Sylfirm X RF microneedling
Dual-wave radiofrequency microneedling for pigment, redness, texture and early laxity — suited to all skin tones, with a day or two of pinkness.
Key facts
- Who you’ll see
-
- Dr. Svetlana Tagaeva Medical Director
- Dr. Olga Ibrakova Cosmetology
- Dr. Daria Banina Cosmetology
- Where
- CREAMÉ, 350 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 1, Dubai
- Session
- 45–75 minutes, including numbing
- Numbing
- Yes, numbing cream first
- Downtime
- 24–48 hours of pinkness
- Course
- 3–5 sessions, about 4 weeks apart
- Device
- Sylfirm X by Viol, South Korea Dual-wave radiofrequency microneedling, 0.3–4 mm deep
Sylfirm X by Viol, South Korea
Dual-wave radiofrequency microneedling, 0.3–4 mm deep
What Sylfirm X is for
The stubborn, mixed concerns: melasma and lingering pigmentation, persistent redness, acne scarring, enlarged pores, skin that's lost its firmness — often more than one at once.
How Sylfirm X works
Radiofrequency microneedling with two distinct modes: an ultra-short pulsed wave designed to act on abnormal vessels and pigmented tissue while sparing the skin around them, and a continuous wave for tightening and collagen remodelling. Fine gold-plated needles deliver the energy at adjustable depths from 0.3 to 4 mm. Because it doesn't rely on targeting pigment at the surface, it suits all skin tones, year-round.
A session, step by step
- We start with your concern, a look at your skin, photographs in the same light each time, and a check of your health and the medicines you take.
- The skin is cleansed and a numbing cream goes on for around 30 minutes.
- The treatment itself usually takes 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the area: the handpiece is pressed to the skin in passes, and fine needles release short bursts of energy at the depth set for your concern. You feel warmth and prickling.
- A calming mask or serum to finish, then sunscreen before you leave.
What to expect
How it feels
Around 45–75 minutes, roughly half of which is the numbing cream doing its work. With it, the treatment is mild to moderate — a warm, prickling pass.
Downtime
Minimal. Pinkness and a sunburn-like feeling for 24–48 hours. No makeup, heat or strong actives for a few days, and strict SPF after.
How many sessions
Usually 3–5 sessions spaced about 4 weeks apart, depending on the concern. A first glow shows within 1–2 weeks; the full result arrives at 8–12 weeks as the skin remodels.
Who it may not suit
We go through your health and medicines first, because Sylfirm X may not suit you, or may need to wait, if any of these apply:
- You are pregnant or breastfeeding.
- You have a pacemaker, a defibrillator or another implanted electronic device, or a metal implant in the area.
- You are allergic to gold (the needles are gold-plated) or have gold threads in the area.
- You have taken isotretinoin for acne in the last six to twelve months.
- There is an infection, a rash, dermatitis or broken skin in the area.
- You tend to form keloid or raised scars, heal poorly or bruise easily.
- You have a connective tissue disease such as lupus or scleroderma, poorly controlled diabetes, or a weakened immune system.
- The area has a fresh tan or recent sunburn.
- You get cold sores, or have had shingles, in the area: treatment is still possible, with preventive antiviral medicine first.
- There is a tattoo or permanent make-up in the area: it needs extra care.
Risks and side effects
Common and short-lived: pinkness, warmth and a sunburn-like feeling for one to two days, sometimes mild swelling, and tiny dots where the needles entered, which fade within days.
Less common: bruising, a few spots or a breakout, and a cold-sore flare in people who get them.
Uncommon, but important to know: darker patches after inflammation, more likely on deeper skin tones and with sun exposure, and rarely blistering or scarring. Careful settings, watching how your skin responds and strict sun protection lower these risks.
Melasma and rosacea are chronic and can return after a course, especially with sun and hormonal changes. In a small study of Sylfirm for melasma, about one in ten patients saw it come back within four months.
Aftercare
- Sunscreen every day, SPF 50, reapplied through the day, and shade where you can: in Dubai, sun is the main reason pigment returns.
- For a few days: no make-up, no saunas, steam or hot yoga, no hard workouts, and no exfoliating acids, retinoids or scrubs.
- Wash with a gentle cleanser, use a plain moisturiser, and leave any dots or flaking to settle on their own.
