Acne Scars: The Combined Morpheus8 & 1NEED Pro Protocol
Acne scars are one of the most challenging consequences of inflammatory acne to treat. When the healing process becomes altered, the collagen structure can suffer permanent changes, leaving marks that no cream can truly erase.
Most acne scars are atrophic and fall into three main types — ice pick, boxcar and rolling. Each type has its own depth and morphology. Therefore, treating acne scars requires a targeted approach that can address both the entire scarred field and each individual scar.
Two Technologies, Two Complementary Functions
Morpheus8: Deep Action on the Scarred Field
Morpheus8 delivers fractional radiofrequency (RF) through a matrix of microneedles. The treatment creates controlled thermal stimulation within the dermis and subcutaneous tissue.
As a result, the heat triggers the remodelling and reorganisation of collagen fibres and stimulates neocollagenesis. It can therefore improve skin texture, tone and architecture across the treated area. In other words, Morpheus8 targets the entire scarred field.
1NEED Pro Single-Needle: Targeted Precision and Subcision
The Single-Needle cartridge for 1NEED Pro uses a sterile 33G needle with an adjustable depth from 0 to 2.5 mm. Unlike a treatment that targets the entire area, it focuses on the individual scar.
Thanks to this precision, practitioners can perform targeted microneedling and mechanical subcision, scar by scar.
For tethered scars — scars anchored to the underlying tissue by fibrotic bands — the practitioner inserts the needle at an angle of 30°–45°. Then, a controlled movement helps release the adhesions. For more focal depressions, the practitioner can instead use a vertical stamping technique at 90° to stimulate the base of the scar selectively.
The Combined Protocol, Step by Step
The two technologies do not compete with each other. Instead, they work in sequence, with each one addressing a specific part of the scar.
- Global Remodelling — Morpheus8
The first step involves fractional radiofrequency treatment across the entire affected area. One example of a protocol uses a 24-needle matrix at a depth of 4.0 mm. - Energy Modulation
Energy is adjusted according to the clinical objective and tissue response:- Cycle Mode: 30 J
- Scale Mode: 2.0–3.0 mm, 20–30 J
- Cross-Hatch Coverage
Systematic horizontal and tangential passes ensure homogeneous energy distribution across the entire treated area. - Focal Treatment — 1NEED Pro
Finally, the Single-Needle targets the deeper or tethered scars, combining subcision and targeted microneedling according to the morphology of each lesion.
One Approach, Two Levels of Action
Morpheus8 and 1NEED Pro do not treat the same component of the scar: they act on two different aspects of scar tissue.
Morpheus8 remodels the scarred field. 1NEED Pro treats the individual scar.
Together, fractional radiofrequency, subcision and targeted microneedling allow practitioners to tailor the treatment to the depth, morphology and tissue structure of each scar. Furthermore, recent scientific literature increasingly supports the use of complementary techniques when treating different types of acne scars.
Want to learn more?
The webinar recording is available on MyCampomats.
Discover the Morpheus8 & 1NEED Pro combined protocol.
Protocol developed by
Dr. Angela Capponi, Medical Doctor and Specialist in Dermatology and Venereology, Aesthetic and Corrective Dermatology, Plastic Dermatology and Dermoscopy, at Studio Associato Medica, Latina, Italy.
