I Rescheduled My First Botox Appointment Thanks To This At-Home Radiofrequency Tool

In our series Trial Run, TZR editors and writers put the buzziest new beauty products to the test and share their honest reviews. This week, we tried the new TriPollar Stop Vx.

Anyone who loves an at-home skin care treatment, it’s time to rejoice: TriPollar released its Stop Vx this year, an at-home radio frequency (RF) device that promises to tighten and lift the skin without the need for in-office procedures. Admittedly, I first stumbled upon this product on Instagram, where I saw an alarming number of ads popping up in my feed. I also saw a countless number of people (whose opinions I value and respect) posting rave reviews and it piqued my interest.

Read more: Are High-Frequency Acne Treatments Legit? Here's What Derms Think

But first, what exactly is radiofrequency when applied to skin care, and how has it become such a buzz word in beauty lately? Typically, it consists of an in-office treatment where a licensed practitioner will use low-energy radiation to heat the dermis (also known as the deepest layer of the skin). This heat encourages collagen and elastin production, which results in firmer skin with fewer fine lines and wrinkles.

Usually, these treatments are done at a dermatologist or plastic surgeon’s office — but, with at-home tools and treatments running rampant now more than ever, it’s no surprise that RF has made it onto the vanities of many skin care fans, most recently via the TriPollar Stop Vx.

But does it work? I tried it out for two months, and here is what I’ve found.

The 411 On The TriPollar Stop Vx

I’m less than a month away from turning twenty-six years old, and while my previous acne troubles have been less of a concern lately, I’m now dealing with some new nemeses: fine lines and wrinkles, sagging in the nasolabial folds, and a less-defined jawline. And although I tend to perform facial massage techniques daily to beat gravity’s effects, unfortunately there are only so many times I can run an ice globe or Kansa wand over my skin.

So, how can the TriPollar Stop Vx help? This FDA-cleared device uses third-generation radio frequency, which dermatologists and plastic surgeons use to tighten the skin and boost elastin and collagen production. Th Stop Vx is multi-functional and delivers targeted benefits in two ways: the first being a traditional Radio Frequency (RF), which will help to tighten the skin and diminish the signs of fine lines and wrinkles over time. The second is through ELV, which is the Stop Vx’s electronic vibration mode, which encourages the muscles to tighten, creating a more lifted appearance.

The lifting results from ELV are said to be both immediate and long-lasting, making it great for those who are in the market for tighter, plumper-looking skin, and in a brand-conducted clinical trial, 80% of participants showed an improvement in the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles after three months of use.

TriPollar recommends using the RF feature on areas like the elevens between the brows (aka the glabellar lines), along the forehead, and on the upper parts of the cheeks. When using the ELV feature, however, you should avoid sensitive areas of the face and only use this feature on the jawline.

My Skin After Using The TriPollar Stop Vx

I have to admit, I’ve tried a ton of at-home treatment tools and the TriPollar Stop Vx is the tool that took me the most finagling to get right. This tool has very particular specifications when it comes to using it. For example, you *must* keep moving the Stop Vx across your skin in a linear motion until the tool heats the skin. There isn’t a specific pattern to follow — just make sure to move the tool in a line using a back-and-forth motion.

The Stop Vx starts to blink an orange color to indicate that it is finished heating up that part of the face and that you should move on to the next area. But I found that if I moved in long, sweeping lines across larger sections of my face, it took a while for the tool to heat my skin and for the indicator to turn on. To fix this, I learned that the tool works most efficiently when I run it over two-inch sections of my skin at a time.

After applying a thin layer of the conduction gel, I turned the EVL button on and began moving the device along my jawline to reap ELV’s lifting benefits until the light turns orange. Once that section is done, I turn on the RF feature and start right under my nasolabial fold, moving the tool outward towards my hairline until the orange light turns on. The tool isn’t large enough to cover my entire cheek — it’s about the size of a half-dollar coin — so you do have to go over each section a few times to cover it. I spend about five minutes doing this motion on each cheek before repeating the entire process on the other side of my face.

After I’m done with my cheeks, I move onto my forehead, working in the same motion until I’ve covered all of my skin with either the vibrating or RF function. The whole routine takes about 15 minutes total.

Yes, this device makes my skin slightly red directly after use, but that’s just from the tool heating my skin — the heat isn’t too significant, and it feels like a warm compress — but it fades after about 10 minutes. The only thing that is remotely uncomfortable about using this tool is its ELV feature. The electric vibrations feel like little shocks along the jawline, similar to how a microcurrent device feels. But it isn’t too intense and I’ve never had a problem with any *actual* pain.

I use the TriPollar Stop Vx about two to three times a week, reserving this treatment for my morning routine so that I can rock some instant results that make it look as though I’ve just had a facial.

I’ve noticed that my skin is looking far more lifted than it did before, especially around my cheekbones and jawline. In addition to this, my nasolabial folds and jowls look far less puffy and pronounced and much more sculpted than before. Plus, the lines that have started to form in my forehead and between my brows have diminished significantly — so much so that I think I can put off getting my first shot of Botox for a few more years.

Is The TriPollar Stop Vx Worth Its Price Tag?

But let me cut to the chase: is this radiofrequency device worth its hefty $629 price tag? The short answer: yes. After two months of use, my longer-term goals like addressing sagging skin and pronounced nasolabial folds are improving, but the instantaneous results are also quite impressive — more so than other options in the market that I’ve tried. The ELV feature is most notable for tightening the muscles and providing that lifted effect.

Using it regularly has allowed me to save a few hundred dollars on an in-office treatment such as Botox or radiofrequency as well, which is often north of $1,000 (and often requires multiple sessions. Sure, the results might take longer to see as an at-home device is not as powerful as those that you’ll find at a skin care professional, but if you’re dedicated to using it, the Stop Vx seems like a fantastic alternative.

With that being said, trying this tool just once won’t save you from the signs of aging: you’ll have to continue to use the Stop Vx two to three times a week for about eight weeks to see some real results. But what’s another fifteen minutes in your routine when your skin looks this sculpted and smooth?

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