A slimmer face? Ultrasounds good
Play the hand you’re dealt, they say. But we live in a time when we don’t really have to. With every means available to take control of our realities — even those genetically bestowed — it’s a struggle not to, at the very least, be curious. Face shape is something I never thought would end up becoming subject to trends, yet here we are, wanting the jawline we never thought we wanted, the cheekbones we never thought we needed.
Recently, I was presented with an opportunity to try a treatment that slims the face. (“Slims” is a term used rather loosely here.) Leave all delusions of turning a round face triangular at the door: this non-surgical treatment doesn’t touch any bones, so it won’t miraculously turn you into a Korean pop star. It does promise to enhance your God-given facial contours and long-term fix certain problem areas.
With a friend also recently (and not-so-eloquently) pointing out how my nasolabial folds are starting to grow prominent, I was vulnerable and also highly susceptible to saying “Yes” to anything. So I did.
The treatment is called Instalift. It’s the latest one offered at Belo Medical Group and I am told a lot of celebrities have had a go at it and were pleased with the results. At my first treatment at Belo Fort, the aesthetician showed me a photo of a teen star, pointing out how her roundish face has dramatically slimmed down. While I may look easily impressed, I had my doubts. Her face is really round. Maybe that’s just lighting, or a good angle. I positioned myself on the bed, hoping for answers.
The treatment starts with a targeted fractionated ultrasound, where a device is placed strategically on areas of the face while the machine counts. One thousand intersecting high-fractional focused ultrasound beams are concentrated on a target depth, inducing progressive thermal rejuvenating effects down to the adipose tissues — a fancy term for that layer of fat that stores energy and insulates the body. In short, this part of the procedure melts the fat. It also mechanically heats the dermis and stimulates collagen production. This step takes up to 30 minutes or so. You won’t feel a thing, except maybe boredom. I asked my aesthetician how boring it is to work the ultrasound and she said, “It’s relaxing. Gives me time to think.” I appreciated her positivity.
Next, a cold laser targets wrinkles, and then finally, comes the cryogenic activator, which also promotes collagen production and addresses the surface of the skin, soothing and cooling it while restoring its natural pH and moisture. I had a bit of a problem with this. It turns out I am one of those people who could drown in oxygen. A tube releases a forceful wet mist and it is run all over the face — and I couldn’t handle it. I found myself literally gasping every time they ran it over my nose and mouth. While it’s completely normal, other clients have no problem with it. If this happens, just tell the aesthetician to warn you before going over your nose. The feeling, post-drowning, however, is nice. The skin feels refreshed and not in a tight, just-washed-my-face-three-times kind of way. It feels… comfortable. And the feeling lasts throughout the day.
The procedure took about 45 minutes and Belo recommends treatment once a week for three sessions and once a month for another three sessions.
I didn’t notice any difference since I see myself every day, but my mean friend did tell me that my laugh lines are somehow abbreviated now. After she told me this, I examined my face closely and felt around the jaw area, and it’s actually less fatty. My selfies are better, too. The goal is to be able to take a selfie as my face would appear if I were lying down, right?
At first I was hesitant because I didn’t want to lose any plumpness from my face. That is, after all, how I get away with looking younger than I actually am. (Or is it the glassy look in my eyes? Not sure.) But my face remains plump, just not unnecessarily puffy.
The thing with results is, once you get just a tiny hint of them, you become motivated to see more. So this was also around the time when I stopped drinking soda and eating fries, increased my vegetable intake and starting doing anti-gravity yoga (because gravity is the enemy). Any rational human being would not let these treatments go to waste by going about life as usual. Who knows? Instalift could be the headstart you needed all along.
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Instalift is available at Belo Medical Group. For information, call 819-BELO or visit www.belomed.com. Price depends on area to be treated.
