Non-surgical devices that harness energies such as ultrasound and radiofrequency to rejuvenate or repair skin and lift facial features have revolutionised anti-ageing.
In the equivalent of a lunch hour, these devices trigger processes beneath the skin that subtly recontour areas like the face and neck, as well as progressively renew the skin.
Over a period of weeks, lines and wrinkles are minimised, the skin becomes more youthful-looking, supple and radiant, and debilitating dermal issues such as hyperpigmentation, acne and rosacea can be dramatically reduced, even cured. Yet not everyone has the time or money to invest in the series of clinical treatments that may be needed to produce the desired results.
Enter SQOOM, a world-first ultrasound system in the form of a sleek handheld device, that promises to deliver all these results in your own time, in your own home, at a fraction of the cost of clinical treatments.
What is SQOOM?
‘SQOOM is the first handheld device that allows you to put the equivalent of fillers and muscle relaxants into your own face,’ says Perth cosmetic physician Dr Serene Lim, SQOOM’s exclusive agent in Australia and New Zealand.
According to Dr Lim, SQOOM (pronounced ‘skoom’) will do for the beauty industry what the iPad has done for computing. ‘It is the world’s first handheld machine that you can use on yourself in the convenience of your own home, and it is safe to use,’ she says.
‘Used together with specifically engineered gels, it produces remarkable results without needles or bruising and with no unwanted puffiness or swelling.’
The brain-child of German skin specialist Dr Helmut Christ, SQOOM marries natural, organic, chemical- and preservative-free medicated gels with a sophisticated delivery system.
Using patented IONYZM technology, ionisation and ultrasound open pores and spaces between cells to deliver products into the skin’s lower layers.
The gels contain ingredients such as bio-hyalurorate and hyaluronic acid, designed to tighten, deep clean and reduce wrinkles.
Its round metal transducer operates at one million ultrasound vibrations per second, separate the skin cells to allow the ionisation energy to drive the products deep into the skin’s layers to exfoliate, deep cleanse and reduce pore size.
The process also triggers the production of collagen and elastin, the structural proteins in the connective tissue that gives youthful skin its plump, dewy appearance. As well as the face and neck, SQOOM can also be used on any skin that needs rejuvenation or repair (for instance, the decolletage and backs of hands).
Used at different settings and teamed with issue-specific gels, SQOOM can be used to lift facial contours (especially effective for the cheeks, jawline and neck, says Dr Lim), reduce the appearance of visible red veins, pigmented spots and scars, and to get right to root – literally – of the problem in treating skin inflammations such as acne and rosacea.
‘SQOOM also has benefits for post-procedure facelift patients or those who love the no-lines effects of Botox,’ says Dr Lim. ‘It hydrates the skin and increases elasticity to ensure no visible facelift giveaways and reduces the number of Botox treatments needed each year.’
The main ingredients in the gels are celebrated anti-ageing elixir hyarulonic acid (HA), aloe vera to moisturise, argireline for a botulinum toxin-like effect and panthenol, jojoba oil and chamomile extracts to soothe the skin.
The SQOOM fragmented HA has been specially engineered to create smaller molecules that can be driven by the software technology deep into the skin.
‘With other treatments, usually less than one per cent of active products are transported into the skin due to the impermeable skin barrier,’ says Dr Lim.
‘Many top skincare brands say they have HA, but they have a miniscule concentration and the large HA particles cannot penetrate past the top layer unlike the fragmented HA in SQOOM’s unique gels.’
SQOOM can be used daily initially, followed by maintenance once or twice weekly in eight-minute sessions.
Five different programs are available with specific gels (cleanserGel, xcential hyaGel, DeSpot Gel, medgel) for cleansing, massage, lifting, whitening and for sensitive skin. The gels must be used with the SQOOM device.
SQOOM was introduced to the European market in 2009 by Schick Medical (it is now available in 42 countries), which drew upon an international network of universities, specialist doctors and other experts to develop Dr Helmut Christ’s discovery into the SQOOM technology that it is today.
‘Our network has helped ut to generate products and innovative concepts that are natural-based and holistic,’ says Helmut Schick, Schick Medical president and CEO, who visited Sydney this week for the Australian launch. ‘Our concept treats the causes of skin ageing, not only the superficial, visble symptoms.’
The SQOOM anti-ageing kit, which includes the IONYZM transducer and German-engineered gels (cleanser and hyaGel), travel bag and charger, RRP $895. For more information or purchase, visit www.drserene.com
