InMode is a radiofrequency device encountered in skin-elasticity consultations. Handpieces are swapped on a single console, combining a method that applies heat at the surface with a method that delivers heat inside through needles.
3-line summary
1. InMode is a procedure that sends radiofrequency heat to a different layer depending on the handpiece. There is a surface-contact type and a microneedling type.
2. U.S. marketing documents for the surface-contact type list temporary relief of muscle pain and of blood circulation; those for the microneedling type list coagulation and contraction of soft tissue.
3. Burns, scarring, fat loss, and nerve injury have been reported with radiofrequency microneedling, so depth and energy are confirmed before the appointment.
Handpieces are swapped on a single console
InMode is a platform from a company based in Israel. Even if the same name is used in consultation, what contacts the skin today may be a handpiece that glides over the surface, such as Forma, or a handpiece that delivers radiofrequency through microneedles, such as Morpheus8. Sensation during treatment, the skin immediately afterward, and the use written in marketing documents diverge here.
| Category | Surface-contact type (Forma) | Microneedling type (Morpheus8) |
|---|---|---|
| Method | Glides over the skin surface | Radiofrequency into the skin through needles |
| Use in marketing documents | Relief of muscle pain and spasm; temporary improvement of blood circulation | Coagulation and contraction of soft tissue; hemostasis |
| Depth | Surface contact | 0.5mm~7mm depending on the tip |
| Sensation during treatment | Warm heat | Needles and heat; topical cream anesthesia is often used |
| Immediately afterward | Redness | Redness, pinpoint crusts |
The procedure proceeds in this order: consultation, topical cream anesthesia if needed, handpiece application, then checking the skin immediately afterward. How shot count and handpiece are reflected in the estimate can be reviewed further in the dermatology price comparison guide.
After the dermis is heated, new collagen follows
Radiofrequency literature summarizes that heating the dermis changes collagen immediately, after which new collagen forms. The surface-contact type sends heat from the skin surface, and the microneedling type creates point-by-point heat at the needle tips.
The wording that soft tissue is contracted was added from data that examined coagulation patterns in porcine tissue. High-energy settings are limited to light or intermediate skin types.
How energy reaches the skin differs from Thermage, which cools the surface while heating the dermis broadly, and from Ulthera, which focuses ultrasound at points. A method that places threads and pulls is set out separately in the thread-lifting guide.
Burns, fat loss, and nerve injury have been reported
In October 2025, a U.S. regulatory agency reported that when radiofrequency microneedling is used for wrinkles and elasticity, burns, scarring, fat loss, nerve injury, and surgery to repair these have been reported. Heat at the needle tips is structured to reach inside the skin and below it, so greater depth can affect the fat layer as well. If the face is already hollow, the hollow-cheek lifting guide is reviewed together.
In records that combined radiofrequency delivered through an electrode placed inside the skin with microneedling, swelling lasting more than 6 weeks, firm lumps lasting more than 12 weeks, and temporary paralysis of the jaw nerve were reported and subsided without additional treatment. All authors of this record are manufacturer consultants.
| Category | Reported reactions |
|---|---|
| Commonly described reactions | Heat sensation, redness, pinpoint crusts from microneedling |
| Serious reactions reported by the regulatory agency | Burns, scarring, fat loss, nerve injury, injury repaired by surgery |
| Records that mixed handpieces | Swelling lasting more than 6 weeks, lumps lasting more than 12 weeks, temporary paralysis of the jaw nerve |
※ Serious reactions are regulatory-agency information for radiofrequency microneedling as a class. How they are felt diverges with handpiece, depth, and energy.
General contraindications and how adverse reactions are handled can also be reviewed in the treatment safety information. Delivering heat to collagen continues in the guide to methods for increasing collagen.
Ask which handpiece and depth will be used today
The handpiece name and needle depth change recovery and even the effect on the fat layer. These are items answered during consultation.
- □ Whether today’s handpiece is a surface-contact type or a microneedling type, and what the product name is
- □ What depth in mm will be set, and whether high energy will be used
- □ Whether topical cream anesthesia will be used, and the criteria for lowering energy when heat sensation increases
- □ Whether pacemaker, implanted electronic devices, metal, pregnancy, and breastfeeding were disclosed before the appointment
- □ When burns and indentations (fat loss) will be checked after treatment
Filler and lifting history in the same area is disclosed following the consultation guide for filler, botulinum toxin, and lifting history. Other options for sagging sites can be reviewed further in the sagging improvement guide and the lifting treatment information.
Frequently asked questions
Q1. Does the InMode procedure hurt?
The surface-contact type brings a warm heat sensation. The microneedling type involves needles, so topical cream anesthesia is often used, and energy is adjusted if a burning sensation is reported during treatment.
Q2. How many sessions are needed?
Some designs finish in one session, and some are planned as several sessions with intervals. The number is given after reviewing today’s handpiece and the treatment area.
Q3. How long do InMode effects last?
The next comparison is made with photographs taken under the same lighting and angle as before treatment. If wording states a figure in years, it is matched against today’s handpiece name.
Q4. Can it be done together with filler or Ulthera?
If filler is present in the same area, the sequence and interval for applying heat are decided first. Whether to receive Ulthera on the same day is also decided after reviewing previous treatment sites.
Q5. Who should postpone the appointment?
Implanted electronic devices such as a pacemaker, pregnancy or breastfeeding, infection at the treatment site, and cases where facial fat is already thin are reported before the appointment.
Results, duration, and suitability vary with individual skin condition, age, and lifestyle, and the same outcome cannot be guaranteed.
Procedures may cause temporary redness or swelling, and contraindications may apply, so please confirm these during your consultation.
This article is general information and does not replace individual medical care. Please confirm diagnosis and treatment suited to your condition during a consultation.
Sources
- U.S. FDA: InMode RF Pro System 510(k) summary (2021)
- U.S. FDA: Morpheus8 (Fractora) 510(k) summary (2019); subsequent multi-system 510(k) summary (2020)
- U.S. FDA: Morpheus8 510(k) summary (2023)
- U.S. FDA: Safety communication on potential risks of certain uses of radiofrequency microneedling (2025-10-15)
- Bonjorno AR et al. (2020), J Cosmet Dermatol: Radiofrequency therapy in esthetic dermatology: A review of clinical evidences (PMID 31691477)
- Dayan E et al. (2020), Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open: Multimodal Radiofrequency Application for Lower Face and Neck Laxity (PMID 32983756)
Related reading
- Thermage effects: changes after a single treatment
- Ulthera effects and duration
- Thread-lifting effects and types guide
- Hollow cheeks: lifting when fat is thin
- Consultation guide for filler, botulinum toxin, and lifting history
- Lifting treatment information
- Treatment safety and adverse-reaction information
Discuss options for your current needs
We review your current health and prior procedures before explaining appropriate options and their limits.
