Now you can laser the years away

THE second part of our series has everything you need to know about cutting-edge, anti-ageing therapies for your skin. Gone are the days when the surgeon’s knife was the only option. So whether you’re looking to reduce wrinkles, zap sun damage or simply tone skin, now you can look younger with no nipping, stitching or downtime. Here, our writers put the latest treatments to the test...

LASERS

Perhaps the biggest advancement in skin treatment lies in the field of laser technology. Once harsh and invasive, modern lasers are now able to treat skin complaints ranging from wrinkles and fine lines through to thread veins and hyperpigmentation, or reduced skin colour, with minimal pain inflicted or recovery period required.

VBEAM PERFECTA LASER

Unlike most lasers, which use their concentrated beams of light to heat up the skin in various ways, the Vbeam Perfecta — a pulse-dye laser, if you want specifics — uses a gentler wavelength of light that targets redness in the skin.

The light breaks up and disperses the red blood cells — what causes the pigmentation on the surface of your face — without damaging the rest of the skin. This makes it useful for treating a wide range of conditions, including inflamed acne, thread veins, rosacea, port wine stain birthmarks, red stretch marks and red raised scars. HOW IT FEELS: i was hustled under the Vbeam after a previous skin treatment had left my skin looking horribly red and flushed. i couldn’t believe that a laser wouldn’t just do more harm.

But my doctor explained that not only is the Vbeam very gentle, but its raison d’etre is to remove redness from the skin — and so it did, instantly and painlessly.

Wherever he applied the head of the laser to my face, the redness vanished, as if he had used an eraser. THE RESULTS: little short of miraculous. i’m told some people experience bruising from this treatment, but i didn’t.

My skin, which had looked angry and red, was almost completely pale again after a 30-minute treatment and was back to its normal colour the next day. i can see why it is so helpful in treating so many other conditions where redness is an issue. OUCH FACTOR: 0/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 9/10. TIME TAKEN: 30 minutes. WHERE: revere Clinic, 100 harley street, london W1G 7Ja. From £125; more persistent conditions may need several treatments.

also available at cosmetic clinics nationwide. Alice HArt-DAvis

DEBBIE THOMAS 4D LASER

DeBBie ThOMas is the laser facial queen and her treatments are customised for each client.

Most facialists with a laser at their disposal have only one, but Debbie finds ‘layering’ several different laser procedures within one session gives enhanced results.

The 4D facial involves one laser (Dual Yellow) to reduce discolouration and uneven pigmentation, another to stimulate the growth of new collagen and yet another to tighten the skin.

as a grand finale, she uses a tightening Fotona laser inside the mouth for an extra face-lifting effect. HOW IT FEELS: When i hear the words ‘laser facial’, i anticipate pain, but Debbie fine-tunes each machine’s settings so that nothing actually hurts.

The first was comfortable, the second drives deeper into the skin so it stings quite a bit, after which the third feels merely like a hot breeze on my face.

still, i’m not looking forward to it going inside my mouth. Debbie assures me it’s a well-used medical treatment for shrinking mucous membranes — to reduce snoring, for example — but it still feels like an oddly intimate and probably painful idea.

in the event, it’s almost a let down — i feel nothing at all — apparently because there are fewer nerve endings inside the cheek than on the outside. THE RESULTS: impressive. after three treatments, each a month apart, my face looks more even in tone and noticeably ‘lifted’ from the inside-and-out skin tightening. My skin is more resilient — it bounces back more quickly when pinched, which shows that new collagen and elastin, which give skin its firmness and spring, have formed. OUCH FACTOR: 6/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 8/10. TIME TAKEN: 40 minutes. WHERE: Debbie Thomas, Chelsea Private Clinic, The Courtyard, 250 kings road, london sW3 5Ue; dthomas.com; £550. Alice HArt-DAvis

PICOWAY RESOLVE

A picosecond is a trillionth of a second, which is how long each pulse from this revolutionary laser lasts. such rapid delivery means that the narrow rays of energy penetrate the skin without creating noticeable damage on the surface.

it also means that the treatment — designed to tighten and re-surface the skin — should be pain free, with no need for the numbing cream that other laser procedures need. it should also require no downtime, or at least that’s the claim.

HOW IT FEELS: Lying on the treatment couch with protective shields over my eyes, i wonder about the promise of ‘no pain’. The laser feels like having a rubber band pinged on my skin. it’s not dramatically uncomfortable, but i can certainly feel it. Fortunately, it’s over in 15 minutes.

As for the ‘no downtime’ claim, i leave the clinic looking red from the laser and shiny and sticky from the aloe vera gel that was applied afterwards. That evening the real discomfort begins. My face feels like i have severe sunburn, but worse is the horrendous itching that begins overnight and forces me to sleep with a tube of aloe vera by my side to slap on every time i wake.

The next day isn’t much better and my entire face is covered with tiny spots. even with make-up on, i can’t pretend i look great. it takes three days to subside, and leaves my skin dry. THE RESULTS: A month later, i can see a reduction in my crow’s feet wrinkles — but i can also see small dents in my nose, which an expert tells me are scar tissue from a recent burn. The laser must have been turned up too high. i won’t be having it again. OUCH FACTOR: 9/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 6/10. TIME TAKEN: 20 minutes. WHERE: pulselightclinic.co.uk. From £200, three or more treatments are suggested for best results. Available in salons nationwide. Karen HeatH

LIGHT THERAPY

GAininG popularity over the past few years, light therapy uses pulses of light on skin to repair damaged cells and promote collagen production.

