I tried an ultrasound facial to get rid of my wrinkles

In the quest to help people reduce wrinkles, a Swiss-based company has developed a hand-held, portable ultrasound device small enough to fit in your purse.

It’s called Mira-Skin, and it’s being promoted as “the latest no-facelift technology”.

According to Techmira, the company behind the silver, cylindrical tool, it reduces wrinkles by 30 per cent when used with Mira-Skin’s deep-moisturizing hyaluronic serum and your own skincare products. The serum contains hyaluron, an essential nutrient in the skin that decreases with age.

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Ultrasound is an oscillating sound pressure wave with a frequency the human ear can’t hear. Mira-Skin uses soft ultrasound to purportedly add vitamins and nutrients into the skin, stimulating renewal and hydration. The result, the company claims, is the minimizing of fine lines, rejuvenation of the skin, and a younger-looking appearance.

“Most anti-wrinkle creams are designed to plump up your skin by adding moisture, but this is only a temporary fix because they are not able to disrupt the lipid barrier,” the device’s user guide explains. “The gentle air vibrations of ultrasound temporarily expand and open transport ways, which boosts the delivery of anti-aging ingredients into the deepest layers of the skin where they are more effective.

“Ultrasound stimulates blood flow, increases the regenerative capacity of the skin and promotes collage synthesis,” it states.

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According to a press release, a four-week clinical study headed by Drs. Werner Voss and Gerritt Schippe at Dermatest in Münster, Germany, found that the skin experienced up to 56% more moisture using the product, as well as nearly 34 per cent more elasticity. As well, they found that wrinkles were reduced on average by nearly 28 per cent.

I received a sample starter kit and tried it out for two weeks. The kit contains the ultrasound device, hyaluronic serum, and ultrasound gel.

How it works

First, after washing your face and removing makeup, you apply the serum, which is said to help your skin retain moisture and keep it soft and supple.

Then you put on the gel, which acts as the conductive medium required for ultrasound to work. If you’ve ever been pregnant, think of the stuff they put on your belly, only this substance isn’t as thick and you don’t need as much. Too little, though, decreases the penetration of the ultrasound.

Then you place the ultrasound flat against your skin, and glide it over your face in an upward, circular motion.

Finally, you apply your own anti-aging skin-care product, ideally in the first 30 minutes after treatment when your skin is said to be highly absorbent.

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The treatment takes five to 10 minutes and is to be used just two to three times a week. Overuse will “tire out” the muscles and skin tissues, leading to “undesirable” results.

You can’t use it if you’re pregnant or have a pacemaker heart disease, or other serious medical condition.

After two weeks of use, here’s my take:

Pros

• The device is easy to use. It’s perfectly silent and painless. If you stick with five minutes per treatment, you’re not giving up much time during the morning routine.
  

• The hyaluronic serum has a lovely, fresh scent.
  

• My skin does seem extra absorbent afterward, when I apply my preferred anti-aging skin-care product (Boots No7).
  

• The fine lines around my eyes do seem to be somewhat less noticeable—temporarily.
  

• The device is sleek-looking and doesn’t take up much space.
  

• The treatment doesn’t involve repeated trips to a specialist to have the botulinum toxin injected into my face.
  

• At US$349, it’s less expensive than repeated trips to a specialist to have the botulinum toxin injected into my face.
  

Cons

• I don’t like the feel of the ultrasound gel on my skin after the treatment. Plus, I’ve had a couple of blemishes appear in spots where I don’t usually get them, such as my cheeks, since I started using the gel.
  

• Any mild reduction in the appearance of fine lines around my eyes seems to be short-lasting, at least at this point.
  

• The start-up cost is US$349, plus more to purchase the serum (US$69 for 50 mL) and the ultrasound gel (US$39 for 50 mL).
  

• Some mornings, a spare five minutes doesn’t exist.
  

• I still have wrinkles. The crevasse on my forehead is just as noticeable as ever.
  

Would you try out the Mira-Skin ultrasound facial? Let us know your thoughts by tweeting to @YahooStyleCA.