Beat the heat with floaty fabrics
Fashion Editor JANINE DONOVAN shares more clever cloth choices
LINEN
Easily the fabric of the moment, this highly absorbent yarn is cool due to its lower thread count. It can actually help remove moisture from the body so you stay dry.
COTTON
Like linen, cotton breathes easily in the heat. This is because it traps the air in between the fabric’s fibres. Another upside is it resists static so it won’t cling to your skin.
RAYON
This man-made fabric consists of very fine fibres so it’s light, breathable and doesn’t stick to the body. It’s a particularly good fabric for summer dresses and sportswear.
SILK
The beauty of this luxurious fabric is how thin and weightless it is, so you don’t feel burdened by a bulky load in the heat. Bear in mind that it doesn’t fare well in direct sunlight.
They’re calling it the “Kardashian effect”, but there’s no denying the craze of “subtle surgery” like noninvasive face and body contouring is on the rise.
Say hello to HIFU – high-intensity focused ultrasound – the new technology that’s turning the fat sculpting and skin tightening industry on its head. Dr Elena Morozova of Lumi Medispa in Sydney (inset) explains what the hype is all about…
WHAT IS IT?
HIFU is the number one noninvasive anti-ageing treatment worldwide. It’s used for skin tightening, reduction of small wrinkles, brow lifts, double chin reduction, jawline tightening, body contouring and plumping of the skin.
HOW DOES THE TECHNOLOGY WORK?
HIFU uses ultrasound energy to kickstart the production of collagen and elastin, which results in firmer and more youthful skin. Results keep improving for six months after treatment and sustained for a further 12-18 months.
WHO CAN GET IT?
This technology is aimed at females and males over 30 who want to prevent and/or improve signs of ageing. When it comes to HIFU on the body, it can work wonders on the stomach and thighs to tighten skin and improve stretch marks – even for new mums as little as a few months after delivery. If a double chin or undefined jawline are your bugbear, HIFU can also help tremendously.
IS THE SAME TECHNOLOGY USED ON BOTH THE FACE & THE BODY?
Technically yes, face and body treatments are done using the same device, but with different hand pieces. Each hand piece is designed to deliver energy to a different depth. For example, to achieve results treating the face and neck, the patient needs to have three passes with 4.5mm,
3mm and 1.5mm hand pieces. When treating the stomach, you only need one pass with the attachment delivering energy to 13mm deep.
DOES IT HURT?
HIFU actually requires no pain relief or numbing, but can feel uncomfortable in some instances. There’s no downtime and you can return to work immediately following the treatment.