(From top) Stem cell serum injections help in hair restoration and facial rejuvenation; Juvederm XC is a pain-free filler for correcting facial wrinkles and folds

Getting fuller, sexier, lips with collagen shots and pulverising those noxious crow’s feet with Botox is yesterday’s news. Right now, battering and breaking stubborn pigmentation spots into nothingness with the high-tech Q Switched Laser is a painless and super-quick way to a flawless look. Or then, letting the cutting-edge Jet Peel Technology shoot a stream of saturated micro-droplets of air and water at your skin at high speed will clear away all the dullness in your complexion.

Once there was non-invasive liposuction for fat removal. Today, there’s i-Lipo, a painless laser treatment that’s also a simpler way to get rid of those annoying bulges. Did you know about the latest and safe adult stem cell facelift that can now be done using your own stem cells? And if you are needle-phobic but want some fillers here and there, there’s one that comes with an inbuilt anesthetic to ease the pain.

“With time and advancements, cosmetic cures are only getting safer, simpler and more effective,” says Dr Navin Taneja of Delhi-based National Skin Centre. Which really means that you can now score a Perfect 10 in the looks department minus all the aches/ pains/ bruises associated with cosmetic cures.

“Today people are aware and prefer to opt for the New World technologies that are medically correct and proven to deliver faster and long-term results,” says Chiranjiv Chhabra of Skin Alive, a skin and beauty clinic in Delhi.

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Stem your age

The Scarlet machine uses radio frequencies for facelifts and is an alternative to injections and invasive surgery

There are multiple surgical procedures to fight age, but for the faint-hearted who want a facelift without the involvement of surgical instruments, the cutting-edge stem cell facelift, might just be the thing. “It’s one of the safest and newest beauty procedures available today for rejuvenating the face, eyelids and hands, and augmenting the breasts and buttocks,” says Dr Anupam Dhir, senior consultant, Apollo Hospitals, Delhi.

Taneja dispels doubts about this procedure having anything in common with the ongoing controversy surrounding the stem cell debate: “The use of adult stem cells — as in this procedure — avoids the ongoing controversy about the use of human embryonic stem cells.” For a facelift, the cells are derived from adult tissue samples rather than from destroyed human embryos.

In this procedure, stems cells are taken from fat-rich areas like the thighs or the stomach (through liposuction) and are transferred to the face. Once injected into the skin, usually the stem cells turn into new skin cells, which make the skin plumper and fuller. It’s a painless procedure but in some cases might need anesthesia. The results can last as long as four to five years.

Another alternative stem cell treatment, which doesn’t require your own fat cells, is done using readymade stem cell serum. “People who are not comfortable going for liposuction to get stem cells can opt for this ready-made serum,” says Taneja.

Taneja uses readymade fat tissue-derived, stem cell extract produced by a Korean company called Dermaheal. The procedure requires about three to five sessions and the effects last for a year.

In favour of: The stem cell facelift uses cells from your own fat, so there are no chances of an allergic reaction.

How much: The stem cell facelift takes about two to three hours and costs about Rs 2 lakh. The stem cell serum injection is a one-hour procedure and costs Rs 15,000 per session.

Anti-ageing quick fixes

Doctors have found a brand new way to iron out creases from your once smooth skin — by injecting platelets prepared from your own blood in the problem areas. PRP (Platelet Rich Plasma) reverses ageing signs around the face, neck and hands and lasts for about six months. “These platelets, which contain substances called growth factors, rejuvenate cells when they are injected into the skin,” says Taneja.

Another non-surgical treatment that’s gaining ground is a skin rejuvenation procedure done using a machine called Scarlet, which combines radio frequencies (heat energy) with micro-needling (needles inserted into the dermis to stimulate collagen) for skin tightening.

In favour of: There is no allergic reaction in PRP because the platelets come from the patient’s own blood. Scarlet is a total painless procedure.

How much: The PRP method is a one-hour procedure and costs Rs 7,500 per session. The one-hour procedure on the Scarlet machine costs Rs 10,000.

New filler on the block

The cutting-edge Q Switched Nd YAG laser treats blemishes and discolouration effectively

Juvederm XC, the latest to join the filler brigade, is a pain-free advanced version of the New Age filler, Juvederm. “Juvederm XC is formulated with an anesthetic to reduce pain during and after the procedure,” says Dr Sangeeta Amladi, head, medical services, Kaya Skin Clinic.

The filler can be used for smoothening laugh lines, under-eye skin, filling in the lips, correcting the jaw-line and giving the cheekbones a chiselled look.

In favour of: Juvederm XC gives natural looking results in 25 minutes, which last up to a year.

How much: At Kaya Skin Clinic a single session of Juvederm XC starts at Rs 26,000, while Taneja charges Rs 25,000 per session.

