Skintyte™ is a cosmetic treatment used to tighten the skin and give it a smoother appearance. The treatment involves the use of infrared radiation to penetrate the skin’s tissue and help give loose skin more elasticity. It also uses a cooling agent to prevent any pain in order to reduce the amount of recovery time from the procedure.
This treatment is generally used for a variety of cosmetic skin issues on both the face and body. One of the most common uses of Skintyte™ is for improving the appearance of skin that is damaged from excessive sun exposure. Sun damaged skin tends to lose elasticity and may have a saggy, more wrinkled appearance, as well as brown spots or other abnormal pigmentation. The treatment can also be used to help reduce scars, fine lines, or other cosmetic skin conditions.
The process of a Skintyte™ treatment is performed with a device that applies infrared radiation directly onto the skin through the use of a specialized light beam. The heat from the radiation travels deep into the skin’s tissue and is thought to cause collagen, a protein found in the skin, to contract and give the skin a tighter appearance. At the same time as the heat penetrates the deepest layer of the skin, a cooling agent is applied directly onto the top layer of skin to help prevent any pain from the deep heating of the skin. An average treatment generally lasts for around 45 minutes; however, many dermatologists recommend at least another treatment a month following the original treatment to get the best results.
The creators of Skintyte™ promote the treatment as being different from other similar treatments due to its lack of pain and recovery time. People who receive other skin treatments using heat or chemicals will generally experience significant redness, swelling, or bruising that may prevent them from being able to wear makeup, go out in the sun, or go to work. Since Skintyte™ is noninvasive and uses a cooling agent that helps with pain relief and prevents swelling, patients will typically require no recovery time and can resume with their regular activities.
Critics of Skintyte™ claim that it has limited uses and effectiveness. Although the treatment is often promoted for a variety of cosmetic skin conditions, some say it is not very successful at treating scarring or other pigmentation issues. They also believe the treatment is not very effective long-term because many patients have to keep up with constant maintenance every six months or so to have successful results.