The right device. The right hands. The right result.

Written by Kerri Lewis, Clinic co-founder | Medically reviewed by Nurse Natalia Ostrowska RGN, INP | July 2026

Biostimulator treatments have arguably become the most significant shift in aesthetic medicine in years. Where some older approaches added volume, biostimulators do something interesting: they work at a cellular level to rebuild what your skin has gradually lost. Collagen production declines as the skin ages, and these treatments are designed to reverse that. Polynucleotides, Radiesse, Sculptra and Sunekos each take a different route to the same result: skin that looks and behaves as though it has remembered how to regenerate. All four are available at The Skin to Love Clinic in St. Albans and we’re going to tell you what we’d want our patients to know.

What is a biostimulator?

A biostimulator is an injectable aesthetic treatment that stimulates the body's own production of collagen and elastin, rather than adding volume directly. Unlike dermal fillers, biostimulators trigger a biological response within the skin that encourages natural tissue regeneration over weeks to months. The main biostimulators used in aesthetic medicine are polynucleotides, Radiesse (calcium hydroxylapatite), Sculptra (poly-L-lactic acid) and Sunekos (hyaluronic acid combined with amino acids). Most work by stimulating fibroblast activity within the skin; Sunekos takes a different approach, supplying the amino acid building blocks that fibroblasts need to produce collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid from within. All with results developing gradually over weeks to months. The Skin to Love Clinic in St. Albans, Hertfordshire, offers all four treatments for the face, eyes and body.

Nurse Jane Lewis tells us that “In my experience, patients are often surprised by how natural the results feel. Because biostimulators work with your own biology, the improvement looks just like you, restored.”

What Makes Biostimulators Different?

The easiest way to understand biostimulators is to compare them with fillers. A filler just replaces volume, temporarily, where your anatomy has lost it. “Fillers can be especially helpful in areas like the cheeks, the temples, the lips, and along the jawline, for example, to help do the job that your fat pads and, or, bone would have ordinarily done before they changed with age or weight fluctuations” says Nurse Jane. A biostimulator restores skin quality by stimulating your skin's ability to make collagen and elastin.

Both have genuine value, but they operate on a different logic. Fillers deliver an immediate result. Biostimulators deliver a progressive one; the skin produces new collagen and elastin in response to the treatment, with results that build over weeks and continue improving for months. The outcome tends to look entirely natural. That is because it is: it’s your own biology, doing what it used to do.

Polynucleotides Treatment: Rebuilding Skin at a Cellular Level

The results clients notice first are not dramatic. They are better than that... they’re you. Skin that was dull starts to look alive again. Fine lines soften. Texture improves. The overall quality of the skin changes, not just its surface.

Polynucleotides are DNA-derived molecules, most commonly sourced from salmon, that work by stimulating the skin's own fibroblasts. Fibroblasts are the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin. A polynucleotides treatment encourages these cells to regenerate and function more effectively, improving skin hydration, density and quality from within.

“This makes polynucleotides injections particularly well-suited to concerns that some other treatments can find difficult to address: crepiness, dullness, loss of firmness and that general flatness that can settle into skin over time.” explains Nurse Jane.

Research supports both the safety and the effectiveness of polynucleotide treatments, placing them as an evidence-backed option within regenerative aesthetics. Those looking at polynucleotides before and after results should expect a gradual improvement over several weeks, with most clients seeing the best outcome after a course rather than after their first session.

At The Skin to Love Clinic we use the PolyPhil brand of polynucleotides (formally known as PhilArt); it is especially well loved around the eyes where we use a formulation developed just for this area.

What are polynucleotides?

Polynucleotides are a biostimulator derived from purified salmon or trout DNA. Injected into the skin, they stimulate fibroblasts to produce collagen and elastin and support the skin's own hydration from within. Results develop gradually over several weeks, making them well suited to clients seeking long-term skin quality improvement rather than an immediate change.

• Best for: fine lines, skin hydration, loss of elasticity, and the delicate skin around the eyes.
• Course: most clients see the best outcome after a full course of sessions rather than after the first treatment.
• Longevity: results can be maintained with periodic top-up sessions.
• What sets it apart: PolyPhil polynucleotides are available in a formulation developed specifically for the eye area, alongside a separate formula for the
  face. It can even be used for inflamed and delicate skin, with growing research on its effectiveness in helping to manage Rosacea. The Skin to Love Clinic uses the PolyPhil brand.

Radiesse Treatment: The Biostimulator That Works Two Ways

Radiesse is one of the most versatile biostimulators available, and the reason lies in how it can be used.

At full concentration, Radiesse delivers immediate structural support to the face while simultaneously triggering elastin and collagen production through its active ingredient, calcium hydroxylapatite. The result is subtle lift and definition now, with skin quality continuing to improve over the months that follow. It is particularly effective for the mid and lower face, as well as the hands, where volume loss and laxity tend to show first.

Used in a more diluted form, known as a ‘Radiesse wash’ or hyperdilute Radiesse, the approach shifts entirely. The thinner product is distributed across a larger surface area to stimulate new collagen and elastin without adding significant volume, making it well suited to the face, neck and décolletage where skin laxity and crepiness are the primary concern rather than volume loss.

“The two techniques can also be combined during a single treatment session, addressing both structural concerns and overall skin quality at once. This flexibility is what makes Radiesse genuinely useful across a wide range of presentations.” explains Nurse Jane.

Results typically last between 12 and 18 months. At The Skin to Love Clinic we assess each client individually and choose the approach, or the combination of approaches, that suits their anatomy and goals.

What is Radiesse?

Radiesse is a biostimulator made from calcium hydroxylapatite microspheres suspended in a gel carrier. It works in two ways: providing immediate structural support on injection, whilst stimulating the skin to produce new collagen and elastin over time. It can be used at full concentration for areas needing volume and definition, or heavily diluted as a treatment wash across larger areas of skin laxity. Both approaches can be used in combination during the same treatment, if required.

• Best for: loss of deep volume and structure in the face, laxity in the lower face, neck, chest and hands.
• Course: often effective in one to two sessions depending on the indication and technique used. Individual needs are discussed at consultation.
• Longevity: results typically last approximately 12 to 18 months
• What sets it apart: the only biostimulator that can deliver immediate visible results alongside longer-term elastin and collagen stimulation

Sculptra: The Longest-Lasting Collagen Biostimulator

Sculptra is for clients who have decided against chasing quick fixes and started thinking about their skin differently.

Poly-L-lactic acid, the active ingredient in Sculptra, works by triggering a controlled response within the skin that activates fibroblasts to produce new collagen. The process is gradual and deliberate. Results build over weeks and months rather than appearing immediately, which is precisely why they tend to look so natural. The skin is not being altered from the outside. It is rebuilding from within.

Research has shown that the effects of a Sculptra treatment can be sustained for up to 25 months, making it one of the longest-lasting biostimulators available. It suits clients who are thinking about their skin in the longer term rather than seeking an immediate result.