Out, damned spot

When most women hit their mid-30s, their skin tends to change colour resulting in pigmentation patches. To treat this, Chhabra uses Medlite C6, which is the latest cutting-edge Q Switched Nd YAG laser. It’s excellent for treating hyper-pigmentation (discolouration of the skin), blemishes, freckles, age spots, dark circles and birthmarks.

“The Q Switched laser light breaks the pigments to fine powder that’s washed away with metabolic processes like urine and sweat,” says Chhabra.

Another procedure being used to stamp out those blemishes is the Jet Peel Technology that was recently launched by Kaya. This technology uses a stream of saturated micro-droplets of air and water directed at the skin. It’s propelled at high speeds, helping to exfoliate the skin. Then, special vitamins in liquid form are infused as deep as 4.5mm into the skin using the technology.

According to individual skin requirement, this technology is being used for procedures like Aqua Radiance with Vitamin Infusion, Aqua Fairness and Aqua Radiance with Oil Control Formula. In Aqua Radiance with Vitamin Infusion, the water is infused with glycolic acid or other vitamins like A, B6, C and E and penetrates the skin through water jets. The pressure of air and water from the nozzle is able to create channels for beneficial ingredients to penetrate the skin. The Aqua Radiance Treatment benefits people with skin damage, acne and blemishes.

In the Aqua Fairness procedure, glycolic peel (derived from sugarcane extracts) is used. This peel in liquid form is infused into the skin mixed with water and helps acne-prone skin and lightens the skin tone. In the Aqua Radiance with Oil Control Formula, a mandelic peel (derived from bitter almond extracts) is used to control oiliness.

In favour of: The Q switched laser is a lunch-hour procedure while with Jet Peel Technology you can go 4.5mm into the skin without using a needle. Both are painless procedures.

How much: While single sessions of Aqua Radiance with Vitamin Infusion costs Rs 1,600, Aqua Fairness and Aqua Radiance with Oil Control Formula cost Rs 2,500 for one session. The Q switched laser treatment costs Rs 5,000 per session.

Painless hair reduction

Kaya’s Hairfree Painfree procedure treats excessive hair growth with low laser heat

Wave goodbye to painful waxing sessions and say hello to Kaya Painfree Hairfree and Kaya Spot Hairfree. The first is useful for treating areas with heavy hair growth. This service uses IN-Motion technology in which low laser heat is repeatedly given in a sweeping motion to an area. The laser beams get absorbed by the dark colour (melanin) of the hair and work on the hair roots (follicles) without harming the surrounding skin. The procedure requires multiple sessions for good results.

Similarly, Kaya’s Spot Hairfree procedure uses a machine called Selectif, which uses ultrasound technology and works on a single hair at a time. The treatment channels ultrasound energy exactly to the hair root, which is converted into heat. This heat is hot enough to cause long-term damage to the hair’s re-growth. The treatment is effective in treating small areas with fine hair like the ear-lobes and for shaping the eyebrows. It is most effective if four to six sessions are opted for.

In favour of: PainFree HairFree’s mechanism ensures that the surface of your skin stays cool throughout the treatment. With Selectif, the skin remains unaffected as the energy is applied directly on the hair shaft.

How much: Both start at Rs 1,800 (for something like one session of hair removal on the upper lip) and could go up to Rs 2.09 lakh for one full-body session.

Beat the fat

The i-Lipo machine is a non-invasive alternative to fat-melting liposuction

Once upon a time, women swore by liposuction (or suction-assisted fat removal) to get rid of the stubborn fat from problem areas like thighs, hips, stomach or love handles. But the latest fat melter — i-Lipo — is a non-invasive alternative.

The i-Lipo emits low levels of laser energy that disrupts fat cell membranes, causing cells to break and thereby changing the permeability of the cell membrane. “The excess fat then slowly gets drained out through body’s natural metabolic system,” says Chhabra.

Vandana Luthra Curls & Curves (VLCC) has recently introduced an innovative slimming solution called Duo Therapy. This therapy uses low frequency ultrasonic waves on specific areas to achieve centimetre loss and weight loss. These waves produce a cavitation effect on the fat cells by breaking the cell wall and releasing the free fatty acids, through sweating and urination. The rest of the weight is taken care of by a balanced diet suggested by the expert nutritionist.

In favour of: Every session of i-Lipo can result in a 2cm-4cm loss in the abdomen circumference. A course of eight treatments is recommended over four weeks. VLCC’s Duo Therapy is a painless alternative to liposuction.

How much: i-Lipo costs Rs 5,000 per session for treating small problem areas in the stomach, hips and thighs. A session of VLCC’s Duo Therapy takes around 45 minutes and is priced at Rs 5,000.