‘Face Ironing’ Is the No-Downtime Beauty Treatment That’s Perfect for the Needle Averse

What’s all this about face ironing?
That’s our little nickname for the Forma treatment, more precisely called non-ablative radiofrequency heating system. It’s the specialty of Dr. Parvaneh Rafaeloff at the Le Jolie Medi Spa. At locations on Doheny and La Cienega, Dr. Rafaeloff basically irons your face with a little wand that heats up to 104 degrees, which stimulates collagen growth under the skin’s surface in the long-term. Right away, however, you see a positive difference. 

What’s the takeaway?
It’s a no-downtime procedure, unlike a facial peel, which can burn and leave your skin blotchy (so you’re left hiding under a hat and basically advertising I poured acid on my skin). And right away, you see a plumping effect that’s more natural than dermal injections. And wrinkles flatten right out.

But still…104 degrees all over your face?
Thanks to a numbing cream that Dr. Rafaeloff mixes into the conductive gel that she uses to help the procedure work, it’s actually kind of relaxing. It’s like a face massage. And the equipment has a temperature-equalizing mechanism, so that it’s not like it will burn your face if left in any one spot for too long. (Here’s a video that shows Forma in action.) 

So what’s the downside?
The natural, subtle effects of the tech mean that you need to come for at least three treatments, spaced a week apart, to have the procedure “set” and to have your subcutaneous collagen get stimulated enough to start increased production. However, if you need your skin to look better for a red-carpet event or other big to-do, you’ll definitely see some improvement if you have the treatment a day before. Just be warned you might be a little too rosy (aka red) immediately afterward. 

What’s all this cost?
Three treatments cost $1,700 at Le Jolie, which puts it closer to the cost of an oxygen facial (say, $200) than a facelift ($10,000 and up). We predict that once the word gets out, this is the next big Botox.