Where to start? 51 years young, the start of nasolabial folds, the sagging of the jowls, the chins that seem to multiply by the month, the leathery, ropey chest lines from sun exposure and side sleeping....bleh!!! Had my chest, face and neck done today after 1 hr of 30% lidocaine gel applied to my face. I've had traditional microneedling done before, and based on my research, I had sort of expected this Morpheus8 treatment to feel something like that. Uh, no. It hurt. I have a low pain threshold, so I'm a wimp and I know it. I actually cried after she was finished my lower face (which was the most painful part, btw). I wasn't sure I could continue at points. Again, I'm a baby. Next time I'm taking the percocet while I wait for the numbing to take affect. Why be uncomfortable when you don't have to be? Anyways, Jackie put the machine in high gear.....she said "try to be as aggressive as possible, so you get your money's worth" and I agreed, so we went full on. Even tho I found it hurt like heck......especially on bony prominences, like the jaw line, the forehead, the cheek bones. I left the clinic with some redness, a few very small bruises by my right eye. My neck was very red.....still is, 5+ hrs later. No pain, just redness and warmth and a wee bit of swelling. The photos are after the 1st treatment (I have a second booked for the end of March and a 3rd booked for early May). I will ask the clinic to send me some before pictures, as I never thought to take any before I left for the clinic today. These photos look "greasy" because I put sea buckthorn oil on my face for moisture when I got home. I have a cystic acne lesion on my left cheek which the technician said she was "gonna BBQ" ......so let's see what happens with a hit of Morpheus (I am also taking 100 mg of Minocycline per day for these awful outbreaks I still get, even in menopause. Because God does have a sense of humor..... Anyways, nothing of note otherwise.....a few track marks (puncture marks) a bit of wavy looking swelling, but I must say, after about a half dozen traditional microneedling treatments, this treatment has left me less red and swollen and "marked up" than traditional microneedling. But did I mention I found it hurt like hell??? Updated on 13 Feb 2020: Unlike previous (and traditional) microneedling, which left me red and angry looking for 2-3 days, this Morpheus 8 has left me with some small red splotches, which I presume are bruises, and some track marks. And a bit of swelling, I suppose, which probably accounts for the improvements in my nasolabial and marionette lines today. Continued with heavy moisturizers tho again, in the past with traditional microneedling,my skin would be as dry as toast, and would soak up every last bit of moisture I would put on it. Today, I moisturized heavily because I have done that in the past, not particularly because I NEEDED it. I skipped the make up today. I also used my Vitamin C serum today. No pain at all today tho if I raise my eyebrows up and down quickly, my forehead feels like I have a sunburn on it....kinda tight and mildly painful. My cystic acne lesion remains; I continue on the Minocycline. Sooooo......bring on the miracle of fewer chins, lines and wrinkles!! Please God, let me be one of the few lucky 50-something's that only need one of these treatments!! I'm going to work on finding a ride to and from my next treatment, cuz I'm def taking the percocet! Updated on 14 Feb 2020: Nothing earth shattering to report today. Mild dryness, some mild small bruises that are fading, some raised small bumps here and there (I presume these are healing puncture marks from the needles that have sort of scabbed over). I continue to moisturize; I went to a kickboxing class this am and sweated like the devil, I wore make up, I used my vitamin C serum......I don't notice any improvements yet, but didn't really expect to at this point in the game. I am overall quite pleased with my skin's recovery from Morpheus 8 vrs traditional microneedling. Updated on 16 Feb 2020: In a word.....dry. Moisturizing like heck. When I wash my face today, I feel like I'm washing sandpaper.....is this the beginning of the great exfoliation?? No clue, but this is the ickiest my skin has felt since I had this done on Wed (it's Sunday now). Nothing awful, just kinda ack!! Still have a few small pinpoint bruises that are healing nicely. No noticeable changes in my skin....really hoping to see some changes in my neck and chest especially, soon!! Updated on 22 Feb 2020: I've not bothered posting because I had nothing to post. My face, neck and chest have healed from the procedure.....I'd say my skin is a tad on the dry side vrs what it's usually like. I think I'm noticing some softening of the nasolabial and marionette laxity.....with the right light