MORPHEUS8

In the hands of an experienced provider, Morpheus8 treatments have numerous benefits. They can:

• improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles
• firm and tighten mildly lax skin, including on the eyelids
• smooth skin texture
• reduce the appearance of large pores
• treat hyperpigmentation, acne, acne scarring, and rosacea
• help fade stretch marks

Morpheus8 has the advantage of targeting different depths and treating specific tissue levels. For example, at higher settings and deeper levels, the treatment can reduce unwanted fat, as long as your provider takes care to avoid too much volume loss.

This popular RF microneedling treatment is most commonly performed for skin resurfacing and deeper tissue remodeling on the face and neck. It can be especially  effective for treating mild jowls, firming the jawline, and smoothing the under-eye area and around the mouth.

It can also be used on almost any other body area, including the abdomen, buttocks, chest, arms, or above the knees. Some providers even offer Morpheus8 V for vaginal rejuvenation, to give labia a more youthful appearance. 

It also shows promise as a treatment option for mild cellulite, but this isn’t the go-to cellulite treatment for moderate to severe dimpling.

While it's an effective standalone treatment, Dr. Ho says it's especially beneficial when used in combination with other procedures. “Morpheus8 is one of my favorite add-on treatments for achieving even better outcomes from surgical procedures, such as a facelift or liposuction,” says Dr. Ho. He tells patients that it works like a powerful skin conditioner. A facelift alone will tighten the tissues, but the quality of the skin remains unchanged. “Adding Morpheus8 to a procedure like a facelift allows me to rejuvenate the skin by enhancing collagen production, resulting in a more complete transformation,” Dr. Ho explains. “This takes it to the next level, and patients really notice the difference.”

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.
• In Morpheus8 reviews, some RealSelf members say they’ve experienced more long-term, unwanted side effects like bumps, grid marks, and skin discoloration. A few have experienced hyperpigmentation and scarring, which required additional treatments to resolve. “This reinforces the importance of having an experienced provider to administer treatment,” says Dr. Ho.
• 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.

Related: Does RF Microneedling Live Up to the Social-Media Hype? Top Derms and Plastic Surgeons Weigh In.

• Average Cost:
• $1,834

• Range:
• $500 - $4,000

Your Morpheus8 cost will depend on how many treatment sessions you have, the size and number of treatment areas, the experience level of your provider, their practice location, and a few other key factors.

See our complete guide to Morpheus8 costs

The Morpheus8 photos in our gallery have been shared by the provider who performed the procedure, with the patient's consent.

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 providers routinely offer local anesthesia, to ensure patient comfort. “We perform a lot of procedures in the office setting, so my staff and I are very experienced at administering local anesthesia safely and effectively,” notes Dr. Ho. 

Several RealSelf members who’ve had the treatment have reported severe pain—so much so that several say they couldn’t complete the treatment.

In an 2022 article in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, Dr. Sheila Z. Farhang, a board-certified dermatologist in Tucson, notes that she removes the topical numbing gel just prior to treating each area, section by section, to give it the maximum amount of time to work. “In addition, we offer inhaled nitrous oxide to ameliorate procedure-associated discomfort and anxiety. This protocol has been highly effective with excellent patient satisfaction, and very rarely do we need to utilize nerve blocks or any form of sedation,” Dr. Farhang claims.

If you’re very concerned about your pain tolerance, you may want to consider trying a single treatment to be sure you can tolerate it before paying for more.

Morpheus8 recovery typically involves one to three days of social downtime for the redness, itchiness, and swelling to resolve. It’s possible to schedule the procedure on a Friday and likely be restaurant ready (or at least workplace ready) by Monday, depending on the intensity of your treatment and how quickly your body heals.

The treated area will be sensitive and prone to infection for up to several  hours post-treatment, so it’s best to keep the treated areas clean and avoid touching it during this initial healing phase.

After that, you may be able to boost your results with the right skin care. “Stronger treatments with microneedling RF can leave channels in the skin for up to 72 hours, helping medical-grade skin-care products penetrate deeper into the skin,” says Dr. Emer. 

It’s important to follow your provider’s aftercare instructions, but Dr. Ho offers these recommendations.

• Only apply topical skin care products that are recommended by your provider to facilitate your healing.   
• Gentle exfoliating cleansers and enzymatic masks can help turn over scabbing or crusting as your skin heals.
• Avoid direct sun exposure for a few weeks and use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30 (ideally a physical sunscreen containing titanium dioxide and/or zinc oxide) when you have to be out and about, to avoid post-procedure hyperpigmentation.

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.

Related: 6 of the Most Popular Morpheus8 Before and After Photos

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.

Morpheus8 is safe in the hands of an experienced provider, but it does have some common, temporary side effects.

• Pinpoint bleeding, scabbing, tissue swelling, or redness should subside within a few days.
• Pinprick marks from the needles should fade on their own within two weeks.

If the redness doesn’t resolve on its own or becomes worse, your provider may prescribe prednisone or a hydrocortisone cream to help calm it down.

Microneedling results are very technique-dependent, and the heat from the RF energy can increase the risk of potential damage. Morpheus8 can go wrong, and some RealSelf members have shared photos in their reviews of long-lasting orange-peel texture or grid marks on their skin.

Burns and other heat-related injuries are very rare but possible, if the treatment isn’t performed correctly.

To help avoid these types of side effects, take your time to find a highly experienced provider—ideally, a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon who has years of experience with radiofrequency microneedling treatments, with the happy patient reviews to back it up.

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:

• 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.  
• 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.

Hendricks AJ, Farhang SZ. “Dermatologic facial applications of Morpheus8 fractional radiofrequencymicroneedling.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. July 2022;21(Suppl. 1):S11-S19.

Ugonabo N, Ward R, Chapas A. “A clinical study to evaluate the safety and efficacy performance of the Morpheus8 applicator for the treatment of cellulite: A case series.” Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology. July 2022; 21(Suppl. 1):S20-S23.

Dayan, Erez, et al. “Adjustable Depth Fractional Radiofrequency Combined With Bipolar Radiofrequency: A Minimally Invasive Combination Treatment for Skin Laxity.” Aesthetic Surgery Journal, vol. 39, no. Supplement_3, May 2019.

Iriarte, Christopher, et al. “Review of Applications of Microneedling in Dermatology.” Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, vol. 10, Aug. 2017.

Chandrashekar, Byalekereshivanna, et al. “Evaluation of Microneedling Fractional Radiofrequency Device for Treatment of Acne Scars.” Journal of Cutaneous and Aesthetic Surgery, vol. 7, no. 2, 2014.