A youthful you (without the scalpel!)

Thanks to modern technology, women may improve skin tone, even out pores, firm and tighten face and body skin, burn fats and reshape their bodies without the use of invasive surgery.

I spoke to Dr. Regina Buzon-Llorin, head of the Belo Medical Group (Rustan’s branch), and asked for the top beauty complaints that most women bring up as well as the treatments that would help solve their aesthetic issues. I set off to try these treatments myself. Below are profiles of these procedures and my personal notes on each experience.

Problem: Sagging Skin

Treatment: Firm-Plus

Concept: Firm-Plus (Refirme) is an Infrared and Radiofrequency device that is able to stimulate collagen reproduction and elastin formation responsible for the skin’s firmness and elasticity. It is a comfortable procedure, which patients often describe to be similar to a facial massage with minimal or no downtime at all. For maximum benefits, treatments are done every three to four weeks for five to six sessions with maintenance procedures done every three to four months.

Columnist’s note: I have actually tried this painless procedure on my face and neck and have seen noticeable firming of the skin. There is a natural raise on the vectors of my face (that counters the sagging effect that is caused by age and gravity). As skin ages, the tissues underneath thin out. This procedure “plumped” up the underlying tissues. Skin under my face and around my neck have tightened and lifted as well.

Problem: Skin Discoloration (Sun spots, age spots, pimple marks)

Treatment: Aurora Photofacial

Concept: For patients with uneven skin color due to sun damage, aging or acne (pimples), Aurora Photofacial is a good treatment option. This device uses Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) and Radiofrequency to cause breakdown of the pigmented areas of the skin leading to a more even skin tone. The procedure is tolerable with patients experiencing a mild pinching sensation. Treatments are recommended every three to four weeks for five to six sessions for best results.

Columnist’s note: This procedure successfully lightened a brown spot on my cheek, evened out my skin tone (my skin glowed and looked more youthful!).

Problem: Stubborn fats, loose skin

Treatment: Tenor

Concept: Tenor is a device that uses both unipolar and bipolar Radiofrequency to address skin laxity and fatty areas. This is ideal for those who want a conservative approach to loose skin and fats. Patience, however, will be needed since results are best seen when done every one to two weeks for a minimum of eight to 10 sessions. A “hot massage” is what describes the procedure.

Columnist’s note: I have tried this procedure on my arms and hips (common stubborn areas for a lot of women). This procedure is ideal for women who wish to fine tune their stubborn areas. After four sessions, I lost 1.5 cm on both arms. The beauty of the procedure simultaneously addresses both fat loss and skin tightening. Fair warning: the procedure uses heat to burn fat and so a tolerable amount of heat should be expected.

(The Belo Medical Clinic on the 5th floor of Rustan’s Makati can be reached at 815-8970 or 0917-8541529. You may also log on to www.belomed.com)