★★★★★ Rated 5.0 on Google · 302 reviews across our clinic and doctors
Scarlet RF Microneedlingin South Tempe, AZ
Scarlet short-pulse radiofrequency microneedling, needles that carry heat into the deeper layer of the skin, so it tightens rather than just resurfaces. For early jowling, a softening jawline, crepey necks and loose skin after weight loss. Safe across all skin tones. Serving South Tempe, Ahwatukee, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, Scottsdale & Phoenix.
Medically reviewed by Dr. Scott Maymon, ND, MPH & Dr. Sarah Stone, ND · September 2026
Naturopathic Physician
Dr. Scott Maymon, ND, MPH
Caring for the Valley since 2015, with root-cause functional medicine for hormones, regenerative therapies, pain, and men’s health.
- AZ Naturopathic License #15-1497
- Doctorate, SCNM / Sonoran University (Tempe) · MPH, University of Louisville
- Focus: hormones, regenerative injections, men’s health
Naturopathic Physician
Dr. Sarah Stone, ND
Caring for the Valley since 2015, partnering with patients to treat the root cause across hormones, regenerative therapies, aesthetics, and whole-person wellness.
- AZ Naturopathic License #15-1496
- Doctorate, SCNM / Sonoran University (Tempe) · B.S. Psychology, USF
- Focus: hormones, regenerative therapies, aesthetics, autoimmune
Two licensed NDsoverseeing aesthetic care
All skin tonesRF doesn't target pigment
Five modalitiesone honest recommendation.
5.0 star rating302 Google reviews, clinic + doctors
RF microneedling combines microneedling with radiofrequency energy delivered through the needles, heating the deeper layer of the skin so it contracts and rebuilds, which is why it addresses mild to moderate skin laxity where plain microneedling only reaches the surface. Scarlet is the short-pulse radiofrequency system used at Pure Body Health, and because radiofrequency isn't absorbed by pigment the way laser light is, it is used across all skin tones.
Expect a series, three to four sessions for facial rejuvenation, five to seven for deeper wrinkles or acne scarring, with maintenance every four to six months. Results build over three to six months as collagen remodels. Most people return to normal activity the same day, though redness for a day or two is usual and swelling or bruising can last three to ten days. It is not a facelift, and if you have gone past what energy-based tightening can reach, a physician here will tell you so.
▶Physician-reviewed
Heat in skin is a clinical decision.
Aesthetic care here sits under Dr. Sarah Stone, ND (AZ Naturopathic License #15-1496), whose focus is aesthetics, regenerative therapies and hormones, alongside Dr. Scott Maymon, ND, MPH (AZ Naturopathic License #15-1497). Putting radiofrequency energy into the dermis is not a spa service. How deep it goes, how much energy, over how many passes and whether your skin should have it at all are judgments, and the wrong ones cause burns, pigment change and scarring rather than collagen. Both physicians carry Arizona license numbers you can verify, and both are named on this page. Most pages selling this treatment name nobody.
▶What it is
The heat is the point.
Plain microneedling and RF microneedling use the same basic idea, controlled injury to provoke collagen, but they work at different depths, and that single difference decides what each one can fix. Needles alone remodel at and near the surface. That is why plain microneedling is good for texture, pore size and acne scarring, and why it does nothing for skin that has gone slack.
Radiofrequency changes that. The needles become the delivery route for energy: as they sit in the skin they release radiofrequency, heating the dermis directly. Heated collagen contracts immediately and the tissue rebuilds over the following months. That is the mechanism behind tightening, and it is not available to a needle on its own.
Scarlet is a short-pulse system, often written SRF. Rather than sustained heating it delivers energy in brief pulses, and the handpiece can be set to different depths and modes for the area being treated, which is why the same device is used on a scalp, a jawline and an abdomen. In practice that means the settings are chosen at the chair for your skin, not run at one factory default.
One more thing worth knowing, and it is a genuine advantage rather than marketing: radiofrequency heats tissue by electrical resistance, so unlike lasers and IPL it isn't absorbed by pigment. That removes the pigment-related burn and discoloration risk that makes light-based resurfacing a careful conversation in deeper skin tones.
The difference between microneedling and RF microneedling is depth of effect: needles alone remodel the surface, while radiofrequency heats the deeper layer so it contracts and lays down new collagen.
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▶Is this you?
Is this you? Reasons people ask about Scarlet RF.