“Sculptra is a biostimulator that translates as effectively to the body as to the face. Studies support its use for skin laxity in areas including the abdomen, upper arms, knees and neck, which is why it is often our preferred choice at our CQC regulated skin clinic when clients come to us with body concerns, not just facial ones.” says Nurse Jane.

At our clinic in St. Albans, Sculptra is a treatment we might recommend as the foundation of a longer-term skin strategy for those visiting us from across Hertfordshire and beyond.

What is Sculptra?

Sculptra contains poly-L-lactic acid, a compound that stimulates fibroblasts to produce new collagen within the skin. Results build gradually over several months and are amongst the longest-lasting of any biostimulator available. It is used on both the face and body, and suits clients who are thinking about their skin in the longer term.

• Best for: gradual, natural-looking improvement in skin volume and skin quality across the face and body
• Course: typically two to three sessions spaced several weeks apart
• Longevity: results can be sustained for up to 25 months
• What sets it apart: the longest-lasting biostimulator in this post, and one that’s effective on both face and body areas such as knees, abdomen, and upper arms.

Sunekos Treatment: Better Skin Quality Without Adding Volume

Sunekos works differently from every other biostimulator in this post. Rather than triggering a healing cascade, it supplies the skin with the precise raw materials it needs to rebuild itself: low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid combined with six specific amino acids (glycine, L-proline, L-leucine, L-lysine, L-valine, and L-alanine). These are the building blocks of collagen and elastin. When delivered into the dermis, they prompt fibroblasts to produce more of both, as well as the skin's own natural hyaluronic acid.

The result is not a change in shape or structure. It is a change in skin quality: more hydrated, more even, more like the skin you had ten years ago.
Sunekos addresses the concerns that sit outside what a filler or toxin can reach. The subtle dullness, the crepe-like texture, the fine lines that come from the skin thinning rather than the muscle moving. It suits clients in their thirties and forties who want to maintain what they have, and those further along who want to help restore it. The forehead is a particular area where it offers something that traditional injectables do not. Rather than blocking muscle movement, it works within the skin itself to improve texture and reduce the appearance of surface lines. "It is a great option for patients who have regular muscle relaxing injections in their forehead but also require further improvement to the skin in that area, to take their results to the next level," explains Nurse Jane.

The skin around the eyes is the thinnest on the face and often the first to show fatigue, dehydration, and age. It is also one of the most difficult areas to treat well. A clinical study published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology evaluated the hyaluronic acid and amino acid formula specifically in the periorbital (eye) region across 23 participants, measuring improvements in both fine lines and dark circles. The findings support what we see in practice: the eye area responds well to Sunekos, and the improvements feel genuine. At The Skin to Love Clinic we use a Sunekos formulation developed specifically for the delicacy of this area.

What is Sunekos?

Sunekos combines low-molecular-weight hyaluronic acid with six specific amino acids to give the skin the building blocks it needs to produce its own collagen, elastin, and hyaluronic acid. It improves the quality, texture, and hydration of the skin from within, and is effective on the face, forehead, and around the eyes.

• Best for: skin texture, fine lines, dehydration, particularly on the forehead and the eye area
• Course: results build over a series of treatments, with maintenance sessions supporting long-term improvement
• Longevity: ongoing skin quality is supported with periodic maintenance treatment if required.

What sets it apart: works by supplying raw materials for skin renewal rather than triggering a tissue response; for the right patient, it could also be a considered alternative to tear trough filler, improving the under-eye area subtly.

Written by Kerri Lewis, Co-founder | Medically reviewed by Nurse Natalia Ostrowska RGN and INP | CQC regulated | Save Face accredited | St. Albans, Hertfordshire | Published: July 2026

There is a point, usually somewhere in our late thirties or forties, when you realise you are doing more for your skin than ever, and it is responding less. SPF every morning. Retinol a few times a week. The serum everyone keeps recommending. And still, the skin in the mirror feels different from a few years ago. Not neglected. Not dramatically aged. Just a little less you.

For women navigating menopausal skin especially, this is one of the most common things we hear at The Skin to Love Clinic in St. Albans. And the answer is almost never another product.

Byonik laser treatment works at a different level entirely. Rather than acting on the surface, it works inside your skin cells: encouraging them to produce more energy, protecting them from the damage that ages them, and supporting the structures that keep them working properly. It addresses why skin ages, not just how it looks.

What is Byonik treatment?

Byonik PTL (Pulse Triggered Laser) is a cold laser treatment: no heat, no injury to the skin, no recovery time. It works through a process called photobiomodulation, which means using precise wavelengths of light to activate the skin’s own cells to work better, not by damaging them into healing, but by giving them the energy to do more.

What makes it different from other light-based treatments is not just the wavelengths, but the timing. A small sensor worn on the finger monitors your pulse in real time. The laser then delivers its energy in synchronisation with your heartbeat, at the precise moment blood flow to the skin peaks. According to Byonik’s clinical documentation, developed in cooperation with Germany’s University of Ulm, cells are most receptive to incoming energy at this point, and the technology is designed to work with that biology rather than around it.

It is also worth knowing from the outset that Byonik is not a pure light treatment. The laser works in combination with proprietary hyaluronic acid gels that are massaged into the skin throughout the session. These gels are infused with antioxidants, and what happens between the laser and the gel is central to how the treatment works, which we will come to shortly.

“At The Skin to Love Clinic in St. Albans, we use two wavelengths: 655nm red light, which works in the upper layers of the skin, and 808nm near-infrared, which penetrates into the deeper dermis where structural renewal takes place. There is no heat, no downtime, and no recovery period. Most people describe the treatment as deeply relaxing,” says Nurse Natalia.

The science, explained simply

At the centre of how Byonik works is something that happens inside every cell in your body: the production of energy.

Your cells generate energy through tiny structures called mitochondria. As we age, this process naturally slows down. Cells produce less ATP (think of this as the body’s fuel), they repair themselves more slowly, and they become more prone to oxidative stress: a build-up of cellular damage that is, in large part, what we see when we look at ageing skin. A 2023 study published in PMC confirmed that red light photobiomodulation can actually reverse specific signs of skin ageing at this cellular level. A study conducted specifically with the Byonik laser also confirmed improvements in human aged facial skin, including cell viability following UV exposure (Mezghani et al., Archives of Biological Sciences, 2015).

Byonik targets a specific receptor inside the mitochondria called cytochrome c oxidase. When the right wavelength of light reaches it, a chain reaction begins: the cell produces more ATP, the oxidative stress that damages it reduces, and it starts working more effectively. The practical result, as a comprehensive 2013 review by Avci, Gupta, Sadasivam et al. in Seminars in Cutaneous Medicine and Surgery confirmed, is more collagen and elastin, better moisture retention, and skin that repairs itself faster. A 2009 study in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology specifically demonstrated a 31% increase in type-1 procollagen with pulsed red light. A 2024 clinical review in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology confirmed low-level laser therapy as safe and effective for skin rejuvenation, demonstrating statistically significant improvements in skin elasticity and wrinkle reduction.

