Technology trends for 2019, as a general rule, will see an even greater focus on pain-free treatments, with no downtime, no consumables, that can be customised and promoted as quick/lunchtime procedures.

The key trends will be:

LED phototherapy systems 

LED or low level light therapy has proven extremely beneficial in treating multiple skin concerns, easily and effectively as both a stand-alone treatment as well as an adjunctive therapy.

LED works by harnessing light energy which is transmitted at particular wavelengths and it is the understanding of how the different wavelengths work in treating different indications, that will be an area that continues to grow and evolve.

Low-Level Light Therapy (LLLT) is the therapeutic use of incident light to photomodulate cellular function, improving healing times, relieving pain, subsiding active acne, promoting skin rejuvenation, and more.

Harnessing the properties of different wavelengths by LED technology is what enables light to be properly delivered and concentrated, treating effectively without possibility of physical trauma or thermal damage.

The combination of different wavelengths treats a wide range of aesthetic and medical conditions without heat, ensuring no risk of burning or other damage to tissue, which is beneficial to both patient and practitioner.

Radiofrequency devices for body contouring

These painless, non-invasive body-sculpting treatments with proven, visible results will continue to be a drawcard in 2019. Radiofrequency (RF) delivers sound wave energy to areas of unwanted fat by driving controlled heat deep into the cells to cause mechanical disruption and subsequently destroy them.

The heat of RF works mainly on the skin’s deepest layer, the dermis, without affecting the upper layers, such as the epidermis.

Some aspects to consider could be whether the RF technology is biopolar, energy travelling from one part of the handpiece to another penetrating the epidermis, or monopolar, energy that travels from the handpiece to a return plate penetrating through to the dermis, effecting both skin and subcutaneous fat.

There is also the consideration of resistive or capacitive RF, which determines the area being treated. Resistive RF will penetrate deeper and will facilitate drainage and microcirculation. Capacitive RF heats top and middle layers of the skin and promotes collagen production.

The controlled heating of deep tissue layers makes it possible to reach fatty tissue, which helps increase micro-circulation and lipolytic drainage properties ideal for cellulite, reshaping the figure and localised fat.

Skin tightening

There is a huge and growing demand for skin tightening procedures that are minimally invasive.

The combination of procedures such as radiofrequency and microneedling that effectively stimulate collagen production and elastin is gaining traction and will continue to do so in the upcoming year.

Devices are becoming more advanced by combining modalities in a single treatment enabling a multilayered approach.

This means customised treatments that are quick, have minimal downtime and can offer greater comfort than traditional skin tightening procedures. Technology that can effectively heat the deeper dermis to produce collagen and ultimately encourage tightening of the skin, while miminising risks by protecting the epidermis also results in the ability to treat all skin types.

Catherine Biedermann, the managing director of Advanced Cosmeceuticals has always had an interest in the science of skincare so in 2006, Catherine pursued her passion and established Advanced Cosmeceuticals.