- Early jowling along the jawline
- Loose skin under the chin
- A crepey neck
- Crepey skin on the arms
- Sun damage across the chest
- Enlarged pores with laxity
- Acne scarring with texture change
- Loose skin after weight loss
- Plain microneedling plateaued
- "I'm not ready for surgery"
▶The menu
Where Scarlet RF is used.
Because the depth and mode are adjustable, the same system covers areas that usually need different machines, though the areas differ a great deal in how well they respond, and that is worth saying plainly rather than listing them as equals.
Face and jawline
The most common use, and where the technology performs best: forehead lines, crow's feet, cheek and mouth softening, smile lines and the early loss of definition along the jaw. Early laxity responds well here because the skin is thinner and the change shows quickly.
Neck and décolleté
Two areas that age visibly, get skipped routinely, and tolerate aggressive resurfacing badly. Crepey texture on the neck and sun damage across the chest are among the more common reasons people book, and both respond to tightening better than to surface work.
Scalp
Scarlet is used on the scalp as well as the face. If your reason for asking is thinning hair rather than skin, start at hair loss treatments instead; that page begins with finding out why, because thyroid, ferritin, hormones and pattern loss all look alike in the mirror and need different treatment.
Abdomen after pregnancy or weight loss
Loose abdominal skin is the hardest problem on this list and deserves the most careful expectations. Energy tightening can improve texture and firmness at the margins; it does not remove a significant skin excess, and anyone who tells you otherwise is setting you up for disappointment.
Arms, inner thighs and knees
Skin laxity on the upper arms and above the knees is a frequent request and responds moderately, better on early crepiness than on established looseness. For fat rather than skin, see body contouring, which is a different problem with different tools.
Not sure this is the one?
If the concern is texture, pores or scarring without laxity, see microneedling. Tone and fine lines, see PRX-T33. Dullness and dehydration, see AquaFirme XS. Volume and under-eye hollowing, see the PRP facial. Which areas are appropriate for you is determined by a provider at consultation. A series is usually needed.
▶The comparison
How the devices actually differ.
There are at least five radiofrequency microneedling systems being sold within a short drive of South Tempe, and every clinic offering one will tell you theirs is the best, because each of them owns exactly one. Here is the version you can only get from somewhere that also offers the alternatives.
Plain microneedling
Needles, no energy. Remodels at and near the surface, so it is the right tool for texture, pore size and acne scarring. Cheaper per session, lighter recovery, and genuinely better than RF when laxity isn't the problem. It will not tighten loose skin no matter how many sessions you buy.
Scarlet, short-pulse RF
Delivers radiofrequency in brief pulses rather than sustained heating, with depth and mode adjusted for the area. In practice that profile tends to mean a more comfortable session and a lighter recovery, across a series of three to four rather than one heavy treatment.
Other RF systems
Morpheus8, Pixel8, Vivace, Agnes RF and others all heat the dermis through needles. They differ in pulse profile and needle design, which broadly trades aggressiveness and recovery against session count. Different tools for the same job, not different categories. A clinic that owns one device will always recommend that device. Ask any provider what their machine is bad at, the answer tells you more than the brochure does.
▶Why here, specifically
The treatment that doesn't care about your skin tone.
Phoenix is one of the most ethnically mixed metros in the country, and most skin-resurfacing technology was designed with that fact as an afterthought. Lasers and IPL work by delivering light that pigment absorbs. In deeper skin tones that means the pigment competes for the energy, which is why the risk of burns and post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation is real and why plenty of people are told they are not good candidates.
Radiofrequency heats tissue by electrical resistance instead. Melanin is not the target, so the same treatment can be run across the full range of skin tones. It is one of the few energy treatments where that is true, and in this Valley it matters more than it would in most markets.
The second local factor is cumulative sun. Arizona ages skin through photodamage more than through time, and the specific pattern, crepey texture on the neck and chest, coarse lines, early laxity on skin that is otherwise young, is exactly what collagen remodeling is for. It also means daily broad-spectrum SPF does more to protect your result than any product you can buy afterward.
▶Honest expectations
What "minimal downtime" actually means.
Nearly every page selling this treatment claims no downtime, and some manage to claim it and then contradict themselves further down the same page. Here is what actually happens, so you know before you book rather than on day four.
Same day back, not nothing
Most people return to normal activity immediately, and there is far less bleeding and sensitivity than with aggressive needling. But redness for one to two days is typical, and swelling or bruising can occur for three to ten days depending on how you respond. For the first day avoid direct sun and heavy sweating; skip harsh actives and exfoliants for about a week. Plan the week, not just the appointment.