- Message us straight away if you notice blistering, pain that gets worse, or signs of infection.
How pricing works
We don't publish prices. The cost depends on the area and the number of sessions your skin needs, which we decide together at the consultation. You know the full plan and its cost before you start, and we suggest only the sessions your concern calls for.
Our take
Sylfirm X is the tool we reach for when the concern is stubborn — melasma, redness, scarring — including on darker skin tones.
Honesty matters most here: melasma and rosacea are chronic, relapsing conditions. Treatment can improve them, but does not cure them, and periodic maintenance is usually part of the truth. We'd rather you know that before you start than be disappointed after.
Questions people ask
Does Sylfirm X help melasma?
It can. In a small controlled study of Sylfirm in women with melasma, the melasma score improved after three sessions and was still better six months later. Melasma is chronic and can return, so we plan sun protection and maintenance from the start, and we tell you honestly if another approach suits your skin better.
Is Sylfirm X suitable for darker skin?
Usually, after assessment. It works with radiofrequency below the surface rather than by targeting pigment, and reviews describe radiofrequency microneedling as usable in darker skin types. Any heat-based treatment can trigger pigment, so we start with careful settings and a sun plan.
Can I have Sylfirm X in the Dubai summer?
Yes, if you can keep to strict sun protection. It can be done year-round; what matters is avoiding sunburn, tanning and heavy sun in the weeks around each session.
How is Sylfirm X different from MOXI and BBL HEROic?
MOXI is a laser that refreshes the surface for tone and texture, and BBL HEROic is light that targets visible spots and redness. Sylfirm X works below the surface with radiofrequency, which is why we choose it for melasma, persistent redness and scarring, or combine it with one of the others when that serves your skin.
Does Sylfirm X hurt?
With numbing cream, most people describe a warm, prickling pass, mild to moderate. In the melasma study, the average pain score was 2 out of 10.
Where can I get Sylfirm X radiofrequency (RF) microneedling in Dubai, and how do I choose a skin clinic for it?
At CREAMÉ, 350 Al Wasl Road, Jumeirah 1, where Sylfirm X is done by our doctors, Dr. Olga Ibrakova and Dr. Daria Banina, and Dr. Svetlana Tagaeva, the Medical Director, leads the clinic's medical work, energy-based treatments included. Wherever you go, ask who will treat you and check that they hold a current DHA licence. Expect the doctor to look at your skin and ask about recent sun, cold sores, keloid scars, isotretinoin in the last six to twelve months and any implanted device before the first pass, and to tell you plainly if another treatment would suit your concern better.
How much does Sylfirm X cost per session in Dubai?
We don't publish prices. The cost depends on the area treated and the number of sessions your skin needs, usually three to five about four weeks apart, which we decide together at the consultation. For melasma or rosacea, maintenance sessions are usually part of the plan, and we say so at the start. You know the full plan, and what each session costs, before you begin, and we suggest only the sessions your concern calls for.
When will I see results from Sylfirm X, and how long do they last?
After one session, a first glow can show within one to two weeks, but the main change builds over the course and usually shows at eight to twelve weeks; a review of radiofrequency microneedling studies found the skin still remodelling six months after treatment. How long it lasts depends on the concern. Changes in texture and scars rest on new collagen, though the skin goes on ageing. Melasma and rosacea are chronic and can return, so daily sun protection and maintenance sessions are part of the plan.
What recovery and aftercare should I expect after Sylfirm X?
Usually a day or two of pinkness, warmth and a sunburn-like feeling, sometimes with mild swelling; tiny needle dots fade within days. For the first few days, skip make-up, saunas, steam, hot yoga, hard workouts, exfoliating acids, retinoids and scrubs. Wash with a gentle cleanser, use a plain moisturiser and let any flaking settle on its own. SPF 50 every day, reapplied, matters most: in Dubai, sun is the main reason pigment returns. Message us if you notice blistering, worsening pain or signs of infection.
Beyond the usual downtime, what side effects and risks does Sylfirm X have?
Most are mild and pass within days. Less common are bruising, a few spots or a breakout, and a cold-sore flare in people who get them, so if you do, preventive antiviral medicine comes first. Uncommon but important to know: darker patches after inflammation, more likely on deeper skin tones and with sun, and marks in the pattern of the needles. Rarely, blistering, infection or scarring. Careful settings, watching how your skin responds and strict sun protection lower these risks.
