Many of us are looking for ways of maintaining our youthful looks or turning back the clock a few years. In these times of austerity surgery is an expensive option and also takes a lot of planning due to the down time. So we are looking for something that really helps to get rid of wrinkles and tighten your skin without the cost, risks and side effects of surgery. Lasers and intense pulsed do work to an extent but you need to have several treatments and there can also be a lot of down time with ablative laser resurfacing. So what about radio frequency treatments like Pelleve?
Radiofrequency technology produces an electric current that generates heat in the deep part of the skin called the dermis. Although radiofrequency has been used for many years in surgery, it is only recently that it’s skin tightening effects have been recognised. The studies that were done have shown distinct improvements in the tightening of the skin around the nasolabial folds, marionette lines, upper neck, jowls and tightening of the skin around the eyes. It works best in people with mild to moderate skin laxity and most of the successful treatments have been in people under 65 years of age. Side effects of this kind of treatment are mild – transient (usually less than 24 hours) of mild facial swelling being the most common. No skin colour changes or scars have been seen in patients with all types of skin pigment levels. You will usually see results after one treatment, but more definite skin tightening is seen after two or three treatments.
So how does Pelleve skin tightening work to tighten your skin? It does this by kick-starting your own skin cells to produce new collagen and elastin fibres. These are the fundamental parts of your skin that make it look refreshed and young. So it’s a natural process that the Pelleve stimulates. That’s why it’s so long lasting.
Radiofrequency Pelleve treatment gives most people a subtle but definite skin tightening effect particularly around the neck, under the chin, jaw line, mouth, eyes and forehead. It’s not painful and there is no downtime. It only takes about half an hour and then you can get back to work.
How long does skin tightening with pelleve last? Most people who were treated with pelleve saw a skin tightening effect that lasted at least six months. I would therefore recommend having two treatments in the first six to eight weeks to get a nice skin firming and tightening result and then once every six months or so to maintain that younger look.
I was trained in London at the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine. I qualified in 1982. I spent many years working as a consultant in paediatric medicine in Middlesbrough. I retired from the NHS in July 2010 and am now working as an aesthetic doctor. I am married and have two children, who are home educated.