Sometimes, patients avoid beneficial cosmetic therapies because they don’t like needles, are fearful their results will look unnatural, or don’t want to endure lengthy recovery periods. At Perfect Skin Center in Tempe and Scottsdale, AZ, we have good news. AquaGold is a non-invasive treatment with no downtime. Equally important, results are subtle but visible, and with no large needles involved, you can lay your fears aside.
What Is AquaGold?
The quick answer is this: a handheld device made of 20 tiny microchannels (needles) each made of 24K pure gold-plated, surgical-grade, stainless steel. Known as a microinjector, this device penetrates to a consistent depth of 0.6 mm below the skin’s surface to deliver anti-aging and rejuvenating creams and serums. As a facial treatment, it can be used to correct such concerns as:
- Wrinkles and fine lines
- Diminished skin elasticity
- Acne scars
- Lost facial volume
If you’re thinking the microchannels mentioned above create gaping holes or tears in your skin, we’re happy to say just the opposite is true. Each needle is thinner than a human hair so treatments are essentially pain-free. Patients report this therapy is more comfortable than most others, and because it poses little to no risk for skin damage or adverse effects, you can instantly return to your normal activities.
Why 24K Gold?
Besides providing the most luxurious treatment, gold-plating is also the safest. It effectively resists corrosion, meaning it will not oxidize once exposed to the open air. And because of its inherent structural integrity, surgeons routinely place gold-plated medical devices inside the body without fears for long-term performance or safety. You can therefore trust its use on your face.
Of all the metals routinely used, gold is among the most biocompatible. That is why it’s a component of AquaGold – to protect you from toxic reactions that can cause rashes, breakouts, allergic reactions, or burns. This is especially important for those with dry, oily, or sensitive skin, and because of the treatment’s gentle mechanics, almost any patient can benefit.
How Long Do Results Last?
You won’t experience any bruising or swelling after treatment, but it may take up to a week for the full effects to develop. Results can then last between three and four months, depending on the specific concerns we address and the formulas we use.
One of the primary benefits of treatment is that it can be regularly scheduled. It is designed as a renewable therapy, and with that in mind, repeating sessions every few months will improve your skin’s overall appearance and health. You can also switch treatment serums to achieve wider-reaching benefits. In this way, it is a completely customizable therapy.
A Dual Advantage
AquaGold combines the treatment effects of both microneedling and mesotherapy. Pioneered by a French doctor in the 1950s, mesotherapy involves small injections to the skin’s middle layer. Its original intent was to relieve pain, but its uses have significantly evolved so the treatment is now recognized as one with powerful anti-aging abilities.
In addition to delivering solutions that are in and of themselves beneficial, treatment may serve a second purpose by stimulating collagen production. This effect depends upon the exact formula chosen for you, as different ingredients serve different purposes. The many skin-friendly nutrients that can be incorporated into your treatment include:
- Peptides
- Growth factors
- Trace elements
- Antioxidants
Anti-Aging Benefits
All the ingredients used in mesotherapy have two traits in common: they invigorate the skin and help it cope more effectively with the aging process. Peptides, for instance, stimulate collagen synthesis (as we just talked about), while growth factors support skin repair, elasticity, and firmness. Simply put, the nutrients injected into your skin will heavily influence the results you see.
Hyaluronic acid (HA) is commonly included to plump and moisturize the skin. This ingredient alone can significantly improve your appearance; even if we incorporated no other ingredient, you would still leave treatment with a glow. Skin easily becomes dehydrated, whether from sitting in an office all day or spending an afternoon at the beach. Mesotherapy is designed specifically to counter these effects and repair skin.
How It Differs from Microneedling
Microneedling and mesotherapy are often confused as being the same treatment, but they’re not. The one element they have in common is that they both employ micropunctures to stimulate the skin. But mesotherapy is non-invasive and relies on the application of high-grade ingredients to deliver benefits. This is even vastly different from applying cream or serum at home, where products are poorly absorbed because they rarely penetrate below the surface.
Mesotherapy is designed to allow nutrients to sink deeply into the skin. This allows them to work to greater effect – meaning they actually rejuvenate your appearance – and provide a longer duration of results. It’s worth noting mesotherapy formulas can contain 50 different ingredients so the skin is fed a cocktail of vitamins and minerals that are otherwise lacking.
A Look at Microneedling
Microneedling, on the other hand, causes small traumas to the skin to revive the body’s natural healing processes. Among these processes is collagen stimulation, which forms the skin’s underlying supportive network. When collagen levels are high, that structure keeps skin smooth and firm; but collagen levels gradually diminish as we get older, and as that happens, your skin weakens and gives way to lines and wrinkles.