“The laser also does something else that is less commonly understood. At the exact moment the laser fires, in sync with your heartbeat, the skin cell briefly opens up,” says Nurse Natalia. Byonik’s manufacturer calls this ‘transmembrane convection’, which sounds terribly technical but the practical effect is straightforward: the hyaluronic acid gel being applied during the treatment is drawn directly into the cell, rather than sitting on the surface the way most skincare does. The gel contains a blend of hyaluronic acid and antioxidants of varying potencies. This is why Byonik is more than a light treatment. The laser opens the door; the gel delivers deep hydration and helps the cell protect and repair itself. This is not a surface treatment. It is a treatment that works from the outside in and the inside out.

The telomere connection

This is where the longevity conversation gets interesting.

Every strand of your DNA has a protective cap at each end, called a telomere. Think of them like the plastic tips on a shoelace: their job is to keep the DNA strand intact. Every time a cell divides, those caps get a little shorter. When they drop below a critical length, the cell can no longer divide properly and begins to lose its integrity. This is one of the fundamental mechanisms of biological ageing, and it happens in skin cells just as it does everywhere else in the body (Liu et al., Biogerontology, 2025).

Oxidative stress, the cellular damage that accumulates over time from UV exposure, pollution, stress, and the natural ageing process, accelerates this shortening. The faster oxidative stress builds up, the faster telomeres shorten, and the faster skin loses its ability to repair and renew itself.

This is precisely where Byonik intervenes. The 808nm near-infrared wavelength, which penetrates into the deeper layers of the dermis, reduces oxidative stress at a mitochondrial level, protecting the integrity of telomeres and supporting the conditions in which cells can continue to function well. The antioxidants delivered directly into the cell via the HA gel during treatment reinforce and support this, working alongside the laser’s reduction of oxidative stress to protect telomere length through two complementary ways, simultaneously. Byonik’s research, developed in cooperation with Germany’s University of Ulm, identifies telomere protection as a core action of the treatment.

“Some of the most significant work this treatment does will never be fully visible,” explains Nurse Jane, co-founder of The Skin to Love Clinic in St. Albans. “You cannot see cellular protection happening, and you will never know exactly how you would have aged without it. What Byonik is really doing is slowing down the damage that makes skin age. You will not see that in a before and after photograph. But for some of our patients, it’s the most compelling reason to start treatment.”

What this means for your skin

The science matters, but what most patients actually want to know is: what will I notice?

The changes that tend to bother most of us in our late thirties, forties, and beyond are not simply about lines. They are about skin quality: the loss of the luminosity that once made skin look healthy even on a tired day, a creeping sensitivity that was not there before, a flatness that no highlighter quite addresses.

Much of this comes from what is happening in the dermis. Collagen and elastin break down faster than they are replaced, hyaluronic acid production slows, and cellular turnover quietly decreases. For women in perimenopause or beyond, oestrogen decline makes this significantly worse. Research shows that women can lose up to 30% of their dermal collagen in the first five years following menopause, with skin thickness decreasing by approximately 1% per year as the cells responsible for making new collagen gradually slow down (Viscomi et al. 2025, Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology).

Because Byonik works at the level of the cell, the improvements it produces reflect what healthier, more active cells actually do: make more collagen and elastin, retain moisture more effectively, and repair more efficiently. Most patients notice a change in how their skin feels before they see it visually. A softness. A quality of light in the skin. The cumulative improvements in texture, tone, and density build over the course of treatment.

For those managing rosacea in St. Albans and across Hertfordshire, or those whose skin has become reactive and difficult to treat, Byonik is particularly valuable. “The red light works to calm inflammation and reduce redness at a surface level, while the deeper near-infrared wavelength addresses the underlying cellular environment that contributes to reactive skin,” explains Nurse Natalia. “It is one of very few treatments that is not just tolerated by sensitive skin, but actively suited to it.”

Byonik results from The Skin to Love Clinic

The following before and after photographs are from real patients at The Skin to Love Clinic.

This patient had a course of 4 Byonik treatments within the space of approximately one month. Her before and after photos show an improvement in skin texture, with crepiness, lines and wrinkles under and to the side of her eye improved.

Byonik before and after for rosacea management. This patient was treated primarily to help her manage the background redness symptom of her rosacea. These were taken before and after a course of 4 Byonik treatments.

This is the same patient as above. Before and after her course. There are two things noteworthy here: firstly, that the improvement in the skin’s background redness has allowed the facial broken veins from her rosacea easier to notice, as the redness is no longer helping them blend into the background. Byonik will not treat facial broken veins; they would require a treatment that specifically targets these vessels, such as Veinwave. This patient has also experienced an improvement in the marionette lines to the side of the mouth without any other treatment being used in conjunction. It would be unlikely that Byonik would be our first choice of treatment for deeper wrinkles and folds like these and, as this was not the patient’s primary concern, this result is an additional benefit of the treatment to her.

Before and after a single session at the start of his course. Image taken immediately post first Byonik. You can observe that the depth of the wrinkles on the cheek and at the side of the eye has benefited from the immediate hydration at the cellular level.

Photographs show real patients of The Skin to Love Clinic who have given consent for their images to be used. Results shown are individual to each patient and cannot be guaranteed. Outcomes vary depending on factors including skin type, age, lifestyle, number of treatments completed, and adherence to aftercare guidance. Photographs have not been digitally altered. Results do not represent what every patient can expect to achieve.

Who is Byonik treatment for?

Those who are best suited to Byonik tend to share one thing: they are not looking for a dramatic transformation. They are looking for their skin to work better.

It is particularly well suited to:

• Those whose skin seemingly used to look after itself, and now needs more help than it used to. If something has shifted and you cannot quite name it, you probably know what we mean.
• Those in perimenopause or beyond who feel their skin has a different personality to the one they knew: more reactive, less predictable, slower to bounce back.
• Anyone for whom most treatments have felt like too much. If rosacea, sensitivity, or reactivity has steadily narrowed your options, Byonik is one of the few treatments that works in your favour rather than against you.
• Those who think about their health in the long term. If you already apply that logic to sleep, supplements, and nutrition, this cellular approach to skin health will make immediate sense.
• Those who feel their skincare shelf has reached its ceiling. The right products still matter, but they work at the surface. Byonik works beyond that.

The Byonik treatment is also one of the few aesthetic treatments considered safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding, when most advanced treatments are contraindicated. It is ideal for those wanting to preserve and improve skin condition during this time. As always, we recommend checking with your midwife or GP before beginning any treatment during pregnancy.

It is not the right answer for everyone. If significant volume loss or deeper structural change, such as sagging skin, is the primary concern, Byonik would typically form part of a broader plan rather than stand alone. This is always discussed honestly at consultation. Nothing is recommended that is not genuinely right for you.