conditions, the shade created by the laxity ages me by about 10 years! But yesterday I thought I noticed that this area looked a bit tighter. Haven't noticed any neck/jowl improvement yet. Updated on 6 Mar 2020: Still nothing huge to report.....I do think the nasolabial lines and marionette lines are softening a bit.....nothing major, but would suggest a 15-20 per cent improvement in overall laxity improvement in that area. No improvements of note on the chins.....sigh.... Updated on 6 Jul 2020: So my first M8 session was mid Feb, and my late March appt was cancelled due to the corona virus. Today, July 6, I finally got in for my 2nd M8 treatment. After the last session, which was really painful (for me), they told me drugs were available for my next appt, all I needed was a ride. So today, pumpkin drove me to the clinic, where I was slathered with lidocaine, and given a percocet, ativan and a gravol. This was a fun appointment!! The pain was much more tolerable today. I have a pathetic pain threshold, so this made the "zingers" a bit less zingy. Since February, I would estimate that my nasolabial and marionette lines have improved by 15-20%. I didn't notice any improvement in my double chin..... Today I asked my awesome Technician if she could get closer to my lower eyelids, as I have millia there (she went there), and also asked if she could bring out the big guns in terms of my double chin and the ropey vertical lines I have on my chest (she brought them out! She actually told me that it's not only a matter of increasing the intensity of the machine, but how many passes she makes over the area. She said I may have "grid marks" on my chest and neck for weeks, not to be alarmed, they will disappear eventually). I will ask my clinic, after my 3rd appointment, to send me my before and afters and if they're helpful, will post them here as well. These aren't exactly the best taken photos! Will post again tomorrow. Overall, a fun appt, thanks to the drugs!! Post-session, the redness has dissipated over the past 3 hours.....I'm blotchy, I think I have a small pinpoint bruise under my left eye, I definitely have grid marks on my neck and chest. Updated on 8 Jul 2020: Similar to my last post-treatment experience, I have lots and lots of pin point "scabs" that make my skin feel like sandpaper. I still feel like my face is a wee bit swollen, and I have a couple of small red spots that look like they may be bruises, not sure. I just applied a tinted sunscreen, so I don't think posting any photos will be of any help to anybody. Sorry! Am back to my Vitamin C serum in the am, and will apply my topical retin-A serum (prescription strength) this evening. Otherwise, am applying moisturizer several times a day and avoiding the sun. After all this $$, discomfort and time, I'm not about to undo my hard work with UV damage!! If anyone has any specific questions that I'm not touching on, please feel free to ask. Updated on 12 Jul 2020: My gosh, am I ever breaking out! I have a history of cystic acne, and I ended up with one lesion on my chin and one on my neck (never had a pimple, let alone a cystic acne lesion on my neck!!). Bleh. Am taking low dose minocycline, so hope this clears up soon. Not overly dry, not noticing any improvement in my areas of concern yet (double chin, jowls, necklace lines on my neck, lateral lines on my chest). Updated on 16 Jul 2020: The pimples continue......now something sprouting on my upper lip. Sigh. Hoping it's "just" a pimple, not another cystic acne lesion. Continuing on the Minocycline. Sigh again. Nothing else particularly noticeable. Updated on 24 Aug 2020: Today I had my third M8 treatment; I had numbing cream and some great drugs to help me get thru the procedure without crying, like I did the first time! (I have a low pain threshold, so take that for what it's worth!). I was told today that it could take the RF results The procedure anywhere from 3-6 months to maximize. I always understood it to be 3 months. Anyways..... Did face, neck and chest and am pretty pink, with lots of grid marks on my neck and chest. My husband commented that my face looked worse than the last time I did M8, but I personally don't see any difference from the last time. I'm a bit swollen, but otherwise my skin just feels warm. I'm most concerned about my jowls and double chin, and so am hoping 6 months from now, I have neither, or at least a lot less of both!! Updated on 26 Oct 2020: Did my 4th M8 today; am finding that my marionette and nasolabial lines are softening, and I'm happy about that, but I am not really finding the chin tightening/jaw contouring result I had hoped for. The tech did the deepest microneedling depth possible last appt and this one as well. Feeling red and warm on my face, lots of track marks and some swelling.....the usual.
