Written in partnership with The Cosmetic Skin Clinic
If you’ve hit your 40s or 50s and sagging skin is getting you down (literally), The Collagen Force is the new turbo-charged treatment to try
If you’ve noticed your face taking a little journey south since you turned 50 or even 40, a new collagen-boosting combination treatment called The Collagen Force could be the sagging skin solution to try for a natural-looking fix.
Collagen Force is a two-stage treatment that combines two proven collagen-stimulating heroes, founded on the growing demand for 'biostimulating' tweaks, i.e. treatments that stimulate and boost your own collagen production for a 'you, but better' result.
It starts with a session of Ultherapy, an energy-based skin-tightening and lifting ultrasound device, followed two weeks later by Radiesse Wash, a hyper- diluted bio-stimulating injectable.
Both Ultherapy and Radiesse Wash have long been considered ‘gold standard’ treatments for sagging skin. But, what's new is the recent discovery that they work even better together, giving you more bang for your buck.
Radiesse Wash supercharges collagen and elastin production in your skin, giving Ultherapy, which works over time, effectively more to boost. The result is even more effective lifting and tightening, plus enhanced definition for your cheekbones, jawline, and neck.
This is particularly good news for tricky-to-treat signs of ageing, such as the beginning of jowls and crepey necks. It promises visible but still natural-looking results in as little as three months.
It's been a great success elsewhere in Europe and is now exclusively available in the UK at The Cosmetic Skin Clinic in London and Buckinghamshire.
Lee Garrett, Clinical Lead at The Cosmetic Skin Clinic, who performs the treatment says, “Combining these two puts the spring back into your skin. It harnesses the best of two collagen stimulators. Ultherapy builds collagen underneath the skin over a long period of time. Radiesse Wash, meanwhile, improves the canvas of your skin straight away mimicking more youthful skin, while also ‘biostimulating’ fresh collagen and elastin production.”
Here’s everything you need to know about The Collagen Force. That includes how it lifts and tightens, how much it hurts, and how long the results last.
How does Collagen Force lift sagging skin?
Ultherapy uses micro-focused ultrasound (MFU-V) energy that stimulates the production of new collagen and elastin deep within the skin without damaging the skin’s surface.
The ultrasound energy is targeted at three depths within your skin, including the deeper dermis where collagen and elastin are made, and the SMAS (the superficial muscular layer - which is below the dermis). Because it penetrates the SMAS, it's particularly good for redefining your facial contours and jawline.
It essentially jump-starts a repair process, strengthening existing collagen and producing fresh new collagen, putting structure back into your skin.
Radiesse Wash, meanwhile can improve the canvas of your skin immediately. It's a hyper-diluted form of Radiesse, a dermal filler usually used to add volume. The diluted version acts instead as a biostimulator, both plumping and boosting collagen and elastin - the proteins that give your skin that 'spring back' quality. So, it's brilliant at improving overall skin quality, texture, and thickness.
Collagen Force treatment step-by-step
Your first session starts with Ultherapy. It can take between 60 minutes for the lower face and 90 minutes for the full face, neck and jawline, including the time for the application of numbing cream.
Two weeks later you turn for the Radiesse Wash treatment. This is injected either with a cannula or a needle into the areas you want to target, such as the mid and lower face and neck.
It takes around 30 minutes and there's no need for numbing beforehand as the formula already contains lidocaine for pain relief.
In some instances, both treatments can be performed on the same day, but your practitioner can advise if this is suitable for you.
How quickly can you see results and how long do they last?
You can see an immediate skin quality boost after your Radiesse Wash treatment. It doesn’t ‘fill and plump’ in the way that the undiluted dermal filler would. Within a week, as it gets to work enhancing collagen and elastin production, you'll notice it rehydrating and improving the elasticity and the thickness of your skin.
For Ultherapy, best results, are seen around three-to-six months, depending on the initial quality of your skin.
Overall results will also last for up to 12 to 18 months.
What is the downtime of Collagen Force and does it hurt?
Radiesse Wash injections are very tolerable because of the local anaesthetic within them - no more than a two out of 10 on the pain scale. You will just have to go gently on skincare for 24 hours - your practitioner will advise. The main downtime issue is a small risk of bruising or swelling, as with all injections.
Ultherapy is highly bearable these days, as you have numbing cream before treatment. You can go about your normal activities straight after. You may get some tenderness and redness over one or two days, but this is unusual.
What age should you have Collagen Force?
It’s less about age and more about the general condition of your skin. You’ll see the best results for mild-to-moderate sagging, i.e. the sort that makes your cheeks look sad, and your neck a little more wobbly than in years gone by.
Our 40s and 50s tend to be the time when we start to notice sagging. The Collagen Forceis not just for regeneration though – it it can be used preventatively too for so-called ‘collagen banking’.
.This means it is also ideal for anyone in their 30s upwards who wants to retain good collagen levels and build back up any collagen depletion that's already happened.
How much does Collagen Force cost and where do I get it?
Prices start from £2500, depending on the amount of collagen loss, skin laxity and photo damage you have.
Collagen Force is exclusively available at The Cosmetic Skin Clinic, in London's Devonshire Place and Stoke Poges, Buckinghamshire.