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Devices

27K views 72 replies 19 participants last post by  gymrat 
#1 ·
Can someone set me straight on this? What are the differences between all these devices? What benefits are derived from each? Why would we get one over the others? I think I've listed them in order of low to high frequency, right?

Radio frequency (TriPollar)
Red/amber/far infrared (Baby Quasar)
Laser (PaloVia and ReAura)
 
#2 ·
I'm no scientist or derm so I can't answer all your questions but I'll try.

They all do the same thing which is to increase collagen production in the dermis but they use different mechanisms e.g. infrared, radio frequency or laser.

Led is good for enlarged pores, acne, wrinkles and complexion

RF is good for skin tightening and fat burning because it heats up the skin like thermage but from experience, doesn't do much for enlarged pores

I haven't got the Palovia yet so I don't know but I think its more for wrinkles
 
#3 ·
LED (light emitting diodes) does seem to have some studies to back it up, altho some of the links are only articles by ppl like Dr Mercola and links to Clinics or references to IPL which is Intense Pulsed Light, not LED:
LED Skin Treatment Reviews and Information

Im using AALS (Anti-Ageing LightStim) and like it so far. BabyQ I got bored with cuz the head was so small and treatments took forever.



 
#4 ·
"What is the difference between Cold Laser Light Therapy and LED Light Therapy?

Many companies who sell LED Light Therapy equipment will call their equipment Cold Laser Light Therapy. Simply referring to LED Light Therapy as Cold Laser is actually quite misleading and technically not the correct terminology. Let us explain why this is incorrect as simply as possible.

Lasers, by their very nature, deliver high heat energy which is directed or targeted at specific skin tissues or chromophores in the skin. This high heat energy or thermal energy, commonly referred to as selective photothermolysis, is used to damage or injure specific skin tissues or chromophores. The skin, in response to this injury or wound, will go through many processes to heal this injury or wound. As a result of this healing process, the skin tissues are rejuvenated. Lasers deliver this high heat energy in a very focused thin beam of light , which is referred to as collimated light. This focused thin beam of light maintains a constant diameter regardless of its distance from the object, (ie. skin). LEDs do not deliver energy in a very focused thin beam of light(ie. collimated), like a Laser, but rather as a broad band light source. Meaning, the actual LED diode does not emitt a very narrow focused beam of light like a Laser does.

With LEDs, light emitting diodes, they do not deliver high heat energy to injure, destroy or burn specific skin tissues or chromophores, but rather the skin cells are stimulated by absorbing specific wavelength energies to begin the rejuvenation process. Sometimes companies will refer to LEDs as "cold light therapy" because the LEDs do not use high heat energy to injure or wound skin tissues to achieve skin rejuvenation. To compound the confusion even more, many individuals hear the word "cold" and expect the LED Light treatment to give a cooling or cold sensation on the skin.

The confusion is compounded by various licensed aesthetic professionals calling their photorejuvenation treatments "Cold Laser Light Therapy" treatments or facials, when in fact, they are using LED-light emitting diodes. Referring to a LED Light Therapy treatment as "Cold Laser" only perpetuates misinformation and confuses the client, consumer and professional. LED Light Therapy is a non-prescription( meaning you do not need a prescription from a physician to have a LED treatment); non-Laser( meaning not a medical Laser or IPL) , and non-medical treatment( meaning you do not need to be a Physician, Physician Asisstant, or RN to provide LED Light Therapy).

If a non-medical professional, such as a licensed aesthetician or cosmetologist, were to operate a "true" medical Laser or IPL ( Intense Pulsed Light) in her spa or salon, then this aesthetician or cosmetologist is practicing medicine without a medical license, which is against the law in all 50 states. Exceptions to this rule, some states allow non-medical professionals, meaning an aesthetician, to operate a Laser only under direct supervision by a licensed medical professional( MD, Physician Assistant, RN). And there are some states that allow non-medical professionals to operate Lasers for hair removal only."
FAQ Page on LED Light Technology for fine lines, acne, smooth, healthy skin



 
#5 ·
I have nothing to add to this thread except I LIKE devices. See I have this theory, that given this economy, each day we have a job is a blessing and you never know when that blessing might end and you'll be standing in the unemployment line. So my theory is to buy all the gadgets and devices I can, then if I ever become unemployed and poor, I can still work my beauty regimen even if I can't afford fillers, plastic surgery or high priced lotions and serums, lol. So far I have the Palovia and NuFace, I want to add a LightStim soon, and now I'm eyeing that Tripollar, wish QVC sold it. What I do is wait for one of the items I've been watching on QVC to go on easy pay and then grab it up. I'm gonna have an entire closet full of gadgets soon at this rate, but that's okay, gives me a sense of security knowing I have all these things that I can use for however long they last, and I can share with my friends too if I want
 
#6 ·
Forget NuFace. Total waste of time and money. Its use is very limited (cant use it around the eye or the front of the neck - the very places most ppl need it). It can only be used on forehead, cheeks and jowls. I gave mine to my sister and she is already bored with it.

