Experts point out the 5 major misconceptions in purchasing radio frequency beauty devices

The year 2026 has arrived. Looking back over the past year, with the demand for skin anti-aging as a driving force, beauty devices once again came into the spotlight for consumers. However, faced with a series of technical types and various effects of beauty devices such as “radio frequency, micro current, introduction and removal, cold and hot compress, light therapy mask, facial cleansing device”, some consumers expressed concerns about being “ripped off of intellectual property fees” and being misled by “marketing concepts”.

To address the confusion and potential misunderstandings in consumers’ selection of beauty devices, experts including dermatologists, experts from related university departments, and electrical engineers respectively provided explanations.

Misconception 1: Is radio frequency beauty device an intellectual property rip-off?

In response to consumers’ confusion about this, Zhang Peng, a former chief physician of the Skin Beauty Department of Xijing Hospital (a tertiary hospital), introduced that radio frequency, the English name of which is Radio Frequency (RF), was invented in the 1960s and is a short form for high-frequency alternating electromagnetic waves. In 1996, the renowned medical beauty company Thermage improved it and it was approved by the US FDA (Food and Drug Administration) for medical beauty applications in November 2002. Since then, radio frequency anti-wrinkle technology has rapidly spread and has been widely used in the beauty industry.

Zhang Peng further explained: “The principle of radio frequency beauty is 0.5 MHz – 8 MHz radio frequency waves. Through molecular resonance, friction generates heat. When the dermis layer is heated to a certain temperature, it will cause a change in the conformation of the collagen helix structure, making the skin dermis layer thicker, and wrinkles will become shallower or disappear; at the same time, the heat will cause the existing collagen in the subcutaneous layer to be reshaped, stimulating the production of new collagen, making the entire skin filled with collagen, reshaping the facial shape, and achieving effects such as skin tightening, wrinkle reduction, lifting, improvement of skin quality, and improvement of sagging and drooping.” Its principle is very scientific and stable. Moreover, a technology that has been applied in society since its invention over 100 years ago is still widely used today, which is sufficient to prove that radio frequency or radio frequency beauty devices are effective, safe, and reliable.

In addition, in some clinical efficacy tests of home beauty devices, there are also more authoritative efficacy reports. For example, the domestic beauty device i-CHARM intelligent radio frequency device, the clinical trial data shows that the test volunteers used the i-CHARM intelligent radio frequency device continuously for 8 weeks, and the facial sagging improved by 43.9%, crow’s feet improved by 32.14%, nasolabial folds improved by 25%, and various aging marks such as frown lines, forehead wrinkles, and other signs of aging have all shown significant improvement to varying degrees.

Misconception 2: Domestic beauty devices are not as good as foreign brands?

The domestic home beauty device industry has actually developed for several years, starting from the entry of Japanese and Israeli brands in 2015 to this year, which is the 7th year. During this period, consumers’ anti-aging needs and radio frequency technology have been constantly developing.

Kong Xiangyong, the head of the HealthIT team of the School of Health Sciences and Engineering at Shanghai University of Technology, said that radio frequency beauty technology has become increasingly popular. In terms of technical application, domestic home beauty devices have already had the technical capability to enter the mid-to-high-end market; in terms of efficacy technology, consumer experience, and intelligence, domestic beauty device brands have already had certain leading capabilities. In application, the technical parameters of different radio frequency devices may vary, and the relationship between these parameters and efficacy is still an important topic in scientific research.

Misconception 3: The more electrode heads, the better the effect?

Currently, there are single-pole, double-pole, and multi-pole radio frequency beauty devices. Some merchants claim 6-pole, 7-pole, and 12-pole, stating that the heating surface is wider and more effective. Regarding this, electronic engineer Lai Fangming, who has been engaged in electronic instrument development and related beauty device industries for nearly 20 years, said that there is no evidence to show that the more electrode heads, the better the effect. Multi-pole radio frequency actually uses multiple double-poles to act simultaneously, and more contact points will be distributed into positive and negative poles, and the electromagnetic field is generated between the positive and negative poles.

The distance between electrode heads will affect the effective area, depth of action, power density and efficiency of radiofrequency treatment. However, it does not mean that a larger effective area leads to better results. If the effective area is very large but the radiofrequency output power is not sufficient, the heat cannot keep up, and the effect will be greatly reduced.