By stimulating collagen, microneedling is an ideal treatment for deeper scarring and more prolific signs of aging. To further distinguish microneedling from mesotherapy, the former uses longer needles, penetrates deeper below the skin’s surface, and requires more downtime – usually three to five days. It is a well-trusted therapy backed by decades of success in helping younger patients stave off the signs of aging and older patients turn back the hands of time.
The Best of Both Worlds
AquaGold combines the best of these two modalities, giving patients a treatment that:
- Needs no healing period
- Delivers rapid results
- Improves skin’s tone and texture
- No discomfort
- Hydrates, firms, and brightens skin
- Shrinks pores
- Erases fine lines
AquaGold cannot be labeled as mesotherapy or microneedling because it goes one step further than either. It incorporates multiple tiny needles used on the skin’s surface but also delivers specialized serums absorbed by the skin’s underlying tissues. And, by targeting a consistent skin depth with every treatment, we’re able to deliver predictable results.
A Treatment for Stars
This therapy is nicknamed the “Red Carpet Treatment” for a reason; it helps skin look its best anytime, especially before an important event. Many celebrities choose to have it before a premier or other noteworthy occasion. And AquaGold can be paired with complementary treatments, such as Botox injections or laser hair removal, to give you the sleekest and most youthful appearance possible.
The Ideal Candidate
Treatment was designed for a wide range of patients, including those who want:
- Natural-looking improvements to their skin
- A minimally invasive and non-surgical therapy
- Skin that looks younger and clearer
Patients who elect this therapy appreciate its simplistic nature. We select the ingredients for your serum, blend and place them into the hollow microchannels, and then use the handheld device – which also contains the microchannels – on your face. If you have an aversion to needles, don’t worry; those used in this treatment are so small that they’re neither felt nor seen.
Questions to Ask Yourself
We know it can be hard to choose between the many cosmetic treatments available today. We therefore recommend asking yourself a few questions to determine if this therapy can benefit you:
- Do you have a special occasion coming up and want to look your best?
- Is it important that you see immediate results?
- Are you in good health and hoping to eliminate common signs of aging?
- Do you want to be part of your treatment in choosing from different serum ingredients?
- Does a minimally invasive therapy sound appealing?
What Is the First Step?
If this treatment sounds right for you, it’s important to schedule a consultation with our office. Our staff will use this time to look over your face, review your medical history, and determine if treatment can address your specific concerns. Once you’re approved, we’ll develop a treatment plan detailing your first treatment. It’s best to arrive for your appointment with a clean face free of lotions, creams, and makeup.
What to Expect
We’ll start by ensuring your face is clean and then move forward. A topical numbing agent might be applied to ensure your comfort, depending on the areas being treated. Delicate areas like the nose and eyelids, for instance, must be treated with care. We will then fill the microchannels with the formula chosen for your needs. Throughout treatment, we distribute these ingredients evenly across your face to address all your concerns.
Your session will generally take less than an hour, and once complete, you can resume your normal activities. If we feel restrictions are necessary for you personally, we’ll provide them at the end of treatment. After, you won’t see bruising, bleeding, or swelling. Some effects begin to show immediately, with most patients commenting on their newly-radiant complexions. Additional results, as mentioned earlier, will continue to develop in the coming days.
Answers to Your Questions
It’s normal to have questions before any treatment. One we commonly hear is, “Does AquaGold hurt?” For most patients, this is a pain-free treatment, so much so that topical anesthesia is rarely needed. We discussed this just a moment ago, indicating we would apply a numbing agent if necessary. We understand that different people have different pain thresholds, and our goal is to keep every patient completely comfortable.
We will periodically ask how you’re doing throughout treatment. If you experience any pain, let us know right away so we can address it. But, again, this treatment is recognized by and large as being very agreeable.
Is It Safe?
The application device we use is FDA-registered and safe. The gold plating reduces any risk for an allergic reaction. Likewise, each applicator is intended for a single use and comes in a sterilized package.
Are There Special Precautions for After Treatment?
We have only four recommendations for post-treatment care, and they are as follow:
- Avoid washing your face until the next morning
- Do not apply makeup for 24 hours
- Avoid direct sun exposure for up to a week
- Wear sunscreen to protect your skin
How Many Treatments Will I Need?
This really depends on each patient’s treatment goals. Sometimes, three treatments each delivered a month apart help rejuvenate skin. Other times, one treatment is enough to lift and plump the face, with maintenance appointments scheduled every three to four months. We’ll have a more definitive answer once we’ve assessed your skin’s health.
Your Red Carpet Treatment
You don’t need celebrity status to enjoy beautiful skin. Instead, the solution can be found in AquaGold, an easy and virtually pain-free treatment that produces immediate results. Just one session can shrink pores, reduce fine lines, and restore your youthful glow. Call Perfect Skin Center in Tempe and Scottsdale, AZ, today to schedule your consultation.
