The Truth About 4 Alternatives To Injection-Based Procedures

While anti-aging techniques and treatments are the “talk of the town” right now, and many are emerging day after day, we tested 4 alternatives to injection-based cosmetic procedures that are supposed to reduce wrinkles, give radiance and firm the skin. So, if you’re like me, scared of needles, you probably want to know if these alternatives actually work before investing in them. That’s why I had a chat with French cosmetic dermatologist Isabelle Rousseaux and asked her to set the record straight and give me her scientific (not sugar-coated) opinion about these popular alternatives, so keep scrolling as I reveal the whole truth to you.

The Jade roller

Jade facial rollers are having a moment with stars and beauty influencers. Liping Wang, co-creator of the Yu Yan lifting massage concept, praises the merits of the jade roller: "It is detoxifying and helps stimulate circulation of the blood. In addition, the jade stone is cold and allows a hot-cold effect which leads to lymphatic drainage. This helps decrease puffiness and gives radiance to the skin.”

Apart from occasional massages in the salon, the specialist also recommends to use it every day just after applying the cream: "Before sleeping, it relaxes."

The dermatologist's opinion: "I have doubts about the effectiveness of the jade roller itself. Above all, I think that it is part of a ritual that relaxes and that being relaxed has a positive effect on expression lines. In any case, if you want to adopt the technique, you better hop on it early because ones the fines lines are there, there’s nothing much the jade roller can actually do”.

Facial yoga

The idea behind face yoga is to do massage and exercises that stimulate the skin and the muscles of the face, in order to soften and relax your face muscles and to help your skin become firmer.

Created by Japanese yoga teacher Fumiko Takatsu in 2006, the Face Yoga Method has since gained a worldwide popularity and is making waves in the wellness world. "The earlier you practice, the less you want botox!" says French yoga champion Dana Vasilescu who recommends doing the face yoga exercises morning and evening for five minutes, and "practicing in front of a mirror to make sure you do the movements well." Indeed, for the technique to work, you have to focus on one part of the face and avoid moving the rest. No frowning when focusing on the double chin, for example.

The opinion of the dermatologist: “Why not. Face yoga does not work miracles but can firm the face. Above all, yoga in general promotes a healthy lifestyle that has anti-aging effects. If you have wrinkles, you can treat your face and body by relaxing. It can't hurt. The goal is to adopt the gestures that you like, always in association with your skincare routine".

LED light therapy

Are these ski goggles? No, LED light therapy is a device with a technology inspired from aerospace research. By a system of LEDs and electrostimulation, Talika's Genius Light promises to say goodbye to the first wrinkles and spots. All thanks to lights of different colors and wavelengths: red soothes, blue fights imperfections, green erases brown spots, and orange is anti-wrinkle.

You choose a program, and you let yourselves be guided. Be careful not to ditch your skincare beauty routine by using only this futuristic device. And that claustrophobes be reassured, even though the mask covers a large part of the face, we can see through.

The opinion of the dermatologist: “LEDs are widely used in dermatology; their benefits have been proven. I recommend adopting this technology for a few minutes a day on cleansed skin, before applying a moisturizer which will facilitate absorption. However, it should be noted that we are in the field of prevention: a wrinkle is a wrinkle and it cannot be repaired with LEDs”.

Collagen supplements

Collagen supplements usually come as a drink. For example, the brand Day+ offers small sticks in which we find collagen, spirulina, hyaluronic acid, pomegranate and zinc. Components known for their anti-aging and antioxidant properties.

Claire Despagne, founder of the brand says: “Nourishing your skin with moisturizers is not enough. It is necessary to provide an external contribution to feed and repair from the inside. ” These supplements are quite easy to take, but do they really work?

The opinion of the dermatologist: “Collagen is a protein that we have in the skin. If you swallow it, I don't see how it can end up in your skin. Especially since the product will go through the digestion process. Food supplements like this can perhaps act on other consequences of aging, but not on wrinkles. "