Laser treatments generally require up to a week of downtime, and that's why this one is so special: You'll look slightly pink or tan for a day or two, but it's so insignificant no one will notice. "It's a step up from microdermabrasion," says New York City dermatologist Doris Day, MD. "It's a laser for people who have very little time for downtime."
Best for: Uneven, aging skin. "There's an overall improvement in pore size, skin texture, and skin quality," says Day.
Pain level: Pinprick-like tingling. Your derm can apply a topical numbing cream if you think you need it.
Time: 30 minutes per treatment; five treatments suggested.
Cost: about $300 per treatment
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The Lifter: Ultherapy
Surgery used to be the only option for a saggy turkey neck. But the latest treatment, Ultherapy, uses ultrasonic waves to noticeably tighten skin by triggering the body's healing process to build new collagen over time. Unfortunately, it's not for the impatient: It takes two to three months for results to gradually appear. But when those results do appear, they're dramatic. "The compliments we're hearing are, 'It's how I used to look,'" says Day. "You'll look like a better version of yourself."
Best for: Sagging lower face, chin, and neck.
Pain level: Minimal -- like a warm buzzing sensation on your skin.
Time: 60 to 90 minutes per treatment; one treatment suggested.
Cost: about $3,500 for full face
A few years ago, a dermatologist convinced me to try his new chemical peel that -- he promised --would give me bright, glowing skin without a day of downtime.
But you can guess how the rest of this little tale goes. Instead of glowing skin, I ended up with four days of ugly. My face was peeling and oozing, and it was covered in red, scaly patches that soaked up every drop of heavy moisturizer I slathered on. I spent the weekend quarantined in my apartment, and all I got out of it was a fear of dermatologist treatments.
But procedures have come a long way, and many of the hottest new in-office treatments claim to really, truly require no downtime -- we're talking minimal redness, discomfort instead of pain, and absolutely no oozing. "Non-invasive is definitely the trend," says Los Angeles dermatologist Lisa Chipps, MD. "I think it started with the drop in the economy. People are turning away from expensive surgical procedures and want less invasive treatments."
So, I set out to investigate. Sure, these treatments may be gentle enough for the wimp who cries when she stubs her toe, but then do they really do anything? The answer, for many of them, is yes. Some of the results are so impressive you can barely recognize the person in the "after" photo -- and there's no quarantine required.
