Sagging and discoloured skin are both signs that your face is ageing. While targeted skincare, a healthy diet and exercise will all help to get your skin glowing again, tightening up loose skin can be trickier. Editor Trudi Brewer puts a non-surgical skin-firming treatment at Clinic 42 in Auckland to the test – here's what to expect.

The skin under our eyes, chin and arms and even around our waist is susceptible to sagging as we age. Sun damage and weight loss have left me with pigmented, loose skin on my face, so I decided to investigate a skin-tightening treatment that promises visible results without the help of a surgeon's knife.

Venus Versa Skin Tightening Treatment

What is it?
Venus Versa uses radio frequency to deliver heat into the deepest layers of the skin through a handheld massage-style tool piece. Non-surgical (great for anyone who doesn't want to go under the knife), this treatment rejuvenates droopy skin by stimulating your natural collagen and elastin fibres, leaving you with a firmer, more youthful complexion.
What to expect?
The skin is given a swift cleanse before a gel is applied to the treatment areas. In my case, the brow bone, under the eyes, cheeks, down the side of my face and around my jawline. The heated massage tool passes over these areas in a figure of eight style pattern. Both sides of the face are treated including the cheeks, eye area and upper forehead once each side. And then, the neck and jawline once each side. Radio frequency delivers heat to the skin that slowly rises as it passes over each area to reach a very warm 39°C to 41° C. The secret to this non-invasive treatment is to warm the skin to as hot as you can tolerate and keep the heat consistent as the massage tool moves over each area delivering radio frequency waves to the deepest layers of the skin.
It feels a little sensitive, almost prickly, as it passes around my eye area, however, on my lower face and jaw it is so relaxing I actually nod off a couple of times during treatment. Much the same feeling as hot stone massage, this is the perfect relaxing treatment to have on a cold, rainy day.
Is there any post-treatment downtime?
Your skin will look flushed and may appear slightly swollen immediately after treatment but this passes within 30 minutes. There is no downtime with this treatment, you can nip out to have it done at lunchtime and no one would be any the wiser.
The results?
As with any treatment that stimulates the body's natural collagen and elastin production, the results are cumulative, so you'll start to see improvements over the course of a few weeks. I had one treatment each week for eight weeks. By the fourth week, my skin was feeling much firmer to touch when applying make-up, particularly under the eye area. Eight weeks on, and my skin feels great and the glow I am sporting is getting better by the day.
Who should have this treatment?
The bonus of this treatment is that anyone, regardless of skin tone or age, can benefit from boosting their natural collagen production. The appeal of this service for me was the fact there is no downtime and the excellent visible results, which make it ideal to have in the lead-up to a big event or if your skin is starting to look and feel a little slack. I am sold.
Cost?
Venus Versa Skin tightening costs, $350 per treatment or $2400 for a course of eight treatments.

Before and after shots following eight treatments

For more information or to book online click here