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Want to brighten, tighten and smooth, without resorting to surgery? Step this way. We’ve tried and tested the best scalpel-free treatments for your face, hands, thighs, hair (and, er, down there!)
1. Primelase HR Laser Hair Removal at Welbeck Aesthetics, London W1 (welbecklaseraesthetics.co.uk)
What is claims: To be the world’s most powerful laser hair-removal system. Full legs can be treated in 10 minutes; and lighter, finer hair can be tackled too, whereas most lasers only work on thick, darker hair.
What it does: Each zap of laser light whizzes down the melanin – the pigment – within hair and into the follicle, which is denatured by such a bolt of energy. The follicle isn’t destroyed, but that hair is, and will drop out; and repeated treatment will minimise regrowth. What gives this laser system its edge is that it uses 4,500 watts of power (other hair-removal lasers typically use 2,400), so maximum results are achieved in the minimum number of sessions. The practitioner has a choice of three wavelengths and so can customise the treatment for different skin types, and all areas of the body can be treated. There is an in-built cooling system to help make the treatment more comfortable while the high- energy heat reaches the hair follicle. Only drawback? Like other lasers, it can’t work on grey hair. Cost: £45 per session, optimum results are seen after six sessions.
2. Injectable Glow with Dr Sarah Tonks at The Lovely Clinic, London SW3 (thelovelyclinic.co.uk)
What it claims: To rejuvenate the skin and improve its quality with injections of Profhilo, a fluid gel made of hyaluronic acid.
What it does: Injected just under the surface of the face, Profhilo acts like an internal layer of moisturiser. Hyaluronic acid is brilliant for holding on to water, and this new hydration within the skin encourages cell regeneration. Studies have shown that Profhilo treatment makes the skin produce new collagen and elastin over the course of two months, so skin becomes fresher and firmer. The effects take five or six weeks to show, and what you’ll notice first is that you hardly need any moisturiser once it gets going. Next, you’ll be amazed by the way it restores the radiance and light-reflecting qualities that midlife tends to strip away from your skin. Treatment only involves five small injections on each side of the face, which barely hurt. Effects last for four months. Cost: £450 for one treatment.
. Ultra Femme with Dr Galyna Selezneva at Dr Rita Rakus Clinic, London SW3 (drritarakus.co.uk)
What it claims: This vaginal rejuvenation treatment (yes, really) is proven to reduce stress incontinence, improve dryness and enhance sexual pleasure by tightening the tissues of the vagina.
What it does: The treatment uses radiofrequency energy, delivered via a long probe, which heats the vaginal tissues to 41 degrees (it is comfortable, as there are surprisingly few nerve endings in there, and there is no discomfort or downtime after treatment). At this temperature, the existing collagen in the tissues contracts, and the heat shock stimulates the growth of new collagen. This leads to a feeling of tightness and can help improve orgasms after treatment. In controlled clinical studies by Ultra Femme, 89 per cent of women reported post-treatment that their original conditions (ie dry vagina) had improved greatly. Cost: £3,500 for three sessions – you need three for the best results.
4. Biodermogenesi at Fusion GT London E1 (fusiongt.co.uk)
What it claims: To be the first solution for stretch marks that involves no pain or downtime, with 95 per cent success rate. It can also reduce the appearance of cellulite, burn scars and surgical scars.
What it does: Over 40 minutes, a combination of electromagnetic energy, electrical stimulation and vacuum technology increases the oxygenation deep in the skin to help rebuild collagen and restructure damaged cells – all without damaging the skin or any pain. Cost: £2,200 for 15 sessions.
What it claims: To enhance your lips naturally, using roller-flex technology – where a pen-like device uses vacuum-like suction to gently remove the surface layer of dead skin cells and impurities while delivering plumping antioxidants.
What it does: Exfoliates and primes lips with key ingredients such as hyaluronic acid, peony extract and peppermint oil. It feels strange, having the suction applied to the lips, and they will swell in protest – but then, that’s what you want – and you are sent home with the rest of the vial of plumping solution, which you can apply like lipgloss several times a day to keep them plumped up. Cost: £149 for one treatment.
What it claims: To boost your metabolism by exposing the skin to intense cold in a chamber cooled to minus-90 degrees (you only have to be in there for three minutes).
What it does: The shock of such intense cold – so cold that, oddly, you can barely feel it – produces a fight-or-flight response in the body. A huge rush of endorphins follows, which increases energy levels, helps tackle cellulite, eases muscle pain and can also aid weight loss by kick-starting your body’s metabolic rate. Cost: £95 per session.
7. Body Ballancer. Available nationwide (bodyballancer.co.uk)
What it claims: Put on this spacesuit-like compression garment and it will boost lymph drainage, helping the body to remove toxins, and resulting in reduced inches and firmed, toned skin.
