Can You Dewrinkle Yourself at Home?
@joannaczechofficial via instagram
By Cheryl Wischhover
The production of collagen, the protein responsible for giving skin the plumpness that signifies youth, peaks at age 22. TWENTY-TWO. As you produce less, signs of aging can start to become visible — sagging, fine lines, uneven texture. Plus, all the sun exposure of our childhood and teenage years kicks in to reveal dark spots and uneven skin tone. These are the calling cards of a 40-year-old face. Or at least they used to be, until all sorts of dermatological treatments came along.
Perhaps you want to embark on a skin care regimen that goes beyond lotions, but stops short of in-office injectables like Botox or filler. Because the beauty industry is brilliant (diabolical?) at providing products for every conceivable situation, we are in a golden age of at-home facial technology.
But there are caveats.
For wrinkles, “there is nothing like Botox,” says Dr. Corey L. Hartman, the founder of Skin Wellness Dermatology in Birmingham, Alabama. None of the tools you may have seen on social media that claim to treat some of the other signs of skin aging work as well as professional grade treatments in a dermatologist’s office. Some of them are complete bullshit. Plus, at-home facial tools can be expensive.
With all of this in mind, I asked Dr. Hartman about three of the most popular types of at-home devices and how well they actually work.
LED Masks
You’ve likely seen these all over social media. They are usually rigid plastic face masks with eye and mouth holes that glow an eerie red, like Jason from Halloween at a rave. They’re a favorite of celebrities, and cost anywhere from several hundred dollars up to almost $2,000 (for the constantly sold-out model from Déesse).
Light therapy — blue to treat acne and red to treat fine lines and hyperpigmentation — has data to back up its efficacy, at least in professional settings. But Dr. Hartman thinks that results of the at-home mask versions are “so minimal that it's not worth it.” If you consistently use an at-home blue light device you may see improvement in acne, but other skin improvements will be subtle, if at all. He’s backed up in this opinion by other doctors.
I bought the Dr. Dennis Gross DRx SpectraLite FaceWare Pro ($435. Yeah.) during lockdown to supplement my skin care routine (which includes a prescription retinoid, Botox two to three times a year applied with a light touch, and a hit with the Pico laser once a year or so.) It has blue or red light options, so I shared it with my teen son who was struggling with breakouts. Both of us thought it … kinda worked? (Or maybe I just want to justify what I spent on it.) I strap it on and lay on my couch, unable to look at my phone for a glorious three minutes. Afterwards, my skin has a warm, tingly glow.
But if you are looking for more obvious results, consult with a derm. A laser treatment is probably a better use of your money.
Microneedling
These handheld rolling devices are covered with tiny needles that essentially poke hundreds of holes in your face. They purport to do mechanically what lasers do with heat: microscopically damage your skin in order to stimulate collagen remodeling. The roller also can theoretically help topical treatments absorb better, but you need to be aware that this can result in irritation depending on what product you apply afterwards.
In the office setting, microneedling is often paired with radiofrequency treatment, and the needles are longer than consumer versions, which don’t penetrate as deeply. Dr. Hartman says that rollers can cause bleeding or infection, which is why they should be used with caution at home.
Shorter needles may make at-home versions safer, but then you’re trading efficacy. He reluctantly says that home versions can be a “good adjunct” if you can’t get into a doctor’s office, but ultimately, “I'm not sure if the benefit you’re going to get at home is worth it.”
The GlowPro ($199) is the best known brand in this category, but you can find all sorts of cheaper rollers on Amazon, including some with longer needles that shouldn’t be sold to consumers. Pros recommend that you keep microneedles at or under 0.3mm. Be careful out there.
Microcurrent Devices
NuFace ($339 for the Trinity, its signature tool) is the technology that Dr. Hartman likes the best for at-home use. This handheld device features two round metal balls on one end which conduct an electric microcurrent into your face. You need to use a gel (kind of like an ultrasound) to assist with conductivity. Microcurrent therapy can supposedly help stimulate collagen, lift/plump skin, and smooth fine lines, according to Dr. Hartman.
“It's never going to give you the results that you're going to get from Fraxel, but you're moving more in that direction. And aside from the discomfort, you're not introducing anything that's going to cause breaks in the skin or encourage infection,” he says.
The sensation of using this tool, which I was gifted by the company a few years ago, is a little disconcerting. It makes your face muscles twitch involuntarily, and all of your nerve endings feel a bit jangly for a while after use. But it does provide a noticeable lift, which for me seemed to be temporary. Dr. Hartman acknowledges that you’d have to use the device frequently to see results. Whether the time and money is worth it is up to you.
Cheryl Wischhover is a journalist and former nurse practitioner who has covered retail and the beauty industry for over a decade.