“Laser season” is what dermatologists call this time of year, when the sun’s rays weaken and the days grow short—because these conditions, while undeniably blah, actually provide the perfect opportunity to refresh our skin with devices that demand UV avoidance. Sweater weather is also ideal for body sculpting procedures, which typically require multiple sessions and can sometimes take the entire off-season to show results. Of course, all this is especially true during a pandemic, when most of us aren’t traveling beyond the limits of our front door. <\/p>
Knowing that derms and plastic surgeons like to practice what they preach, we asked them about the energy-based devices they’re treating themselves to right now. From resurfacing lasers to muscle-building machines, consider these procedures winter’s ultimate silver lining.<\/p>
“I’m doing microneedling<\/a> and Ultherapy<\/a> this winter, to keep my collagen as strong as possible. Microneedling is the single best way to stimulate your body’s own collagen. It also makes my pores look tiny, reduces the appearance of fine lines, and is incredible for evening out the tone of the skin and getting rid of scars. I do Ultherapy about twice a year, to keep my neck tight. It’s a noninvasive ultrasound technology that shrinks and tightens the fibrous layer under the skin. It’s good for anyone with a moderate degree of laxity—but it’s not a replacement for surgery.<\/p> “Both treatments are safe for all skin types, and there’s no real downtime with either. With microneedling, I apply numbing cream for an hour before, and my skin is red after, sometimes for a day or two, but I can use concealer right away. With Ultherapy, there’s no numbing—it feels like rubber bands snapping over the skin, and there can be minor swelling and redness after.” —<\/em>Dr. Lesley Rabach<\/em><\/a>, board-certified facial plastic surgeon in New York City<\/em><\/p> “Since the pandemic derailed my exercise routine—and I’ve been unable to go to barre and Pilates classes since March—I’m treating myself with the TruBody system, a one-two punch that includes both TruSculpt iD<\/a> and the TruSculpt Flex<\/a>. The iD is a nonsurgical body contouring procedure that uses monopolar radiofrequency energy to destroy subcutaneous fat cells with heat. The applicators are easily placed in multiple areas, wherever they’re most needed. For me, it’s my abdomen, love handles, and arms. My patients have seen a 25% fat reduction, on average, per area over 8 to 12 weeks, so I’m excited to try it. Radiofrequency has also been clinically proven to tighten lax skin—which many people, myself included, need alongside fat reduction. The iD feels like a warm stone massage, lasts only 15 minutes, and involves no downtime.<\/p> “For the second phase, I’ll focus on muscle tightening and toning with the Flex, a new device that uses low-energy, pain-free bioelectric current pulses to trigger muscle contractions. There are 16 applicators, so again, I can treat all my problem areas at the same time. The strength of the treatment is customizable, so I can slowly build to a tolerable yet effective level. You can feel the treatment contracting your muscles, but it’s not taxing to the body and there’s no downtime.<\/p> “I’ll be starting my first of three treatments this week, with the help of one of my colleagues. Correct and objective placement of the applicators is essential, so seek out a board-certified dermatologist or plastic surgeon who thoroughly grasps the anatomy of the fat, skin, and muscles—and how they work together—to help you achieve your best results.” —<\/em>Dr. Anne Chapas<\/em><\/a>, board-certified dermatologist in New York City<\/em><\/p>TruSculpt iD + TruSculpt Flex<\/h2>