The LuxIR infrared facial rejuvenation skin tightening machine will definitely be more helpful for early facial rejuvenation of facial sagging and skin laxity along the Jaw line than the CoolTouch Laser. None of these matches the results of a face lift. The facial aging changes called marionette lines and nasal labial fold lines are caused by facial sagging which occurs because of facial aging changes in the deep layer of the skin called the dermis. Years of sun exposure and facial aging destroy the elastin fibers in the deep dermis and the elastin fibers are responsible for keeping the facial skin tight. As the elastin is destroyed with aging, the facial skin loses elasticity, the face sags and the nasal labial folds and marionette lines develop. There are many new non-surgical facial rejuvenation techniques which can reverse and help prevent facial sagging, skin tightening is but one of them.

The early laxity or sagging you see along the jaw line is the beginning of the marionette lines and nasal labial fold lines and jowls along the jaw line. If you start appropriate facial rejuvenation techniques now you may be able to prevent the jowls, marionette lines and nasal labial fold lines

The LuxIR fractional skin tightening machine works very differently from the CoolTouch Laser for facial rejuvenation. Both machines are non-ablative non-surgical facial rejuvenation techniques. The LuxIR is called a fractional non-ablative infrared skin tightening device to differentiate it from the ablative CO2 laser resurfacing which also tightens skin but also ablates the skin crating an open wound which requires healing time. The non-ablative LuxIR fractional skin tightening device does not ablate the skin so there is no visible wound, no down time and no recovery.

The CoolTouch laser, also a non-ablative laser facial rejuvenation device works on the surface and superficial dermis to stimulate new collagen just beneath the surface of the skin. The theory of the CoolTouch Laser is that new collagen will plump the facial skin wrinkles, but the treatment does not go deep enough to effect the elastin fibers in the facial skin in the deep dermis of the facial skin. I view the CoolTouch Laser as a wrinkle removal laser skin rejuvenation treatment, but it is a non-ablative wrinkle removal treatment and not terribly effective for facial rejuvenation.

The LuxIR is not a laser; rather it is an Infrared non-ablative skin tightening device. The LuxIR sends infrared light energy through the superficial skin into the deep dermis and heats the elastin fibers. The heating of the collagen elastin fibers causes the elastin fibers to shorten and remodel to a shorter length. The effect of this collagen (elastin) remodeling is that facial skin elasticity is restored, the skin tightens, the facial skin laxity is corrected and the jowl, marionette lines, and nasal labial fold lines are improved or lessened and facial rejuvenation is achieved.

Skin tightening with the LuxIR Infrared skin tightening machine takes time, so be patient. Collagen remodeling takes 6 months, because new collagen and elastin has to form and this biological process takes time-you are growing new collagen and elastin in your skin to replace the old damaged collagen and elastin.

There are several new non ablative skin tightening machines available, Aluma with faces uses radiofrequency energy, Titan uses infrared energy like the LuxIR, Thermage uses radiofrequency energy, and Refirme uses a combination of different energies.

Many of these skin tightening procedures are advertised as a non-surgical face lift. Dont believe them. Only a face lift provides a true face lift. Skin tightening is not a non-surgical face lift, at leats not yet. There may be a non-surgical face lift in the future, but the technology is not good enough yet.

LuxIR, Aluma, Titan, Thermage and Refirme non ablative skin tightening machines all work, but each has different characteristics. Check my skin tightening blogs for more information about the different machines.

I use the LuxIR and the Aluma with FACES in my skin tightening facial rejuvenation practice. The LuxIR is best for the cheek, jaw line and neck. I use the Aluma around the eyes and periocular area.

You will need 4-6 LuxIR skin tightening treatments. Generally LuxIR power settings of 60 mille joules or greater are required-I use a topical anesthetic-it must be completely removed before treatment. These higher settings can burn the skin if the operator does not keep complete firm contact with the skin during each pulse. Find someone with experience. Check the Palomarmedical.com website for doctor in your area who has the LuxIR. There is a new LuxIR skin tightening machine with a better skin cooling system-try to find a doctor who has the new version.

