Sunday Edit
x
Sign Up!
  • Beauty
    • Skincare
    • Hair
    • Makeup
    • Nails
  • Wellness
    • Mental Health
    • Health
    • Holistic & Spiritual
    • Love
    • Sex
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Sustainability
    • Culture
    • Fashion
    • Travel
    • Gifts
  • Shop
  • About Us
4 Non-Invasive Treatments Dermatologists Love
Miquel Llonch/Stocksy

Skincare » Beauty » Beauty Routine

4 Non-Invasive Treatments Dermatologists Love

Authored by Macaela Mackenzie
Macaela Mackenzie
August 15, 2019

In-office treatments are getting increasingly futuristic. From treatments that boost your body’s natural levels of collagen for wrinkle-free skin — no needles or knives required — to body sculpting sessions that do the work of 20,000 crunches, it is official: Dermatologists’ arsenal of treatments have gotten downright revolutionary.

Here, four non-invasive treatments you need to know right now.

Emsculpt

View this post on Instagram

Guess who has the new arm (great for all smaller areas) applicator?!? You know @cienega_medspa had to have it first!!!

A post shared by Mary J. Miles, RN BSN (@hollywood_beauty_rn) on Aug 15, 2019 at 8:35am PDT

What it is: Emsculpt is a body-contouring treatment, but it does not just melt fat cells, it stimulates your muscles to actually build muscle and boost strength.

How it works: “The key is highly-focused electromagnetic energy (similar to the technology used in an MRI machine), which stimulates muscles to contract beyond normal boundaries — a process called ‘supramaximal muscle contraction,’” says Darren Smith, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon in New York. “In one 30-minute session, Emsculpt triggers approximately 20,000 of these contractions (it can be used on your abs or butt and just received FDA approval for use on arms and thighs), which is equivalent to doing 20,000 crunches or squats in a half hour,” says Dendy Engelman, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York. It is way more powerful than what you could ever do in the gym. “When exposed to strong contractions, the muscle tissue is forced to adapt to such extreme conditions,” explains Engelman. In other words, it builds muscle and burns fat at the same time.

That does not mean you should expect immediate abs. “Just like in the gym, results aren’t instant. After doing the ‘workout’ (aka undergoing Emsculpt) your muscles need time to grow, strengthen and tone,” says Engelman. You will start to feel (and see) the effects after four sessions “with best results being seen from 3-6 months post-treatment,” Engelman says.

When to use it: “Emsculpt works best on people that are already fairly fit,” says Smith. “It is not tremendously effective for fat reduction, so those with less fat to start with will see more impressive muscle-building results.” But you should continue to work out and eat healthy to save all results.

CoolSculpting & WarmSculpting

View this post on Instagram

Using amazing #warmsculpting technology to help remove a little of the unwanted fat on the abdomen. 😀Just 25 minutes. 😀Absolutely zero downtime . 😀Lasting results . #bodyexpert #bodycontouringexpert #sculpsurenyc #sculpsureexpert #laserqueenofparkavenue

A post shared by Dr. Anna Avaliani MD 👸🏼 (@dr.annaavaliani) on Aug 1, 2019 at 5:27am PDT

What it is: Similar to Emsculpt, both CoolSculpting and WarmSculpting are body contouring treatments to reduce fat (without stimulating the underlying muscle). Think of them as alternatives to light liposuction. 

How it works: WarmSculpting, also called SculpSure, “uses a laser to focus heat on the fat cells under the skin,” explains Smith. “This energy damages the fat cells, causing volume reduction.” CoolSculpting uses the opposite theory to produce the same results, using cold temperatures to damage fat cells, which eventually die off.

When to use it: Both treatments are meant for “trouble spots” — aka small pockets of fat that will not budge despite the fact that you regularly workout and eat healthy. (Think: inner thighs, love handles, under the chin.)

So how do you know which one is right for you? “In my experience, patients have difficulty tolerating the heat generated by the SculpSure device, which leads to incomplete treatments with inferior results,” Smith says. “For noninvasive body contouring, CoolSculpting is more reliable, but I am still a much bigger fan of a little local liposuction.”

Ultherapy

View this post on Instagram

With Ultherapy®, results appear over time without surgery and with no downtime, but don’t just take our word for it. Check out these real results and see even more at our website! Link in bio. . . . For safety information, visit www.Ultherapy.com/IFU. #Ultherapy #liftandtighten #lift #browlift #beauty #beautynews #skin #woman #women #aging #aginggracefully #beautytreatment #chin #neck #saggyneck #chest #wrinkles #treatment

A post shared by Ultherapy (@ultherapy) on Apr 3, 2019 at 10:33am PDT

What it is: Ultherapy is the next generation of collagen-boosting treatments. “Collagen is one of the key components of tight skin,” explains Smith. “Over time, collagen begins to break down, which causes the skin to soften and sag.”

How it works: Ultherapy treatments use ultrasound energy that is intensely focused to do two things: heat precisely targeted layers of the skin and allow your dermatologist “to visualize the exact location where you want to deliver the energy,” says Doris Day, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist in New York. The combo allows dermatologists to deliver the beam of energy to a precise depth, location and target, Day explains. That energy stimulates collagen production by “creating very controlled thermal injury,” she says. The result? Skin more naturally toned and tightened.