What to expect from Byonik at The Skin to Love Clinic, St. Albans

Your treatment begins with a consultation, not a session. We look at your skin in detail, understand your concerns and your history, and discuss whether Byonik is the right fit and how it sits alongside anything else you are already doing. Nothing is recommended without that conversation first.

At The Skin to Love Clinic we offer courses of varying lengths, depending on where you are on your skin journey and what you are looking to achieve. A course of 6 to 8 is the most common starting point for skin rejuvenation. A course of 12 is generally recommended for more advanced, complex or chronic conditions, including rosacea, where the skin benefits from greater consistency over time. Maintenance following a full course helps to sustain and build on results.

The treatment itself is comfortable and unhurried. A small sensor goes on the finger to read your pulse, and the handpiece works across the face, and neck and decolletage if relevant, in synchronisation with your heartbeat. There is no discomfort and nothing to recover from. Most patients describe it as meditative; a little like laying in the sun with your eyes closed. Some fall asleep.

Most people notice a change in how their skin feels before they see it. A softness. A quality of light in the skin that wasn’t quite there before. The visible improvements in texture, tone, and density build gradually over the course of treatment, which is consistent with how cellular renewal actually works.

We are based in St. Albans and see patients from across Hertfordshire, including Harpenden, Radlett, Welwyn Garden City and the surrounding area. If you have been searching for Byonik near me, we are close by.

The medically-led difference

The Skin to Love Clinic is CQC regulated, Save Face accredited, and medically led. When it comes to laser and light-based treatments, this is not a small distinction, but it is also not the whole picture.

Using lasers responsibly requires more than general clinical registration. Our laser practice was set up with the guidance of a Laser Protection Adviser, and our practitioners undertake ongoing Core of Knowledge training specific to laser and light-based devices. Additionally, we were trained by Pure Swiss Aesthetics, the UK distributor of Byonik, and have been offering Byonik treatments since 2018. This is something we do because lasers require it, and because the difference between a well-calibrated treatment and a poorly calibrated one is not always visible until after the fact.

Photobiomodulation works because of precision: the right wavelength, the right energy output, applied correctly for your skin tone and your skin’s current condition. In a clinical setting with trained practitioners, these parameters can be calibrated with care and treatment is tailored to your concerns.

We do not work on commission, and we are not going to recommend Byonik because it has a compelling story. We recommend it when it is the right clinical fit for the person in front of us. If it is not right for you, we will tell you, and we will tell you what we think might be.

Not Filler. Not Surgery. Something Smarter: For Your Face, Neck and Décolletage.

Written by Kerri Lewis, Co-founder | Medically reviewed by Nurse Natalia Ostrowska RGN and INP | The Skin to Love Clinic, St. Albans | CQC regulated | Save Face accredited 

There is a specific kind of tiredness that has nothing to do with how much sleep you've had. You catch it in a photograph or in the expression of someone asking if you're okay when you feel completely fine. It’s not dramatic, but something has quietly left.

“Most people describe it as looking tired”, Nurse Natalia tells us. “What they're often noticing is a structural change. The skin hasn't failed, it's lost the biological scaffolding that held it at its best.”

And once you fully understand what that means, a biostimulator treatment such as calcium hydroxylapatite - the active ingredient in Radiesse treatment - starts to make a very particular kind of sense.

What actually changes in your face from your forties onwards

Collagen is the structural protein that gives skin its firmness, resilience and thickness. Research published in the American Journal of Pathology by Varani et al. (2006)  demonstrated that women lose approximately 1% of dermal collagen per year from their mid-thirties onwards, and that by the time this loss becomes visible, the cumulative effect on skin thickness and elasticity is significant. This isn't just about wrinkles, it's about skin density and the quality of skin that holds its shape, reflects light evenly, and creates those subtle planes of projection across the mid-face and jaw that read as ‘rested’ and ‘well’.

“This decline in collagen has been shown to accelerate with perimenopause and post menopause. At the same time, our facial fat compartments - the small, distinct pockets of fat that provide volume and support beneath the skin - gradually thin and shift downward”, says Nurse Jane. The result is a very specific kind of change: cheekbones that seem less defined, a jawline with a little less crispness, temples that have become more indented. Often weight-loss can contribute to this too. None of this happens overnight.

What most people don't realise is that this structural change is not just cosmetic, it's biological, and it's addressable at a biological level.

The difference between filling and stimulating

“For a long time, the dominant model in aesthetic medicine was replacement: you identified where volume had been lost and put something back to replace it”, explains Nurse Jane. Traditional hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers do exactly this: they add volume to specific areas, restoring contour and projection. For many patients, in the right areas, HA filler is entirely appropriate - lips and lines above the mouth are a good example of this.

But filling is not the same as stimulating. A biostimulator does something fundamentally different: it prompts the skin to rebuild its own structure. Rather than adding something that sits in the tissue, a bio-stimulator sets a biological process in motion. It triggers fibroblasts (the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin) to work better and increase their output. The result is a genuine internal renewal using your own collagen and elastin.

Radiesse treatment occupies a unique position in this landscape as it is both a structural filler and a biostimulator.

What is Radiesse, and how does it work?

Radiesse is composed of calcium hydroxylapatite (CaHA) microspheres suspended in a smooth gel carrier. CaHA is a mineral compound that is also found naturally in human bone and teeth; it is fully biocompatible and biodegradable.

When injected neat, the gel carrier provides immediate structural scaffolding, giving instant lift and definition. This is ideal for the mid-face and jawline where structure often needs to be replaced. But what makes CaHA clinically distinctive is what happens next...

“The CaHA microspheres act as a stimulus to the surrounding tissue. Fibroblast cells in your treated tissue encounter the CaHA particles and the particles trigger them to increase their production of new collagen and elastin”, explains Nurse Natalia.

A histological study by Zerbinati and Calligaro (Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2018) provided direct microscopic evidence of this process. Following CaHA injection, analysis of skin tissue showed a statistically significant (p<0.01) increase in newly formed type III collagen fibres compared with untreated control tissue. Newly formed collagen, building within the dermis, as a measurable biological result of the treatment itself.

Earlier histological and immunohistochemical work by Berlin, Hussain and Goldberg (Dermatologic Surgery, 2008) confirmed that CaHA injections stimulate ‘neocollagenesis’ (don’t worry, there won’t be a pop quiz at the end of this blog!) in treated areas, not as a side effect, but as the primary biological mechanism. Over time, as the gel carrier and CaHA particles are gradually resorbed, the healthy new collagen architecture that has formed in their place remains.

The immediate results come from the carrier gel. The longer-lasting results come from your biology.

The face, neck and décolletage: why Radiesse works across all three

One of the most clinically versatile aspects of Radiesse is that the same biostimulatory mechanism can be applied in different ways depending on the area being treated. For the face, particularly the mid-face, jawline and jowl area, Radiesse may be used at standard concentration (aka ‘neat) to provide structural lift and definition, alongside biostimulation.

“This way is more aligned with the traditional idea of a ‘filler’”, says Nurse Natalia. “It will replace volume in areas that have lost it - where you notice your face has become flatter and lost its natural contour.”

