Full-field ablative laser resurfacing with the Sciton Joule Contour TRL™ device, is by far the most powerful skin resurfacing tool in the TLC toolbox – a seriously heavyweight treatment capable of recalibrating texture like no other. Expect high-impact precision results for serious de-ageing of wrinkles, including smoker’s lines, lip lines and sagging, crepey eyelids.
“This treatment can be truly transformative . it’s possible to shave a decade off your looks, which is why so few clinics are able to offer it. It’s the absolute best there is for lines and wrinkles, which warrants the longer downtime and need for greater patience than usual as you wait for the full results to emerge.”
The most robust of the Sciton Joule light & laser technologies by some distance, the Contour TRL™ laser skin resurfacing treatment involves applying a depth-customisable controlled beam of intense thermal energy directly over the skin to destroy the outer layer of skin (epidermis), while simultaneously heating the underlying layer (dermis).
For those with more extensive wrinkles, poor elasticity or larger amounts of sun damage, full-field ablation will completely renew the facial skin, allowing it to heal in a more normal way.
When deployed for spot-treating problem areas (such as around the mouth or eyes), to ensure a perfectly uniform textural finish across the surface of the skin – eradicating any demarcation lines – we often combine this procedure with its less invasive ProFractional™ sibling treatment. The ProFractional™ Laser by Sciton, offers deep resurfacing with transformational results. It does this by creating tiny channels within the skin to promote the body’s natural healing process (“like aerating a lawn”). We also offer MicroLaserPeel, which gently polishes the skin, minimising imperfections and revealing radiant and more youthful looking skin with minimal downtime.
Laser skin resurfacing is for the face only, and best suited to those looking to completely renew the facial skin, remove wrinkles, tighten the skin, improve skin elasticity and thickness and remove sun damage. It is ideal for spot-treating key areas such as the lips or periorbital zone (around the eye socket). Superb for smoker’s lines, gnarly lip lines and is a serious challenger to a blepharoplasty (eyelid surgery) for tightening saggy eyelid skin. The results on the lower eyelid wrinkles can rival the results of surgery. Deep laser resurfacing ablation restores the normal skin around the mouth or eyes by removing it. The result appears entirely natural.
The capacity for laser skin resurfacing to unseat scarring and obstinate wrinkles in a way other treatments simply can’t – makes it ideal for more mature individuals. Please note that due to potential complications of hyperpigmentation we elect not to perform this particular treatment on darker-skinned patients.
Notably, while the resurfacing will strip back superficial sun damage it won’t remedy redness or significant pigmentation issues like melasma, due to potentially causing inflammation.
As a serious treatment with mega results, plenty of downtime is essential – we recommend two weeks at home for a full recovery. Do expect some redness, inflammation, hyperpigmentation or orange peel texture of the skin for approximately 12 weeks, while the effects of the procedure settle, and avoid exposure to the sun completely. New collagen is produced for up to 6 months post-treatment, so there is further improvement after the healing phase is done.
This procedure does not have to be repeated like other treatments such as dermal fillers and the results are permanent (although of course you continue to age).
Please note that all treatment responses and recovery times are dependent on the individual patient.
If this treatment is precision-focussed on small zones it’s usually imperative to involve other laser treatments for a perfectly blended textural finish, ensuring zero visible demarcation lines. As such, we often advise combining the process with the NanoLaserPeel™ or MicroLaserPeel to treat the surface of the skin which is not being treated with Contour TRL (both are skin polishers requiring minimal downtime), potentially followed by the aforementioned ProFractional™ laser (for scarring or textural issues) or the HALO® if in support of pigmentation problems.
As one of our most intensive treatments which does come with some risks, (including bacterial and viral infections, and both hypo and hyperpigmentation), it’s also worth being prepared for a more emotional experience than you may initially expect. You will be required to take some medication prior to the procedure. But don’t worry, the TLC team are here to support you every step of the way with advice and guidance on all aspects of your treatment and aftercare.
The Contour TRL™ laser brings the power of full-field ablation to fully resurface and renew the skin, tackling even deep wrinkles and severe sun damage. Whether used for an all-over treatment or targeted to specific areas, it’s a flexible solution that can deliver dramatic results based on your goals.
Here are a few final things that you might like to know before taking things forward. If you have any other questions we haven’t thought of yet, no problem! Please email us at hello@thelovelyclinic.co.uk and one of the team will get back to you as quickly as they possibly can.
As the most robust of all the laser skin resurfacing treatments, discomfort is to be expected but this can be mitigated with a range of anaesthetic injections and numbing creams.
It starts to work immediately (during the procedure, it’s possible to see the skin contracting) but the full impact of the remodelling will only be visible in two to three months.
There is a risk with laser resurfacing of infection, hypopigmentation, and hyperpigmentation, but every eventuality will be discussed with you in your initial consultation.
