Jul 25, 2006 5:05 pm US/Central
FDA Approves 'Gentle Waves' Skin Treatment
(CBS 11 News)
A new medical device, that makes the quest for eternal youth and beauty a little easier, has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
The treatment rebuilds skin from the inside out, takes less than a minute to perform, and doesn't require any downtime.
They look like regular beams of light, but they actually smooth the skin of the patient with gentle waves.
Board-certified dermatologist Dr. Martin Kassir says the technology combats aging and uneven skin tones in an innovative way.
"Gentle Waves is a light-emitting diode device which uses a series of lights to project light under the skin and cause a chemical reaction to enhance collagen production," Dr. Kassir said.
Dr. Kassir says collagen serves as the skin's infrastructure in much the same way that bricks hold up a wall, but as we age we lose collagen.
Kassir says, "As that happens, then the skin tends to collapse as it loses its structure therefore giving the appearance of fine and then moderate and then severe wrinkles."
Doctors offering the procedure say a patient can have a Gentle Waves treatment on their lunch break and go back to work with no one the wiser.
"It's different from lasers and intense pulsed light devices, in that it does not create heat or thermal injury onto the skin," Kassir says. "So it's very safe and it does not have any side effects or down time."
Gentle Waves is also helpful for younger patients who are fighting blemishes.
Patient Adam Tobolowsky is thrilled with his results after just two treatments. "Made my skin a lot smoother, the texture of it was a lot better," he said.
Tobolowsky first underwent a chemical peel, and then used Gentle Waves to smooth his skin and even out his skin tone.
Doctors also warn that the device is not for everyone. Dr. Kassir says people with very 'leathery' skin are not good candidates. Patients who do
not have very advanced wrinkles get much better results than those who have more progressive wrinkles.
Results from the Gentle Waves treatment are cumulative. New collagen may continue to grow for up to six months after the last treatment. Gentle Waves treatment packages include 6 to 12 treatments, depending on the patient's needs. The cost ranges from $750 to more than $1,000 for each package.
(© MMVI, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
Click to enlarge
'Miracle' Comes Through For Arlington Charities 56 mins ago 
Stumble It!
