In 2006, we set out to create a world where anyone can read honest reviews, see real before and after photos, and connect with qualified doctors. Now RealSelf is 15—and a lot has changed since we launched. This month, we’re looking back at industry trends that have shaped where we are—and where we’re going. Thank you for sharing your journey with us over the years. To celebrate our 15th anniversary, we’re giving away more than $25,000 in prizes. Click here to enter the sweepstakes.
Some things are better simpler, with fewer options. We probably don’t need so many new iPhone releases, items on The Cheesecake Factory menu, or nail polish choices. But the medical aesthetics category is one in which we welcome all the innovation and new tools we can get—and the 2010s were quite the decade for that.
We’re looking back at 10 of today’s most talked-about treatments that didn’t exist when RealSelf launched in 2006. If science keeps going at this rate, we’ll all have six-packs, infant skin, and no need for deodorant by 2030.
1. Xeomin
Worth It Rating: 97%
First, there was Botox, then came Dysport, and in 2010, Xeomin joined the FDA-approved botulinum toxin type A club. (Jeuveau, the newest neuromodulator, got approval in early 2019.) Like the other injectable toxins, Xeomin temporarily paralyzes the muscles to smooth wrinkles, but its point of difference is that it doesn’t have stabilizing proteins and therefore doesn’t require refrigeration before opening.
2. CoolSculpting
Worth It Rating: 74%
With more than 5,000 reviews from RealSelf users, the fat-freezing body contouring treatment is a household name at this point; but the noninvasive device was only FDA-approved for fat reduction in the flanks in 2010. (Clearance for the abdomen, back, bra bulge, under-buttocks, and upper arms came later.) The procedure, which typically requires two to three sessions and can reduce fat in the treatment site by 14.7% to 28.5% according to an independent study, has a Worth It Rating of 81%.
Related: CoolSculpting vs. Emsculpt: What’s The Difference?
3. Clear + Brilliant
Worth It Rating: 64%
Often referred to as “baby” Fraxel, the Clear + Brilliant laser, which received FDA clearance in 2011, uses fractional technology to treat fine lines, shrink pores, improve skin tone and texture, and reduce the appearance of melasma. It treats only 20% of skin, so it’s best for those who want gentle rejuvenation rather than correction.
4. miraDry
Worth It Rating: 77%
Those with excessive underarm sweating got good news in 2011, when the FDA cleared miraDry for the treatment of primary axillary hyperhidrosis. The device uses thermal energy to heat and destroy sweat glands, which can reduce sweat by around 80% and odor by 90%, in the best-case scenario. Most people see results immediately or within a few days and need only one treatment.
5. PicoSure
Worth It Rating: 97%
In 2012, the PicoSure laser device was FDA-cleared for the removal of tattoos and benign pigmented lesions. It works over multiple sessions by using controlled pulses of light to break down ink in the skin and cause fading. And at 15.5 mm, the PicoSure’s treatment-spot size is nearly four times larger than that of others on the market, making it ideal for those who made, well, bigger mistakes.
6. Juvéderm injectable dermal fillers
Worth It Rating: 91%
Though Juvéderm originally got FDA approval in 2006, the brand’s current collection of five hyaluronic acid–based dermal fillers didn’t exist before 2010. Here’s how the timeline breaks down for the ultra-popular injectables.
2010: XC, for the treatment of facial wrinkles and folds
2013: Voluma XC, for volume loss in the cheeks
2015: Ultra XC, for lip augmentation
2016: Volbella XC, for lips and lines around the mouth
2017: Vollure XC, for facial wrinkles and folds
Related: Which Fillers Work Best Where? Dermatologists Break It Down
7. Vampire Facial
Worth It Rating: 87%
Technically, platelet-rich plasma therapy has been around since the 1970s and used for a variety of different medical purposes since, but for all intents and purposes, the Vampire Facial hit the scene in 2013. That’s the year Kim Kardashian introduced the world to the bloody treatment, which combines microneedling with PRP application, on an episode of Keeping Up with the Kardashians and sent it skyrocketing into popularity. Now, seven years later, the reality star is suing Charles Runels, an Alabama doctor who trademarked the name Vampire Facial two months before the show aired, for using her likeness to promote the procedure. Messy, indeed.
8. Kybella
Worth It Rating: 54%
When it got FDA approval in 2015, Kybella sparked excitement among providers and consumers—a first-of-its-kind fat-dissolving injectable for the double chin, specifically, sounded like something of a miracle fix. It’s not without its downsides (multiple sessions are required, swelling can be severe, and results vary widely) and liposuction remains the gold standard, but it was a game changer in the noninvasive department.
9. Cellfina
Worth It Rating: 58%
Cellfina, a minimally invasive treatment for the reduction of cellulite, was cleared by the FDA in 2015 for use on the thighs and butt. During the procedure, your doctor inserts a microblade under the top layer of skin to break apart the bands of fibers that cause dimpling. Because cellulite is in part genetic, it’s notoriously tricky to get rid of, but Cellfina targets the root cause and is considered to be more effective than most other treatments.
10. Emsculpt
Worth It Rating: 80%
Emsculpt, the electromagnetic energy device that’s just over a year old, is one of the buzziest treatments on the market—and it’s clear why. One 30-minute session produces nearly 20,000 muscle contractions, giving you an intense muscle-toning and fat-burning workout without any effort on your part. Emsculpt can be used on the buttocks, abs and obliques, biceps, triceps, thighs, and calves, and it works best on those who are already relatively fit.
