Are radiofrequency / ultrasound safe for dark / black skin?

Radiofrequency, ultrasound and melanin

• Cellulite / skin tightening treatment for dark / black skin with ultrasound/radiofrequency: is it safe?

• Laser vs Ultrasound / radiofrequency for different skin types

• Laser is superficial by definition, RF and ultrasound can be very deep

• RF microneedling and dark skin

• Check our professional consultancy for a masterclass in radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening

Cellulite / skin tightening treatment for dark / black skin with ultrasound/radiofrequency: is it safe?

Unlike lasers, which work by heating melanin or other chromophores (light absorbing chemicals or structures inside the skin), radiofrequency works with electricity and ultrasound works with sound, mechanically.

The electrical properties of the skin are exactly the same in light skinned or dark skinned people, so skin colour plays absolutely no role in radiofrequency treatment (RF is basically high frequency electrical currents).

In much the same way, the mechanical (acoustic) properties of the skin are exactly the same in light skinned or dark skinned people, so skin colour plays no role in ultrasound treatment (ultrasound is basically high frequency sound).

Laser vs Ultrasound / radiofrequency for different skin types

Very white skin, very black skin and everything in between is exactly the same for both RF and ultrasound and all skin types can be safely treated in exactly the same way, irrespective of skin colour.

This is not the case with laser treatment, which can cause irritation and/or burn dark skin.

Laser is superficial by definition, RF and ultrasound can be very deep

Furthermore, laser is very superficial, as most light is absorbed in the first 1-2 mm of skin.

On the other hand, quality RF treatment can penetrate up to 25mm (even more with some machines) and the same applies to ultrasound.

So both RF and ultrasound are ideal for deep skin tightening (and cellulite reduction) while the effect of laser on skin tightening / anti-ageing is epidermal - literally and metaphorically.

Needless to say, lasers are pointless for cellulite reduction: cellulite “lives” 5-25mm inside the skin, far away from the reach of any laser (1-2mm deep, max).

RF microneedling and dark skin

There is one exception to the rule of radiofrequency being neutral to skin colour.

As RF microneedling is based on penetrating the skin with multiple hot needles, it can cause mechanical skin injury which often leads to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.

Black and asian people are more prone to post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation than white people, so RF microneedling can be even more problematic for dark skins. Again, this is not due to radiofrequency itself but to needle skin penetration.

We have seen horrible hyperpigmentation on dark skinned people (in addition to the pain, burns and other adverse reactions) after RF microneedling, and it is one of the reasons we do not offer this treatment.

There is no point damaging one part of the skin to treat the other, when more effective and far safer methods exist (at the clinic we have 99.5% safety rate with deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency and high-power ultrasound cavitation).