eMatrix: Stories

I am 44 and have been investing heavily in my face/skin for the last 5 years. Botox, filler, Retin-A, microcurrent and good at home skin care. Even so, my skin still was not as tight and smooth as I wanted it to be.

My plastic surgeon actually gave me one free treatment of Matrix RF in order for me to see if I liked it. The aesthetician put me on the highest setting (I am an aesthetician as well and knew what my risks were)in order to get the most dramatic results.

The procedure is not uncomfortable as long as numbing cream is used. Once the face is numb, the treatment only takes about 20 minutes. You can feel it - slight heat sensation and you can smell your skin burning (yuk I know, but you get used to it). You leave with a thick amount of gel to cover what looks and feels like a severe burn on the face.

The ugliest part of the down time is about 3-4 days, but it really takes at least a week for the "grid" on your face to go away completely. Initially you feel tender and swollen, and then a few days in your face starts to heal and you have rough patches and a sorta lumpy appearance about the face. Mineral makeup does conceal it quite well however, am I am always comfortable going out in public even the day after with make up on.

After about 4 days you can do a good exfoliation and then start to see how beautiful your skin looks! The results are truly worth it - subtle, but people will notice the difference, but they won't be able to put a finger on what it is. Skin is plumper, tighter, and smoother...definitely more youthful.

It is not a facelift, nor will it address serious facial sagging, but when combined with filler it can help a younger patient (late 30s early 40s) to put off a face lift for a while...hopefully a very long while :-)

Treatments are spaced about 6 weeks apart, which is normally when you will notice you need another one. Regenerative and collagen building benefits increase the more treatments you have. I have completed my 5th and plan to do it semi annually hereafter for upkeep.

I am very happy with the results, though I am also tempted to try one of the less invasive Fraxel treatments in the future for comparison. Either way, it was worth it and I would do it again.

One suggestion...if you are doing filler, I'd plan to do your filler when you are done with all treatments. The treatment is non ablative and not supposed to affect filler that is deeply placed under the skin...but it does seem like it ate thru alot of mine. I've had to put alot more filler in this year than I've had to put in the past and I do believe its largely due to having my injections done between EMatrix treatments.