Battle of the Beauty Treatments: Lumecca® versus Forma®
It can be a bit confusing to know which aesthetic devices and treatments do what. There are so many noninvasive, innovative alternatives to traditional, popular plastic surgery procedures. Most patients often mistake Lumecca for Forma and vice versa. Which does what, exactly? Do I need both? Here’s everything you need to know about the two most-wanted, celeb-obsessed, face-fixing and body-bettering procedures so you can make an informed decision when planning your anti-aging, cosmetic upkeep.
More and more patients are opting to forgo the scalpel – or syringe – in their quest to perpetuate their youth or reverse the ravages of time. Nonsurgical aesthetics is all the rage for because our clients want limited to zero downtime, no scarring, no cutting, and no scary side effects. Most noninvasive aesthetic procedures are performed in-office, in under an hour, leaving the patient to resume with the rest of their day, save for a little redness or swelling. Most treatments require a few sessions to yield desired results and the youthful, natural-looking effects can last for years – no surgery required.
Two of the most requested, nonsurgical procedures are Lumecca and Forma – both developed by renowned aesthetics manufacturer InMode®. In short, Lumecca is a next-level IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) device that uses light therapy to visibly brighten darkened or sun damaged areas of the skin on the face and body, while also smoothing rough texture. Think texture and tone. Forma, on the other hand, uses groundbreaking radiofrequency (RF) technology to tighten sagging, lax skin, reduce wrinkles, and stimulate skin-supporting collagen synthesis.
While the two complexion and body -correcting procedures beautifully complement each other for a youthful approach, they shouldn’t be performed simultaneously (on the same day for the same body area).
The 411 on Forma: The Nonsurgical “Facelift” Stars Swear By
Completely noninvasive – just like its sexy sister, Lumecca – Forma is an FDA-approved, safe, and highly effective nonsurgical, skin-tightening treatment that ingeniously utilizes the power of RF waves to tighten saggy skin and smooth-out unwanted wrinkles and crinkles. No needles or knives necessary! Patients enjoy tight, firm, lifted, and luminous-looking skin. Depending on area(s) being treated, the in-office procedure can be completed in as little as 30 minutes or less, leaving the patient with some swelling or redness that usually subsides in a few hours.
Forma RF therapy addresses wrinkles, laxity/sagging, uneven skin tone, and rough texture by remodeling skin’s deepest dermal tissues and promoting complexion-plumping collagen synthesis for months after the patient’s last session. The beauty bonus of a Forma treatment is its ongoing skin tightening and firming effects long after the patient has left the procedure table. It’s like the gorgeous-inducing gift that keeps on giving.
Skin-tightening at the touch of a button. Forma is a handheld device that works by using revolutionary, fractional RF waves synergized with intense heat (122°F-167°F) to target the deepest layers of the skin, while stimulating collagen production to lift, firm, tighten, sculpt, and contour different areas of the face and body. The most common areas treated with Forma include:
- Eyes (upper and lower lids, including crow’s feet)
- Forehead
- Nasolabial folds
- Marionette lines/jowls
- Neck
- Jawline
- Decolletage
- Tummy
- Thighs
Forma produces beautiful, natural-looking results, enhancing the patient’s “born-with-it” aesthetic without the telltale fake and frozen appearance commonly associated with more invasive technologies. Other beauty benefits of Forma treatments include:
- Instant – and cumulative – results
- Can be combined with other popular, in-office, cosmetic treatments, such as injectables, laser, peels, fillers, microneedling and facials for a truly customizable, anti-aging action plan
- Most patients require up to 5 sessions to achieve desired results
- Results last 6 months to a year or more before maintenance sessions will be required to retain rejuvenated results and anti-aging effects
The Lowdown on Lumecca: Bask in Brighter Days Ahead
If you’ve enjoyed one too many sun drenched days without safe sun practices, you’re most likely paying the price for your cardinal skin sins with sunspots popping up here and there, aka sun damage. It’s time to lighten-up with Lumecca – literally! Where Forma corrects elasticity issues, Lumecca uses IPL (Intense Pulsing Light) technology to even out skin tone, boosting brightness and clarity for long-lasting luminosity. Lumecca addresses the following common issues associated with hyperpigmentation and discoloration of the skin:
- Sunspots
- Photoaging due to UV overexposure
- Freckles
- Acne scarring
- Stretchmarks
- Broken capillaries
- Redness/rosacea
- Spider veins and other vascular irregularities
- Enlarged pores
- Roughened skin texture
One of the most powerful IPL technologies to date, Lumecca gets even with your spots in as little as a single, skin-perfecting session by using a xenon flash lamp that emits three times the light than other IPL devices! Most patients schedule a 60-minute or less Lumecca session in the afternoon and flaunt their radiant results that same evening. No rocky road to recovery. No full-coverage foundation. A-listers love that lit-from-within glow Lumecca provides without the peeling, redness, and downtime of traditional chemical peels. Lumecca offers a timesaving, cost-effective, no-commitment alternative to lasers and chemical peels with radiant results that can last up to two years or longer before follow-up sessions are required. Wearing a broad-spectrum sunscreen daily will help prolong spotless results.
Facing the Light at the End of the Tunnel
When it comes to Forma, think firming and tightening; when it comes to Lumecca, think tone and texture. Forma addresses the skin’s structure by remodeling underlying tissues to boost elasticity and firmness, while Lumecca addresses skin’s clarity and surface smoothness. And, while both state-of-the-art, trendsetting treatments are manufactured under InMode, their capabilities are completely compatible and designed to work in conjunction with the other.
However, it’s not particularly advised to have both procedures performed on the same day, unless different areas of the face and body are being treated. Alternating your treatment sessions 1-2 weeks apart gives the skin enough time to recover and reset for the next treatment session. Over stimulation can cause unwanted irritation. Or, since you will most likely only need 2-3 sessions of Lumecca to achieve the brightening boost you’re after, try scheduling your Lumecca session(s) as the finishing touch once you’ve finished your final Forma treatment. Your DG Aesthetics clinician can help map out your get-glowing game plan, so your skin always looks refreshed, recharged, and positively radiant.