EXPRESS LED REJUVENATION

HiGH-TecH, high-speed drop-in lounges are the latest trend in skincare. These mini-salons offer laser or light treatments in a relaxed environment. London’s Harvey nichols Light salon is one such, offering expressLed rejuvenation.

The key element of this treatment is 11 minutes under Led light — the same type of energy that powers christmas tree lights and alarm clock displays. With enough power and at the right wavelength, Led light stimulates skin cells to kickstart production of collagen, elastin and hyaluronic acid, the vital components of youthful, bouncy, wrinkle-free skin.

The Light salon’s high-powered machine amplifies yellow light energy, so a traditional 20-minute session can be delivered almost twice as fast.

it claims to treat wrinkles, dryness, redness, rosacea, heal wounds and speed up recovery from invasive aesthetic treatments. HOW IT FEELS: The Light salon has a comfortable, stylish vibe. i relax in an armchair and have my make-up removed before the light device, which looks like a small, moveable sunbed, is positioned over my face. i opt to close my eyes rather than wear goggles, so it can treat my eye area.

At first, the lights flicker distractingly to prime skin cells for treatment, but soon this is followed by a constant, pleasant, penetrating warmth that feels like sunbathing on holiday. Afterwards, my therapist applies serum and expertly massages my face with moisturiser and sunscreen. overall, it feels like a facial. THE RESULTS: i arrive frazzled and leave feeling relaxed with glowing skin. An outbreak of redness around my nose seems calmer, and i’m told the effect will last a couple of days (which it does). For lasting improvements, five weeks of weekly or fortnightly treatments are recommended.

if i had acne, the clinic could also offer me blue light treatment to kill

acne bacteria and calm inflamed blemishes. i’m planning a return visit. OUCH FACTOR: 0/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 5/10. TIME TAKEN: 20 minutes.

WHERE: Harvey nichols, 109-125 Knightsbridge, London, thelight-salon.

com, from £35. Led therapy is also available at cosmetic salons nationwide. Go to the online salon finder treatwell.

co.uk to discover your nearest one. LeaH Hardy

LIGHTFUSION TM THERAPY

A neW type of non-invasive facial using visible red light and near-infrared light, the treatment stimulates production of collagen and elastin, helping to repair cells, soften fine lines, hydrate the skin, calm inflammation and reduce redness or pigmentation. First, the therapist cleanses my face with a revitalising gel full of multivitamins (all products are by professional skincare brand Vitage, and contain antioxidants and botanical ingredients).

Then she applies a co2 Micro peel: a gentle, gorgeously citrusy exfoliant containing vitamin c.

Finally, she covers my face with a thin jelly-like Hydrogel Mask which stays on during the ten-minute LED technology light treatment.

The actual light therapy is delivered via three phantom of The opera style white modular plastic shapes positioned on my forehead, cheecks and chin. Afterwards the therapist rub in vitamin c serum, skin defence SPF 30, and eye cream. HOW IT FEELS: My relaxing luxurious

session lasts 20 minutes, so it could be easily squeezed into a lunch hour.

The products, particularly the Hydrogel Mask, feel deeply nourishing: I can almost feel my parched skin drinking in the moisture.

The plastic masks for the light therapy don’t cover your eyes or nose, and weigh next to nothing — a bonus for those of us prone to claustrophobia.

And I was surprised that they gave off no heat.

THE RESULTS: My skin, normally dry verging on flaky, feels beautifully plump, soft and hydrated and my complexion looks brighter. The pores on my chin still look massive, though the therapist assures me that the full effects may become apparent a week after the treatment, and will then last from four to six weeks. OUCH FACTOR: 0/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 8/10. TIME TAKEN: 20 minutes. WHERE: At Courthouse clinics nationwide, courthouseclinics.com; £65 for one treatment. AnnA MAxted

MARIE REYNOLDS MASTERLIFT

MArIE rEynOLDS’S signature treatment involves a quick cleanse, a lot of microneedling with a Dermapen and recovery time under a full-face LED light mask.

The idea of submitting to multiple minute stab wounds from small sharp needles isn’t hugely appealing, until you learn it gets results by stimulating the growth of new, supportive collagen, which is very much what older skin needs.

The tiny punctures allow easy entry to skin-boosting serums, which can seep deeper than usual into skin. The Dermapen is an automated device with a grid of tiny needles that flick into the skin 108 times a

second. It sounds fearsome, but it is so popular with Marie’s clientele that it took six weeks to secure a date to try it out.

HOW IT FEELS: I’m apprehensive about the Dermapen, but Marie points out its needle length can be adjusted from an eye-watering 3mm down to 0.5mm, and this is how she uses it. ‘There is no need for it to be painful,’ she says.

‘you get a good healing response from the shortest needles.’

She moves the device smoothly and swiftly round my face and most of the time I hardly feel it, even when she works over my lips. The light mask is also painfree — no stinging, no tingling. I’m under it for ten minutes to recover from the needles and let the red (healing) and blue (antibacterial) light work their magic. THE RESULTS: Very good. I’m a bit pink from all the needles, but my face looks instantly improved — before and after shots show how the needling and special Teoxane serums Marie has used have plumped out my crow’s feet and lines around the lips. I’m told the collagen boosting effects will kick in over the next month. OUCH FACTOR: 4/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 7/10. TIME TAKEN: 55 minutes. WHERE: At Fortnum & Mason, 181 Piccadilly, London W1A 1Er. From £195, mariereynoldslondon.com. Alice HArt-dAvis