For the neck and décolletage, it is used in a hyperdiluted form (aka a Radiesse ‘wash’) where it is diluted to create a lighter, thinner formulation that can applied be across a broader area of skin, improving skin quality, laxity and thickness rather than adding specific volume.

Nurse Natalia tells us: “A Radiesse wash can also be used on the face. Patients will frequently require a mix of both forms to address their concerns comprehensively and get their ultimate results. Both can be done in one session. I love that we can address both the underlying structure of the face and the skin quality at the same time.”

A clinical trial by Trindade de Almeida et al. (Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2023) assessed the efficacy of two sessions of hyperdiluted CaHA for neck rejuvenation in 22 women with mild to moderate cervical ageing. At 120 days, 86% of participants showed improvement by at least one grade on the necklines scale, 82% showed improvement in neck laxity, and 91% reported global aesthetic improvement. Dermal thickness increased by a mean of 15%. Both treatment sessions were well-tolerated, with no severe adverse effects recorded.

The décolletage - that stretch of skin across the chest that is often one of the first to show the effects of sun exposure and structural thinning, yet is frequently overlooked in treatment planning - responds well to the same hyperdiluted technique. “For patients at our skin clinic in St Albans who are addressing face, neck and décolletage together, the visual coherence of treating all three areas can be striking”, Nurse Jane tells us. “The face looks consistent with the neck and the neck looks consistent with the chest. Nothing seems out of proportion or out of harmony with its surroundings.”

Is this right for you?

Radiesse treatment often suits patients who are noticing structural change, not just skin quality issues, such as the specific shift in facial definition, projection and support that tends to become more pronounced from the mid-forties onwards. It is equally appropriate for patients in their sixties or early seventies who want genuine improvement without a surgical result. It is not appropriate for every patient, which is why a consultation is always where these decisions should be made.

If you have been researching dermal filler in St Albans or face filler in Hertfordshire and are not sure whether a traditional HA filler or a biostimulator is the more appropriate approach for your concerns, that is exactly the kind of question a consultation, assessment, and honest discussion is designed to answer. You are not expected to have the answer, that’s where an experienced professional will be able to help.

Radiesse before and after images can be found here.

At our skin clinic in St Albans, we build long-term relationships with our patients based on honesty and trust which is why we do not work on a commission basis. We are CQC-regulated, Save Face accredited, medically led, and entirely independent. We recommend what we believe is right for you, nothing else.

For those considering neck rejuvenation, whether as a standalone concern or as part of a broader facial treatment plan, hyperdiluted Radiesse in St Albans at The Skin to Love Clinic is one of the most evidence-based options currently available for improving skin quality and laxity in this area without surgery. And for patients travelling from across Hertfordshire, including those looking for a Welwyn Garden City, Radlett, or Harpenden skin clinic, with the depth of medical expertise to advise across the full face, neck, and decolletage we are always happy to discuss whether this is the right direction for you.

The right treatment starts with the right conversation. Book a skin ageing consultation at The Skin to Love Clinic.

The right device. The right hands. The right result.

Written by Kerri Lewis, Co-founder | Medically reviewed by Nurse Natalia Ostrowska RGN and INP | The Skin to Love Clinic, St. Albans | CQC regulated | Save Face accredited 

If you’ve been searching for skin pen microneedling in St. Albans or Hertfordshire, you’re in good company. Skin pen is one of the most searched aesthetic treatments right now, and the curiosity is understandable; the before and after images can be compelling, the treatment sounds straightforward, and the pen has become almost synonymous with microneedling itself.

But before you book, there are things a search result might not tell you: the branding matters far less than the device quality. The engineering behind the device and the expertise of the clinician holding it... those are what determine your safety and results. Here’s what we think you need to know.

What is Skin Pen, and why is everyone talking about it?

Skin Pen is a brand name for a professional microneedling device, manufactured by Crown Aesthetics in the U.S. It was the first microneedling device to receive FDA clearance in the US, classified as a Class II medical device, and it has peer-reviewed clinical data behind it; this includes a published study showing significant improvement to neck wrinkles following a course of treatment. It’s a legitimate, clinical-grade device.

What has changed in 2026 seems less about the device and more about the marketing. Supplier-driven campaigns have elevated the brand name where many patients now search specifically for Skin Pen rather than for microneedling generally, in the same way that people often refer to the brand Hoover, when they mean vacuum cleaner.

The treatment the name represents, collagen induction therapy (also called microneedling), is well evidenced and genuinely effective. The question worth asking is not whether Skin Pen is a good device, it appears to be. It is whether the brand name alone should determine which clinic you choose and which device treats your skin. And the honest answer to that is: it should not.

Does the device actually matter? Yes, significantly more than the branding

There are three tiers of microneedling and the difference between them is clinically meaningful. Understanding which tier you're in helps you to adjust your expectations to a realistic level and understand if it’s able to target your specific concerns.

Tier one: at-home dermaroller

At-home dermarollers sold online typically use needling of less than 0.15mm in length. This typically reaches the epidermis only, not the deeper dermis layer. The dermis is where the fibroblasts live: the cells responsible for producing collagen and elastin. If the needles don’t reach this depth there's no meaningful wound healing cascade; this means no collagen being stimulated and no release of natural growth factors.

Nurse Natalia Ostrowska at The Skin to Love Clinic in St. Albans tells us: “At home devices can be good for supporting product absorption and with superficial skin maintenance but they do not deliver clinical microneedling results. You can’t meaningfully compare the two types of results because they’re not really in the same ballpark”.

There’s also a documented safety concern. A published case report describes a patient who caused the spread of varicella-zoster virus (chickenpox) across her face by using an at-home dermaroller over an active lesion, likely not recognising the lesion to be anything to be cautious of.

Tier two: quality within professional devices

Amongst professional-grade devices, quality varies significantly. Key variables include motor type (mains power vs battery powered), needle retraction, needle head construction, and whether the device carries published cross-contamination data. These are not marketing points; they affect your outcome and your safety. A microneedling device comparison at a professional level comes down to these engineering points.

A 2018 clinical study of 48 patients being treated with an automated professional microneedling device (think a medical-grade motorised pen, the clinical equivalent of what you may have seen referred to as a 'dermapen', rather than a manual roller) showed across a course of four sessions:

• An excellent safety profile.
• Significant improvement in:
  - Skin laxity
  - Skin texture
  - Wrinkles around the eyes

The study explicitly notes that automated devices allow the practitioner to define the depth the needles go and the frequency in which they enter the skin which reduces the variability in treatment results seen with manual techniques.

Tier three: the right device, in the right hands

Now we’re talking! This is where the results happen. A well-engineered device in the hands of a trained, experienced practitioner who understands and respects needle depth by treatment area; has assessed your skin and any contraindications, and who has designed a treatment protocol for your specific concerns is what professional microneedling actually means. The right device matters. A practitioner who knows how to use it and who understands the skin matters equally.

