I’ll be the first to admit that I haven’t always taken the best care of my skin. From sleeping in my make-up to using questionable products to just getting older, there’s so much more I could be doing to protect it.
Professional skin treatments are something I’ve considered before but I wanted something more than a ‘one size fits all’ approach. So when I heard about WOW facial by Vie Aesthetics, an award-winning clinic specialising in the latest non-surgical techniques, I booked an appointment.
WOW facial is the ultimate six-stage hyper-personalised skin treatment, delivered by highly trained skin specialists. It’s said to improve the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, pigmentation and sun damage, acne, rosacea, open pores and dehydrated skin.
Sofia, my skin specialist at Vie Aesthetic’s Harley Street clinic, began by asking me a range of questions about my skin complexion, pain points and end goal. From there, she created a customised treatment plan for me that focused on hydrating and tightening the skin. The six steps include a cleanse, peel, micro-needling, LED therapy, mask and finally, the finish and protect.
“It’s a unique treatment because you don’t tend to see chemical peels and micro-needling done together in one treatment. With the WOW facial we’ve made sure that there is the right percentage in the chemical peels to be used with micro-needling,” she explains.
I had the hydrating lactic wash, followed by a mild chemical peel before Sofia created a bespoke solution, a cocktail if you will, to use for the micro-needling – the star in the six-step treatment!
Often performed as a standalone treatment, a mini micro-needling (0.6mm) device is filled with hyaluronic acid, vitamins, minerals and peptides and penetrated into the skin. The needles are so tiny that you only feel a slight prick on your face and I actually found it quite soothing after a while but others may feel slight discomfort.
“With micro-needling, what we’re doing is causing trauma to the skin and then the brain is then telling it to recover. We’re producing fibroblasts which in turn produce collagen and elastin which you start to lose at the age of 25 so it’s really important in regaining that to help slow down the anti-ageing process,” Sofia explains.
LED therapy is also another key step with different ‘light’ used for different skin issues. And yes, you do have to wear one of those creepy masks but as it turns out, it’s one of the most relaxing parts of the treatment.
“We choose the red and infrared light [for me] and what that will do is produce more collagen and elasticity, while also nourishing those skin cells,” says Sofia.
It’s finished with a hydrating hyaluronic acid-infused face mask, then serums and creams are applied (with a beautiful facial massage) to support your skin and finally, a touch of SPF to leave you with super soft, hydrated and healthy-looking skin.
All up, the treatment takes around 90 minutes and there’s minimal downtime unlike some of the more intense micro-needling treatments on the market. The best part is your results are immediate and can continue for up to three months.
“With the WOW facial you’ll also see after a week the benefits are still happening from the micro-needling – the trauma’s still in recovery,” explains Sofia.
I opted for the standalone WOW facial but if you’re particularly worried about fine lines and wrinkles, you can get the WOW facial with micro botox for your smoothest skin yet.
It’s a truly customised and unique treatment that left my skin glowing from the moment I left the clinic, while also excited to see the results continue to develop in the coming days.
“Anyone who wants hydration in their skin or someone who’s got really severe scarring is the perfect candidate for the WOW facial. We have a resurfacing peel and that along with the micro-needling together, if you do it as much as you need to, [it] will give you amazing results,” Sofia ends the interview with.
The WOW facial is £275 and is available at Vie Aesthetics various clinics throughout England. For booking and more information, head to their website.
