THE GENIUS LIFT: Is Korea's Answer to Morpheous8 Even Better?

Radiofrequency Microneedling has been the treatment “de jour” for a while now. Known for its shrink-wrap effect,  it rejuvenates  the skin from the inside out using a powerhouse blend of radiofrequency energy and microneedling.

Boosting both collagen and elastin levels, to shrink, strengthen and plump the skin, It’s the double whammy effect that has made it one of the most talked about and one of the most effective treatments around.

While Morpheous8 may be the name most synonymous with Radiofrequency Microneedling, part in thanks to the Judy Murray effect, it is not the only only kind on the market and dare I say it, it may not be the most advanced either.

These days when we want to discover the latest beauty advancements, all eye tend to look towards South Korea. Which is exactly what Natasha Clancy, super facialist to the A’List, did when researching the best Radiofrequency Microneedling Device to purchase for her Mayfair based clinic, Kichi.

The Genius Lift is an innovative medical treatment that harnesses Lutronic’s (a Korean-based aesthetic laser company) revolutionary Radiofrequency Microneedling technology to resolve a variety of skin concerns, ranging from scaring wrinkles, sagging and volume loss.

Designed specifically to tighten, lift and plump the face and neck, through natural collagen production,  the Genius Lift has distinguished itself from other radio frequency devices thanks to its impressive results and significantly reduced downtime. Containing 49 needles per tip, compared with 24 needles on the Morpheus8, the Genius Lift emits more energy, resulting in a higher level of skin tightening. The needles are also finer and more flexible on the Genius, causing less epidermal injury, less risk for bruising, bleeding, or scratches compared to other similar treatments.

Natasha Clancy, Kichi Studio

Of course more advanced devices often come at higher cost and as a result the Lutronic Genius Lift is not a widely available in the UK, as Morpheus8. Thankfully, I was able to get myself booked with Natasha at Kichi, to try the treatment for myself.

A glowing advertisement for the benefits of the Genius Lift, I am immediately struck by Natasha’s radiant complexion. A 40-something ex model and long-serving Aesthetician, she attributes her lifted cheek bones and snatched jawline to the genius lift, divulging that other than a 'touch of baby botox’, her face remains injectable free.

What does the treatment involve

Starting with a deep cleanse, Natasha applies some numbing cream and places me under an infrared light, while the cream gets to work. An unusual choice, using infrared pre-treatment instead of post treatment, I am told the light will help boost results and aid a speedier recovery. It is also simply more time efficient.

45 minters later and sufficiently numb, its time for some Radiofrequency Micro-needling. On the first pass, I am immediately relieved to notice that the Genius Lift isn’t quite as jaw clenchingly painful as Morpheus8 but by the time it the final pass comes around, I’ve got to admit, I was pretty happy for it all to be over. Yet as they say, “No Pain, No Gain” and if you want results, sometimes you‘ve jut got to grin and bare it.

Last but not least is the Hydra stage. Designed to boost hydration levels, it will apparently help my skin achieve the infamous Kichi “baby face glow” that keeps celebrities such as Sienna Miller and Olivia Wilde coming back for more.  Two hours after arriving I leave Kichi with a rather pink glowing face, excited for  the results to come.

What do we think

It takes a full  4-8 weeks post treatment for results to start showing through, with these continuing to improve for the next 6 months. However, just three month after my first treatment and I’m beginning to see what the fuss is about.

First up, let talk about down time. Compared to my experience with Morpheus8, down time with the Genius Lift seemed minimal. Some initial redness and that dry tight feeling you get with all micro-needling, but within a few hours, I looked what I would consider reasonable post treatment and back to normal within a few days. In contrast, my skin took a full 7-8 days of recovery time with Morpheous8.

Of course any treatment that works by causing micro traumas to trigger the skins own natural healing process, won’t show results straight away.  Boosting all those lovely collagen and elastin levels take time, so its important to be patient and because it can be hard recognise those gradual changes, it can be beneficial to take regular progress pictures, if you to keep track of the results.

Three months in, with three more still to go until the full populated results and I’m impressed. Most noteworthy has to be visible improvement in my skin texture, which is feeling firmer with more bounce back (you know the test when you pull your skin to see how quickly it returns to its shape) and the reduction in fine lines, particularly around the eye area.

VERDICT

Am I the owner of a more radiant visage curtsy of the Genius Lift at Kichi? I’d like to think so.

Could the Lutronic Genius Lift (as claimed) delay or completely prevent the desire for a face lift in later life? Judging by my results so far, this is one treatment I’d feel pretty confident about putting my money on.

The Genius Lift @ Kichi is £850 per session or £1,900 per course of 3 treatments (saving 25%)

To book your Genius Lift consultation head to kichi.studio