before your treatment, ask your provider whether the settings will be high enough that you may need oral pain and anxiety medication, lidocaine injections, or Pro-Nox nitrous oxide (laughing gas) to help make it more tolerable. 

Some people begin to see improved skin tone and texture within a few days of their first treatment.

Your full results should be apparent about three months after your final treatment, reflecting the new collagen and elastin development.

Morpheus8 results can last for about a year or more, especially if you consistently use high-quality skin care products and regularly wear sunscreen with an SPF of 30+.

You’ll need annual maintenance treatments to re-stimulate the new collagen production and all its youthful benefits.

Both Morpheus8 and Ultherapy are noninvasive skin rejuvenation treatments that ramp up new collagen production. But they work differently to rejuvenate skin. 

These are the key differences:

1. Its thermal energy penetrates deeper into the skin, even reaching the SMAS layer of muscular tissue that surgeons manipulate when performing a facelift. It’s still no match for a surgical facelift, but it can improve sagging of the mid- and lower face, rather than just tightening skin.  
2. Patients need only a single 90-minute treatment to see results, though additional  treatments are often needed for better results. 

In some cases, Morpheus8 and Ultherapy treatments can be combined for improved  results. An experienced provider can help you determine which treatments will best address your specific concerns.