Infini RF and Dermal Fillers...which treatment first?

     There is significant interest in the benefits of Infini RF treatments with the additional improvement of injectable fillers and Botox in order to obtain more comprehensive and balanced results in aesthetics.   Infini combines the benefits of micro needling with simultaneous  focused radio frequency energy precisely at the needle tips resulting in significantly more tissue response.  Injectable fillers are used at a variety of tissue levels depending on the patient's aesthetic goals and the type of filler utilized.  Some fillers are placed deeply, well below the skin or in the fat, and some are placed in the superficial layers of the skin.     Although deeply placed fillers below the skin may not be affected by the energy delivered to the skin by the Infini, I prefer to do the treatments separately to improve predictability and avoid the possibility of the Infini energy affecting or heating more superficially placed filler.  The cutaneous improvements from the Infini may also  affect the amount and placement of the filler needed in order to obtain the most natural and balanced result.  For the above reasons, I therefore prefer to treat with the Infini initially and then follow with Botox and fillers after the Infini response is evaluated.

Good question. If the HA filler is placed beneath the dermis, as I do with all my injections with the help of cannulas, it's ok to get them simultaneously. I frequently will place Restylane or Voluma, right before treatment, giving the patient some added numbing to make the procedure more comfortable. One of my favorite procedures is doing Sculptra or Bellafill right before the Infini. These are not affected at all by the Infini, and actually act as an additive to collagen stimulation. If the HA filler is in the dermis, it is at risk of being degraded by the heat of the Infini. This type of placement should be held until all the Infini treatments are complete. See link.

Thanks for the question. I get asked this at least 3-4 times per day. Totally agree with Dr Weiner, if fillers are placed deeply (say with cheek volumization, cannula technique, etc) then they lie in the deeper layers of the skin, out of reach of the controlled RF heating of INFINI. INFINI can go down to 3.5 mm, and with the spherical heat distribution, in theory, heating can be down to 5-6 mm. Superficially placed fillers sometimes lie only 1-2 mm below the skin- classically when we treat acne scars. In this case I would always advise INFINI treatment before fillers. Currently I am doing a study to show the effects of RF on fillers, as there are not many papers at the moment discussing the effects and longevity of combining both methods. Stay tuned. RegardsDr Davin Lim Laser and aesthetic dermatologistBrisbane   Australia