For more information on skin tightening, facial rejuvenation and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Dr. Seckel,

Boston, Massachusetts

A well-done face lift by an experienced board certified plastic surgeon is still the most effective long-term solution for facial jowls and neck laxity or the “turkey wattle”. The new skin tightening treatments are not a non-surgical face lift.

The new skin tightening machines often referred to as the ‘non-surgical face-lift” are effective in the jowl and neck area but the tightening is about 20-30% of what you can get with a well done face lift. Most of the best results I have seen with skin tightening still require a pre and post treatment photograph to appreciate the results at 6 months.

There are several skin tightening machines available. I use the LuxIR made by Palomar and the Aluma made by Lumenis and am happy with the results. Others are Thermage and Titan by Cutera. They all get similar results. The Thermage is the most painful and there have been complications with Thermage. Skin tightening provides slight wrinkle removal, but for effective wrinkle removal you need an ablative laser skin peel.

The Active FX laser skin peel is a very exciting new laser skin rejuvenation procedure that produces a deep peel and works very nicely for wrinkle removal and to superficially tighten the skin of the cheek and around the mouth. Recovery time is very short-4-6 days compared to the older lasers, which required 3-4 weeks.

For tightening around the jaw and neck I would recommend the skin tightening machines mentioned above, the Lux IR and the Aluma with FACES rather than the Active Fx.

If you would like to see photos of facial rejuvenation results visit my clinical website drseckel.com.

For more information on skin tightening, wrinkle removal, and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Dr Seckel
Boston, Massachusetts

Thermage is one of several skin tightening procedures that are offered
today, others are the LuxIR by Palomar, Titan by Cutera, and Aluma with FACES by Lumenis.

It is important to understand that these new technologies at best achieve a 30% tightening of the facial skin, which is subtle, and often requires a pre and post photograph to see the results. A traditional face lift and blepharoplasty surgery provides a much more impressive, corrective facial rejuvenation result. Skin tightening is not, as advertised, a non-surgical face lift.

Eyelid rejuvenation, the correction of bags and dark circles under the eyes requires a procedure called arcus marginalis release and fat grafting, which I do as part of a transconjunctival laser blepharoplasty. Upper blepharoplasty is required for correction of upper eyelid hooding. This procedure is done through an incision on the inside of the eyelid, which avoids a visible scar and change in eyelid shape.

I do not feel these machines should be used on the upper eyelid as I am concerned about danger to the eye.

I have written a great deal about these techniques and you should check my previous blogs about Aluma and LuxIR.

For more information on skin tightening and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Thank you,

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

Both the LuxIR Skin Tightening machine made by Palomar and the Aluma with FACES made by Lumenis are excellent skin tightening devices. The both may be used on any skin color if by “light skin tightening” you mean tightening skin of light color. If by light skin tightening you mean minimal or superficial tightening either one will work well. In particular, the Aluma with FACES is more useful for eyelid rejuvenation and periocular skin tightening because of the size of the treatment head and a suction device which helps hold delicate skin for treatment.

There are differences between the two machines. LuxIR skin tightening uses Infrared Energy and the Aluma with FACES uses Radiofrequency Energy.

Both modalities are effective for skin tightening. The LuxIR has a larger treatment head and is easiest to use on the cheeks and neck. The Aluma has a smaller treatment head and a suction device to pull the skin up into the head for treatment, thus the Aluma with FACES is easier to use on thin skin over bony prominences like the cheek bone and eyelids.

In my practice I use the LuxIR by Palomar on the cheeks, jaw line and neck to tighten the facial skin. I use the Aluma with FACES for eyelid skin tightening to tighten the skin around the eyes and I use the Aluma to tighten and improve crow’s feet. Regardless of what you read, skin tightening is definitely not a non-surgical blepharoplasty.

