Dr Yasmin Rates the Advanced Aesthetic Devices: What Actually Earns a 10 Out of 10

I Rate the Advanced Aesthetic Devices: What Actually Earns a 10 Out of 10

Every few months a new machine arrives with a big marketing budget and a promise to fix everything. Patients see it on social media, book in elsewhere, and then come to me asking whether they made the right choice. So when I sat down to score the advanced energy-based devices out of 10, it wasn't to crown a winner. It was to be honest about what each one actually does, who it suits, and where the money is well spent.

My ratings ranged from a confident 10 for CO2 laser in the right patient, down to a blunt 3 for a device I find inconsistent. That spread tells you something important. There is no single best machine. There is the best machine for your skin, your concern, your skin tone and how much downtime you can realistically take.

Below, I go through my scores one by one and explain the thinking behind them. If you are weighing up treatments for texture, enlarged pores, early signs of ageing or a little laxity along the jaw, this is the context that usually gets lost in a 30-second reel.

What I am actually scoring

Before the numbers make sense, it helps to know what I am grading against. A high score doesn't mean a device is right for you. It means the technology is powerful, predictable and delivers results that justify the treatment for the patients it suits.

Three things sit behind every rating. The first is depth and strength: how deeply and how reliably the device reaches the layers of skin where collagen and elastin are made. The second is consistency: whether two experienced practitioners using it will get broadly the same result, or whether the outcome swings wildly with technique. The third is versatility: how many skin types and concerns it can treat safely.

I often remind my patients that a device is only ever as good as the plan around it. The same machine can be transformative or underwhelming depending on the settings, the number of sessions and whether it was chosen for the right problem in the first place. Keep that in mind as we work through the list.

CO2 laser: 10 out of 10 in the right patient

The fractional CO2 laser earned my top mark, and it comes with an important caveat: in the right patient. At Wellface we use CO2 resurfacing as part of the Secret Pro platform.

CO2 is an ablative laser, which means it removes microscopic columns of the skin's surface and heats the tissue underneath. That controlled injury triggers a strong wound-healing response, so fresh collagen forms and the skin resurfaces itself as it recovers. It is the most powerful tool we have for resurfacing genuinely textured skin, including acne scarring, deep lines and sun-damaged, crepey areas that lighter treatments barely touch.

The reason it isn't a 10 for everyone is downtime and skin type. After a treatment you can expect redness, swelling and a sandpaper texture for several days, with the full social recovery taking around a week or so depending on the strength used. It also needs careful handling on deeper skin tones, where the risk of pigment change is higher, so patient selection and settings matter enormously. Choose the right person and prepare their skin properly, and the results are hard to beat. That is exactly why it scores a 10 with an asterisk rather than a 10 across the board.

Morpheus8: 9 out of 10 for almost everyone

If CO2 is the specialist, Morpheus8 is the all-rounder, and that is why I score it a 9 and call it amazing for every patient. It combines two proven ideas, microneedling and radiofrequency, into one device.

Fine needles create controlled channels in the skin and then deliver radiofrequency energy from their tips at an adjustable depth, heating the deeper dermis and the fibrous layer beneath it. That heat tightens existing collagen and stimulates new collagen and elastin over the following weeks. Because the energy is delivered below the surface rather than by removing it, the outer skin is largely protected. In practice that means it works across a much wider range of skin tones than an ablative laser, with a lower risk of pigment problems.

Morpheus8 is our workhorse for skin that is starting to soften along the jaw, for enlarged pores, for uneven texture and for early laxity in the lower face and neck. Downtime is modest. Most people have some redness and a grid-like pattern of tiny marks for a day or two, sometimes a little swelling, and are back to normal quickly with makeup if they want it. Results build over three months and usually improve with a short course rather than a single session. Versatile, powerful and kind to most skin types, it sits comfortably near the top of my list.

Light-based devices: BBL and Lumecca at 8 out of 10

Two light-based treatments share an 8 in my ranking, and they solve a different problem to the resurfacing and tightening devices above.

BBL Hero

BBL, or BroadBand Light, is a high-powered form of intense pulsed light. Rather than resurfacing texture, it targets colour: the brown of sun spots and freckling, and the red of broken capillaries and general facial redness. The light is absorbed by pigment and by the blood in tiny vessels, breaking them down so the skin looks clearer and more even. There is a well-known preventative angle here too, with regular sessions used to keep sun-damaged skin looking younger for longer, which speaks directly to ageing prevention rather than correction. Downtime is minimal. Brown spots often darken and flake away over a few days, and most people carry on as normal.

Lumecca

Lumecca (which came through in the reel as "Lameca") is another premium IPL device, and I also rate it an 8. It works on the same principle as BBL, using powerful pulses of light to tackle pigmentation and vascular concerns, and it often produces a visible improvement in sun damage and redness in a small number of sessions. Both machines are excellent tools for tone and clarity. Neither is designed to tighten or resurface, which is why they sit a notch below the devices that build collagen at depth.

Radiofrequency and regenerative options: the middle of the pack

The rest of the list clusters around the middle, and this is where the nuance really matters, because these devices are often marketed as equivalent to the top performers when they are not.

Secret RF: 7 out of 10

Secret RF is another radiofrequency microneedling device, so it works on the same principle as Morpheus8. I score it a 7 and am straightforward about why: in my hands it isn't as powerful as Morpheus8, particularly when it comes to reaching the deeper layers where meaningful tightening happens. It is still a capable treatment for texture and pores. It simply doesn't hit as hard, so for laxity I would reach for the stronger option first.

Forma: 6 out of 10

Forma is a non-invasive radiofrequency treatment, meaning no needles at all. A handpiece heats the skin from the surface to a therapeutic temperature and holds it there to encourage collagen contraction and gradual firming. It is comfortable, has effectively no downtime and can be a nice maintenance treatment for mild laxity. I give it a 6, and my reasoning is about strength: without the microneedling component it can't drive energy as deep, so the results are gentler and more subtle than what you get from a device that combines needles and radiofrequency. Good for the right, mild indication. Not a replacement for the heavier hitters.

Softwave: 3 out of 10

Softwave is the outlier, scoring just a 3. It uses a form of acoustic shockwave energy rather than lasers or radiofrequency. My issue is twofold. I find it very operator dependent, which means the outcome relies heavily on exactly how it is used, and I note the treatment can be uncomfortable. When a device is both inconsistent and hard to tolerate, it is difficult to recommend with confidence over the alternatives that score higher, and that is reflected in the low mark.

Matching the device to your skin, not the hype

The takeaway from my scores isn't a shopping list in ranked order. It is that the concern comes first and the machine comes second.

If your main issue is texture, scarring or deep resurfacing and you can take a week of recovery, CO2 is in a class of its own. If you want a strong, versatile treatment for pores, early laxity and overall skin quality with far less downtime, Morpheus8 is the reliable choice for most skin types. If the problem is colour, sun spots and redness rather than texture, a high-quality IPL such as BBL or Lumecca is the right tool. Non-invasive radiofrequency like Forma has its place for gentle firming and maintenance. And a device that scores well elsewhere can still be wrong for you if your skin tone, budget or downtime tolerance points another way.

This is exactly the conversation I have at a consultation. Rather than starting from a machine, I start from your face, your history and what you want to change, then choose the technology (or combination of technologies) that gets you there safely.

Common questions about advanced aesthetic devices

Which device is best for enlarged pores and rough texture?

For most people, Morpheus8 is the sensible first choice because it refines pores and improves texture while being safe across a wide range of skin tones. Where texture is severe or scarring is involved and downtime isn't a barrier, fractional CO2 resurfacing does more. The right answer depends on how much change you want and how much recovery time you can spare.

Can these treatments really help prevent ageing rather than just correct it?

Yes, in the sense that collagen-stimulating treatments and regular light-based sessions help maintain skin quality over time. Radiofrequency microneedling keeps prompting collagen renewal, and consistent IPL helps hold back visible sun damage. Prevention is about a considered plan repeated over years, not a single appointment.

How much downtime should I expect?

It varies enormously by device. CO2 laser involves the most recovery, often around a week of redness and flaking. Morpheus8 and radiofrequency microneedling usually mean a day or two of redness and small marks. IPL and non-invasive radiofrequency have little to no downtime for most people. I will tell you exactly what to plan for before you commit.

Are these devices safe for darker skin tones?

Some are far more forgiving than others. Radiofrequency-based devices such as Morpheus8 tend to be safer across deeper skin tones because they protect the surface. Ablative lasers and IPL need more caution and careful settings. A proper assessment of your skin type is part of choosing the right treatment.

Is one session enough?

Rarely. Most of these treatments work best as a short course, with results continuing to build for around three months afterwards as new collagen forms. I will recommend a realistic number of sessions at your consultation rather than overpromising from a single visit.

See which device is right for you at Wellface

A rating out of 10 is a useful starting point, but your skin deserves more than a scoreboard. The best treatment for you depends on your concern, your skin type and how your life fits around recovery, and that is something worth discussing properly.

If you would like me or one of the Wellface doctors to assess your skin and build a plan around it, I would be glad to see you at our clinics in Cobham, Esher or Wimbledon. Book a consultation with me and we will talk you through the options honestly, including the ones I would and wouldn't recommend for you.