“At the depths used for some scar treatment many professional insurers will only provide cover for medically qualified practitioners.” Nurse Jane tells us. “At our CQC-regulated clinic in St. Albans, our nurses are fully covered for this depth range.”

What microneedling device does The Skin to Love Clinic use, and why?

We use the Derma FNS, a professional microneedling pen distributed exclusively by SkinMed UK. SkinMed states it was the first UK company to introduce automated microneedling into the aesthetics market and to commission clinical studies on their use; that track record mattered when we chose it.

So, what makes it different?

Most microneedling pens push their needles in, then let them retract passively; meaning that the needles drift back out without any force. This is where ‘drag’ can happen. The Derma FNS does something no other pen on the market does: it actively pulls the needles back out at the same speed they went in; over 80,000 insertions per minute and over 80,000 retractions.

According to SkinMed’s data, this means that the needle never drags on the way out. The logic is straightforward: a needle that’s pulled cleanly away from the skin creates a more precise channel and possibly less trauma than one that drifts out. A more precise channel means a more controlled healing response which is where your results come from.

A clinical study of 48 patients treated with an automated microneedling pen found real results in skin elasticity, collagen, and skin texture, with a strong safety record throughout.

“Cross-contamination and hygiene is another point worth explaining.” says Nurse Natalia. “Every time one of our practitioners use the Derma FNS, we fit a brand new, sealed, single use needle cartridge. After your treatment it goes straight in the clinical waste bin”.

“Additionally,” says Nurse Jane “the device has a sealed design which means nothing, no fluid or blood, can travel back up into the body of the device. That matters because not all devices are built this way”.

A U.S Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) investigation into a HIV transmission case at a spa found that infection control failures during microneedling were at the root of it. It’s a stark reminder that the device you’re treated with and the standards of the clinic and practitioner using it are not small details.

At our Hertfordshire clinic, every microneedling treatment is carried out by a fully qualified and trained practitioner, under our CQC-regulated clinical standards. Single-use equipment. Documented protocols. Safety as the priority, at every step. You can read about Derma FNS’s assurances of no cross-contamination here.

What does the practitioner’s expertise truly add?

The microneedling device determines the ceiling of what’s possible to achieve. The practitioner determines what’s achieved within that scope. The most important clinical variable a practitioner controls in the needle depth.

The published literature is clear: needle depth matters and it varies by the area being treated. Research shows that to stimulate collagen effectively, depth needs to be adjusted treatment zone by treatment zone: deeper for areas like the cheeks, shallower for areas like the eyes where the skin is naturally thinner.

Getting this right requires both the right device and clinical judgement; neither alone is enough.

A 2024 split-face comparative study treated patients with atrophic scars at two different needle depths on opposite sides of their face; one side at 2.5mm depth and the other at 1.5mm. The 2.5mm side showed a significantly better clinical improvement, better collagen formation, and improved elastic fibre characteristics compared to the other side. The difference between the two depths might not sound much, but it was clinically significant. Depth matters and a trained practitioner can make that assessment.

Nurse Natalia tells us “The ‘wound healing cascade’ that microneedling results rely upon; the release of growth factors, fibroblast activity, and therefore the production of collagen and elastin, only starts when the controlled injury microneedling creates is delivered at the right depth in the skin. Too shallow, and there’s no signal being made. Too deep and, particularly in those with darker skin tones, you risk post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation.”

The correct depth is an educated, clinical judgement made individually for each patient, their goals, and the treatment zones.

“The practitioners' expertise also extends to the consultation before treatment” says Nurse Jane. “Contraindications; Fitzpatrick skin typing to determine safe treatment depths; and protocol design, including combination approaches with other appropriate skin treatments, such as Fraxel Dual laser, are all important parts of the treatment that your practitioner influences.”

What can professional microneedling actually do?

A 2024 comprehensive review found real, documented improvements in skin texture, fine lines, skin laxity, pigmentation, and overall skin quality. A separate systematic review of randomised controlled trials, the gold standard of clinical evidence, found significant improvement in atrophic acne scarring across multiple studies. Even the neck and décolletage, areas that often get forgotten, show meaningful results, as seen in a dedicated clinical study. The clinical evidence is solid.

It does a lot. But we’re also honest about what it can't do.

Professional microneedling won't add volume, lift deep structural changes in the face, or replace treatments that work at a deeper level. If those are your concerns, we'd have a conversation about whether something like Radiesse, SculptLift, or Thermage would serve you better, or whether a combination approach makes more sense.

That's exactly the kind of conversation we have at your consultation.

What should I expect and when will I see my microneedling results?

Professional microneedling stimulates new collagen production within five to seven days of treatment. Peak skin remodelling occurs at four to six weeks after each session; this means microneedling before and after results are not visible immediately as results build gradually rather than appearing immediately.

“Most patients complete a course of three to six sessions, spaced four to six weeks apart.” says Nurse Natalia. “Skin texture and luminosity are usually the first improvements noticed, sometimes after just one or two sessions. Firming, improved elasticity, and visible reduction in scarring or fine lines tend to become clear once the full course is complete”.

A standard professional microneedling course at The Skin to Love Clinic includes:

• A full consultation prior to deciding to treat.
• Three to six sessions depending on your skin concern
• Four to six weeks between each session
• The option of maintenance sessions once or twice a year to sustain results

Results vary by individual skin type, age, and concern, which is why every treatment plan at The Skin to Love Clinic begins with a consultation.

Written by Kerri Lewis, Co-founder | Medically reviewed by Nurse Natalia Ostrowska RGN INP, The Skin to Love Clinic, St. Albans. May 2026.

Emsella chair treatment combined with Emsculpt Neo; the Core to Floor treatment protocol designed for a very specific woman.

You know exactly where the toilets are. In the supermarket, the school, the restaurant booked for Friday night. You do an internal risk assessment before every long journey. You have your legs crossed when you sneeze. You may have sat out on the trampoline in your own back garden or the bouncy castle at your child’s birthday party.

If anyone asked, you’d say you’re fine.

Approximately one in four women experience urinary incontinence and a 2023 study published in BMC Public Health found that among women in a primary care setting, that figure rises to over half. Research shows that the majority of women delay seeking help for years; many never do. Instead, they adapt. They manage. They plan.

The cultural message has been clear for long enough, leaking when you laugh, feeling disconnected from your core after pregnancy, noticing your bladder becoming less reliable in your forties... that’s just what happens. Part of having children. Part of getting older. Part of being a woman.

It is not something that you must accept. It is treatable. Not with a waiting list, not with surgery, not with invasive internal procedures, and not with a sheet of exercising you already know you’ll forget about doing consistently enough to make a real difference. At The Skin to Love Clinic, we have a protocol designed to address this properly. It’s called the Core to Floor treatment. It combines two of the most clinically advanced body treatments available: the Emsella chair and Emsculpt Neo.

