Cold. Dreary. Windy. And beautiful. Winter might be the season we dread, but from a beauty perspective it’s where the hard work starts. Untroubled by the sun and heat, stubborn hyperpigmentation is effectively overthrown; peels, micro-needling and ultrasound treatments are afforded ample time to work their magic before being thrust into solar chaos come summer. It’s time to come out of hibernation and in to great skin.
OUR TREAT
Whether your goal is to relax or to get visible results, these treatments have you covered from top to toe.
THE TREATMENT: DERMAPLANING
The lowdown: Akin to shaving, dermaplaning deploys a razor-like blade to remove the finest top layer of dead skin cells. The result: “It exfoliates, brightens, evens out skin tone and helps your skincare to penetrate better. It also removes the tiny vellus hairs, so your face is super-smooth,” says Dr Joseph Hkeik, an aesthetic physician and the founder of the All Saints Clinic group.
THE TREATMENT: FAR INFRARED SAUNA
The lowdown: This treatment is designed to penetrate deeper into the body, via infrared light and a temperature hovering at around 65° Celsius, whereas traditional saunas rely solely on heat. The result: The beauty equivalent of a comforting hug, the benefits range from soothing muscles to releasing toxins and lowering stress levels. Above all, it’s a feelgood treatment.
THE TREATMENT: CRYOTHERAPY
The lowdown: You stand in the buff, encased in a freezer-like cylinder that emits sub-zero blasts of air to your body for up to three minutes. The result: Blood flow is immediately increased; long-term benefits include muscle repair and reduced inflammation.
THE TREATMENT: THERMAGE
The lowdown: Delivered by a wand-like device, a combination of hot and cold radio-frequency energy targets the full spectrum of skin concerns, including uneven skin tone, sagging jowls and even cellulite. The result: In as little as 24 hours and continuing up to six months, elasticity is rebuilt in the skin, giving a more refined and contoured appearance. “It tightens the connective tissue to create a strong structural base,” says Lisa Sullivan-Smith, co-director of The Clinic.
THE TREATMENT: CLEAR + BRILLIANT PERMÉA
The lowdown: The stepping stone between facials and more brawny laser treatments (like its more painful sister treatment, Fraxel) a 30-minute Perméa session employs fractional lasers to address the early signs of ageing. The result: The perfect skin refresh, it delivers overall brightening, and softer and more even skin tone, with very minimal down time.
THE TREATMENT: ULTHERAPY
The lowdown: Uses ultrasound technology to promote collagen production in areas that become depleted in the ageing process, such as the neck, under the chin and on the eyebrows. The result: Over the course of two to three months, as your collagen levels rebuild, skin appears plumper yet refined.
THE TREATMENT: HYPERBARIC OXYGEN THERAPY
The lowdown: In a pressurised, human-sized pod (note: not for claustrophobics), oxygen is supplied through a mask while you breathe in normally. The result: Instantly relaxing, it can boost muscle recovery and fight infection due to the increased oxygen flow around the body.
THE TREATMENT: DERMAPEN MICRO-NEEDLING
The lowdown: Using a hand-held micro-needling device, tiny punctures are made to coax the skin into healing mode and, in turn, promote collagen production. The result: In a week or two, skin appears more even; lines and wrinkles are plumped up.
GOT GLOW?
Facialist Jocelyn Petroni charts the most commonly presented skin concerns and the treatment plan to nix each one, all in the name of good glow.
IF YOUR CONCERN IS: FINE LINES
In the clinic: “Understanding that fine lines are mostly dehydration lines helps put our treatment plan in place,” says Petroni. “The most hydrating salon treatment is Omnilux, which hydrates the deepest skin cell layers that topical products cannot reach. Book in once a week for nine consecutive weeks for optimal results.” At home: “Look for ingredients like hyaluronic acid, which holds 1,000 times its weight in water. Topical oils also hydrate by retaining the skin’s natural water content to prevent transepidermal water loss. For more visible fine lines, I recommend combining a fruit-acid serum (in the morning) with a vitamin A serum (at night). The power of these two products gives visible results for fine lines and wrinkles. However, you must use products that contain these active ingredients in high concentrations to see real results. Each serum makes the other more effective and work more efficiently within the skin.”
IF YOUR CONCERN IS: ENLARGED PORES
In the clinic: “Visible pores are tricky to treat, as they are genetic and tend to stay the same size regardless of your treatment plan. Pores are more visible in skin that has an excess oil flow, and less visible in drier skin types. Most products will treat the oil flow in an attempt to reduce the pore size. While this can be successful, most pores will not constrict back once they have been dilated. [I recommend] a course of peels using a fruit acid that is oil-soluble, so it gets into the pore and essentially cleans it out. Mandelic acid and salicylic acid are great for this type of treatment.” At home: “Look for salicylic acid in your cleanser and moisturiser or serum. I love Ultraceuticals Even Skintone Serum.”
IF YOUR CONCERN IS: MELASMA
In the clinic: “Because melasma is a particular type of pigmentation, it requires a specific treatment plan. Firstly, melasma will naturally fade up to eight months after its production. Usually seen in pregnant women and often referred to as a pregnancy mask, melasma will fade after you’ve given birth. Laser and other clinical treatments are not effective on this particular type of
pigmentation.” At home: “Remaining pigmentation that has not faded can be treated topically with a prescription cream from your doctor. Unfortunately, the most effective topical ingredient for this particular type of pigment is prescription-strength hydroquinone, which can have adverse effects when used for long periods of time.”
IF YOUR CONCERN IS: SCARRING
In the clinic: “Scarring needs clinical peels that break down the scar tissue. I recommend a lactic acid peel once a week for six consecutive weeks. If scarring is still prominent, a laser will give much more visible results. Fraxel is the best laser to treat scarring, however, it requires a week of down time.” At home: “Interestingly, you should treat scarring with the same active ingredients used to treat fine lines and wrinkles. I recommend combining a fruit-acid serum (in the morning) with a vitamin A serum (at night).”
Photography: Max Papendieck
Stylist: Kate Darvill
Manicurist: Jocelyn Petroni
Words by Vogue Australia