Laser vs radiofrequency vs infrared LED for skin tightening and cellulite

RF vs led therapy vs lasers

• Laser vs red/infrared vs radiofrequency for skin tightening

• Radiofrequency is the treatment of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction

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

Laser vs red/infrared vs radiofrequency for skin tightening

This is a common question at the clinic: Which is better for body skin tightening and cellulite: laser, LED or radiofrequency treatment?

And the immediate answer from us is: absolutely NOT laser.

Laser is way too superficial and therefore pointless for body skin tightening or cellulite.

There are two types of lasers:

• Strong, ablative, lasers aim to burn the surface of the skin to stimulate new epidermal growth. Cellulite, however, is found at the deepest layer of the skin (hypodermis), not the most superficial (epidermis), so ablative lasers do not work for cellulite or body skin tightening at all (and they are not that great or safe for facial skin tightening either).

• Low level laser therapy (LLLT), red or infrared, is of too low power (milliwatts or just a few watts) to provide any meaningful stimulation to the hypodermis / cellulite, so LLLT is totally useless for cellulite. In terms of skin tightening things are a bit better but very slow: red or infrared LLLT would need dozens of sessions to provide some decent results, so again it is neither effective nor efficient.

If either type of laser/LED was effective for cellulite removal or skin tightening, we would already use it at the clinic.

Radiofrequency is the treatment of choice for skin tightening and cellulite reduction - Infrared/LEd is way to weak and too slow

Deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency, on the other hand, can provide up to 300 Watts of power exactly into the dermis and hypodermis, bypassing the superficial epidermis and not wasting energy in the (very deep) subcutaneous fat.

This high power and exact focus makes strong, deep tissue RF the strongest and most effective treatment for both skin tightening and cellulite, especially when combined with high-power ultrasound cavitation.

For skin tightening and cellulite, between laser and radiofrequency, the choice is absolutely clear: radiofrequency. There is no comparison, simply because ANY light-based treatment wastes most of its energy on the epidermis. Because of this limitation, it still works, but very slowly.

Just make sure you opt for deep-acting, high-power radiofrequency, as the superficially acting RF or the low power RF varieties will simply not work.

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

Do you want to deeply understand radiofrequency, ultrasound cavitation, cellulite and skin tightening? Attend a half-day, 1-day, 2-day or 3-day professional consultancy / one-to-one training and confidently offer your clients the safest, strongest and most effective treatment possible. Service available via Zoom or at our central London practice.