Pellevé


Pellevé Skin Tightening

See a live treatment at WTMX event.  Click here.
Dr. Taub on Pelleve for men on makemeheal.com.


Photo courtesy of Advanced Dermatology,
female patient before (left) and after (right) 1 PelleveTM treatment.

Photo courtesy of Ellman International. Inc.
Female patient after 2 PelleveTM treatments.

What is Pellevé ?

Pellevé is a technology that delivers skin tightening, brightening and firming via a series of non-invasive, painless procedures with no downtime and both immediate and long-term results. The best results are achieved in mildly to moderately winkled, dull and/or lax skin, yielding firmer, brighter and tighter skin using radiofrequency energy. This technology heats the deeps layers of the skin just enough to stimulate collagen changes without damaging the top layer or epidermis.
 
Pellevé firms the skin around the eyes (crows feet, under eye wrinkles and lax skin), cheeks, jowls, neck, lines on the forehead, nasolabial folds, sagging skin under the chin, wrinkles around the mouth, excess skin on the upper eyelid and wrinkles in the chest cleavage.

Pelleve is usually painless with minimal downtime and the device does not interact with melanin, so it can be used on all skin types including tanned skin.

 

Who is a candidate?

Good candidates for this procedure are anyone who would like to tone, firm or brighten his or her skin in a natural and immediate way.

 

Patients who are pregnant or who have taken isotretinoin (Accutane) in the last three months cannot have Pellevé. In addition, patients with pacemakers or defibrillators and metal implants in other parts of their body should not have treatments.

What is Pellevé like?

Your skin will be cleansed with a gentle cleanser using the Clarisonic PRO Skin Care System brush to mildly exfoliate and clean. An individually wrapped grounding pad will be placed on your back which conducts radiofrequency. Then, a protective and conductive gel will be applied to the treatment area. No anesthetic or numbing cream is necessary as the treatments in not painful but you will also act as a guide to tell us if you are feeling a mild or a more intense heating sensation as the hand piece moves across your face. As the hand piece is moved across your face or areas to be treated, you will feel a warm and massaging sensation that can at times feel very warm to hot. The temperature and number of passes will be tailored to your comfort while we try to achieve a certain tissue temperature as we treat the area for 3-5 minute in order to maximize your collagen production. A full face treatment can take 60 minutes, while a specific area like the eyes or around the mouth can take 20 minutes. A neck treatment lasts 30 minutes. A series of 4 treatment sessions conducted over 3 months are recommended with one treatment session every 6 months to one year thereafter for maintenance.

How does Pellevé work ?

A gradual and constant increase of energy heats the skin causing collagen bundles to contract. As the cells called fibroblasts are heated, they become more active and generate new collagen, a process that takes about 3-6 months. The immediate collagen contraction causes visible firming at the conclusion of the treatment, whereas the cell stimulation results in a longer term tightening.

What type of equipment is used?

The Pellevé Device is manufactured by Ellman International, Inc. Ellman is a company with an excellent reputation that has made electrosurgical equipment for many years.

What desired results can be expected?

With a typical result, you will see an improvement in skin laxity as there is a visible improvement of skin tightness and your skin will look more radiant. The immediate effect is truly excellent. However, over a few days your skin will not look quite as good as it did immediately but you will see a difference and improvement in your skin than before the treatment. To see optimal results, you will need 1-2 additional treatments. At the end of 3-6 months, you should see a noticeable improvement in skin brightness, texture and firmness.

Are there any negatives?

Immediately after a treatment there may be some redness and/or mild swelling, although usually this dissipates before you leave the office or within a couple of hours. All medical devices have some risks. The skin could overheat causing a blister. The blister could get infected or heal poorly and cause a scar. If you do not report a metal containing object in your body, that object could become heated, which may or may not have consequences. If you have a pacemaker it is possible it could be activated or inactivated. Also, as with any cosmetic procedure, you may not receive as good result as you anticipated.

What happens after Pellevé ?

After the treatment, the gel is wiped from the area, the grounding plate on your back is removed and because there is zero downtime, you are free to go about your daily business.  Makeup and/or sunscreen may be applied immediately and you may return to work or any social engagements.  You may also continue your skin care regimen.
 
Most people experience no swelling or redness post treatment, but for some mild sweling and redness may occur.  This usually goes away within a few hours to a day.

Is there another way to get the same effect?

There are many other laser and light systems which can be used for rejuvenation. Other tissue tightening devices might produce similar results such as Thermage®, Titan™, ReFirme™ and others. Sublative Rejuvenation (eMatrix) or Fraxel® Re:store might also be good choices for certain skin types Wrinkles can also be improved with fillers or botulinum treatments. Resurfacing lasers such as erbium or carbon dioxide lasers can rejuvenate and tighten the skin. Since the landscape of treatments has become a more complicated one, an individualized consultation with an expert cosmetic dermatologist should be performed prior to choosing a specific treatment.
 

How is this different than other procedures?

Pellevé is different from other tissue tightening devices due to the fact that a more visible result appears immediately, the skin seems brighter and there is less discomfort. In addition, it may be less expensive than other tissue tightening devices due to less disposable costs. With fractional laser resurfacing or Sublative Rejuvenation, there is usually 2-10 days of being unable to appear in public. These are good options when dealing with deeper wrinkles, scars or surface sun damage. Fillers and botulinum toxin are another way to deal with wrinkles and firming. Medium potency chemicals have more downtime and low potency peels and microdermabrasion would not be expected to achieve the same degree of improvement.

Can this be combined with other treatments?

We can combine this treatment with BOTOX® Cosmetic or Dysport™, Injectable Fillers such as Restylane™,Perlane™, Juvéderm™ and Sculptra® Aesthetic and Fractional Resurfacing or Sublative Rejuvenation (Fraxel Dual, QuadraLASE™, eMatrix), Photofacials and the PanG™ Lift,chemical peels, and medical-grade facials. All of these procedures may complement and enhance each other.
 
 

What is the cost of Pellevé ?

The fees for Pellevé are based on the areas being treated.  Please call Advanced Dermatology for a consultation and the Cosmetic Coordinator, along with a cosmetic provider, will develop a personalized treatment protocol with you.