MIDDLEBURG HEIGHTS, Ohio — As 2023 comes to a close, it's out with the old and in with the new! And for some, it's the quest for a fresh, more youthful appearance.
One method, called Morpheus8, has made the rounds through Hollywood and is now available here in Northeast Ohio.
We headed to Dolce Organic Salon and Med Spa in Middleburg Heights to check out this non-surgical procedure fans say can take years off the appearance of your skin.
"I'm 60, I'm fixing to be 61 in January, and I'm at that age where I'm contemplating, you know, 'should I do a surgery? Shouldn't I?'"
Cleveland businesswoman Jaudon Sunde knows how the passage of time can sting, especially in a society celebrating youthful beauty.
"Time keeps marching on, unfortunately, it marches right across my face in a couple of areas on my body, we won't discuss," she said.
Rather than undergo surgery, requiring weeks of downtime, and a price tag north of $10,000, Sunde opted for Morpheus8.
"What that does is it's gonna create more tightening and fat reduction when we use it," explains Shahnaz El Jaouhari, a certified nurse practitioner at Dolce. She says the in-office procedure combines the benefits of microneedling with radiofrequency, to rejuvenate the skin.
While injectables like Botox target fine lines and wrinkles, Morpheus8 does too, but goes further.
El Jaouhari says the tiny needles and RF stimulate the body's natural healing process, promoting collagen and elastin production to improve overall skin texture and firmness.
"Acne scaring, textural issues, skin laxity, fine lines and wrinkles, pore reduction," are just some of the benefits clients can see according to El Jaouhari.
Not just for the face, Morpheus8 can be done wherever there is excess fat or fat pockets.
Morpheus8 is approved for all skin types and skin tones but it is not recommended for anyone who is pregnant, nursing, taking blood thinners, or has an auto-immune disease.
Expect one to three treatments for a targeted area, performed four to six weeks apart.
"My before and after literally stunned me. And I got angry because nobody told me my neck looked that bad. And it did," Sunde said laughing about her "before" profile pictures.
She has had two treatments and is getting ready for her third. Pleased with her results, Sunde says Morpheus8 is a great option for people who want to look like their "best selves," and not look like someone else.
"It's not gonna make me look like I'm 20 years younger, but I don't care about that. I care about, 'let's take a little age off, look a little more rested without looking strange, you know?' And this works. It works," Sunde said.
The procedure takes about 90 minutes. Part of that is to numb the skin before the procedure.
There is minimal or no downtime. Redness is common and it lasts a day or two.
The cost of Morpheus8 varies. For three sessions, you are talking about $3,000 to $4,000, but that is a fraction of the price of surgical procedures that also come with longer recovery time.
Dolce is currently offering a holiday sale on the treatment through Saturday. Call 440.238.5514 for more information.