A series, then maintenance
Plan on three to four sessions for facial rejuvenation, or five to seven for deeper wrinkles and acne scarring, with maintenance every four to six months. Collagen remodels gradually, so your result builds over three to six months rather than showing up at two weeks. Scarlet RF does its best work on early to moderate laxity, and if a surgical approach would serve you better we will tell you that at your consultation.
Individual results vary and no outcome is guaranteed. Candidacy is determined by a provider at consultation. This page is educational and is not medical advice.
▶What to expect
Four steps, about an hour.
01
Assessment and candidacy
01 · Assessment and candidacy. Someone looks at what is actually happening to your skin and whether tightening addresses it, laxity, texture, or both, and how far it has gone. This is also where we say if you have passed what energy can reach. Your history of pigment change, scarring and reactivity is taken before anything is planned. The consultation is free and carries no obligation.
02
Numbing
02 · Numbing. Topical anesthetic goes on and needs time to work, which is most of why the appointment runs about an hour for roughly twenty minutes of treatment. Comfort during the pass depends heavily on this step not being rushed.
03
The treatment pass
03 · The treatment pass. The handpiece moves across the area in sections, needles entering the skin and releasing short pulses of radiofrequency at the chosen depth. Settings are adjusted for the area and for how your skin is responding in the chair. Most people describe heat and pressure rather than sharp pain.
04
Recovery plan, then an honest re-check
04 · Recovery plan, then an honest re-check. You leave with specific aftercare and a realistic timeline. At the next visit we look at what actually changed before committing you to the rest of the series, and because collagen takes months, we will tell you when it is too early to judge rather than sell you another session to fill the gap.
An honest word on skin tightening, and on before-and-after photos
We have chosen not to publish a before-and-after gallery. Lighting, angle, expression, makeup and post-processing move the apparent result more than many treatments do, and a stranger's best outcome tells you very little about yours. What we can do is describe plainly what this treatment does and does not do, and assess your actual skin at a free consultation.
Scarlet RF is not for everyone. We do not treat over active skin infection, open lesions or recently sunburned skin, and we avoid it during pregnancy and nursing. An implanted electronic device such as a pacemaker, metal implants in the treatment area, active inflammatory skin conditions, recent isotretinoin use and a history of keloid scarring are assessed individually. A series is usually needed, and a provider decides candidacy at consultation.
▶Why Pure Body Health
The clinic that also owns the alternatives.
You can get radiofrequency microneedling at a dozen places between Tempe and Scottsdale. Here is what is different about getting it here:
Five modalities, one recommendation.
We also offer plain microneedling, PRX-T33, PRP and hydrating facials. Because we own the alternatives, we can tell you when RF is the wrong tool, and sometimes it is. (Rather than: one device, sold as the answer.)
Straight about the bruising.
Same-day return to activity, but redness for a day or two and swelling or bruising possible for up to ten days. You should know that before you book, not after. (Rather than: "zero downtime!")
Honest about the ceiling.
Energy tightening works on early and moderate laxity. Past that, surgery is the answer, and we will tell you when a series will not get you there. (Rather than: "this will lift your face.")
Two named, licensed physicians.
Dr. Sarah Stone, ND and Dr. Scott Maymon, ND, MPH oversee aesthetic care here, with Arizona license numbers you can verify. Most pages selling this name nobody at all. (Rather than: a technician you never meet first.)
▶Next step
Start with the free consultation.
Cost depends on the area treated and how many sessions your plan calls for, so the figure that matters is the price of the course, not one visit, a face is a different appointment from a face plus neck, or an abdomen. You'll get a straight read on whether tightening addresses what's actually bothering you, how many sessions to expect, and whether something else would serve you better. No obligation to book anything.
▶FAQ
Scarlet RF microneedling, answered.
What is RF microneedling, and how is it different from regular microneedling?
RF microneedling adds radiofrequency energy to a standard microneedling pass, delivering heat into the dermis through the needles themselves. Plain microneedling creates micro-channels that trigger a collagen response at and near the surface, which is why it is good for texture, pores and scarring. Adding radiofrequency heats the deeper layer so it contracts and remodels, which is what lets it address mild to moderate skin laxity. Same needles, different depth of effect, and a different recovery.
What is Scarlet RF specifically?
