The Spring season is a time of renewal, new beginnings, and winter recovery. As we pack away the boots and winter coats and set our sights on more skin-revealing clothing, is your skin, and body, ready? Winter is an especially harsh time for your face, with repeat exposure to the cold weather often leaving skin feeling dry and dull.
Plastic surgeon, Dr Gertruida van Niekerk and dermatologist Dr S’lindile Ndwalane from The Specialist Laser and Cosmetic Institute (SCIN) – a unique and world-class medical aesthetic and cosmetic institute with branches in Johannesburg and Cape Town, share the top treatments that can help get you looking your best this spring and into summer.
Facials
“A facial can help rejuvenate your skin to restore the health and glow that the winter season took away. In addition to a facial being a relaxing and pampering experience, your skin will receive added hydration and the nourishing treatment it deserves. During a facial your skin is cleansed, exfoliated and any impurities will be extracted, leaving you with a radiant, healthy glow,” says Dr Sli.
“Performed in a physician’s office, medical facials cleanse, exfoliate, extract, and hydrate skin using a combination of medical-grade products and tools. Suitable for a variety of skin types, these highly-customizable treatments improve the appearance of several skin concerns including fine lines and wrinkles, skin firmness, skin texture, pore congestion, and acne.
Chemical Peels
According to Dr Sli, chemical peels make use of chemical solutions to improve and smooth the texture of the facial skin by removing its damaged outer layers. They are helpful for the treatment of facial blemishes, wrinkles and uneven skin pigmentation.
“With a chemical peel you see an immediate brightening and smoothing of your skin. With time and regular peels, your skin regains its youthful glow, has fewer fine lines and a more even tone and texture. SCIN offers a variety of chemical peels – there is a NeoStrata Glycolic peel, Lactifirm Hydration peel, Beta peel, and a TCA(Trycloratic Acid)peel.”
IV Vitamin Therapy
“Intravenous vitamin drips deliver essential vitamins and antioxidants directly into the bloodstream, for maximum absorption. Amongst the many benefits – such as increased energy levels, improved health and immunity – this treatment provides enhanced skin health and brightening.”
Vampire Facial
According to Dr Sli, another great treatment to get your skin looking its best is PRP skin regeneration therapy, also known as the vampire facial.
“A vampire facial or PRP (platelet-rich plasma) treatment is a procedure that uses a patient’s own blood to trick the body into healing and repair. The blood is extracted and undergoes a spinning process to separate the plasma, which is injected back by puncturing the skin using a dermapen or injections. I recommend this procedure to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. PRP will also assist with the firming and tightening of the skin and improves moisture retention.”
Micro-Needling
“DermaPen is a skin micro-needling treatment with minimum downtime which promotes scarless healing and natural collagen production in the skin to improve the appearance of scars, acne scarring, stretch marks, wrinkles, pigmentation and rejuvenate the skin,” says plastic surgeon Dr van Niekerk.
“A dermapen causes the stimulation of healthy collagen production through controlled damage to the skin, which prompts it to repair itself.”
Laser Skin Rejuvenation
Laser skin rejuvenation improves sun-damaged skin, scars, and minor facial flaws. It also treats conditions such as excessive redness, large pores, uneven texture, and fine-line wrinkles.
“Laser skin resurfacing removes skin layer by layer with precision. The new skin cells that form during healing give the skin a tighter, younger looking surface and reduce pigmentation,” explains Dr van Niekerk.
Laser hair removal
Moving on from the face, for those who want to get their bodies smooth for the summer season, SCIN offers one of the latest, most ground-breaking laser hair removal system in the world called Soprano ICE Platinum, which is the crème de la crème of hair removal treatments.
“SHR’s unique gradual heating method effectively damages the hair follicles while avoiding injury to the surrounding skin. The technology combines 3 laser wavelengths, targeting different tissue depths as well as anatomical structures within the hair follicle. On average people can expect permanent hair removal after eight to twelve treatments. The only thing that will stimulate the hair to come back is hormone fluctuations that might stimulate hair growth.”
Body-sculpting
According to Dr van Niekerk, liposuction surgery isn’t the only solution for stubborn bulges of fat that just won’t budge despite a healthy diet and regular exercise. Non-invasive body sculpting treatments such as Emsculpt and Exilis can help target trouble spots.
“Emsculpt is a breakthrough device which offers non-invasive body contouring to tone and build muscle. High intensity focused electromagnetic (HIFEM) technology triggers rapid muscle contractions in the treatment region. During a half-hour procedure, you may experience up to 20,000 muscle contractions, a total that is significantly greater than can be achieved during exercise.”
“Another option is Exilis – which is used to tone and firm skin, and reduce cellulite,” says Dr van Niekerk. “It is a head-to-toe treatment using radiofrequency technology. Exilis is completed as a series of sessions and delivers radiofrequency and ultrasound energy waves as heat below the surface of the skin, safely destroying cellulite, firming skin, and triggering collagen production.”
