My Morpheus 8 Experience in Apple Valley
Megan Smith
An honest look at my Morpheus8 microneedling experience at Advanced Body Sculpting & MedSpa — even the (temporarily) ugly bits.
Morpheus8 is one of the hottest beauty procedures around. It's gained fans among the Hollywood elite, social media stars, and beauty editors everywhere. With my wedding only 48 days away... cue brief panic attack... I headed to my favorite med spa in the Minneapolis area for the ultimate in micro needling to treat all acne, wrinkles, scars, and wtf-is-that-on-my-face.
*More of a video-watcher than a blog-reader? Watch this original video of the Morpheus8 procedure. You can see Alexis Lebahn perform the microneedling treatment on me and explain what to expect. Or skip to the end of this post to view a speed-through.
Day 1 (April 18): The Morpheus8 Treatment
I arrived at the Apple Valley clinic, ready for a serious head-to-toe beauty regimen. After getting me all set up with the EvolveX body sculpting workstation, Alexis prepped my face and neck with some intense numbing gel. I am my mother's daughter, so I appreciated the efficiency of the whole setup. Because the Evolve (for body) and Evoke (for face/neck) InMode workstations are hands-free, people can make the most of tight schedules by combining the two or pairing them with a different service such as a facial or cryosculpting.
Alexis then covered my face with strips of plastic, and we waited for my EvolveX treatment to finish and for my face to fall asleep. (Fellow claustrophobes, my nose and mouth weren't covered, and I felt fine.)
Then she cleaned off the numbing agent and rubbed a proprietary blend of serums all over my face. In addition to stimulating collagen, resurfacing skin, and killing bacteria, the treatment sends the serums into the deeper layers of the skin.
The moment of truth had arrived. It was time to go over every inch of my face and neck with Morpheus8 microneedling and radiofrequency. The device's head sent 4mm needles into my face and hit each application with a jolt of energy.
I promised to be honest, so here goes. It hurt. The face treatment wasn't bad at all — in fact, better than I'd expected — but the neck... Well, that part of the procedure definitely made me tear up and clench my jaw. My neck is super-sensitive, so I should have anticipated as much. For whatever reason, I didn't.
(Alexis undergoes all procedures that she offers without anesthetic to find the "spicy" places. This is a sign of commitment...with a tiny sprinkling of crazy.)
That said, the neck only took a few minutes. Alexis spent considerably more time on my face, but Morpheus8 is a quick procedure. In all, the microneedling (not counting the prep) was over in less than 30 minutes. And the pain doesn't linger. I felt fine immediately.
I don't look my best. InMode claims that you can have Morpheus8 done and then go out to dinner. This is true, but you might be happier in a dimly lit establishment. Perhaps darker-toned people fare better. With my pale skin, I turned rosy and blotchy. Fine for running errands but not inclined to socialize this evening.
See video of the procedure below!
One Day Later: Morpheus8 Aftermath
Why? Why did I schedule my driver's license renewal for the day after intense microneedling? My skin is still rough-looking, and makeup is forbidden.
Oh well. I've been irritated about the fact that my license expires one month before I change my freaking name and have to get a new one. Maybe they'll let me take a new picture too?
Five Days Later: Acne Be Gone
This is what I'm talking about! My skin has continued to improve day by day. The texture is somewhat rough and flaky, but my forehead is already visibly smoother. Overall skin color is more even, too.
Best of all (from my perspective)? I've been breaking out like crazy due to wedding stress. Seriously, I could point to zits and name them after specific wedding headaches. Today, my skin is mostly clear. A few tiny bumps, but I am a significantly less gross human.
One Month Later: Pores, What Pores?
Sigh. With the wedding speeding toward me, my skin did rediscover some of the stress hormones making me break out.
But the fine lines have continued to noticeably improve. I'm not sure if the procedure has worked extra well around my eyes, or if I'm especially noticing the reduction in crow's feet. My pores are also smaller. The one-time craters on my nose have shrunk to normal pore size.
Two-and-a-Half Months Later: Wedding-Day Skin Perfection
My skin was absolutely flawless for my wedding. I had zits threatening me for the full week leading up to it, but they failed to materialize (definitely helped out by a Red Carpet Facial that calmed my face down). But on the day, my skin was gorgeous and dewy even before the makeup. I don't have any pre-makeup pictures to share, but check out this 38-year-old bride. (Below is the short video of the Morpheus8 procedure.)