With skincare being an ever-evolving space in the beauty industry, laser treatments have gained extreme momentum and popularity in recent years.
More and more are opting for the less-invasive laser treatments rather than going under the knife and are even turning to such treatments instead of Botox and fillers. However, it begs the question – can laser treatments really replace Botox and other popular skincare treatments?
sought the advice of the amazing skincare expert Rebecca Treston at Dubai London Clinic, who has been the go-to skincare guru for the past 20 years in Dubai. With more than 50 certifications in laser technologies, she’s definitely the person to go to about all thing laser treatments.
“Since I started working as an aesthetician, I have worked hard to gain a reputation for not only curating the best technologies available on the market but for my expertise at manipulating energies to deliver unrivalled treatment results,” Treston tells EW. “My protocols offer unrivalled treatment outcomes thanks to the way in which I combine and layer energies to work synergistically.”
Treston explains that her “protocols address even the most challenging skincare and body concerns, such as pigment, laxity, texture, excess isolated fat, and more, with uncompromising treatment standards and results”.
So, can lasers replace Botox and going under the knife? See what Treston has to say below.
Talk us through your career.
After several years in the UK beauty industry, I relocated to Dubai in 1999 where I worked at various clinics. Earlier this year, I joined Dubai London Clinic, a group that has been synonymous with exceptional service and care for more than 30 years. In the past 20 years, I have become Dubai’s go-to skin expert for energy-based transformative skincare treatments. Boasting more than fifty certifications in laser technologies, I am certified to practice in both the UAE and UK, and I am globally recognised as a pioneer in my field, regularly featured as an expert commentator in beauty bibles.
I work with the latest cutting-edge technology to develop protocols that harness different energies – namely laser, radiofrequency, sound and light – and ensure they work in complement to deliver brilliant results to treat a myriad of challenging skincare and body concerns; and ultimately push the boundaries of what is possible to achieve with an aesthetics treatment. Working under DLC’s umbrella and in partnership with its network of doctors, I and my team of expert practitioners offer all my carefully curated protocols at a refurbished and state-of-the-art clinic at DLC’s Al Thanya branch.
How popular laser treatments have become in the last few years?
Laser treatments are very popular due to the fantastic results and that they give. Also, they are cost-effective rove and have little to no downtime. Laser treatments help to maintain the function and structure of the skin – no amount of plastic surgery or injectables can give you radiant healthy skin. To ensure the healthiest possible skin, you need to work on the dermal and subdermal levels to address any issues and also to stimulate collagen and elastin, which will ultimately trigger rejuvenation and decelerate the ageing process.
How many different laser treatments are there?
There are lots of different laser treatments on the market today but not all laser treatments are created equal. It is important to ensure that you do your research to find not only a technology that will combat your skincare concerns but an aesthetician who can use and manipulate this technology to ensure the delivery of the treatments to the highest possible standard, which will yield the best possible results.
In my clinic, thanks to my relationship with those at the forefront of the industry, I often work closely with manufacturers on newly developed and emerging technologies, and they use my own parameters as their gold-standard. These relationships have allowed me to trial and manipulate new technologies long before they are available on the commercial market, ensuring her clients always benefit from the latest technology.
Why do you recommend the use of lasers so much?
Laser treatments help to maintain the function and structure of the skin – no amount of plastic surgery or injectables can give you radiant healthy skin. To ensure the healthiest possible skin, you need to work on the dermal and subdermal levels to address any issues and also to stimulate collagen and elastin, which will ultimately trigger rejuvenation and decelerate the ageing process.
Is there a laser treatment that can give you similar results to Botox?
No laser is going to give the exact result you would achieve with an injectable, however with the range of energy-based treatments you can maintain younger-looking skin that is free from the signs of ageing, especially lines and wrinkles but also laxity. For instance, Ultherapy uses safe, time-tested ultrasound energy to lift and tighten the skin naturally—without surgery or downtime. While Ultherapy relies on ultrasound therapy to deliver its collagen-boosting treatment, it also incorporates traditional ultrasound imaging, which allows practitioners to see the layers of tissue they are treating, ensuring the treatment energy is delivered to where it will be most beneficial. Ultherapy is acclaimed as a lunchtime treatment, meaning it requires no downtime, only takes 45-60 minutes and leaves you looking younger and more refreshed without a scalpel in sight!
Can you talk us through the Fotona 4D treatment?
You had the Fotona 4D treatment. This brilliant treatment offers the chance for all skin types to experience facial rejuvenation without any of the negative impacts of surgery. Fotona’s Nd:YAG and Er:YAG wavelengths work together to enable four different modes of lifting procedure.
The first step of the 4D Facelift is a unique procedure called Smoothliftin®. The entire inner surface of the cheeks and lips are treated with non-ablative Er:YAG laser, for tightening, volumizing and restoring collagen starting from the inside out. This reduces depth of the nasolabial and melomental folds (The lines from nose to lips, and lips to chin), and helps restore lip volume.
The second step uses the Nd:YAG laser in Fotona’s Frac3® modality. This enables the treatment of specific, deeper imperfections, as well as restoring a youthful texture.
The third step uses the Nd:YAG laser in Fotona’s PIANO® mode. Controlled deep tissue heating is maintained for a period of time. This promotes tightening and restoration of collagen and elasticity in the dermis and deeper tissues.
Finally, the skin surface is lightly treated with the Er:YAG laser in Superficial® mode, to provide a smooth, fresh surface and smooth out skin surface irregularities.
What are they meant to do for the skin?
The goal is to restore the skin to its normal, more youthful-appearing contours. The look achieved by the 4D procedure is more natural than that of a surgical facelift, as there is no tugging or stretching of the facial features, so this treatment can be used on anyone who has some visible signs of aging.
A healthy skin should be healthy skin is one that has a smooth texture and is free of chronic inflammation and disease such as acne and rosacea. It should be well hydrated and have no pigmentation or vascular concerns. It should be firm and have no real lines or enlarged pores. The 4D works on all these aspects. This treatment is ideal for anyone who is worried who wants an effective anti-aging treatment. For some people, the signs of aging come when they are in their late 20s, while others might not experience sagging or wrinkling until the late 30s or early 40s. But the treatment can be used on anyone aged in their mid-20s to anyone in their mid-70s.
What should you be mindful of when undergoing laser treatments?
It is vital to have a thorough consultation before embarking on any treatment to assess your skin type and condition. During this, the aesthetician will go through patient’s medical history, as well as what medication they are taking. Once this has been done, a bespoke programme can be devised to take into account what you want to achieve and what your priorities are for your skin.
Generally, everyone is good candidate for laser treatments, provided the aesthetician delivering them knows what he/she is doing so that there will not be any adverse reaction. Laser treatments should not be performed on someone with a suntan and patients who have skin type 6 need to have more precautions built into their treatment plan to ensure that there will be a brilliant outcome without any negative impact.
