Eyewitness News' Kemberly Richardson (New York -WABC, February 15, 2006) - Stop the hands of time without going under the knife.
Kemberly Richardson is here now with a look at new anti-aging technology.
The techniques you're about to see are two in a whole host of new non-invasive procedures. There are no needles or lasers involved and experts say you get the same results as traditional methods but with minimal down time and far less risk of scarring.
This tangle of wires looks more like something for your Ferrari than your face, and yes there is current involved, as in electricity.
It's all one of the latest techniques being used to lift and tighten your skin, using no anesthesia and no cutting. The procedure, a microcurrent treatment, basically stimulates the muscles in your face. Beth performs a series of motions using a wand, which carries varying degrees of voltage.
Beth Parker, Estitrician: "It's going to take the muscles and contract them, just like if you go to the gym and left weights, the muscles contract and this is doing it with a current."
It's creators say the current then helps produce new collagen, improve the skin's elasticity, blood circulation and lymphatic drainage.
During the one hour treatment, Beth also places pads on the client's neck. Once the current gets going you can actually see the muscles contract.
From electricity to plasma...
It's called 'portrait' and it's a first. The machine utilizes plasma energy, sending a signal to the deeper layers of skin.
Dr. Karen Kim, Dermatologic Surgeon: "By doing that, it's kind of signaling the skin to remodel itself and build new collagen and replace old collagen that's been damaged by sun and age."
One client says each of the millisecond pulses of nitrogen based plasma feels like a warm rubber band hitting her skin. After the treatment, her skin will bronze then peel and on the 7th day the new revitalized skin will appear. She'll continue seeing results for up to a year.
In terms of the plasma treatment, the second procedure we told you about, right now it is not approved for use on darker skin tones or places other than your face, but trials are underway and it's creators are optimistic.
