I’ve been referred to as a ‘nice’ blogger.
That I’ll find the positives I can, I’ll always feedback to people if there’s something wrong, but that if it’s bad, if it’s wrong, if it’s just unpleasant, I’ll say so.
I like to think of myself as honest about it. I will describe everything, I will research stuff. I’ll find out whatever I can on a subject and tell you what I’ve found. That’s what I’ll always do. If I need to cry bullshit, I will cry bullshit, and I will explain to you why.
Rejuvenate Skin contacted me about a review of their treatments. I was wary – I have sensitive, dry skin. Infuriatingly so. Plus the treatments they described as ‘non-invasive’ didn’t sound anything like non-invasive to me. Microdermabrasion (think of it as finely sandpapering your face), and needling (exactly as it sounds, using fine needles to puncture the skin to stimulate it) did not sound like something I want anywhere near my sensitive skin. In fact I’m pretty sure my cat has tried to do something similar to the latter in the past.
It was also couched under the heading of ‘Body Confidence’.
I am a woman heading towards a certain age at full pelt (I’m currently 38). I reckon I’m lucky, good genes (thank you mum), a good diet and luck (a whole lotta luck!) mean that my skin is good (aside from the dryness) and I don’t think I look my age. I know I don’t act it. But not everyone feels the same, and it would be incredibly easy to feel self conscious over a few lines, or if you’re an ex-smoker like me that whole cat’s bum lip thing is going to bite me at some point and I’m just waiting on it.
Personally darling, you are beautiful and you will always be beautiful.
But I understand. We are constantly being told by the media that whatever age we’re at, we’re just not good enough. Our skin isn’t perfect, our eyebrows aren’t symmetrical, you’re not thin enough, you’re too thin, and we’re just not young enough any more.
I’ve never said never. I have already warned Mr GFB (who was utterly aghast I have to add) that I may consider Botox or fillers at some point. But for now, I’m alright. I’m OK.
But I don’t see what skin treatments have to do with being body confident? Surely that’s being about happy with who you are and, if you want to change it, accepting that you have the power to change it, and telling the mainstream media that they can go fuck themselves over their ideas of ‘perfection’.
Nonetheless, I am open to persuasion, I am open to trying things. So eventually, I agreed. I had concerns (back to that whole sensitive skin thing) so rather than one of the two treatments mentioned above, Radiofrequency was suggested.
My bullshit radar went off a little as I looked at the website. The images showed before and after it’s use on both body and face. But they were all pulling different expressions. You’re always going to see a difference in a close eye verses an open one, a pulled in tummy against a slumping one.
Hmm. I booked in anyway.
The clinic itself is lovely and, I understand from Leena who looked after me last Saturday, they do some great work with IPL (hair removal) and acne treatments, as well as having people come in for other treatments like the one I was going to experience.
Cup of tea in hand, we went through the usual checks. Medications, sensitivities etc. And down to what it all involved. The treatment I was going to experience involved a metal plate with conduction gel being placed on my naked back as I reclined, and after a cleanser and toner were applied to my face (to take off the make up), then a ‘conductor solution’ featuring hyaluronic acid and vitamin C would be used to allow the radiowaves to pass into my skin, break down old collagen cells and rejuvenate my skin.
So, let’s see me before.
Hot, right?
I will say here for balance that all the images on this post have been lightened in exactly the same way, they were taken in the same place which has no natural light, so they also have been taken in exactly the same light. So any changes that take place will be there for all to see.
The whole treatment, including consultation took 1 1/2 hours. The wand used on your skin not only emits radiowaves, but it also emits a good amount of heat, and the radiowaves stimulate a metallic taste in your mouth – in my case emphasised because my metal piercings acted like receivers. Rather unpleasant.
So lets see after.
The only difference that I can see is a puffiness, and a glow to my skin. Given the wand was emitting heat during the entire treatment, that’s not surprising, and hyaluronic acid and vitamin C are known for puffing up the skin.
Let’s have a look at day later.
I honestly can’t see a difference. My experience afterwards was spottiness (like you generally experience after a facial), and then tight dryness (which you can really see around my lips on the above images). It could be argued that more treatments would make a difference, but I decided to check the science. After consulting with a radio chemist and a doctor involved in dermatological research, this is what I learned.
Radio waves have no effect on your skin. If they did, we’d know because we live in a world perpetually surrounded by them, even more so in the last century (what with radios being used all the time and everything and them using radio waves to function) and so if they did, generations past would have had amazing skin and we would be reaping the benefits now.
The plumping effect is a combination of the heat and the hyaluronic acid which is generally good for dry skin (though you need to ensure that you are internally hydrated as it draws on moisture from the body). You can buy a good serum and use it once a week as a mask for a similar effect.
Slathering my face in a hyaluronic acid/vitamin C serum, wrapping it in a hot towel and repeatedly using my remote control around my face would have had exactly the same effect, except I could actually just save the batteries and not bother with the last bit because I’m pretty sure both Mr GFB and my cats would think I’d lost it.
I’d have been better off going for a facial in a spa, and then using the conductor cream (or a serum containing hyaluronic acid) on my skin afterwards.
I think the rule of thumb here is, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Do some research – even typing into Google ‘Does xxxxx treatment actually work?’ will bring you a list of articles. Find those you trust, those you can believe in, those who look at the science. I know not everyone has access to the same contacts I have, or can trawl research papers for information, but there are articles out there that everyone can see that debunk the myths.
As for me? I will always call out a little bit of bullshit.