Why this happens and why it’s not your fault

“The pelvic floor is a group of muscles and connective tissue that forms the base of your pelvis. It supports your bladder, uterus and bowel. It has a huge baring on continence and plays a central role in core stability, strength, posture, and sexual function. It’s also one of the most vulnerable muscle groups in the female body.

Two major life events change it.

After pregnancy and childbirth

Carry a baby puts sustained, significant pressure on the pelvic floor. Abdominal muscle separation (diastasis recti), where the two halves of the rectus abdominis muscle part at the midline, is also common and closely connected to pelvic floor weakness.

Vaginal delivery, especially with a long second stage, a large baby, and/or instrumental assistance can stretch and strain the muscles and nerves in this area.

A caesarean section does not sidestep this. As you’ll appreciate if you’ve had one, it is major abdominal surgery. It cuts through several of the tissue layers including skin, fat, fascia, and the uterus itself; with the abdominal muscles separated rather than cut. The scar tissue that forms across these layers' impacts how the muscles can move and contract.

At six weeks post-surgery, the abdominal fascia has recovered only around 50 percent of its pre-surgical strength. Because the body's fascia runs in continuous sheets, C-section scarring can restrict movement and function well beyond the incision site, including the pelvic floor. Adhesions can also form, particularly after more than one caesarean.

Women who feel that their core is simply ‘gone’ after pregnancy and having children are not imagining it. The structural mechanics of the entire trunk have genuinely changed.

During perimenopause and beyond

Oestrogen maintains the elasticity, blood flow and collagen quality of the pelvic tissues. As levels of this hormone start to fall during perimenopause, often from the mid-forties but sometimes earlier, the pelvic floor muscles and bladder become less resilient. Symptoms that were more manageable before can worsen noticeably. New symptoms can appear for the first time. Women who have not had children or those who did but experienced no issues can find themselves experiencing stress incontinence, urgency, or discomfort in their forties or fifties.

“No matter what the causes, the impact on intimacy, exercise, and everyday confidence can be profound.” Nurse Natalia tells us. “Both groups tend to do the same thing: normalise it, manage it, and carry on.”

Why Kegels are not the whole answer

Kegel exercises are not wrong; in fact, we absolutely encourage them. They are part of the bigger picture. But there are often real limitations that the sweeping message of ‘make sure you do your Kegels' tends to skip over. Research shows that a significant proportion of women perform them incorrectly without guidance, sometimes bearing down rather than lifting, or contracting the wrong muscles entirely.

Published research found that between 25 and 40 percent on women with pelvic floor dysfunction are unable to voluntarily contract their pelvic floor muscles at all. Even after physiotherapy. In these cases, asking someone to do a Kegel exercise is clinically futile. The muscles simply do not respond to a voluntary signal. In these cases, the right path forward is possibly an NHS assessment and diagnostics to understand why, and to identify the most appropriate treatment.

For women whose pelvic floor is weak rather than structurally compromised, Emsella changes the picture entirely. The HIFEM technology bypasses the voluntary neuromuscular pathway and stimulates the muscles directly through the electromagnetic field; no thought or effort required from the patient.

Each Emsella chair treatment delivers the equivalent of approximately 11,000 contractions per session, far beyond what voluntary effort can achieve. This is precisely why a clinical consultation before treatment matters: Emsella is highly effective for the right candidate, and a medically led clinic will tell you honestly whether that is you.

“For a pelvic floor that’s sustained significant damage from childbirth, or is actively losing tissue quality due to oestrogen decline, kegel exercises alone may simply not go far enough” Nurse Natalia Ostrowska tells us.

What is the Emsella chair treatment?

The Emsella chair treatment is a pelvic floor tightening treatment that uses High-Intensity Focused Electromagnetic technology (HIFEM for short). HIFEM stimulates the pelvic floor muscles at a depth and intensity that no voluntary exercise can reach. And it is completely non-invasive.

“You sit fully clothed in a specialised chair...or throne, if you’re feeling fancy that day...for approximately 28 minutes. The device does all the work.” Nurse Natalia explains.

A single session delivers the equivalent of approximately 11,000 pelvic floor contractions; the kind that bypass the body's usual limits on how powerfully a muscle can contract. Frankly, what you achieve in 28 minutes you’d not achieve in a month of daily Kegel practice.

The muscle contractions rebuild the pelvic floor muscles from the inside. For women with stress incontinence (leaking urine when stress is put on the area by sneezing, laughing, coughing or exercise, for example), the results can be life changing. For those experiencing urgency incontinence, the mechanism goes beyond muscle strengthening. For women experiencing incontinency (urgency as well as stress incontinence), the published evidence is encouraging; the foundational Emsella study enrolled women across both types and found significant improvements in quality of life in both groups.

What the research shows

A 2020 electromyographic study found that HIFEM technology produced increases in pelvic floor muscle contraction parameters of 48 to 59 percent, substantially greater than electrostimulation. A subsequent comparative study by Silantyeva et al., published in Female Pelvic Medicine & Reconstructive Surgery (2021), found that the HIFEM group achieved 52 percent improvement in pelvic floor disability scores, compared with 18 percent in the electrostimulation group.

A study by Samuels et al., published in Lasers in Surgery and Medicine (2019), reported that 95 percent of patients reported an improvement in quality of life following a standard six-session Emsella course, with a 75 percent reduction in pad usage among those with stress urinary incontinence.

Individual results vary. These figures are drawn from published clinical studies and do not represent guaranteed outcomes.

A standard course is six sessions, typically twice a week over three weeks. Most patients notice a meaningful difference within the first two to three sessions.

What is Emsculpt Neo, and is it just about aesthetics?

“Emsculpt Neo is most often talked about as a body contouring treatment. And it is. But reducing it to a purely aesthetic conversation misses quite a lot of what it actually does, particularly in the context of women who’ve had children or who are navigating the significant hormonal changes that come with the perimenopause and menopause” says Nurse Natalia.

Emsculpt Neo combines two technologies simultaneously within its treatment applicator. Like Emsella, it uses HIFEM to trigger supramaximal contractions in the targeted muscle groups; the most popular areas for treatment being the abdomen, buttocks, thighs, or arms. But, at the same time, it also delivers radiofrequency energy which heats the tissue. The temperature reached during treatment allows the targeted fat cells to enter a neutral process of cell death (apoptosis) whilst the surrounding muscle is being intensively worked by the HIFEM induced muscle contractions. If you’re wondering if this heat is painful, know that it is not. In our experience, the warmth adds to the comfort of the treatment, feeling a little like you have a hot water bottle on the area.

Research published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology confirms that this dual mechanism of HIFEM and radiofrequency energy, genuinely deletes fat cells; with a documented reduction in fat cell size by 33.5% at one week following treatment.

The muscle fibres respond to the HIFEM therapy by thickening and forming new muscle fibres. A study published in Aesthetics Surgery Journal in 2021 confirmed that the combination wakes up the muscle’s own repair cells; the ones that sit dormant until the muscle gets a signal that it needs to rebuild.

