DIY Laser
Reporter: Karryn Cooper
Australian's are desperate to find the fountain of youth. We now spend more than the Americans per person, on non invasive cosmetic procedures a year, trying to erode our wrinkles and look younger.
It's a long way from Tupperware party plans, but women are being sold the very latest in home products -- do-it- yourself laser surgery.
Young mum Loraine Tibbets was about contribute to the $300 million Australian's spend annually on cosmetic quick fixes -- things like botox and microderm abrasion -- until she found the latest in over the counter anti-ageing device.
Miriam Boeve, from Clinical Skincare, the sole importer of the skin tightening system, says, "The result is its going to improve the skin tone, its going to provide skin tightening, so improve the appearance of large pores and it actually has a pleasing affect on adult acne -- any acne actually -- whereby it does cover the parameters that it actually heals and cuts the bacteria".
Carmella Labbozzetta is a beautician by trade and has seen many machines claim many result, but this one did work particularly on her acne. "I never had a problem with my skin when I was younger, but since I hit 30, with hormone problems, I started to get like acne breakouts. To my surprise it really did help", she aid.
Kayleen Chorlton is our guinea pig. After using the clinical skin tightening system four weeks ago, she says, "It feels beautiful it's as soft as a young child, I think".
The major advantage Kayleen says, is she could use it in the privacy of her own home, when she had the time. But it's the unsupervised use that has Society of Cosmetic Physicians President, Dr Mary Dingley, concerned.
Dr Dingley says patients have had some horrible results, scarring, burning, redness, even when the procedures have been done by trained practitioners. She is alarmed by what could go wrong without supervision and certainly if you left the light wand in the same spot too long it does burn.
But Miriam Boeve insists common sense and the training provided will avoid such problems.
Then there's the cost -- its $5,500 for the unit, which includes the special creams and moisturizers. Dr Dingley says that's expensive when weighed up against the results. "It's going to be relatively ineffective and over along period of time, it may give you more of a healthy glow or something like that", she said.
Dr. Dingley says for the same money, you could buy numerous treatments, done by a professional, with greater result. "Something like a fracsal laser treatment -- you are looking at a significantly less cost than that and certainly a lot more affect. And injectable treatments like botox and fillers -- you'd be looking at several treatments for something like that", Dr. Dingley added.
But those who've used it believe it's worth the money.
The Clinical Skintightening System is now available in Australia . For further information call 1800 628 999 or go to the website at: www.clinicalskincare.com.au