Lasers that Smooth Skin at Home
A host of handheld devices emit beams of light that stimulate the production of collagen and elastin, helping to keep skin firm. Just run them over clean skin as directed for several minutes a day. You can plump fine lines with a red light–emitting diode (LED) such as Zeno Line Rewind Wrinkle Reduction Kit ($40; Walmart). For deeper lines and more long-term benefits, you could invest in a fractional laser like the PaloVia Skin Renewing Laser ($499; palovia.com).
Lotions with Laser-like Results
Rather repair your skin the old-fashioned way? Consider one of the souped-up moisturizers that actually mimics a laser treatment. Check out Dermadoctor Photodynamic Therapy Laser Lotion SPF 30($85; sephora.com): It contains enzymes that absorb UV light and convert it into a skin-plumping wavelength. Clinique Repairwear Laser Focus Wrinkle & UV Damage Corrector ($45; clinique.com) uses the energy from its enzymes to repair DNA and ultimately reduce wrinkles.
A Skin Tightener with Zero Downtime
Firmer skin via ultrasound? Yep,the in-office treatment Ultherapy uses ultrasound to heat—then lift and tighten—sagging skin. "It's the closest thing we've seen that gives facelift-like results, incision-free," says dermatologist David H. McDaniel, MD, assistant professor of clinical dermatology at Eastern Virginia Medical School. The procedure isn't cheap ($1,000 to $5,000, depending on how big an area you're targeting). Expect to see initial swelling and redness, and wait two to three months for the full payoff.
A Pain-Free Way to Lift and Smooth Skin
Noninvasive skin-tightening treatments and resurfacing lasers have soared in popularity because they let you get younger-looking skin (on the face, abdomen, even thighs) without surgery. But in the past, some of these procedures really hurt. Two new treatments solve that problem. Thermage Comfort Pulse Technology, a radiofrequency skin tightener (prices range from $1,500 to $4,000), is the gentler version of its painful predecessor. It features a vibrating tip that interrupts the reception of pain signals by your nerve endings.
The Fraxel DUAL 1550/1927 (about $750 per treatment), an offspring of the original Fraxel laser for treating fine lines, pigmentation, and acne scars, now has an advanced cooling system that makes the heat sensation more tolerable. It can also treat pre-cancerous lesions. "Expect sunburn-like redness, swelling, and bruising for a few days," notes Dr. Waldorf. After that, wrinkle-and spot-free skin is all yours!
