Sights On You: ReAura Laser.

source

What would you say if I said I could offer you reduced lines, firmer skin, and a magic eraser to rub out a lifetime  of sun damage accrued on the Cote d'Azur, Blackpool and California?

Yes? Me too.

When Philips offered me the chance to trial the ReAura laser for 8 weeks I bit off their hand like  a ravenous  Doberman. 

I hope to emerge rejuvenated after 8 weeks: a very post modern brunette version  of Ayesha from Rider Haggard's She; bathed in the  magical Pillar of Life's fire.

Oh for this edition.

Forgive the cliche, but here comes  the science on the first at home laser based on Fraxel technology :


“The Philips product is a second generation device which has been demonstrated to be safe and effective”, said Dr Christopher Zachary, Professor and Chair of the Department of Dermatology at the University of California, Irvine.  “It has a sophisticated high speed scanner, similar to the Fraxel line of lasers, and was assessed in an 80 patient study to treat the full face, neck, chest and arms. Patients were instructed to use the Philips laser twice a week for 8-12 weeks”. Immediate side effects included some redness and slight swelling which lasted about 1-2 days.  About 50% patients noticed an improvement after one week, and over 90% at week 8.  There was statistically significant improvement in all study categories (including overall appearance, fine lines, pigmentation – age/sun spots, texture, firmness and radiance) at one week and four weeks after completing the course of treatment.  “It is likely that patients might have to undergo a periodic maintenance treatment, as with any skin rejuvenating regime.”


 I had a telephone consultation to establish whether or not I was a suitable candidate and Philips offer online support and a telephone helpline for users.
So as not to bore the pantaloons off all of you I shall report back after my 8th treatment and then my 16th.
Now then, my baseline is  pretty good for a 47 and a  half year old woman. Even though I have spent a large part of my life abroad, I have worn sunblock on my face every day since I was 21, so I really have no  sun damage at all. I have dynamic lines but no static ones yet. I do however have the curse of my genetic background namely  broken capillaries around my nose and cheeks as pink as one of  those creepy Victorian china dolls - alas the ReAura does not treat this problem so I had best just keep my ringlets and petticoats to a minimum. In addition I have the first signs of  crepiness on my neck (it doesn't show up in the i phone pics but I'll try to get someone to take a pic ) and the usual volume loss along my jawline and nasolabials associated with nearing my 50th year. It will be interesting  to see if the fibroblast/collagen stimulation brings  improvement to those areas.
*My intention  was  to use this to firm up my jawline and to improve my crepey neck and hands but see note below about my skeletal mitts.
Brace yourselves, I come from Nordic people, without a tan,  we are as pink as a slice of Spam.

The first signs of jowldom.


1. Does it hurt?
No, not really, it feels like a prickle from a very languid  honeybee's butt but after a little while my skin  felt very hot, like mild sunburn. 
2. How do you look after a treatment?
As if I had placed my face on a griddle pan for 5 minutes. Do not plan on going out. All was well by the next morning though a little tender on my neck,
3. Where do I buy this magic elixir?
It is UK only at the moment, and available for the pretty sum of £799
solely from Space NK.
4. Where else can it be used?
The hands, decollete, forearms.
My hands however are tendonous bags of skin and proved too bonio for the device to traverse, it was like trying to drive a three wheeled Robin Reliant over the back of the Loch Ness Monster.


So far my one bug bear is that it takes so long to do. I was bored out of my mind waiting on the "ta da dah!" fanfare which the laser emits once a zone is completed but trust me I am not known for my patience. 

For those wanting to see what it can do for photo damage, check out 
Lila's blog, she has had incredible results.
I had wanted to show evidence of that Blackpool holiday, but I am too lazy to go up to the attic to haul out old photos. My sunburn was so bad we had to call the doctor and I spent three days lying in a B&B on my tummy covered in calamine lotion. Of course I still managed to eat my weight in false teeth,  pink dummy tits and rock. 
If you aren't from Blighty that last line may have blown your mind.