What is Sylfirm X good for?
It is used for stubborn, often mixed concerns: melasma and lingering pigment, persistent redness from rosacea or acne, rolling and boxcar acne scars, enlarged pores, and early laxity that comes with texture. For most people the change is gradual and partial: tone can even out, redness can calm, and skin can look smoother and finer, building over eight to twelve weeks. It does not restore lost volume or lift marked sagging, and melasma and rosacea need ongoing sun protection because they can return.
How many Sylfirm X sessions will I need, and how often after the course?
Usually three to five sessions, about four weeks apart, depending on the concern. The change builds across the course: in a study of this kind of pulsed radiofrequency in 31 people with redness from rosacea or acne, redness improved from the second session, and pores and smoothness improved over two to five sessions. After the course, melasma and rosacea usually need a maintenance session or two a year, because both are chronic. We suggest only the sessions your concern calls for.
Microneedling vs RF microneedling vs Sylfirm X: what's the difference, and is Sylfirm X a laser?
The difference is heat. Microneedling on its own uses fine needles only: the tiny wounds prompt the skin to release growth factors and make new collagen. RF microneedling also sends radiofrequency energy through the needles into the dermis, heating it at a set depth. Sylfirm X does this through gold-plated needles 0.3 to 4 mm deep, with a pulsed wave designed to act on abnormal vessels and pigmented tissue and a continuous wave for tightening. It isn't a laser: it uses no light and doesn't rely on targeting pigment.
What results can Sylfirm X give for acne scars?
Usually shallower, less noticeable scars rather than clear skin. Heat delivered at the depth set for your scars prompts new collagen beneath them, and it is the tool we reach for with rolling and boxcar scars. A review of acne-scar treatments reports a partial improvement after three or four radiofrequency sessions, often between a quarter and three quarters, and the change keeps building for eight to twelve weeks. Active acne is calmed first, and after isotretinoin we wait six to twelve months. Results vary: in one study of RF microneedling for acne scars, about a third saw only a slight improvement.
Can I have Sylfirm X during or after pregnancy?
Not while you are pregnant or breastfeeding: Sylfirm X waits until both are over, and until then daily sunscreen and gentle skin care carry the plan. Patches that appeared in pregnancy may be melasma, which is linked to hormones and sun; Sylfirm X is one option for it afterwards. Once you have stopped breastfeeding, the doctor assesses your skin as for anyone else, checking for a fresh tan, cold sores and recent isotretinoin. If you are planning a pregnancy, tell us: a course of sessions takes several months.
Sources
- Gulfan MCB, Wanitphakdeedecha R, Wongdama S, et al. Efficacy and safety of using noninsulated microneedle radiofrequency alone versus in combination with polynucleotides for the treatment of melasma: a pilot study. Dermatol Ther (Heidelb). 2022;12(6):1325–1336.
- Jung YJ, Ro YS, Ryu HJ, Kim JE. Therapeutic effects of a new invasive pulsed-type bipolar radiofrequency for facial erythema associated with acne vulgaris and rosacea. J Cosmet Laser Ther. 2020;22(4–5):205–209.
- Tan MG, Jo CE, Chapas A, Khetarpal S, Dover JS. Radiofrequency microneedling: a comprehensive and critical review. Dermatol Surg. 2021;47(6):755–761.
- A multi-center, open-label, prospective study of the Sylfirm X device for the treatment of melasma (protocol VIOL-MEL-2022). ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06415435.
- Feasibility study to collect safety and preliminary efficacy data for a radiofrequency microneedling device. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT05254210.
- Hou A, Cohen B, Haimovic A, Elbuluk N. Microneedling: a comprehensive review. Dermatol Surg. 2017;43(3):321–339.
- Kravvas G, Al-Niaimi F. A systematic review of treatments for acne scarring. Part 2: energy-based techniques. Scars Burn Heal. 2018;4:2059513118793420.
- Connolly D, Vu HL, Mariwalla K, Saedi N. Acne scarring—pathogenesis, evaluation, and treatment options. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2017;10(9):12–23.
- Gowda A, Healey B, Ezaldein H, Merati M. A systematic review examining the potential adverse effects of microneedling. J Clin Aesthet Dermatol. 2021;14(1):45–54.
Updated 27 October 2026