“TL;DR: Radio frequency (RF) technology for aesthetic treatments varies, with key distinctions between capacitive and resistive RF affecting treatment depth, quality, and safety. Resistive RF uses an uncoated metal handpiece, allowing electricity to pass easily to the skin, which acts as a resistor. Applied with gel or cream, it enables deeper penetration, especially with monopolar RF, and operates at low frequencies (<1,000 kHz). This makes it ideal for deep skin tightening and cellulite reduction. Capacitive RF, using a coated handpiece (ceramic, Teflon, or plastic), acts as a capacitor, generating heat at the skin’s surface, resulting in superficial treatment. It’s typically higher frequency (>1,000 kHz) and suits conditions like acne or dilated pores but is less effective for deeper issues. Capacitive RF requires high power and epidermal cooling, while resistive RF is more efficient for deeper tissues. Some machines offer both options for flexibility, though resistive RF can achieve superficial effects with proper settings. Very high-frequency RF (e.g., 27.1 MHz) is always capacitive and varies in depth. Monopolar RF is superior to bipolar, and a skilled therapist can achieve better results with either type if using monopolar equipment. (190 words)”
Capacitive vs resistive radiofrequency treatment: what is best for cellulite and skin tightening?
Resistive RF vs capacitive RF: what are they and what do they practically mean for you?
What is resistive radio frequency?
What is capacitive radio frequency?
Deep vs superficial radio frequency
Capacitive RF for superficial treatment, resistive RF for deep treatment
How do I know what kind of RF treatment I am receiving?
RF at very high frequencies is by definition always capacitive
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Resistive RF vs capacitive RF: what are they and what do they practically mean for you?
There are many iterations of radio frequency technology for aesthetic treatments, depending on how the technology is applied. So we may have:
Bipolar vs monopolar vs unipolar RF
Capacitive vs resistive RF
Destructive vs stimulative RF
Low frequency vs high frequency RF
On this article we are discussing the distinction between capacitive and resistive radio frequency and how it can affect the depth, quality and safety of treatment offered.
This aspect is not as well known as bipolar vs monopolar vs tripolar, but it is equally important if you wish to choose correctly the best RF radiofrequency machine for your clients/patients or the best radio frequency treatment for yourself.
What is resistive radio frequency?
In simple terms, when the radiofrequency handpiece that gets in contact with the body during treatment is made of uncoated metal, and thereby allows electricity to pass through to the skin relatively unimpeded, then we are talking about resistive radiofrequency.
This is because in this case the surface of the skin (epidermis) acts as a resistor.
Resistive RF is applied with the aid of a gel, glycerine or cream.
As in this case the skin has very low impedance/resistance (always depending on the type of contact gel/cream used too), the skin surface does not get too hot, allowing the radio frequency current to work deeper, where the impedance/resistance from the fat is higher, especially if we also use monopolar RF.
So combined resistive AND monopolar RF results in deeper treatment.
Resistive RF tends to be low frequency radiofrequency, almost always <1,000 kHz.
What is capacitive radio frequency?
When the radiofrequency handpiece that gets in contact with the body is coated with a ceramic, teflon, plastic or other material that does not conduct electricity, and thereby necessitates electricity to "jump" through that material to the skin, then we are talking about capacitive radio frequency.
This is because in this case the ceramic/teflon/plastic coating of the handpiece acts as a capacitor, while the epidermis and the contact medium act as a combination of capacitors and resistors.
In this case, heat develops in the interface between skin and handpiece, which is covered with contact medium (gel, cream, glycerine etc), so treatment is unavoidably very superficial, and the epidermis gets very hot.
This means that capacitive RF treatment is more superficial, especially so when a bipolar/multipolar electrode arrangement is used. With a monopolar capacitive arrangement, treatment is a bit deeper, but still very very superficial.
So, in summary:
Combined capacitive AND bipolar/tripolar/multipolar RF results in superficial treatment
Combined capacitive AND monopolar RF results in somewhat deep treatment
Capacitive RF is usually of higher frequency, typically >1,000 KHz, but low frequrncy capacitive machines (from around 450kHz) also exist.
Deep vs superficial radio frequency
There is nothing wrong with superficial/epidermal treatment, if you are trying to treat acne or perhaps dilated skin pores.