Something like CACI would be more beneficial but its office based.
CACI Non Surgical Facelift Review


Most of these home devices seem vry time-consuming. Big chance of boredom.



 
#7 ·
Forget NuFace. Total waste of time and money. Its use is very limited (cant use it around the eye or the front of the neck - the very places most ppl need it).
QUOTE]

Agree, that the Nuface is limited, but I have this one crease in my forehead, which I now know is the muscle I move when I give my kids "the look", and believe me, I've been giving it a lot lately, lol. It totally smoothes that out like an iron. Its worth it to me just for that.
 
#9 ·
The Baby Quaser (Red) uses:
About Us

632 nm orange visible light to smooth fine lines;
650 nm red visible light to reduce wrinkles; and
880-950 nm infrared light (which is beyond the visible spectrum) to erase age spots, reduce redness and even out skin tone. The wand shows a green indicator light for user convenience. Has a timer with a beeper.
24 diodes.


LightStim:

LightStim - Professional Anti-Aging Light - helps diminish fine lines and wrinkles
Wavelengths:
605nm (amber), 630nm (red), 660nm (red) + 855nm (infrared)
Energy/Output:
65 milliwatts per square centimeter per second (65mW/cm2) It is powered by a 9-volt power transformer.
Has 72 diodes. Has no timer.


The number of bulbs differs.



 
#14 ·
I have Baby Q too...........but as you can see I have been doing homework on the Lightstem-


Baby Q does take time..........but then again, I guess that is the case with most things in life..........*sigh*
 
#12 ·
Stick with what you have Randy but Ive used both and got bored with BQ- it takes forever with that small head and the metal housing got very hot on my skin.

I like my AALS better because the housing is plastic and doesnt touch the skin - only the lights do, and the bigger head makes treatment time go faster. Results seem similar.

Infrared wavelengths of 1200nm go deeper into the skin and Im not sure thats altogether a good thing.



 
#13 ·
Stick with what you have Randy but Ive used both and got bored with BQ- it takes forever with that small head and the metal housing got very hot on my skin.

I like my AALS better because the housing is plastic and doesnt touch the skin - only the lights do, and the bigger head makes treatment time go faster. Results seem similar.
Plus the AALS does not have a timer, which means no beeping, right? "Randy" would miss the beeping; he barks every time it goes off (unless he's sleeping).
 
#15 ·
An interesting comparison of various wavelengths and what they can and cant do:

LED Light Therapy

^^ Its an old article but the conclusion was that LED cannot change old wrinkles. It has only been proven to help heal burns by NASA, and using different wavelengths than the home LED devices. So the improvement that I see may be due to increased circulation and that helps penetration of products used during treatment. Meh.



 
#30 ·
Thanks for providing the link, Fawnie...interesting article...

In that article the author states that "Simple LED devices for use at home do not work on wrinkles, aging, or scars"

but

then provides us a link to a study where 36 subjects received nine 633-nm and 830nm LED treatments over the course of 5 weeks and were subsequently evaluated for final clinical improvement 12 weeks after treatment. Five subjects were also biopsied to determine the ultra structural post treatment changes in collagen fibers.

Quoted from the study:

Results: A statistically significant improvement in wrinkles was seen after profilometric analysis. The majority of subjects reported improvements in softness, smoothness, and firmness at all time points. Electron microscopic analysis showed evidence of post-LED treatment of thicker collagen fibers.

The conclusion was that 633-nm and 830-nm LED treatments play a role in the treatment of photodamaged skin.



 
#17 ·
One other gadget....I just started using now for about 4 weeks....Tua Trend. Uses microcurrents. Love love love it. Saw immediate results after about 4 sessions. It takes 25 minutes to do. Still too much time for me but I'm buying another wand and that will drop time to 13 minutes.

Awesome gadget....does combat facial sagging, nasolabials, lip plumping, neck, forehead, crowsfeet, you name it, it tackles it.

Highly recommend.
 
#57 ·
Thanks for this info. I've been thinking of getting one for a while.
 
#24 ·
Fawnie, the microcurrent is delivered by two electrodes that connect to the unit or 'wand'. One wand is what the unit comes with and their are five programs per side of the face. So one wand can only work one side of the face at a time. Two wands (I need to purchase the other) will work BOTH sides of the face AT THE SAME TIME thereby reducing time in half. But I'm just not sure how it will feel to have both sides of my face twitching at the same time. I'm not sure if I will be able to handle it. Extra wand is $60. Anyway, its on my 'beautification purchase list'


Proud to say avi pic is the real deal. I turn 40 next June and proud of it -- although I don't admit it. Still waiting to get carded at the booze store.
 
#22 ·
I had different Led red/healing, green/redness and yellow/smoothing done after my peels and I supposed it helped, speedy the whole process ?

I also like to have a Radio Frequency done after my Guinot facials

But the best I ever had was the Fusion 3D Lift. I highly recommend
having this done and can't wait to have more done next year.

Fusion3D Final RSHQ - You Tube
 
#25 ·
This looks very interesting and promising. I love the immediate results that woman got from it, but for me I always want a process/gadget/product that I'm in control and not someone else for a few reasons: 1. if I move or travel than I have to find someone that can do this limited procedure (pain in the ***), expense cuz normally these procedures require commitment and time traveling to and from locales and 3. I'm too busy to take a **** half the time. But I like it.