What it does: As you lie back, 24 air chambers in the suit-device inflate and deflate in succession, building a slow wave of lymph-draining pressure up and down the body. It’s like being cocooned in a sleeping bag that gives a darned good massage. It’s great for refining contours – our tester lost 2cm off their thighs after a fortnight of using it for 45 minutes, five days a week – and it’s a godsend to people who suffer with lymphatic conditions such as lymphoedema. Cost: From £90 per treatment; or buy a Ballancer for home use for £6,840.
. BodyFX by inMode at Dr David Jack, London W1 (drdavidjack.com)
What it claims: To reduce fat, tighten skin and smooth cellulite, using technology that has been proven in peer-reviewed studies.
What it does: The BodyFX looks like a slim, upside-down toaster. When it is placed on the body, a suction device grabs up a chunk of flesh, then radiofrequency waves are unleashed that heat up the skin and the fat beneath it, making the collagen in the skin contract, and bursting many of the fat cells. This has a shrink-wrapping effect – the fat shrinks, and the skin tightens over it. Plus, new collagen will build over time, to firm up the skin further. It claims to be pain-free, though we’ve yet to meet an intense radiofrequency treatment that was very comfortable. Cost: £170 per session; for best results you’ll need six sessions then top-ups every four months.
9. Venus Legacy at Neville, London SW1 (nevillehairandbeauty.net) and nationwide (venustreatments.com)
What it claims: To wage war on slack and sagging skin and cellulite with the latest technology.
What it does: This treatment also makes use of the shrink-wrapping powers of radiofrequency energy – this time combined with pulsed electro-magnetic fields – to tighten skin and reduce underlying fat, and can be used on thighs, stomach, arms and love handles. The radiofrequency waves are zapped into the body through a large, handheld device, which has a suction pocket inside it. Sucking up the skin stretches it so that the radiofrequency passes through it more easily into the fat beneath. Again, the heat created by the radiofrequency waves gives both an immediate tightening effect, and encourages the collagen production. Cost: £120 per session; six weekly sessions will give best results.
What it claims: Using Cryolipolysis, a non-invasive method developed by scientists at Harvard Medical School, the treatment minimises fat deposits by freezing the area.
What it does: A cold vacuum applicator cools the target area for approximately 70 minutes, until close to freezing, without injuring the skin or surrounding tissue. While uncomfortable for some (a cold burning sensation can be felt), no anaesthesia is required and there is no downtime. Fat cells start to die off when they are cooled to 4C or less, and these dead cells will be excreted from the body. Expect up to 30 per cent of fat in the treated area to vanish over the next 12 weeks. Cost: From £895 for one treatment. A course of two is recommended.
What it claims: An injection treatment that helps reduce eye bags and make your eyes look younger.
What it does: PRP stands for platelet-rich plasma; to obtain it, a syringe of blood is taken from your arm, and spun in a centrifuge until the plasma separates from the red blood cells. As well as platelets, PRP is full of growth factors that can stimulate regeneration when they are re-injected into the skin. Dr Golchin places tiny pinprick injections of PRP, which will go to work over the next few weeks to soften mild hollowing and help dissipate dark under-eye circles. The injections are tiny so they barely hurt, and results are expected to last between 12 and 18 months. Cost: From £1,000 for three treatments.
12. VibroSculpt by Endosphères, EF Medispa, London W8 (efmedispa.com)
What it claims: To banish cellulite, resulting in smoother, firmer skin over time.
What it does: In this series of one-hour treatments, a hands-on spherical tool is rolled over the target area – rotating spheres cause a pulsating effect using a combination of micro-vibration and micro-compression technology, which triggers fat cells to break down. It’s pain-free but can get a bit uncomfortable as the therapist moves the wand up and down your thighs, vibrating and compressing those bulges. The treatment finishes with an Effusions Acti-Heat cream, which warms up the skin, making it feel more toned. Cost: £120 per 60-minute session; a course of 12 is recommended.
13. The hand lift, by Rosie Green
If, on balance, I’m happy about how my face has stood up to the ravages of time, I feel the opposite about my hands. DIY + domestic drudgery = scrawny digits. So I booked in for a Glow Rehab session with Dr Maryam Zamani. She starts with PRP microneedling: this entails taking a vial of my blood, which is spun in a centrifuge to separate out the platelet-rich plasma from the red blood cells. The plasma is then injected back into my skin to stimulate new collagen production, which reduces the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, and improves skin tone and clarity. There are a lot of injections (10 at a guess) and it is all quite ouchy. After this, she uses a laser to target uneven skin tone and stimulate yet more collagen. The last stage is injections of Profhilo, a super-fine liquid filler that gives skin a pleasing plumpness. Initially my hands look swollen but within hours they subside and look like my hands, but five years ago. The treatment is expensive but the results are immediate and very satisfying. Cost: £1,500, drmaryamzamani.com
One day, I found myself on a couch in a Harley Street clinic, a doctor marking up my face with a Sharpie, indicating the places he was about to inject with filler.
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