Do you have tiny cherry angiomas on your face? Age spots on your hands? Clogged pores you just can’t seem to get rid of? Clinical Skin Clear Therapy might be an option for you. One of our clients gave it a go – here she tells you what it’s really like (and whether it works).
Clinical Skin Clear Therapy is a treatment that has interested me since I first became a client of Gaia Day Spa years ago. I was intrigued by its very brief but to-the-point description: “Removal of skin tags, facial red veins, age spots, cherry angiomas, fibromas, cholesterol deposits, clogged pores, and milia. Each client will be assessed prior to treatment and a course of action determined.”
I suffer from annoying, tiny skin tags in my underarms which inhibit hair removal, get irritated by my bra, and generally frustrate me. I also have an irritating skin tag on my inner thigh. Over the years I’ve looked into the possibility of skin tag removal, but was always put off – it seemed my only options were my GP, where it would cost a fortune, or one of those specialist mole clinics, where it would also cost a fortune and I’d have to get my kit off in front of people I don’t know.
So I decided to check out Clinical Skin Clear Therapy, which is comparatively inexpensive and fast, and could be done in conjunction with a lovely treatment like a facial or a manicure.
First, I booked in for a consultation with Kathryn at Gaia Day Spa, and showed her what I wanted dealt with. She explained the Clinical Skin Clear Therapy process and showed me the machine that’s used. Called Lamprobe, it’s a non-invasive, high-frequency machine that uses radio and high-frequency technology to generate a small electric current that causes the water molecules in the skin to oscillate. This oscillation produces heat, which dehydrates and vaporises the affected tissue, causing it to dry up and fall off.
Clinical Skin Clear Therapy is precise, quick, and relatively painless, she explained. It’s great for small lesions and benign, non-cancerous growths, and minor skin conditions. For the skin tags I wanted removed, Kathryn would use a tiny blade which would cut and cauterise the skin at the same time. It is directly targeted and doesn’t affect the surrounding skin, and the area would heal within a few days to a week with only very minor irritation. No anaesthesia is needed, nor is there any down time.
At the consultation, Kathryn determined that the tiny skin tags in my underarms would respond well to Clinical Skin Clear Therapy, as would the cherry angiomas on my face. I decided that the skin tags could go first, so I took off my shirt and made myself comfortable in the treatment room. Kathryn provided a towel for me to cover myself, and had I needed it, she also had a larger blanket available.
She showed me the blade she would be using, attached to the Lamprobe. It was very tiny – like a sewing needle! She explained that she would hold the skin tag with tweezers in order to reach the “stalk”, which is the part of the skin tag that is attached to the skin. She said that I might feel a brief and minor stinging sensation and that if anything hurt, to tell her straightaway. I braced myself and waited…
To be honest, the sensation was so minor and fast, I barely noticed. It was akin to a scratch. Not as painful as having my eyebrows waxed, stepping on a Lego, or when the cat decides to make biscuits on my bare skin! One of the skin tags took a little bit of extra time to remove as the “stalk” was slightly thicker, and I think I winced once. The entire treatment, to remove four skin tags, took about 10 minutes. When I looked in the mirror, the skin tags were just gone – the only trace was a small red spot where each had been, which Kathryn assured me would heal quickly.
I also have a bigger skin tag on my inner thigh that I wanted removed. But as Kathryn explained, it was not suitable for Clinical Skin Clear Therapy as it was just too big. Similarly, Clinical Skin Clear Therapy is not suitable for mole removal. I appreciated the honesty – if the beauty therapists at Gaia Day Spa have even a hint of suspicion that you should show the skin lesion to your GP, they will tell you. There’s no “Let’s try to remove it and see what happens” going on, and for good reason. This treatment is for smaller, superficial, benign, non-cancerous skin lesions, and for that I can say it really works.
After my treatment, Kathryn gave me a small sachet of antiseptic powder to dab on to each spot if it was needed, and recommended I avoid getting the area wet for a few days while the initial healing took place. Over the next few days, I noticed a small scab formed on two of the spots, which came away naturally after about a week. The other two spots seemed to heal instantly, as I never noticed a scab or any further irritation. I had no pain, and now when I look in the mirror, it’s like the skin tags were never there! On one of the spots, there is a little bit of pigmentation, but otherwise they’re just… Gone.
Like I said, Clinical Skin Clear Therapy is for superficial, minor, benign, non-cancerous skin lesions. This isn’t a medical treatment. If you have any medical concerns about your skin, you should see your GP. Your beauty therapist will also tell you if they notice anything concerning about your skin, and won’t carry out this treatment (or any skincare treatment) if they think you need to show a skin lesion or other skin characteristic to your GP.
Sometimes clients who have had Clinical Skin Clear Therapy to remove age spots or other lesions suddenly notice other “imperfections” that they weren’t aware of. It is worth bearing in mind that when removing a lesion that has bothered you for some time, it may make other so-called “imperfections” stand out until you get used to the absence of the original lesion. Have a chat to your beauty therapist if this is something that worries you.
Would I do the treatment again? Absolutely – I’m about to book in to have some cherry angiomas on my face assessed and removed if they’re suitable for it. I don’t think I’ll end up an entirely blank canvas, as I don’t mind my freckles, but I can say that my underarms are now ready for swimsuit season!