I'm more into home gadgets that suit my schedule and I can work around me.
 
#29 ·
Good question!
Never tried massage or exercises. I can see where massage might push the filler out of place. Not sure about exercises.

I suppose those should be the next things on my list to try, especially now that all the filler is gone.
 
#36 ·
Quote: Originally Posted by Maatra

By tear troughs do you mean the under eye area? If so, what filler do you use?



His is a picture of tear troughs:

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Fba3qkNetD...ough_blog1.jpg

This is from Realself:

Quote: Originally Posted by

As most of the panel members agreed, Restylane is the product of choice in our practice for the tear trough area. We like the fact that it does not migrate as easily as Juvederm, that it may be resolved with hyaluronidase if needed, comes in 1/2 syringe for those that require less product in this area (which is not uncommon), and is much, much safer than a semi-permanenent or permanent filler.
We recommend that you don't trade safety for longevity as the tear trough area is very unforgiving and requires meticulous technique and the correct dermal filler.

Please refer to the below link for photos and further details for this procedure.
Web reference: What is the tear trough injection procedure?
 
#41 ·
I'm really happy with my AALS too. Haven't tried any of the others though. I have Poikiloderma of Civatte on my neck and chest area. Yuck, it's mottled skin with red and white patches. Sounds lovely, huh? It's supposedly harmless, but caused by sun damage.

Anyway, the AALS has made a nice improvement on this area. It is much less red, and far less noticeable unless you are up close. Totally worth the price just for this alone.

I use it on my face too. I've got it streamlined down to 5 intervals on my face, and then another 5 on neck/chest at 3 minutes each. Not too bad...
 
#49 ·
Were you happy with the results?? Any brusing in the area?? And.........if you don't mind me asking, how many syringes did it take of filler?? I don't know how your Doc is but my charges by the syringe, where I know some charge by procedure.

If I am getting too personal......no worries, I completely understand.
 
#50 ·
Not at all!

I went to the *best* plastic surgeon who is just slightly obsessive about perfection (yay!) and who has tons of experience (he has trained many other docs) with this very delicate, unforgiving area.

Yet even still I got a bruise the size of a pencil eraser on one side, but it resolved in 2 weeks.

My doc also charges by the syringe, but I've forgotten how much it took - sorry! But I found this online that says .5 ml to 1 ml per eye: JuvÃa9derm for the Treatment of the Tear Trough | Skin & Aging
 
#52 ·
Re: Devices.

Based on the complement of my GF yesterday, she wants Dermarollers now too. I have total control over this one. control freak much?

I have a light device...but don't use it. Something about flashing light directly at my skin that just seems *wrong* and the long term studies aren't in...so. I remain Fifi du jour.
 
#56 ·
It was really hard to tell any difference. This is from Realself:

Quote: Originally Posted by

Both Juvederm and Restylane are FDA approved hyaluronic acid fillers. There are minor technical differences in the two products. Both are proven to provide lasting results. Having said that, I think an experienced physician can do just about anything with just about any product.

What is important to the consumer is what happens to a product when it is used by a less experienced physician. This is important because not everyone is going to be treated by the "world's greatest."

As a physician with a great deal of experience with these products, I prefer Restylane and Perlane. The "smoothness" of Juvederm is not a clinically meaningful expression. It is a marketing term of art. The marketing people are making lemonade out of lemons.

Having said that, when injecting tiny volumes, Juvederm is less likely to form a bump because it readily diffuses in the tissues. This is an advantage for doctors who are not prepared to mold and work with the filler once it is in the tissue.

Restylane is more cohesive and tends to stay where it is placed. It needs to be carefully molded once injected.

The advantage of this cohesion is that Restylane can be used to build up the face in away that is impossible with Juvederm. This is especially evident in the lower eyelid/tear trough hollow under the eyes. Juvederm injected in this area in enough volume to make a difference can readily drift into the top of the cheek creating unwanted fullness. This does not happen with Restylane.

On the other hand, one has to expect lumps with Restylane and actively work to smooth these if they occur. This can easily be done and it is my opinion that the results are worth the effort.

Some authors here suggest that Juvederm does not last, and I think the reality is that it does last but it tends to get flattened in the tissue and over time appears less effective.

Recognize that some offices push products because the doctors get financial incentives from the companies to do so and these incentives increase based on how much of the company's product the offices uses.

For example, Allergan incentivizes plastic surgeons by counting any of the Allergan products, this includes BOTOX, Juvederm, Prevage, as well as Allergan manufactured breast implants. For Allergan, the offices that use enough of their product not only get a significant discount on product, they get favorable placement on the Allergan doctor referral website.

Medicis, the company that makes Restylane, has a similar type program, but it only applied to its hyaluronic acid filler products. So be aware of this because it creates a potential bias in what the doctor may recommend.

Ultimately it comes down to trust. Do you trust the doctor to make a recommendation that is right for you and not the doctor's wallet?
 
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