Myth 4: Is the battery-powered model of the radiofrequency device more powerful than the plug-in model?

Moreover, on many social media platforms, some bloggers will mention when explaining and live-streaming, that the plug-in model of the radiofrequency device has more power than the battery-powered model. Is this true or false?

Regarding these confusions, Lai Fangming said that whether the radiofrequency device is powered by battery or plug-in does not determine the power of the device. The efficacy of the radiofrequency device is related to the output power of the probe, and the output power is determined by the circuit design of the radiofrequency device. As long as the battery can meet the power supply requirements of the instrument, there will be no difference in energy between the plug-in model and the battery-powered model under the same conditions. Generally speaking, the radiofrequency device powered by battery is more lightweight and portable, and also safer.

Myth 5: Do you need to buy an eye-specific radiofrequency device?

There are separate eye-specific radiofrequency devices on the market, and some radiofrequency devices have an eye mode. Can the eye area use radiofrequency?

The former chief physician of the Dermatology and Cosmetic Surgery Department of Xijing Hospital (a tertiary hospital) Zhang Peng answered, “The principle of radiofrequency is based on molecular resonance. The structure of the eye is much more precise than that of the skin. In addition to the cornea and lens, the vitreous contains an unusually rich amount of protein. Therefore, if molecular resonance is applied to the eye, it is very likely to have a serious impact on the eye or the proteins inside it. Therefore, it is not recommended to apply radiofrequency to the position within the orbital bone. However, the skin around the eyes can enjoy the benefits of radiofrequency for wrinkle reduction and collagen enhancement.”

In some efficacy reports, some instruments, although not specifically labeled as “eye-specific radiofrequency devices”, also have very good effects on crow’s feet and other issues. For example, the i-CHARM device, through the efficacy report conducted by West China Hospital, tested volunteers who used the i-CHARM intelligent radiofrequency device for 8 consecutive weeks, with a 32.14% improvement in crow’s feet.

What dimensions should be considered when choosing a radiofrequency beauty device?

In response to this question, the reporter went to a company specializing in skin anti-aging in Hangzhou, through in-depth communication with the product manager, we summarized the main reference dimensions for choosing a radiofrequency device: efficacy, safety, scientific research background, etc.

Efficacy level: For consumers, the most intuitive way is to look at the third-party test report of the beauty device. The more authoritative is the efficacy report from a well-known tertiary hospital, such as the Cosmetics Efficacy Evaluation Center of West China Hospital, which has been recognized as a “cosmetics human body evaluation and big data laboratory” and a “cosmetics registration and filing inspection and testing institution” by the National Medical Products Administration.

Safety level: Since the radiofrequency device heats the dermis layer through the “endogenous heat” method, when it reaches the effective temperature, it stimulates the production of collagen. If the temperature control equipment is missing or not sensitive enough, causing the surface temperature to be higher than 43 degrees, there may be a risk of low-temperature scalding. Therefore, when choosing a radiofrequency device, consumers should choose a product with sensitive temperature control.

Usage experience: For home-use radiofrequency devices, it is necessary to use them for a long time to achieve better results. A good usage experience will make consumers willing to persist. For example, there are currently radiofrequency devices on the market that use an App to automatically test the skin of users, provide personalized plans and real-time operation guidance, and provide “companionship-based anti-aging personal trainers”. During the time when care is needed, the device reminds users through the mobile phone calendar to help users complete the care plan.

Scientific research team: A good beauty device must be a product with intensive technical application. This is a very high requirement for the research and development team. The i-CHARM beauty device has a professional scientific research team, which is also the guarantee of advanced technology and professional products.

Driven by the demand for skin anti-aging, home beauty devices have become an important “weapon” in consumers’ “age defense battle”. The home beauty device has become the next billion-dollar blue ocean. The technical director of i-CHARM beauty device research and development stated that he hopes more Chinese brands specializing in skin anti-aging will actively participate in the formulation of industry standards and the establishment of China’s own voice in skin anti-aging, jointly promoting more standardized and scientific approaches to meet the skin anti-aging needs of Chinese consumers.