Step into the new year with a refreshed appearance and skin that defies age!
With cutting-edge advancements in dermatology, achieving a youthful complexion has become more accessible than ever.
Amidst the plethora of options, discerning the most effective treatments can be challenging.
Here, leading dermatologists unveil the must-try beauty treatments of 2024, ensuring you invest your money wisely for radiant and revitalised skin.
Lasers
Say goodbye to dark spots and uneven skin tone with non-ablative resurfacing laser treatments such as Clear + Brilliant and LaseMD. According to NYC-based dermatologist Daniel Belkin, MD, the procedures target melasma or post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation with minimal downtime.
For mild sun damage, and uneven skin texture, Belkin recommends PicoSure, which is said to offer “more robust and long-term tone improvement.”
But for longer lasting solutions to your hyperpigmentation problems, Belkin suggests Fraxel or Halo lasers. It leaves you with scaly skin for a week, but the skin improves dramatically after that. Fraxel treatment also reduces precancerous cells.
Chemical Peels
According to New Jersey dermatologist Jeanine Downie, MD, chemical peels are the way to go for acne, dullness, and dark spots. It promotes more radiant skin, even out the skin’s texture, and also reduces acne. This procedure works best if routinely done every month.
For plump dewy skin, NYC dermatologist David Colbert, MD recommends glycolic peels. “(It) keeps skin smooth and clear, and also stimulates collagen,” he says.
Radio Frequency Microneedling
For effective stimulation of collagen production in your skin, Belkin recommends microneedling injection treatment. In this procedure, dermatologists use tiny insulated needles to deliver radio frequency energy to the dermis layer of the skin. Initially, the skin may display sunburn-like condition for a day, but this is par for the course. After a few months, see the radical improvements as acne scars, laxity and fine wrinkles are reduced.
“While this is not the panacea med-spas often claim it to be, it‘s a nice, low-downtime way to address texture, fine lines, and loss of firmness,” says Belkin.
Injectables
Combat the symptoms of aging – wrinkles, saggy skin, spider veins and crepiness – with more advanced neurotoxin injections. You might be more familiar with one of its brand names, Botox, although there are other similar options like Xeomin, Dysport, Jeuveau, and Daxxify. As you can imagine, the injection works wonders in returning some volume to the face.
This procedure is crucial once you enter your late 20s-early 30s as this is the time when the skin typically begins losing the collagen and fat responsible for filling out the face with the plumpness that defines youthful complexion.
To soften forehead creases, crow’s-feet, lip lines, and jowls while maintaining facial movement, Colbert recommends microdoses. Meanwhile, you can opt for hyaluronic acid fillers like Restylane and Juvederm to restore volume to the face. These fillers work wonders via adequate applications on areas that tend to sag more visibly: lips, smile lines, under eye areas, cheekbones, jawlines, etc.
For more advanced aging symptoms such as spider lines and gauntness typically evident at ages 40 and up, Colbert suggests sclerotherapy or bio-stimulants like Radiesse, Renuva, and Sculptra to foster long-lasting volume restoration.
Energy Devices
They say beauty is pain for a good reason. For smooth, flawless complexion, NYC dermatologist Kenneth Howe, MD advocates for Thermage.
During this procedure, a handheld wand is used to beam energy into the deepest layer of the skin, triggering controlled injury that accelerates collagen production. And more collagen leaves the skin firmer and tighter within months of treatment. If you have low tolerance for pain, fret not, the device’s radio frequency technology is nearly painless.
There’s also Ulthera, which utilises microfocused ultrasound for skin lifting. This treatment might cause some discomfort, but the firm complexion after would be so worth it. Another procedure called Ellacor removes tiny columns of skin. This wounding process tightens the skin as it heals, leaving you with youthful, firm skin.