Thermage and Titan are two other skin tightening devices.

For more information on skin tightening, eyelid rejuvenation, and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Thank you for your question.

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

Thank you for your question about eyelid rejuvenation. The LuxIR skin tightening system is effective on all facial skin but the treatment head is so large that it is difficult to use around the eyes. It can be used but it requires a special technique, to block ½ of the head and only use ½ which is the proper size for the crow’s feet area. Because of the size I have been unable to use it on the eyelids.

MOST IMPORTANT-DO NOT TREAT THE EYE LIDS DIRECTLY OVER THE EYEBALL!—all of the skin tightening devices work by deep heating and the heat passed through the eyelid could damage the eye. Even if protective shields are placed over the eyeball, the heat could be transmitted to and damage the eye.

If you have puffy lower eyelids, eyelid bags, dark circles under the eyes, or loose eyelid skin you need a modern blepharoplasty, not skin tightening.

Skin tightening technology including LuxIR, Thermage, Aluma with FACES, Refirme, Titan and others are all effective and generally tighten skin about 30% although when used by an experienced person , over the recommended number of treatments can produce even better results.

I have had superb results with the LuxIR but agree the size of the treatment head makes it difficult to treat the crow’s feet and periocular area around the eyes. For this reason I have brought the Aluma with FACES into my practice because the Aluma with Faces is particularly suited for skin tightening of the eyelids and periocular area. The Aluma with Faces has a small treatment head, which fits nicely around the eyes and forehead and has the additional advantage of having a suction component that pulls the skin up into the treatment head so that thin skin can be treated more effectively.

I would not worry about the depth of treatment with the Aluma with FACES. The skin around the eyes and forehead is very thin and the Aluma certainly will treat the required depth.

Personally I would feel safer treating the periocular tissues with the Aluma with FACES.

The important thing for you to decide is whether skin tightening will give you the result you desire. If you have significant loose skin on the brow, around the eyes and jowls you may need a blepharoplasty and face lift to get the result you desire. Skin tightening is not inexpensive most treatments for a complete series cost around $4000.00, not an insignificant amount of money to spend and then be disappointed.

Be sure your doctor shows you results that he/she has personally achieved and ask yourself if you would be happy with a similar result.

For more information on skin tightening and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Thank you,

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts
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Botox is the best and most effective treatment for wrinkle removal of worry lines, frown lines, forehead lines and crow’s feet. Fillers like Restylane or Radiesse are best for the Nasal labial fold. I use skin tightening systems LuxIR and Aluma with FACES. Other skin tighetning systems are Titan, Refirme, and Thermage

Fraxel works well for pigment and acne scars but is disappointing for wrinkles. For wrinkle removal and removal of fine lines other than those mentioned above I do a procedure called the ActiveFX laser skin peel using b the new Active FX laser made by Lumenis.

Please find a board certified Plastic Surgeon or Dermatologist–you should read my book Save Your Face-chapter 10-Dont Let Just Anyone Touch your Face–it will tell you how to find a good doctor.

To learn more about non-surgical facial rejuvenation visit my clinical site in Boston.

For more information on laser skin rejuvenation, wrinkle removal, skin tightening and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

A face lift or neck lift by a good experienced surgeon will give you 100% tightening and require a 2 week recovery. Skin tightening works but skin tightening is not a non-surgical face lift.

You mention crow’s feet. Botox is excellent for crow’s feet around the corner of the eyes and the upper cheek. Wrinkle removal from other areas like the cheek requires a laser skin rejuvenation method such as an activefx laser skin peel. Skin tightening does provide wrinkle removal on the neck.

