A-Listers Swear by High-Tech DIY Skincare Gadgets — Do They Actually Work?
After the streaming revolution, the rise of Zoom, and the spread of telemedicine, there’s yet another reason not to leave the house. Actually, two more.
A routine appointment at an aesthetic dermatologist can run you thousands. And if you want to maintain at home (or between meetings), there are few DIY options, including the NuFace device, a favorite of Jennifer Aniston, Kate Hudson and Bella Hadid. But the few skincare gizmos currently approved for home-use have tended to be bulky, unwieldy, insufficiently powerful, or limited in scope, say dermatologists, so that you need an artillery of them to address all your skin’s issues.
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“They are one trick ponies,” said Ava Shamban, a cosmetic dermatologist who has offices in Beverly Hills and Santa Monica, and a roster of luminaries that includes Rosanna Arquette and Jennifer Gray.
Now, she and top Park Avenue aesthetic dermatologist Anetta Reszko — who tends to a range of familiar faces, from actress Crystal Reed to veteran model Helena Christensen — are each releasing devices that not only have multiple functions but are also are light enough to carry in a small purse.
“This is taking home care to a new level,” promises Reszko. “It’s no longer maintenance or camouflage; it’s actually about reversing aging.”
Reszko’s mini machine, called Skorr Glow, has settings for LED lights, micro current, radio frequency and sonic vibrations. A “boost” mode uses electric current to create small microscopic openings in the skin. “It separates individual cells, but temporarily, not tearing them, like microneedling does,” she explained. This allows the expensive creams you buy to actually get beyond the skin’s top layer. “The stratum corneum is an amazing barrier, so only about 10 percent of the products we use penetrate without this,” she says. “You just wash them off in the morning without benefit. This device allows about 80 percent to penetrate.” The boost setting also employs anti-inflammatory, clinical strength yellow LED to protect against rosacea, acne, and infection.
The “lift” setting uses a microcurrent to target muscles for a more sculpted appearance, and green LED to stimulate collagen.
“It’s great to use if you are swollen after a flight, or if you ate salty food or drank a little too much,” notes Reszko. “It removes fluids and helps with lymphatic drainage, so I also suggest it to my patients after injectables or surgery.”
The “build” setting uses heat, in the form of radio frequency, to go deep into the dermis and build collagen and elastin. It also has red LED for wound healing, to help with post-surgical scars, and sonic vibrations to alleviate puffiness.
For delicate skin, there is an “eye and lip” setting, that employs sonic vibration and radio frequency to increase hydration, plump the area, and reduce the appearance of fine lines.
The price of Skorr Glow is $685, which, as Reszko points out, is less than a session of Botox.
Shamban’s rival device, CARA (clarify, activate, restore and amplify), sells for $350, and uses three separate LED lights to activate different cell systems. Blue light penetrates one millimeter to reduce inflammation and bacteria, and helps your body clock. “So many cell functions are controlled by genes that set circadian rhythm, and this helps reset that system by stimulating mitochondria within cells,” she explains. “If you are traveling, that makes a big difference.”
Red light, which penetrates deeper — three millimeters — increases the production of energy as well as collagen and elastin, while violet light is also anti-inflammatory, Shamban says.
C.A.R.A., like the Skorr Glow, has settings for radio frequency and micro-current, and each function on the device has three different intensity levels.
Both Shamban’s gadget and Reszko’s are more powerful than most previously available. “There were a lot of devices, but they were so low energy that they were a waste of time,” said Shamban. “And micro current devices may stimulate muscles, but they won’t improve the quality of your skin the way RF and LED will.”
According to Reszko, the Skorr Glow is over two and a half times more powerful than the popular NuFace. “NuFace has a maximum output of 425 watts; this is 1100,” she asserted. Shamban also felt existing devices weren’t particularly user friendly. “With many other LEDs, you have to wear a funky alien mask, and you have to close your eyes so you can’t do anything else. A lot of them were heavy, or attached to cords, so they gave you shoulder fatigue, and they collected gunk and were difficult to clean. There is actually one that is a laser, but it costs about $3,000, you have to protect eyes from it, and it might make you more photo sensitive.”
For all of Reszko’s and Shamban’s bold claims, the dermatological field remains skeptical of at-home devices. Dr, Shari Lipner, President of the Dermatological Society of the State of New York, is hesitant to give these products a thumbs up. “The FDA does enough research to check safety, but in terms of efficacy, there needs to be work done before we can recommend these,” she said. “They may have some benefit, but we don’t know how effective or long-lasting they are without longer, more rigorous studies.”
New York oculoplastic surgeon Dr. Robert Schwarcz sees a limited benefit of such tools, particularly for post-surgical use. “Over the years patients have come to me with at home devices and for the most part I’ve been underwhelmed, but I know these two dermatologists and I think they are brilliant,” he said. “The power settings are significantly higher than they are with the products you get on Amazon and the quality of the LED lights is better. I think there is a market with post-surgical patients, because swelling and lymphatic drainage can be a problem, and I like the fact that there is a lot of functionality with the lights because I actually recommend anti inflammatory lights.”
Of course, even these powerful new tools, which are not much heavier than lipsticks, won’t entirely eliminate visits to a dermatologist’s office. “C.A.R.A. will improve overall quality of skin, including texture, hydration and elasticity, and will help with sagging,” said Shamban, “but if you want to get rid of deep lines, you will need toxins, filler and laser from a board-certified doctor.”
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