Face the Future

By: Ruth Donnelly
Created on 11th October 2010

A brand new facial rejuvenation treatment is hitting the UK, and it doesn’t involve knives or needles. We speak to the London Lip Queen herself, Dr Rita Rakus to find out more...

It’s always exciting when a new anti-ageing procedure comes onto the market, but many of them don’t live up to the hype. The latest machine to hit UK shores, however, is manufactured in the States by Ellman and distributed in the UK and Ireland by Sigmacon – renowned for innovative technologies – and is endorsed by none other than Dr Rita Rakus, the A-list’s first port of call when age and gravity start to take their toll.

”Pellevé is a new treatment to the UK and my Knightsbridge clinic is the first official site to offer it to clients,” says Dr Rakus. “Pellevé is a radiofrequency treatment that is great for treating fine lines and wrinkles, especially in the delicate eye area, around the lips and the neck.”

Radiofrequency treatments have been around for a long time, and their efficacy in reducing wrinkles and tightening the skin has been proven time and again. But the problem many people have with them is that it can take up to six months to see the results – and who has time to plan that far ahead?

Pellevé has been described by some practitioners as ‘radiofrequency grown up’. Because the radiowaves are delivered continuously at a very high frequency – most similar devices deliver the energy in a pulse form – the results can be seen instantly, and continue to improve for up to six months after treatment.

How does it work?

Pellevé uses radiofrequency to deliver constant, gradual energy to the skin, causing heat to build up where the skin and fat layer come together. This increasing heat modifies the collagen bundles deep inside the skin, causing them to contract and stimulating the growth of new collagen over time, which results in firmer, tighter skin.

When you come in for treatment, the first thing to happen is the application of a protective gel to your face.

Because no anaesthetic is used, you will act as a guide to describe the depth of the sensation as the doctor moves the handpiece across your face. The treatment lasts for about 45 minutes to one hour.

No anaesthetic? Won’t that hurt?

Apparently not. Patients report a warming sensation as the handpiece touches the face, but as this is not an ablative procedure and there are no incisions, no damage is done to the outer layers of the skin and there should be minimal, if any, pain.

“There is virtually no downtime so my clients can go straight back to work after a treatment,” says Dr Rakus. “It’s not an uncomfortable treatment, which is very reassuring for clients.”

So what’s new?

You might think that the market is flooded with anti-ageing treatments, but according to Dr Rakus, there are some things a needle just can’t do.

“Patients’ expectations are ever-increasing and until I discovered the benefits of Pellevé there was nothing on the market to help achieve the results our patients have become accustomed to, in the delicate eye area and especially under the eye,” she explains.

“Pellevé’s treatment tip is perfect for the eyelid and undereye. I tend to find that with a top-up treatment or two the patient can look more refreshed and youthful – treating the eyes immediately enhances the look of the entire face.

Pellevé is also great for the fine lines on the top lip. Results are very quick with Pellevé and patients love that – especially those that have big functions to go to soon after treatment.”

Is it right for me?

As with any aesthetic treatment, you are expected to take some care of yourself and your skin in the build-up to the procedure, as well as afterwards, but otherwise this is essentially a one size fits all treatment, which can produce instant, lasting results.

“Ideally we would treat healthy patients that don’t smoke or drink excessively – because this can affect results,” says Dr Rakus. “Those that have a loosening of the skin, fine lines and wrinkles and require a firm finish are usually perfect for treatment.”

CS&AG