And if you can handle the pain . . .
INTENSIVE FACIAL TREATMENTS VAMPIRE FACELIFT
As scAry as it sounds. Two vials of blood are taken from your arm using a syringe and immediately transferred to a machine that spins it around at high speed for six minutes until the red and white blood cells have separated.
This produces a third substance known as ‘liquid gold’ — a plasma rich with platelets, which are very small cells that stimulate the growth of more cells. These are then reinjected back into the face, neck and decolletage.
Devotees claim it’s the best and safest skin rejuvenation technique known to woman, boosting the creation of vital collagen and brand new blood cells. HOW IT FEELS: Terrifying, at first, but it’s not exactly painful. I’m given a topical anaesthetic well before the needle emerges, yet it’s uncomfortable and definitely not for the squeamish. I don’t mind syringes, but even I find the process makes me queasy. THE RESULTS: Brilliant. There’s no bruising and very little downtime. Lines are softened and in some cases removed entirely, especially around the eyes where wrinkles are the hardest to get rid of without surgery. It definitely plumps up the skin, too. It’s expensive though — you need three Vampire Facelifts for the best results — so you’re looking at the best part of £2,000. CELEBRITY FANS: reality star Kim Kardashian, singer Dannii Minogue and actress Anna Friel. OUCH FACTOR: 7/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 9/10. TIME TAKEN: 90 minutes. WHERE: FreedomHealth, 60 Harley street, London W1G 7HA. And at selected clinics nationwide. AmAndA PlAtell
DERMAROLLER
IT’s A simple enough premise — the 3mm spikes on a roller device create tiny puncture wounds in the face, which in the process of healing create new collagen, making skin fresher and firmer than before.
‘Medical needling is a wonderful, completely natural anti-ageing treatment that helps the skin to help itself,’ says specialist dermatologist and medical director of the Eudelo clinic Dr stefanie Williams. HOW IT FEELS: On the challenging side, to be honest. My face is anaesthetised with numbing cream 20 minutes before we start and while some parts of the treatment — over the better-padded parts of my cheeks — feel fine, it feels pretty spiky over the bonier bits of my jawline and my forehead. Dr Williams, who is a big fan of microneedling with a roller, has no truck with my whingeing. ‘Nearly done,’ she says briskly, moving the roller smartly back and forth, and continuing until she is satisfied every bit is properly spiked. THE RESULTS: Immediately afterwards, my skin is really red, even though the pinprick bleeding has stopped, but by the morning my face has calmed down and is only a bit pink. After three sessions, each six weeks apart, my skin is firmer, clearer and smoother — so a really good result. OUCH FACTOR: 8/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 8/10. TIME TAKEN: One hour. WHERE: Eudelo clinic, 10 Harley street, London W1G 9PF; eudelo. com, £395 per session. Also at other cosmetic clinics nationwide. Alice HArt-dAvis
THERMAGE
DuBBED ‘face ironing’, this treatment involves a hand-held Thermage tip being passed repeatedly over the skin surface to deliver radio frequency energy into its deepest layers where collagen is found. The rF energy damages the collagen, making it recoil, tighten and then repair. HOW IT FEELS: Early versions of the therapy were apparently quite painful (a bit like being shocked or burned), but advances in the cooling technology of the device mean treatment is almost pain free. When I had it done on my lower face, there was only one sensitive area across my jawbone. THE RESULTS: Although some patients report a bit of instant tightening, the best results aren’t seen until six months after treatment, but can last for two and even up to three years. On the face it’s good for sagging jowls or hooded eyelids, but can also be used on wrinkly hands, baggy knees, saggy tummies, drooping bottoms and wobbly cellulite. Thermage is also suitable for use on any skin tone, whereas some rejuvenating lasers cannot be used on darker skins. CELEBRITY FANS: Actress Gwyneth Paltrow and model Linda Evangelista. OUCH FACTOR: 2/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 8/10. TIME TAKEN: One hour. WHERE AND COST: Treatment with Dr rita rakus costs £2,990 for lower face and neck and £3,990 for full face and neck; drritarakus.com; 34 Hans rd, Knightsbridge, London sW3 1rW. AnnA Pursglove
ULTRACEL
THIs treatment packages together two tightening and lifting techniques to give the face an instant boost and also a longer-term lifting effect. The first uses radiofrequency energy which heats the skin up to 41c — at which point it both ‘shrink-wraps’ the collagen in the skin and stimulates new collagen growth.
This makes the skin feel and look instantly firmer and more taut, an effect that’s maintained over time as the new collagen grows. The second part is a focused ultrasound device, which tightens the layer of muscle that lies beneath the skin, lifting the contours of the face at a deeper level. HOW IT FEELS: Much better than I’d feared. radiofrequency treatments can feel as biting as laser, but in this treatment, the energy is delivered by a pad, which Dr sarah Tonks moves swiftly over my skin in little circles, so no one point ever gets unbearably hot. When I realise it’s really rather pleasant, like a hot-stone massage on the face, I relax. The ultrasound isn’t bad, either. Depending on your pain threshold, the energy levels can be turned up or down so that the treatment is as effective as possible and tolerable, too. Each blast from the device tingled a bit, but none of it was actively painful. THE RESULTS: I’m surprised to see a noticeable result after such a quick treatment — it took all of 40 minutes, but my face looks a little lifted, my cheekbones are better defined and my forehead is smoother. OUCH FACTOR: 5/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 8/10. TIME TAKEN: 40 minutes. WHERE: Dr sarah Tonks, The Lovely clinic, 250 Kings road, London sW3 5uE. From £800, 020 3695 5400. Also at other cosmetic clinics nationwide. Alice HArt-dAvis
PUPPET FACELIFT
KNOWN in the cosmetic surgery world as a ‘non-surgical’ or ‘lunchtime’ facelift — the puppet face lift, or silhouette soft lift, is said to be the most furtive, discreet and effective facelift of all.
During the procedure, which is done under local anaesthetic, fine threads with tiny cones along the length of them are sewn into the face, beneath the subcutaneous layer of fat, with a needle, then pulled tight, gently lifting skin.
It takes half-an-hour and there is no recovery time. The cones along the threads only point downwards, embedding themselves into the facial tissue to keep thread in place. They cause inflammation beneath the skin to stimulate production of collagen, the protein which naturally decreases as we age yet provides scaffolding for the face. HOW IT FEELS: The anaesthetic injections were the painful part. I could vaguely feel the surgeon injecting a needle into the centre of my cheek and the process did seem far longer than 30 minutes. THE RESULTS: Even without make-up, I can see I look much better: like a fresher, less exhausted version of myself. My face looks natural — just plumper and less lined and that plumping effect should be even more noticeable over the next few months as more collagen is produced, thanks to stimulation from the cones. OUCH FACTOR: 5/10. EFFECTIVENESS: 8/10. TIME TAKEN: 30 minutes. WHERE: drleah.co.uk, prices from £1,620. Helen cArroll