Laser treatments generally require up to a week of downtime, and that's why this one is so special: You'll look slightly pink or tan for a day or two, but it's so insignificant no one will notice. "It's a step up from microdermabrasion," says New York City dermatologist Doris Day, MD. "It's a laser for people who have very little time for downtime."
Best for: Uneven, aging skin. "There's an overall improvement in pore size, skin texture, and skin quality," says Day.
Pain level: Pinprick-like tingling. Your derm can apply a topical numbing cream if you think you need it.
Time: 30 minutes per treatment; five treatments suggested.
Cost: about $300 per treatment
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The Lifter: Ultherapy
Surgery used to be the only option for a saggy turkey neck. But the latest treatment, Ultherapy, uses ultrasonic waves to noticeably tighten skin by triggering the body's healing process to build new collagen over time. Unfortunately, it's not for the impatient: It takes two to three months for results to gradually appear. But when those results do appear, they're dramatic. "The compliments we're hearing are, 'It's how I used to look,'" says Day. "You'll look like a better version of yourself."
Best for: Sagging lower face, chin, and neck.
Pain level: Minimal -- like a warm buzzing sensation on your skin.
Time: 60 to 90 minutes per treatment; one treatment suggested.
Cost: about $3,500 for full face
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The Tightener: Tripollar
This radiofrequency device heats up the dermis of the skin, triggering it to make more collagen. "You see an immediate tightening, and then results get better over three months," says Chipps.
Best for: Patients in their 30s, 40s, and 50s who have a bit of looseness but not severe wrinkles.
Pain level: Warm, but not painful.
Time: 10 to 20 minutes per treatment; six treatments suggested.
Cost: about $400 per treatment
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The Trouble Spot Fix: i-Lipo
Using low levels of laser energy, the i-Lipo machine triggers your body to break down the triglycerides stored in your fat cells. The results are much more subtle than you'd get with regular liposuction, and they're temporary -- the next time you overeat, the fat cells will fill up again. The good news, however, is that since the cells aren't being removed, you won't end up with fat deposits in weird places (which is sometimes the case with traditional lipo).
Best for: Fit, active people with a pesky problem area (ie: any spot with a deceptively cute name like love handles, muffin top, or saddlebags).
Pain level: None -- a gentle tingling.
Time: 30 minutes per treatment; eight treatments suggested.
Cost: about $300 per treatment
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The Plateau Cure: Liposonix
If you're trying to lose a few pounds, but your diet and exercise routine isn't making a dent anymore, Liposonix might be fore you. Unlike i-Lipo, you have to have at least an inch of excess fat in order to do the treatment. This ensures that the ultrasound technology is aimed at your fat, not your organs. But keep in mind results aren't immediate; it takes eight to 12 weeks to see a difference.
Best for: Anyone who's trying to drop a size or two but doesn't have a BMI over 30.
Pain level: Minimal -- some patients experience warm or cool sensations.
Time: One hour per session; one treatment suggested.
Cost: about $3,000 per treatment
A few years ago, a dermatologist convinced me to try his new chemical peel that -- he promised --would give me bright, glowing skin without a day of downtime.
But you can guess how the rest of this little tale goes. Instead of glowing skin, I ended up with four days of ugly. My face was peeling and oozing, and it was covered in red, scaly patches that soaked up every drop of heavy moisturizer I slathered on. I spent the weekend quarantined in my apartment, and all I got out of it was a fear of dermatologist treatments.
But procedures have come a long way, and many of the hottest new in-office treatments claim to really, truly require no downtime -- we're talking minimal redness, discomfort instead of pain, and absolutely no oozing. "Non-invasive is definitely the trend," says Los Angeles dermatologist Lisa Chipps, MD. "I think it started with the drop in the economy. People are turning away from expensive surgical procedures and want less invasive treatments."
So, I set out to investigate. Sure, these treatments may be gentle enough for the wimp who cries when she stubs her toe, but then do they really do anything? The answer, for many of them, is yes. Some of the results are so impressive you can barely recognize the person in the "after" photo -- and there's no quarantine required.