Within four days of treatment, the number of active repair cells had increased by over a quarter. By two weeks, microscopic analysis showed new muscle fibres beginning to form. Think of it like this: the heat and muscle contractions together send a signal your body recognises as it doing serious work. It responds by building back stronger. That’s not surface results, it’s actual new tissue. That’s one of the things that separates Emsculpt Neo from the original device, Emsculpt.

There is another layer to this. The radiofrequency in Emsculpt Neo does not stop at the fat you can see or pinch. A 2023 study published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology found that treatment also reduced visceral fat, the fat that sits deep inside the abdomen, around the organs, by an average of 17.8 percent. Those results were still holding at the six-month follow-up. Visceral fat is the type most closely associated with long-term health risks, not just appearance. Reducing it is a health outcome as much as an aesthetic one.

And because the muscles Emsculpt Neo works on during a core treatment are the same ones that connect directly to and support the pelvic floor, using Emsculpt Neo and Emsella together treats the whole system, not just one part of it. That is something neither treatment can achieve on its own.

What the research shows

A multicenter MRI study published in Aesthetic Surgery Journal (2024) followed 73 patients across multiple clinics through four sessions of Emsculpt Neo.

Three months later, MRI scans showed an average 27.2% increase in muscle thickness and a 30.5% reduction in fat. Over 80% said they felt more toned, and 85% found the treatment comfortable.

A smaller MRI trial published in the Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology (2023) tracked patients across four sessions and found a 28.7% reduction in abdominal fat and a 24.3% in abdominal muscle thickness. The same trial noted around a 19 percent reduction in diastasis recti, the abdominal separation that is so common after pregnancy. This was a small preliminary trial, so the figures are a strong indicator rather than a definitive number.

For diastasis recti specifically, a dedicated postpartum MRI study by Jacob and Rank (2020) gives us the most detailed picture. Ten women, all between three months and three years postpartum, completed a four-session course of HIFEM treatment and were scanned at regular intervals over six months. At three months, the average reduction in abdominal separation was 22.7%. Four of the women had separation that met the clinical threshold for diastasis recti at the start; all four had resolved it by the three-month scan. Those results held at six months. For context: eight weeks of abdominal exercises in comparable groups tends to produce a 14 to 16% reduction. The supramaximal contractions appear to do something conventional exercise simply cannot replicate at the same speed or depth. This particular study used the original HIFEM device; Emsculpt Neo contains the same HIFEM component, with radiofrequency added alongside it.

Individual results vary. These figures are drawn from published clinical studies and do not represent guaranteed outcomes.

Why combining them changes everything

“Most women come in asking about Emsella, and it genuinely is remarkable.” says Nurse Natalia. “But if you've had large babies, a prolonged labour, an instrumental delivery, or you're noticing that your general muscle tone has softened alongside any bladder leakage, it's worth considering the bigger picture”.

Think of the core muscles and pelvic floor like a suspension bridge: the cables above and the structure below are in constant conversation. Weaken the cables, and everything underneath feels the strain.

Emsculpt Neo works on the cables. It rebuilds the deep core muscles above, while the Emsella chair treatment restores the foundation below. Together, they support the system; the same system pelvic floor physiotherapists, women’s health specialists, and PTs will tell you is central for physical strength, stability, and confidence.

For women after childbirth, this can be especially meaningful. Diastasis recti and pelvic floor weakness are two expressions of the same underlying disruption to trunk function. Emsculpt Neo has published data specifically on post-partum abdominal repair, including diastasis recti. The Emsella chair treatment addresses the pelvic floor simultaneously. Used as a combined Core to Floor treatment, they begin to restore what pregnancy altered.

For women in perimenopause or beyond, the combination works on two levels. Oestrogen decline accelerates muscle mass loss, reducing both strength and pelvic tissue quality, which is why symptoms often creep up together. Emsella addresses the pelvic floor muscles directly. Emsculpt Neo rebuilds the deep core muscles, and because skeletal muscle is one of the body's most metabolically active tissues, rebuilding it helps restore the metabolic function that oestrogen decline quietly erodes.

The Core to Floor protocol is relevant for any woman who:

• Is in perimenopause or beyond and noticing that her body is changing in ways that feel beyond her control.
• Has had children and wants to properly address what pregnancy did to her core and pelvic floor, not just manage life around it.
• Has been told her abdominal muscles have separated or suspects they might have.
• Wants to address body composition, including deep internal fat, without surgery, a waiting list, or surgical recovery time.
• Is investing in her long-term physical health alongside other aesthetic or wellness treatments.
• Simply wants to feel in control of her body again: stronger, more confident, and back in the driving seat.

What a Course of Treatment Actually Looks Like

Both Emsella and Emsculpt Neo are non-invasive. No anaesthesia, no downtime, no recovery. You come in, you are treated, you leave.

Nurse Natalia explains that “Most patients describe the sensation as unusual rather than uncomfortable; intense muscle activity, but not painful in a way that needs managing. Because of this, during your first session you’ll probably be more aware of the sensations as they’re new to you; however, rest assured, your practitioner asks for feedback and ensures that you’re comfortable throughout your sessions”.

At The Skin to Love Clinic, we offer a course of six Emsculpt Neo sessions. The published studies typically use four, but our clinical experience consistently shows that six delivers superior results for our patients. For Emsella, six sessions is a strong starting point, though, because no two patients arrive with the same baseline, your practitioner will assess where you are and talk you through what's realistically achievable and what that looks like in day-to-day life.

“Sessions are often interspersed over three to four weeks for the Emsella and five to six weeks for the Emsculpt Neo, and can sometimes be timed on the same visit, which makes the programme straightforward to fit around a normal schedule, especially as our Hertfordshire clinic is open 7 days a week.” says Nurse Natalia. “An Emsella chair treatment is approximately 28 minutes long per session and the Emsculpt Neo approximately 30 minutes”.

Results build progressively. Many patients notice improvements in pelvic floor function within the first two to three weeks. Emsculpt Neo results continue to develop for up to three months after the final session as muscle remodelling completes. Many patients find this is the period when the change feels most significant; not during treatment, but gradually, in day-to-day life they notice. Laughing freely. Running without planning around it. Feeling strong.

The Medically-Led Difference

The Skin to Love Clinic is regulated by the Care Quality Commission. Our standards are not self-set, they’re independently assessed and held to the same clinical framework as any regulated healthcare provider in the UK.

“That matters here. Non-surgical body tightening in Hertfordshire is increasingly offered in non-clinical settings, by practitioners without medical training, using unregulated or lower-grade equipment. The technology behind Emsella and Emsculpt Neo is only as good as the assessment that precedes it and the practitioner overseeing it.” Nurse Natalia tells us.

Every patient at our clinic undergoes a consultation and clinical assessment before any course of treatment begins. We will talk through your health history, your goals, and whether this protocol is genuinely right for you. If it is not, or if something else would serve you better, we will say so. That is not a disclaimer. It is simply how medicine should work.