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Laser skin therapy – could this be the answer to your skin problems?

In partnership with SA’s top medical aesthetic companies 

Some level of premature ageing of the skin due to the sun, pollution, stress and fatigue is almost impossible to avoid, no matter what precautions we take. It affects most South African men and women of all skin tones, often starting as early as in our thirties.

We can typically see it  as dark pigmentation marks, excessive redness, large pores, uneven texture, a sallow complexion, ageing eyes, and sagging and wrinkles.

Advances in laser technology

Acne is another cause of prematurely ageing skin, and those with acne scars will most likely tell you their skin looks and feels unhealthy and has lost its youthful spring.

Unfortunately, except for wrinkles and sagging, plastic surgery cannot treat these problems. The arrival of ablative laser skin resurfacing, which literally burns off the top layers of the skin down to the dermis, was therefore a major advance in skin treatment. The disadvantage, though, was that it left you with oozing, raw skin for weeks while you recovered.

Happily, for us, advances in laser technology mean we can now get skin resurfacing without the pain, undesirable side effects and downtime.

Here are two of the most effective options:

Laser Genesis™ skin therapy uses the multiple medical award-winning Cutera Nd: YAG non-ablative laser (meaning it doesn’t remove the skin) to stimulate the skin to produce new collagen – with no pain or downtime. It can help restore the skin's youthful glow and smooth out uneven texture caused by ageing, sun damage or certain kinds of scarring.

Who’s it for? People of all skin types and complexions.

What does it do? 

• Works for hard-to-treat skin problems such as deeper wrinkles, acne and acne scarring
• Can improve the appearance of stretch marks (especially when combined with Carboxytherapy and skin needling) 
• Effectively reduces acne inflammation and helps eruptions heal faster and better
• Helps improve redness and rosacea
• Helps to break up superficial melasma pigmentation and prevent it from recurring after treatment
• Can shrink enlarged pores and plump up lips
• Can improve dark circles under the eyes, as it improves circulation, colour and texture, and plumps the skin by stimulating collagen and elastin production

How does it work?

Laser Genesis™ penetrates to the dermis and heats it up to stimulate collagen production. It can also target superficial pigmentation, destroying the pigment within the skin cells, as well as shrinking micro blood vessels, reducing and improving redness. Skin Renewal considers Laser Genesis, combined with a Limelight IPL procedure, the best treatment option for redness and rosacea.

How many treatments do I need?

You will need six to eight treatments, unless it’s a severe case, and you can expect to see subtle yet consistent improvements after each treatment. There will be no swelling, redness or excessive skin irritation.

Fraxel® DUAL laser is the next generation of the renowned Fraxel laser. This American FDA-approved machine targets ageing and sun damage better than previous lasers, and results are achieved with fewer treatments. 

Who’s it for?

People of all skin types and complexions

What does it do?  

• Treats severe sun damage
• Improves skin tone and texture
• Reduces wrinkles around the eyes
• Improves pigmentation, sun damage and sunspots
• Erases unwanted age/brown spots
• Improves the appearance of acne scars and surgical scars
• Effectively treats pre-cancerous lesions (actinic keratosis)
• Excellent treatment for face, neck, chest, arms, legs, and back

How does it work?

The laser produces thousands of tiny deep columns into the skin, treating targeted areas without damaging surrounding healthy tissue. 

As its name indicates, Fraxel Dual uses two treatment modes. The first penetrates deep into the skin layers, specifically targeting concerns like wrinkles or acne scarring. The second targets tone, texture and other more superficial signs of ageing. This Dual mode allows for a treatment tailored to your needs and can also be combined. 

You will experience a sensation of heat in the treatment area, but any discomfort is minimised by topical anaesthetic applied before the procedure, and cold air used on the area during treatment.

The next three to six months will bring more improvement as the deeper layers of the skin continue to create new collagen. Results are long-lasting, depending on your lifestyle, age, skin condition and skin care regimen.

Any downtime?

After the treatment, you may feel "sunburnt" for up to three hours. Your skin will naturally bronze over the next week or two.

Depending on the level of the treatment, you may also experience redness or swelling, which will diminish over the next one or two days. 

How many treatments do I need?

This depends on what you would like to treat, and your desired outcome, as well as the extent of skin damage and preferred downtime, and will be confirmed at your consultation.

As with all light treatments, it’s recommended you combine these with appropriate skin maintenance products and good sun protection.

I'm sure we are all familiar with the expression "The eyes are the window to the soul". The eyes give away a whole lot of information about a person. Looking at the eyes or the eye area can quickly reveal your age, whether you're tired or stressed, whether you laugh a lot and also whether or not you use good quality anti-ageing products.

Just twenty years ago, other than Botulinum injections there certainly weren't a huge array of options for truly rejuvenating and changing the eye area. In the last decade, however, it's been exciting to see the leaps in treatment technologies available to rejuvenate the eye area. 

The non-surgical eye lift was a seemingly impossible dream for many years, but now it’s achievable with Jett Plasma Lift. This next-generation medical device is used at Skin Renewal for scalpel-free eyelid rejuvenation. 

The first patented device of its kind in the world, it safely generates a plasma discharge between the tip of the device and the skin, heating up the area to produce a significant amount of skin tightening through collagen contraction and new production of collagen and elastin. 

It is safe and effective for use around the eyes, particularly for saggy upper eyelids. Any discomfort is softened by applying local anaesthetic beforehand. Depending on the severity of the problem, one or two sessions are needed. Jett plasma is also useful for scar correction and other conditions.

Caution: This treatment can only be done on fair to medium skin tones, and it is not recommended for people with certain health conditions. 

For a one-stop solution to procedures (both aesthetic and non-aesthetic) as well as a specially selected range of medical grade skincare products, visit one of Skin Renewal’s nationwide branches or shop at their online skincare store.


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