Have you read our piece, ‘Are you a sinker, a wrinkler or a sagger?’ Wrinkles have never been a major thing for me, with the exception of some crow’s feet which I honestly don’t mind, and my biggest bugbear, my neck.

While I’m reaping the rewards of a relatively line-free visage, I am now cursing stopping my skincare at my jawline and omitting daily SPF under my chin for as long as I can remember.

There are many aesthetic treatments out there claiming to work wonders on tech neck and necklace lines, but how many really work? Personally, I have tried polynucleotides, botulinum toxin, ultrasound and chemical peels, all with varying degrees of success.

I’d heard about the celebrity-endorsed NeoGen Plasma, which uses nitrogen plasma technology to generate collagen and elastin, and deliver clinically proven improvements in tone, texture and firmness—it can also resurface the skin and treat active acne. It’s one of the most popular non invasive treatments at the sanctuary-like Ouronyx clinic in London, so I went along to see if it could work for me.

But first—a facial assessment using a state-of-the-art 3D visualisation system that measures everything from wrinkle depth, to volume and skin texture. Personalised aesthetic journeys are a key trend, and some may find such close inspections a little daunting, but Ouronyx’s method is also designed to make sure you are suitable for the treatment in question, and rather fascinating when the results are presented to you.

I signed up for a course of treatment, and because I was unable to take on huge amounts of downtime —when performed at a higher setting, NeoGen can result in some downtime—it was decided I’d have more sessions at a lower energy setting, as opposed to fewer sessions at a punchy high setting which is the norm.  

NeoGen Plasma has the effect of thickening the skin, unlike laser, which thins it. Lighter skin like mine can be treated with high or low energy, as there is less chance of altering the pigmentation of the skin; due to its higher melanin content, darker skin is generally treated at lower levels to avoid any risk of discolouration.

My therapist, April, was a calming soul with lots of skill and knowledge. She began each session with a thorough cleanse of the areas to be treated—in my case, my eyes and neck. Then it was on with the numbing cream.

When I was sufficiently numb, she began with quick passes of shots around my eyes, concentrating on the crow’s feet, eyelids, underneath the brow bone and lower lash line. This is tolerable, but can get a little ouchy as the thermal effect intensifies—as soon as you start feeling a little discomfort, it’s all over.

Again, I wouldn’t say it’s painful as the passes are over quite quickly, but the neck is slightly more sensitive, probably because a) it’s more fragile, and b) it’s a larger area to treat. It does get quite hot and your skin goes red, and it did get me wondering how people manage to tolerate a higher setting. “When you work at a deeper level, it somehow doesn’t feel as bad as you might think; sometimes working more superficially is harder to tolerate,” April tells me.

After the treatment, I’m slathered in SPF and given aftercare advice, which includes not using harsh or active skincare ingredients for around five days, avoiding sun exposure for 3-4 weeks, heat and strenuous exercise for 48 hours, and wearing high factor SPF.

Following each session, my neck looked pretty red and felt hot for a good few hours (thank god for turtlenecks), but my eyes fared better, being only slightly pink. A couple of days later my skin was back to normal.
 
I was also warned that there may be light peeling after a week or so, but I only experienced this around my eyes once and it was very minor and manageable. However, I did experience a little swelling around my eyes and neck for 24 hours after a treatment.

I’ve just finished my fifth and final session, and I’m delighted to report that my eye area is definitely less lined and my crow’s feet have diminished. My necklace lines also appear less deep, especially on the left side which is my sleeping side, but I am unsure that my skin is that much firmer. I will leave that to the professionals at Ouronyx to assess when I return in a couple of month for my post treatment review.

As with any treatment, what works for me might not work for you. For the best outcome for your personal concerns, make sure you consult with a skilled practitioner or clinic who will assess your skin and give you professional advice, so you can make informed decisions.