If surgery is a no-no but you still want to look younger, here’s our guide to the latest non-invasive treatments that can take years off your look, are virtually pain-free and the recovery time is minimal.

Dermal Fillers
What are they? Skin loses collagen as you age and that causes lines and wrinkles. What fillers do is replace the collagen, restoring your skin back to youthful plumpness. The most popular are Restylane, which uses hyaluronic acid, Zyplast, which uses collagen and Sculptra, which works by stimulating your own body to form tissue around the filler.

What happens? The face is first numbed with a local anaesthetic cream or injection. Fillers are injected under the skin, which can feel mildly uncomfortable. Treatment takes up to one hour, and many people return to daily life afterwards. Although if a large area is treated, it can take a few hours or even a day to recover. There may be slight bleeding or bruising.

Results: The full effect appears once the swelling and bruising subsides, which can take a few days. Injections fill out lines and wrinkles, sunken cheeks and weak chins and they are also used to reshape the nose or lips. Repeat treatments are needed every six to nine months.

Dermaroller
What is it? The Dermaroller is a medical roller that has micro-surgical precision needles mounted around a rolling device. These tiny needles are rolled over the area to be treated and pierce the skin to a depth of 1.5mm, taking about 30 minutes for one treatment. It’s good for treating acne scars, sun damaged skin, facial lines and stretch marks.

What happens? The skin is numbed first using anaesthetic cream. The Dermaroller is then rolled over the area and thousands of microscopic needle columns penetrate the skin, which causes an initial trauma. Directly after the procedure, there will be redness resembling mild to moderate sunburn. The healing process then kicks in and this encourages new collagen to form at the same time. This goes on for up to six weeks after the treatment.

Results: The results do not occur immediately, but a few weeks after just one treatment, the difference is noticeable. And because results are gradual, it tends to be long lasting.

Titan Laser
What is it? A broadband spectrum of infra red light heats up the water content in the skin, causing the surrounding collagen to contract and tighten, which reduces lines and wrinkles. The body’s own natural healing process starts producing new collagen, which tightens the overall appearance of the skin over several months. This can be used on the face to tighten skin and to improve skin texture on the body, too.

What happens? A hand piece is placed on the area being treated and infra red light is delivered in pulses, heating up the water content of the skin. A warm feeling of heat is normal, which some people find uncomfortable. The surface layer of the skin is kept from heating up by a cooling system. Treatments usually take half an hour to an hour, or longer for larger areas of the body.

Results: Some people notice an immediate improvement. But for most, the results are seen over a period of one to three months. It’s great for improving saggy skin in the jowl area and for reducing the appearance of nose to mouth lines.

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)
What is it? Facial skin is supported by collagen and elastin, which tend to diminish with age, causing fine lines and wrinkles to appear. With IPL, a pure, non-laser, narrow-beam red light stimulates the body’s own natural processes to form new collagen and elastin, plumping up the skin.

What happens? Patients lie on a bed with their eyes covered, while an intense burst of light is shone on to the skin. No anaesthetic is needed although the process can be mildly uncomfortable. Skin may look slightly reddened but there is no recovery
time and you can carry on as normal straight after. Six to nine treatments are recommended over three weeks.

Results: This treatment improves the tone of the skin and evens out pigmentation. It will reduce lines and wrinkles, too. IPL is used on the face, neck and chest but can be used to treat areas exposed to sun, such as the hands. Results are instant but to maintain them, you’ll need regular treatments over a number of weeks.

Browtox
What is it? Botox is probably the best known non-surgical procedure. Botulinum toxin is injected into the skin to smooth out eye lines and forehead wrinkles. A Browtox uses Botox injections to alter the shape of the brows and can also make eyebrows look more even.

What happens? Botox is injected directly into the brow muscles, using a very small needle. Bruising can occur, but the pain is minimal so you don’t need local anaesthesia.

Results: It usually takes effect 24-72 hours after your injection, visible changes occur about eight days later but it can be up to three weeks before you get the full effect. A Browtox can help to get rid of the line between the brows and make the eyebrows look more symmetrical; the results last for around three to four months.