But superficial treatment is a waste when it comes to cellulite reduction and skin tightening (especially deep skin tightening), as these require treatment to be applied deep inside the skin.
In any case, for superficial treatment, you do not need a multi-thousand pound RF machine to heat the epidermis. You can do that with an infrared lamp, hot pack, sauna or even hot water, at a much lower cost - or no cost.
So superficial treatment with RF is a bit pointless.
In fact, radiofrequency treatment was developed in order to help us provide deep treatment, not to be an expensive superficial treatment.
Capacitive RF for superficial treatment, resistive RF for deep treatment
To treat anything deeper than the epidermis and the superficial papillary dermis (i.e. for anything other than acne, superficial skin tightening, simple facials etc), capacitive radiofrequency is not such a smart solution compared to resistive RF as it:
Is generally very superficial
Requires very high RF generator power to provide decent power on the skin itself
Necessitates the need of superficial cooling in order to protect the epidermis
For treatment applications of deeper tissues (reticular dermis, hypodermis and superficial fascia), such as cellulite removal and deep skin tightening, resistive radiofrequency is a much smarter option, as it generally acts deeper (with depth still depending on other factors, though).
On the other hand, capacitive RF is a useful addition to a system that also provides a resistive option, as it offers a nice, gentle superficial treatment, for those cases that need it.
This allows the operator to switch between deep, medium or superficial treatment, according to the needs of each client. Indeed, a handful of quality machines offer both a capacitive and a resistive option to offer full flexibility to the operator.
However, capacitive RF is not absolutely needed for superficial treatment, as with the right settings and treatment medium used, superficial treatment can also be applied with resistive RF.
RF at very high frequencies is by definition always capacitive
This is because the stratum corneum outer epidermal layer offers no resistance at those frequencies, unless wetted by a treatment medium. Such high frequencies used in physiotherapy and beauty are 27.1 MHz (shortwave RF), 40.68MHz (shortwave RF) and 2.45GHz (microwave RF).
This is a whole different category to the RF discussed above and these treatments at these frequencies can be anything from superficial to deep, depending on equipment design and/or treatment settings.
At these frequencies treatment is applied with glycerine or oil.
How do I know what kind of RF treatment I am receiving?
The answer is very simple:
If the handpiece makes contact with your skin via a stainless steel tip, then you are having resistive treatment
If the tip is made of ceramic, teflon or plastic, then treatment is capacitive
The issue between capacitive vs resistive is of less importance than the issue between bipolar and monopolar radio frequency.
This is because monopolar RF is always superior to bipolar RF.
So if you use a bipolar machine, your hands are tied completely with such equipment, regardless of how much experience you have.
On the other hand, a well-trained, experienced and knowledgable therapist may generally be able to do a good - or at least decent - job with either a capacitive or resistive machine, as long as the machine is monopolar.
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At LipoTherapeia we have specialised 100% in skin tightening and cellulite reduction for more than two decades and 20,000+ sessions.
This is all we study and practise every day and have researched and tried hands-on all the important skin tightening equipment and their manufacturers.
As strong, deep acting radiofrequency and deep-acting, high-power ultrasound cavitation are the technologies of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction, we have invested in the best RF/ultrasound technologies in the world.
(Of course, we keep looking for new technologies every day and if/when a better technology materialises we will be the first to provide it. However, we will never follow the latest ineffective gimmick, just because it’s good marketing to offer the latest hyped up - yet ineffective and/or unsafe treatment.)
Furthermore, over the last two decades we have developed advanced RF and cavitation treatment protocols in order to make the most of our technologies, for maximum results, naturally and safely.
And for even better, faster results, we now combine our RF/ultrasound treatments with high-power red/infrared light LED treatment.
Our radiofrequency/ultrasound/LED treatments are comfortable, pain-free, downtime-free, injection-free, 99.5%+ safe and always non-invasive.
(No unsafe and ineffective RF microneedling or HIFU and no safe but ineffective acoustic wave therapy, superficial RF (bipolar/tripolar/multipolar etc), low power RF/cavitation, electrical muscle stimulation, lymphatic massage, cupping, dry brushing and no ridiculous bum bum creams.)
Our focus is on honest, realistic, science-based treatment, combined with caring, professional service, with a smile.
We will be pleased to see you, assess your cellulite, skin laxity or fibrosis, listen to your story, discuss your case and offer you the best possible treatment.
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