By: Louis Silberman
Posted: February 19, 2015, from the February 2015 issue of Skin Inc. magazine.
Anti-aging technology is a relatively recent term, yet it means different things to different professionals. For scientific researchers, it has to do with biotechnology and preventative medicine. For physicians and their patients it’s more about reducing the effects of and even reversing the signs of aging. But what does it mean when it comes to medical esthetics? How will tomorrow’s anti-aging technology keep clients looking as young as they hope to feel?
Even in its short history, anti-aging technology has come a long way. There are many products available that claim to refresh, renew or rejuvenate skin, but promises alone don’t get rid of wrinkles. However, results speak for themselves. Thanks to significant scientific advances in laser- and light-based technology, as well as injectables, clients no longer have to cross their fingers with faint hope that in six-to-nine months, their skin might look a tiny bit firmer. Much of today’s technology delivers quickâ€"if not instantâ€"results. It’s now easy to take off five years or more in a treatment that can take less than 30 minutes, and those numbers will only continue to improve.
Skin-tightening treatments
When cosmetic laser- and light-based tightening treatments were first introduced, it was with the old adage in mind, “More is more.†Higher energy levels created more tissue injury and, in the process, significantly more associated pain. Time has revealed that the exact opposite is true: less is actually more. Lower energy levels delivered via multiple passes over the skin produce a superior result with greater patient comfort.
One of today’s most popular skin-tightening treatments uses fractionated bipolar radiofrequency (RF) technology, which places the heat energy effectively into the dermis where it produces maximum result with minimal injury to the skin. This modality is used to tighten and contour skin, including sagging under and above the eyes and along the jaw. As an added bonus, RF can be used on all skin types with virtually no downtime. High-frequency ultrasound waves also can be used to break down fat and ease the process of body contouring with the hope to eliminate the need to more invasive surgical intervention.
Crystal ball. Tomorrow’s skin-tightening treatments will deliver multiple results. Not only will skin be firmer and tighter in less time, but lasers, intense-pulsed light (IPL) and RF will be used in combination to simultaneously minimize pore size, improve texture, eradicate broken blood vessels and increase collagen production.
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