I was sent the brand new Philips Reaura Skin Rejuvenation device to review. You use it twice a week for 8 weeks to have rejuvenated, younger looking skin. It was created with the Fraxel laser technology which is a really advanced laser skin rejuvenation process used in the USA. I heard about it a few years ago when reading some US Vogue magazines on holiday. I have never heard about it in a UK magazine.
The problems with my skin are freckles (sun damage), fine lines around my mouth and the texture of my forehead. I will be 27 in a couple of months and was excited to try this out.
The Laser
Nails are Shellac Hot Pop Pink
First session - Sunday 8th January 2012
I read the manual, watched the dvd and worked out exactly how to use the device. It is a bit complicated to understand first of all so take your time to read all of the information. I was rather surprised to read that each section needs to be lasered for around 10 minutes (so that's 10 minutes per cheek then 10 minutes on the forehead if you're doing the face). You can also use this on your hands, arms, neck or decollete area.
You ensure your face is cleansed with a gentle cleanser then apply a pea sized amount of the gel to each cheek and to the forehead and smooth over the skin, ensuring there is a good coverage but it isn't too thick so it doesn't clog up the machine.
You turn the machine on press the button at the bottom to pick level 1, 2 or 3 (strength of laser). It said to try and use level 3 but level 2 was ok. Level 1 is the practice level so I figured I would try level two and if that was too much go to level 1.
Straight after the treatment
You hold the device at a 90 degree angle to your skin so the head is flat, once it is correctly applied it goes red, then slide the laser over the surface of the skin gently without dragging, the light will go green and a noise is emitted. This is when the agony started! The leaflet said I could expect redness, a warm sensation and some stinging. It said you 'might' feel these. I felt burning, stinging and I think I swore it was so painful. I stopped for a second then tried to carry on. You are meant to move vertically over the area then horizontally and then presumably once you have done this a few times the beeper will go to move onto the next section. Personally I went over the skin totally once vertically on section 1 which was my cheek/chin on one side of my face. My skin was so red and burning that I tried to go over horizontally and it stung like a mother.... so I waited a moment, tried again and holy **** absolute burning agony. So I quickly realised that there was no way I was going to make 10 minutes on that section, I had done approximately 2 minutes.
I moved onto section 2 and as you can imagine moved to level 1 and the exact same thing happened. Obviously I should have waited until I had finished the one section but it was too painful. I then did my forehead after I couldn't prevail with the second section until and again the buzzer did not go. My forehead was slightly less painful and I managed around 3.5 minutes on this before it was too red and the burning sensation too painful to continue. I had therefore done my entire face in less than 10 minutes with the charge that was needed to do 1 section, less even. So what I had done probably didn't do much at all.
I shut off the machine and turned the cold tap on, sticking my entire face directly under the tap. The cold water felt sooo good! After I had washed off the gel and my face stopped feeling like I had been dunked in acid I applied a thick layer of the cream you are given to use afterwards.
It is now around 3 hous after my treatment and my face feels weird, hot and numb. Still quite painful.and my face is really red. Red enough to make it impossible to go out of the house for example, I look like tomato face. Thank flip I didn't do the whole 30 minute treatment!
Thoughts...I am a bit scared to use this again. I am scared I look crazy for work in the morning. It was massively more painful than I was expecting. I will try again on Wednesday and if I can't manage that I will try and use it on my arms or hands instead.
Now I am not writing this to scare anyone or to complain about the product. But you know me, I am honest and this is what has happened. We shall see a) if I have the cojones to use this again and
b)if it does any good
(and c) whether I have to get the train to work looking like a fruitcake).
