Lasers at cutting edge of the battle to stay young

It's all about lasers in Hollywood these days, and we're not talking light sabres. Traditional face-lifts are out. A new generation of no-knife, non-surgical face-lift is in.

According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 7.5 million minimally invasive procedures were performed in the United States last year.

There are a host of different treatments available but it's the "Fraxel" laser treatment that is really causing a stir. A laser moves over the skin to stimulate collagen production, resulting in smoother, younger-looking skin in days.

Thermal energy is propelled through microscopic sites deep in the dermis, leaving healthy surrounding tissue unaffected. Unlike traditional lasers, this does not remove the top layer of skin, which means that the recovery process is fast. Side effects are minimal and typically subside within a few days.

According to the practitioners, the risks are non-existent. Dr Mario Luca Russo, whose London practice The Rejuvenation Clinic is a regular stop for celebrities, is the first surgeon to offer this treatment in Britain.

"In theory, when you do an ablative treatment you may get an inflammatory response from going too deep on the tissue. But because Fraxel is treating 20 per cent at a time it is much safer, and will not cause any wounding or resultant scarring.

"This procedure is also revolutionary because it's able to treat everyone in the six skin type classifications, broadening its appeal to patients of darker skin types."

In California, Dr Monica Bonakdar of The Beauty, Laser & Wellness Centre is coping with a similar Fraxel frenzy.

"My clients were mostly booking in for Botox and Restylane fillers, but now Fraxel is right up there on my 'most requested' menu."

She says Fraxel is particularly effective for easing sun-damaged skin and clearing pigmentation marks.

Dr Bonakdar supports non-invasive surgery, and says: "Resurfacing the skin 20 per cent each time is like fixing a digital picture piece by piece, and it's a more practical way to improve the skin than the older version, which was to blast the skin 100 per cent with a CO2 laser, followed by at least two weeks' recovery indoors with open wounds, looking like a burns victim and risking infection."

Elsewhere, the Beverly Hills-based Dr Sam Assassa has recently patented the "Cosmolift", which involves having sutures inserted where the uplift is needed. These are simply pulled and knotted, with the skin almost gathered up to provide the kind of uplift that you would get with fully invasive surgery.

It is often called the "lunchtime face-lift", as it's non-invasive, with no anaesthesia needed.

Another Californian treatment is a skin-tightening heat treatment called Thermage. It transmits radio frequencies deep into the skin, heating its collagen network and causing it to tighten.

This stimulates the growth of collagen over the next few months, resulting in tauter, firmer skin.

The good news is that the treatment takes only half an hour, but it takes two to five months to see any major improvement and the effects are comparatively short-lived.

Not everyone sees these developments as progress. Abigail Saguy, a professor of sociology at UCLA, thinks that our growing obsession with surgery is unhealthy.

"It's shocking that women are so desperate not to age naturally. Is it really worth going to these extraordinary lengths just to feel acceptable?"

- INDEPENDENT