Scarlet is a short-pulse radiofrequency system, often written SRF. It delivers radiofrequency in brief pulses rather than sustained heating, and the handpiece can be set to target different depths and areas, scalp, face or body, with adjustable treatment modes. In practice that means it can be dialed to the area being treated rather than run at one fixed setting, and it is the specific RF microneedling system used at Pure Body Health.
How does RF microneedling work?
Fine needles pass into the skin and release short pulses of radiofrequency energy at depth, creating controlled micro-injuries in the dermis. The body responds by remodeling that tissue and laying down new collagen over the following months, which is what produces the tightening and the change in texture and tone. The needles are the delivery route; the heat is what does the work at depth.
How much does RF microneedling cost in South Tempe?
Cost depends on the area treated and how many sessions your plan calls for, so the number that matters is the price of the course rather than a single visit. Treating the face is a different appointment from treating the face plus neck, or the abdomen. Because a series of three to four sessions is standard, we review the full plan and its cost with you at the free consultation before anything is booked.
How long do RF microneedling results last?
The collagen change from a completed series generally holds for months rather than weeks, and most people return for maintenance every four to six months. How long it holds depends on your age, your skin and your sun exposure, and in Arizona sun exposure is the biggest variable by some distance. Daily broad-spectrum SPF protects the result more than anything else you can do. Individual results vary and no outcome is guaranteed.
What's the downtime, and what should I avoid afterward?
Most people go back to normal activity the same day, but calling it zero downtime would be overstating it. Redness for one to two days is typical, and swelling or bruising can occur for three to ten days depending on how you respond. For the first 24 hours avoid direct sun and heavy sweating, and skip harsh actives and exfoliants for about a week. Your provider will give you specific instructions for your skin at the visit.
Does RF microneedling really work for skin tightening?
For early and moderate laxity, yes, heating the dermis does cause tissue contraction and new collagen, and that produces a visible firming over three to six months. What it will not do is lift skin that has genuinely descended. Past a certain point the honest answer is that a surgical lift is the treatment that will actually work, and you deserve to hear that before you pay for a series rather than after it.
Scarlet RF or Morpheus8, which is better?
Neither is better in the abstract, and any clinic that answers this question confidently owns exactly one of them. Both are radiofrequency microneedling systems that heat the dermis through needles. They differ in how the energy is pulsed and how deep the needles are designed to run, which makes some systems more aggressive with more recovery and others gentler across more sessions. The variable that actually predicts your result is whether the person holding the handpiece assessed your skin properly and chose settings for it.
Can Scarlet RF treat the neck, jawline and body?
Yes, alongside the face it is used on the neck and chest, the jawline and under the chin, the scalp, the abdomen after pregnancy or weight loss, the upper arms, the inner thighs and knees, and carefully around the lips and eyes. Those areas differ a great deal in skin thickness and in how they respond, so expectations need setting individually, loose skin on the abdomen is a harder problem than early crepiness on the neck.
Is Scarlet RF safe for all skin types and tones?
Radiofrequency is used across all skin tones, and that is a real advantage over light-based treatments. Lasers and IPL work by being absorbed by pigment, which is why they carry a meaningful risk of burns and post-inflammatory pigment change in deeper skin tones. Radiofrequency heats tissue by electrical resistance instead, so melanin is not the target. That is not the same as no risk, your provider still assesses your history of pigment change, scarring and reactivity before treating.
When is RF microneedling the wrong treatment for me?
If your concern is surface texture, pores or acne scarring without laxity, plain microneedling does that job with less heat and less recovery. If it is dullness and dehydration, a hydrating facial is the right tool. If it is volume loss or hollowing, tightening is not what you need. And if the skin has genuinely descended, energy-based tightening will not reach it. We offer the alternatives, which is precisely why we can tell you when this is not the one.
▶Get started
Book Scarlet RF microneedling in South Tempe.
A free consultation with a licensed naturopathic physician, honest answers about what radiofrequency tightening will and won't do for your skin, and whether a different treatment would serve you better.
▶Patients we serve across the Valley
Rooted in South Tempe, close to the whole East Valley.
Just off I-10 at Elliot Road on South Priest Drive, an easy drive from Ahwatukee, Chandler, Gilbert, Mesa, Scottsdale, and Phoenix.
- South Tempe~5 min
- Ahwatukee Foothills~12 min
- Chandler~20 min
- Mesa~22 min
- Gilbert~24 min
- Scottsdale~25 min
- Phoenix~25 min
Approximate drive times in typical Valley traffic.