Sponsored by SHENB Co., Ltd.
The purpose of cooling during most device-based aesthetic procedures is to protect surface tissue during treatment. However, cooling may do more than simply improve safety and/ or tolerability. It may also provide a better result by restricting the interaction of energy and tissue to within scientifically determined ranges of temperature, time or spread/location of deposited energy.
A recent in vivo study1 examined the effects of the Virtue RF microneedling device from SHENB Co., Ltd. (Seoul, South Korea) on porcine skin, with and without its integrated parallel contact cooling 
(PCC). Results revealed how radiofrequency (RF) delivery with cooling protected the surface skin while facilitating heat delivery into the mid-to-deep dermis, without resorting to deeper needle penetration.
According to Sung Bin Cho, MD, PhD, a dermatologist at the Yonsei Seran Dermatology and Laser Clinic (Seoul, South Korea), and co-lead author on the study, “High frequency Virtue RF uses energies at 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 MHz. By adjusting the number of sub-pulses, it implements various patterns of energy delivery to achieve different therapeutic effects. The ability to use these in combination during a single treatment is a significant advantage. Regardless of energy level, the use of PCC ensures safe and stable therapeutic effects.”
Researchers administered single-pass RF treatments to the skin of female minipigs using single (500 ms total time), six (1,000 ms total time) and ten (5,000 ms total time) sub-pulse packs at each of the three frequency levels (power 35 W, 1.5-mm needle penetration depth), with or without PCC. Skin response was evaluated using non-contact infrared thermometric imaging. Histology was performed on specimens taken at one hour as well a
s three, seven and 14 days post-treatment.
Results showed rapid cooling protected the epidermis and upper papillary dermis in the treatment area, with greater thermal effects driven deeper into the dermis when cooling was employed. “Even during prolonged highfrequency delivery, Virtue RF’s PCC allows a significant amount of energy to be safely transmitted to the deeper layers of the skin without deeper penetration by microneedles,” Dr. Cho explained. “This system protects the skin and enhances the efficiency of high-frequency delivery, allowing more energy to be effectively transmitted.”
“The cooling effect persists even after treatment has been completed, preventing heat from escaping outside the treated area and ensuring sufficient thermal stimulation to the site,” Dr. Cho added. “PCC minimizes the risk of unexpected heat accumulation as well as the potential skin damage that could occur during multiple passes of high-frequency exposure.”
In addition to frequency modulation, Virtue RF’s integrated energy control system allows adjustment from a larger, low-density treatment spot area to a smaller, high-density spot. All features are designed to maximize safety, efficacy and versatility.
“Moving forward we plan to investigate these effects to determine if the reactions are consistent in human skin, and how we can use this information to get the best outcomes,” Dr. Cho concluded.
Reference:
1. Cho SB, Lee YJ, Kang SY, Choi M, Kim B, Ahn JC. Effects of parallel contact cooling on pulsed-type, bipolar radiofrequency-induced tissue reactions in an in vivo porcine model. Clin Cosmet Investig Dermatol. 2024.;17:125-135.
