By Greer Barnes
We’ve all paid the price for beauty in one way or another, whether it was wearing that pair of uncomfortable, sky-high heels that made our legs look great or enduring thirty minutes of painful eyebrow waxing to get that perfect arch. Maybe you even recall spending three hours perfecting your cat-eye liner for a first date that never led to a second one. Whatever the case may be, you’ve probably found yourself wishing you didn’t have to sacrifice so much time and comfort for beauty. Now with the arrival of new skin methods like the Pellevé System you won’t have to sacrifice time away from your kids or endure a painful procedure to reveal smoother, brighter, more youthful skin.
The Pellevé System consists of non-surgical treatments that gradually distribute radio frequency energy into the skin.
“Essentially the radio frequency waves are creating a thermal injury, for lack of a better description, by heating up the collagen and elastin fibers to cause them to contract and tighten to repair/restore themselves,” says Aesthetician Kristi Lett of the Lett Center in Mt. Juliet, Tennessee.
The heat is nothing to be afraid of however. Often patients say the treatments are comparable to a warm facial massage. The Pellevé System has even been approved by the FDA.
Lett says that the treatment “is typically described as a warm ultrasound using viscous gel.” Once the ideal temperature has been reached, multiple passes over the skin with different devices ensures that the optimal results will be reached.
“Again, this unlike historical treatments where topical anesthetic cream was used to alleviate discomfort because each additional pass became more intense due to heating of the skin’s tissue. While the skin’s tissue is indeed heating with each additional pass (of the Pellevé System), it is still very tolerable.”
Because Pellevé treatments are non-surgical, you will not have the down time and side effects associated with other skin-tightening procedures. The system is color-blind and suitable for all skin types even during the summer months when the skin’s increased exposure to UV rays is often an issue.
Though patients will see improvement in their skin’s appearance after just one treatment, Lett says, “The patient needs ideally 4-5 consecutive treatments at monthly intervals, and after those initial ones, 1 visit every six months to maintain results.
Though Pellevé is a great option for many people and the results are truly remarkable, the system is not for everyone.
“If a patient has too much skin laxity, Pellevé won’t be the most efficacious treatment. Surgical intervention may be necessary. Also, patients with internal devices such as pacemakers, defibrillators, etc., are not candidates for Pellevé.”
Though Pellevé benefits a variety of patients for different reasons, Lett counts the initial tightening of the skin after a treatment among her favorite features.
“The greatest thing about Pellevé is that it can be done on the same day as a special occasion for that quick fix due to that 48 hour of initial tightening that persists.”
Along with receiving Pellevé treatments, drinking lots of water and regularly applying SPF during the summer months is essential to achieving that youthful summer glow we all want during this time of year.
“Drinking water is key in flushing impurities and aiding in overall health as sweat increases.” SPF should be reapplied “every 40-80 minutes without fail and skin will remain protected,” says Lett.
Kristi Lett is a licensed aesthetician and has worked at The Lett Center for over nine years. Before pursuing her career in aesthetics, Lett earned her Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Social Work degrees and worked in the social work field for many years. Lett is also a certified laser technician and has worked as a freelance make-up artist.
The Lett Center for Plastic Surgery has locations in both Mt. Juliet and Lebanon, Tennessee. The Lett Center offers a variety of services for patients, including reconstructive and aesthetic surgeries and Medi-spa services. For more information about The Lett Center or to book an appointment, visit the thelettcenter.com or call 615-443-0901.