For more information on skin tightening, lasers and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

Only a face lift will significantly tighten lax facial skin. Sculptra or any of the other soft tissue fillers such as Restylane, Radiesse, and Cosmoplast etc WILL NOT tighten skin. They work by filling depressions such as the nasal-labial fold and marionette lines, thus lessening the shadow created by the loose skin. They can produce pleasing results but DO NOT tighten skin. Thus I do not think Sculptra is the answer for your concern about the loose or lax skin of your lower face. The bruising as a result of multiple cris-crossing injections of Sculptra or any filler to treat multiple facial areas can be very significant, and the results are of course temporary.

Fraxel has not been shown to produce significant skin tightening and I would not recommend it for that purpose.

The most effective skin tightening technologies are LuxIR by Palomar , which I use, and Thermage, Titan, and Aluma with Faces by Lumenis.

These technologies will tighten skin but you must be aware that the skin tightening is only about 30% which is subtle-you have to look carefully for it in the mirror and compare to a pre treatment photo.

Also most experts agree that it takes MULTIPLE treatments-at least 3-4 and a waiting period of 6 months to see the full result of skin tightening using these methods. Skin tightening is not a non-surgical face lift. Results of skin tightening are 10 to 20 % of the faciual tightening seen with a face lift in my experience.

I am not surprised that you saw no improvement after only one treatment with Thermage. Most skin tightening machjines require at least 4 treatments to achieve maximum skin tightening.

Some people do not respond to skin tightening-usually older patients with a lot of sun damage and aging changes but this does not sound like your case.

If you are going to proceed with the Titan expect that you will need 3-4 sessions and a wait of 6 months to see your final result. Be aware however that 30% improvement is most likely all that you will experience.

A =mini face lift will give you a much better result than skin tightening if done by an experienced board certified plastic surgeon with minimal down time of about a week. I know you don’t want surgery but in the long run you may save money and get the result you desire. You have tried the non-surgical facial rejuvenation options and have been disappointed so I think it is unlikely you will get the result you desire after spending a lot more money and time. Certainly filler such as Sculptra is not the answer for tightening skin.

For more information on fillers, nasal-labial folds and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Thank you,

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

No controlled clinical studies have documented removal of stretch marks following Fraxel treatment to my knowledge.

One doctor in New Jersey-Dr Bob Adrian has shown nice improvement in the appearance of stretch marks with the Fraxel. The stretch marks appear whiter and thinner, less red but are still present and not removed.

I have also seen some improvement in stretch marks after skin tightening of the abdomen using the LuxIR skin-tightening machine.

However these results are anecdotal-not proven science.

My recommendation is that you ask your doctor how many patients with stretch marks he/she has treated with the Fraxel and to show you pictures of the results. Ask what happens if you don’t get a result.

For more information on skin tightening, lasers and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Thank you,

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts

All non-surgical skin tightening systems work by heating the deeper layers of the skin called the dermis and causing the collagen in the dermis to remodel and shorten. Since the collagen fibers provide support and elasticity to the skin, when they shorten the skin is pulled tighter. This is not the same as a face lift.

The basic difference between skin tightening machines such as Thermage and LuxIR is the type of energy that is used to heat the dermis-Thermage uses Radiofrequency energy and LuxIR uses Infrared energy. Other machines include Titan-which uses Infrared, and Aluma with FACES which uses Radiofrequency.

These machines do tighten skin but they are not a non-surgical face lift as so often claimed. Best results are about 30% of the skin tightening one gets after having a face lift.

Technique is important so the experience of the operator is probably the most important factor in obtaining a good result with any skin tightening machine.

There are other differences between the various machines. Generally the THermage and Titan treatments are more painful than the LuxIR and Aluma treatments, at least in my experience-I have tried them all on my face. The LuxIR and Aluma take less time .

The results obtained with all of the non-surgical skin tightening treatments require multiple treatments and a final result is not expected for 6 months-the time it takes for the dermal collagen to remodel.

For more information on skin tightening, lasers and non-surgical facial rejuvenation read Save Your Face or contact me.

Thank you,

Dr Seckel

Boston, Massachusetts