Today I was back at Alyssa for another beauty medical treatment. Given all the smoke and the debris in the air from the latest wildfires, I figured it was worth going in to check on the condition of my skin. Not to mention I am aging, and if there is something I can do to delay that, it might be worth looking in to.
I have had facials before, but never one that used lasers. This is Aerolase, the latest beauty laser on the market. It uses a unique combination of high-power and short pulses so that it can be used without anesthetics. There is no need for skin cooling and you walk away without any high discomfort or the risk of adverse effects; all of which commonly found within the previous generation of lasers.
In layman’s terms, there is no downtime to this, and anyone doing it does not walk out of the spa with a reddish complexion, looking like you’ve just been beat up.
The process starts with a skin analysis. A high quality photo of your face is taken within a shielded dome. You chin rests on a platform allowing for frontal and side profile photos to be captured in great detail.
The result is your photo in regular light and five others, which removes layers of the skin to uncover pigmentation, texture, vascularity, and UV.
The pigmentation filter shows the effects of the sun through freckling and dark spots. The darker the patches the more exposed to the sun it is. That is where the daily use and the regular reapplication of sunscreen comes into play. It also speaks to our moisturizing routine as the cheeks are typically the best off, given that is where we start with our cream application and we trail off on the sides of the face, with what little remains going to the forehead. This was definitely the case with me. However, I was told that this could be reversed with a strict regiment of sunscreen.
The second filter is texture which shows the tightness of the skin versus the hydration. It shows oiliness as shine and lack of hydration as tiny surface lines. This is not to be confused with fine line wrinkles, which go deeper. I had a few of the latter on my forehead, and plenty of the former around my eyes causing under eye circles and crows feet. All these mean I need to invest in an eye cream or serum as part of my night time skin care routine; especially as I age, and so will my lids and sagging brow. Creams with peptides and retinol are highly recommend.
Next we looked at vascularity. “Vascularity” is the presence, abundance, and functionality of blood vessels tissue, which is essential for delivering oxygen and nutrients. It showed as red veins and splotches. This is rosacea, acne, scarring, and active acne. Hotspots tend to be around the nose, as seen through broken capillaries, due to friction from allergies and over blowing your nose. Once again, the callout was around my eyes, they not being hydrated enough, as seen from the redness and irritation around them.
The UV filter is able to call out the efficacy of your sunscreen. The darker areas are where you put on your sunscreen and the lighter ones showcase where it is starting to fade. On this screen any neon shows clogged pores, and I am happy to announce I have none to report.
The woods lamp filter is similar to the UV, just bluer. It also captures the same information as the UV.
From your results Alyssa curates a unique facial treatment just for your skin’s needs. This begins as a regular facial with double the cleansing to ensure the skin’s cleanliness. The first using a more water and oil based cleanser, the next is more foamy. Each is wiped cleaned and additionally washed thoroughly with water.
Next comes the black head removing. Whereas other spas use their hands and a metal tool to gouge. Here, Alyssa once again employs the latest tech. She commands a device that vibrates 5000 times a second. Its function is to loosen up any dead skin and unclogs pores. It applies light pressure to the skin with a low buzzing, electronic hum. The focus was to loosens up the black heads around my nose area and t-zone. It feels like a dull blade used to scrape along the skin without damaging it, thus ensuring you don’t leave with any acne scaring or redness. Which is once again, high on Alyssa’s list of priorities.
Spoiler: at the end my nose was completely cleared of its strawberry-like speckles. I was utterly impressed, this is nothing nose strips or pore creams have ever done for me.
Next, was the laser treatment itself. The Aerolase treatments involve minimal pain and side effects and can take anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the area and issue being treated. Numbing of the skin is not required and you can carry on with your normal activities shortly after your treatment.
It targets inflammation like emphysema, pigmentation, and acne by going deep into skin concerns without harming the top layer.
You will see results, like I did, right after the first treatment. However, it is advised that you complete 3-6 sessions, a month at a time; where after you will notice your skin tighter and looking more rejuvenated. At this point the skin has adapted itself and is naturally giving you the results of the Aerolase, and only annual touchups are needed to maintain it.
The additional effects includes increased collagen production, reduction of and production of less oil, the lightening of your complexion, the prevention of pigmentation, the tightening of skin especially under the eye, and reduction of peach fuzz. Small hairs on your face actually cause less efficacy from your skin care, this is due to product taking hold on to the hairs. Therefore, having less of it is doesn’t just have a cosmetic function.
Every inch of your face is laser-ed with extra attention paid on troublesome areas, including any pigmentation, scarring, or in my case notable dry patches. This process was done with us both wearing goggles to protect ourselves from the lights.
As amazing as my skin looked then and there, as an an extra bonus, Alyssa treated my dry skin concerns. She used LDM – local dynamic massage to further hydrate my skin. This is a machine popularized in Korea, known for giving patients a glassy skin affect. Like an ultrasound, it fuses with a serum to drive it deeper into the skin for a more potent affect. The completed look is a more plumpness. The two procedures laser and LDM typically go hand-in-hand in order to enhance results.
This also meant I didn’t have to worry about post care at home, as I would get my hydration here, from this machine. Although my treatment did still end with a moisturizer and sunscreen.
Once again, I saw immediate results. Just like I did for the body contouring. Here, I to noticed how snatched my jawline looked and how plump and dewy face skin was. I thought it took five years off my age and others who saw me thought it did too. Well worth your time for the results.
Alyssa Essential Beauty
2419 Kingsway, Vancouver, BC V5R 5G8
(604) 487-2258
alyssaessentialbeauty.com