The outcome is similar to what you get from injectables, which also help to stop sagging and make skin look younger and plumper. The process of the treatment, however, is totally different, says Day. “What Ultherapy does is go deep to help stimulate collagen production — it’s another tool to complement fillers, neuromodulators [like Botox] and laser treatments to give long-lasting results,” she says. “It helps all those other treatments look better and last longer.”

When to use it: Ultherapy’s results are “subtly dramatic,” says Day. In other words, it will give you that wow you look great — did you change something? glow-up but not be as dramatic a change as a facelift. “It’s great for someone who wants to avoid a facelift in the future, who is going to be consistent about doing this once a year, or for someone who wants to maintain a facelift, or for someone who doesn’t ever want a facelift but just wants a little tightening,” says Day.

Ultherapy is safe but be warned, it can be an uncomfortable treatment. Ask your dermatologist about pain-killing options.

Photodynamic Therapy

View this post on Instagram

This 18 year old had tried years of oral antibiotics and topicals to get his back, neck and face cystic acne under control with no success 😞and he did not want to take Accutane. After a single photodynamic therapy session with me using a combination of lasers and lights his acne pretty much cleared and he was more confident going into his first year of college💪🏻🙌🏼 Follow me on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/drsabrinafabi/ To schedule a consult with me to see what I can do for YOU… – ☎️ CALL: 858-952-1801 📧 EMAIL: inquiries@clderm.com 💻 https://clderm.com/meet-the-team/sabrina-g-fabi-md/ #drsabrinafabi #doctorsofinstagram #FABface #FABskin #lovetheskinyouarein #skinconfidence #acne #cysticacne #pdt #photodynamictherapy #cosmeticdermatology #dermlife #asds #boardcertifieddermatologist

A post shared by Dr. Sabrina Guillen Fabi, MD (@sabrina.fabi) on May 23, 2019 at 6:07am PDT

What it is: Photodynamic therapy uses a cool combo of chemistry and blue light to zap abnormal and cancerous cells or to treat acne. (Also known as PDT, photoradiation therapy, phototherapy and photochemotherapy.)

How it works: “Blue light targets specific mutations in skin cells which are found in precancers and it also targets the C. acnes bacteria that’s found in acne,” Day says, destroying both. The coolest part? “It targets specific mutations in skin cells so the surrounding healthy cells don’t absorb most of the energy,” she says.

The only problem is that the amount of blue light it would take to destroy cancerous mutations or kill acne bacteria would take hours. Enter a chemical called psoralen, “a type of acid naturally found in citrus fruits,” Day explains. Applied to your skin, psoralen is a photosensitizer, meaning it makes your skin more sensitive to light, says Day. Particularly, blue light. “In 17-25 minutes, you can have the impact of three to four hours of sitting under that light,” she adds.

When to use it: For skin cancers and pre-cancers, PDT is a great minimally invasive option that destroys damaged cells without harming healthy cells. Translation: No scarring. Just make sure to work with your dermatologist to figure out if it is an appropriate option for you. As a treatment for acne, PDT is powerful, but it takes time. “I do it in conjunction with other treatments,” says Day.

With either use, beware that the photosensitizer will leave your skin sensitive to light for 24 hours. “The problem is that it photosensitizes you to all light, so if you go out in the daytime without properly protecting the skin from all light sources, you can blister and burn and create more damage,” says Day. “I typically do those treatments in the winter in the evening.”

We only recommend products we have independently researched, tested, and loved. If you purchase a product found through our links, Sunday Edit may earn an affiliate commission.
Beauty Skincare Beauty Routine

Your Sunday Edit

bringing only the best to your inbox

Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy

Most Popular

9 Compliments for Women That Actually Aren’t That Empowering — and What to Say Instead

Scarlett Curtis on Feminism: “This Is My Self-Help”

Could This Flare-Up Be Psoriasis?

Read More
The Detox That Cleared Up My Acne

The Detox That Cleared Up My Acne

By Drew Carlos
Level Up Your Skincare Routine with These Ingestible Supplements

Level Up Your Skincare Routine with These Ingestible Supplements

By Iman Balagam
Botox Has its First Competitor in a Decade

Botox Has its First Competitor in a Decade

By Drew Carlos
Psychodermatology: Skin Science You Need to Know

Psychodermatology: Skin Science You Need to Know

By Tess DiNapoli
by
  • Beauty
  • Wellness
  • Lifestyle
  • Shop
  • About Us
  • Terms + Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • California Privacy Notice
  • Contact Us
Bringing only the best to your inbox.
© 2021 Sunday Edit

We use cookies to ensure that you have the best experience on our site. By continuing to use our site, you accept the use of cookies. Learn more here

Privacy Overview
Sunday Edit

This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. Cookie information is stored in your browser and performs functions such as recognising you when you return to our website and helping our team to understand which sections of the website you find most interesting and useful.

Strictly Necessary Cookies

Strictly Necessary Cookie should be enabled at all times so that we can save your preferences for cookie settings.

Powered by  GDPR Cookie Compliance
heart-envelope-email

Your Sunday Edit

bringing only the best to your inbox
No thank you!

Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy