Infrared Light Therapy After Morpheus Treatment
There is insufficient evidence to recommend infrared light therapy for healing after Morpheus (microneedling RF) procedures, and based on wound healing data, it should not be used in preference to standard post-procedure care.
Evidence Assessment
Lack of Direct Evidence
- The available evidence does not address infrared light therapy specifically for post-Morpheus (microneedling radiofrequency) healing 1
- Studies examining infrared radiation for wound healing show high risk of bias with methodological and statistical errors, making their conclusions unreliable 1
- The International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) strongly recommends against using physical therapies including infrared radiation for wound healing, citing low-quality evidence 1
Context from Wound Healing Literature
- Multiple systematic reviews of infrared radiation therapy for chronic wounds found that studies reporting apparent benefit had "a number of methodological and statistical errors" and "robustness of these results could not be ascertained" 1
- One interim analysis of noncontact normothermic therapy (infrared radiation) showed greater ulcer area reduction, but this "must be treated with caution given the high risk of bias" 1
- The evidence statement from IWGDF concludes: "electrical stimulation, shockwaves, lasers, and magnetic and radiation-based therapies does not seem to be more effective in ulcer healing when compared with best standard of care" 1
Clinical Recommendation for Post-Morpheus Care
Standard post-procedure care should be prioritized:
- Focus on proper wound care fundamentals: gentle cleansing, appropriate moisturization, sun protection, and avoiding irritants 1
- Monitor for signs of infection or adverse healing 1
- Avoid unproven adjunctive therapies that lack quality evidence for post-procedural healing 1
Important Caveats
Morphea vs. Morpheus Confusion
- One case report describes near-infrared light (940 nm) for linear morphea (an autoimmune skin condition), not Morpheus RF treatment 2
- This represents a completely different clinical context and should not be extrapolated to post-procedural healing 2
- Morphea treatment guidelines focus on systemic immunosuppression (methotrexate, corticosteroids) and phototherapy for the disease itself, not wound healing 3, 4
Quality of Available Evidence
- The systematic reviews consistently identify high risk of bias, small sample sizes, and unreliable methodology in studies of infrared therapy for healing 1
- No high-quality randomized controlled trials support infrared light for post-procedural healing 1
In the absence of quality evidence and given the strong recommendations against similar physical therapies for wound healing, standard post-procedure care remains the evidence-based approach after Morpheus treatments.