1. health and fitness
2. aging

Collagen Induction Therapy The medical roller used in a Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT) uses very fine, surgical stainless steel needles to make channels into the epidermis and dermis to release growth factors that promote scarless healing and the deposition of normal woven collagen rather than scar collagen. The following is an overview of common skin disorders and conditions where the use of CIT shows improvements. Excellent results can be achieved with: •
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Wrinkles Hyperpigmentation Rosacea Loss of elasticity and resiliency Premature aging Scars Epidermal density and strength Loose and sagging skin UV damage Stretch marks Hair restoration How does “Collagen Induction Therapy” work? At the heart of Collagen Induction Therapy (CIT) is a unique ‘Class I’ supplemental medical device that is ideal for non-­‐surgical and non-­‐ablative treatment of various skin conditions such as aging (wrinkles, stretching), scarring (acne, surgical), and hyperpigmentation. At Alternatives, we use the Microneedle Therapy System (MTS) Roller for CIT treatments. Clinical studies have shown CIT to be more effective than ablative treatments like laser resurfacing, dermabrasion, and deep chemical peels. CIT is just as effective as non-­‐ablative treatments like IPL, CO2 laser, and Fraxel in stimulating collagen and elastin production to thicken the skin, erase wrinkles, and smooth scars. Absolute Absorbency CIT rollers use 200 very fine needles to injure the skin sufficiently enough to stimulate collagen/elastin production. Resulting micro-­‐channels aid in infusing applied therapeutic serums for greater penetration and increased overall efficacy. Clinical studies from Europe, U.S. and South Korea have proven that serum absorption is increased by as much as 1,000 times when applied with a CIT Roller. Clinical studies have also shown that treatment with a CIT Roller is more consistent in increasing the thickness of the skin than IPL and other resurfacing treatments. There are THREE major advantages of CIT Treatments: 1. CIT treatments are revolutionary. They do the same job as lasers and other ablative methods by increasing the production of collagen with minimal damage to the protective layer of the skin. 2. CIT treatments are effective. In fact, they are just as effective as lasers, IPL, Thermage and other ‘machine-­‐based’ treatments, but at a fraction of the cost to practitioners and patients. 3. CIT treatments are safe. “Non-­‐surgical and non-­‐ablative” means more ‘forgiving’ and skin-­‐friendly treatments. Patients experience little or no pain, downtime, and risk for complications. Fast Recuperative Power The gentle stimulus provided by the CIT treatment is far more “skin friendly” and thus far more effective than many other more invasive and more expensive skin treatments. A CIT Roller leaves the entire epidermal barrier fully intact; micro-­‐
channels created by 200 precision surgical steel needles seal within hours after application which is long enough for new collagen-­‐structures to form within the lower layers of the skin and short enough to allow the patient to resume normal schedules quickly. CIT treatments eliminate all common negative side effects and risks associated with chemical peeling, dermabrasion, and laser-­‐resurfacing. The skin is thicker and ready sooner for additional treatment. Personal home roller models are a virtually painless way to increase the effectiveness of clinical treatments and are available through Alternatives. SIDE EFFECTS AND RISKS ASSOCIATED WITH ABLATIVE TREATMENTS Ablative treatments like dermabrasion, deep chemical peel and laser re-­‐surfacing accomplish one thing; remove the protective epidermis to force the body to produce a new tissue layer. However, once the epidermis is removed the lower levels of skin are completely exposed and are vulnerable to environmental contamination from dirt, dust, and bacteria. Certain risks must be accepted with these procedures: pain, long-­‐term discomfort, long prevailing inflammation and redness, long healing period, extreme light-­‐sensitivity for a month or more, possible irreversible pigment changes and even additional scarring. Ablative treatments have their limitations. Due to different skin structures on the neck for instance, laser re-­‐surfacing may not be possible. Moreover, because these treatments leave the skin thinner, in some cases these procedures may actually age the skin. CIT, a non-­‐
ablative treatment, is far more ‘skin friendly’ by doing far less damage and thereby encouraging faster, longer-­‐lasting positive effects. Since the skin can recuperate faster after CIT treatment – often hours after treatment – the patient may see noticeable positive results sooner. What Happens? All treatments have a common goal; injure the skin just enough to begin natural healing processes. Ablative treatments like a deep chemical peel, dermabrasion, and laser skin resurfacing accomplish this task by removing the entire top layer of skin. Microdermabrasion is also ablative, but it is superficial and cannot treat for deeper imperfections. New technologies such as CO2 lasers, Fraxel, Thermage and IPL are non-­‐
ablative (they do not remove the top layer) and have demonstrated effectiveness, but the equipment is very expensive thus treatments are very costly to the patient. CIT is unique because it produces similar results without expensive equipment and without removing skin layers; treatments are comparatively inexpensive and pose minimal risks. Downtime The downtime required of various skin therapies depends on the depth of the injury caused to the skin. Microdermabrasion produces very little downtime; generally limited to a few hours of tingling and redness. However, a deep chemical peel can keep you at home on painkillers for up to two weeks. Dermabrasion and laser resurfacing will leave your skin red and swollen for around ten days, total recuperation can be up to three weeks. Since certain treatments are non-­‐
ablative, CO2 and Fraxel lasers, Thermage, and IPL treatments do not produce significant downtime, but the claim of ‘no downtime’ is somewhat exaggerated. For instance, some Thermage and CO2 patients develop redness and swelling that may last 2 to 3 days; residual pain may linger for several days. Collagen Induction Therapy is non-­‐ablative and produces little downtime; the skin may be red and sensitive for about two to three hours after treatment. Risks and Side Effects There are ample horror stories about inadequate care by professionals when performing dermabrasion, chemical peels and laser resurfacing. Not only do these procedures require a great deal of training to master, they also require some amount of artistry in judging how much of the skin to remove; too little and the patient walks away with less than what they paid for, too much and there could be permanent damage like scarring or pigmentation changes. Moreover, these treatments may not be suitable for people with darker skin. Meanwhile, new machine-­‐based treatments like CO2 lasers, Thermage, IPL, and other non-­‐
ablative do not exhibit many side effects, but the performance/artistry risks are the same. Microdermabrasion appears to have the advantage of exhibiting few side effects and little risk due to a large degree because it is a less invasive procedure. As such, however microdermabrasion has limited effectiveness on removing deeper acne scars, wrinkles, age spots or stretch marks. CIT has none of the common risks and offers all of the advantages of the most invasive and most expensive treatments since the needles can only go into the skin so far. The only variable is for the practitioner to determine which of the rollers to use. Moreover, clinical studies have shown that the mesotherapeutic effect of a CIT roller outperforms all ablatives treatments (deep chemical peel, dermabrasion, laser resurfacing) and CO2 laser, Fraxel, and IPL in terms of delivering smoother skin and a long lasting effect. Clinical Features of the MTS CIT Home Roller Sold at Alternatives •
The MTS Home Roller lasts longer than other rollers. Due to its unique design and superior materials the MTS Home Roller offered in our clinic has twice the lifespan of most other roller brands – up to six months if you follow our simple cleaning and care instructions. •
The MTS Home Roller is the highest quality roller on the market today. Only this Home Roller is made from surgical quality Lexan (compared with other rollers made from ABS plastic or resin) the highest quality surgical steel available in the world. •
Use of a MTS Home Roller is a versatile treatment alternative. It can be applied to a variety of skin conditions including: depressed acne scarring, surgical scars, sun-­‐
damaged skin, uneven skin texture, uneven skin coloration (pigmentation), wrinkles, “smile” lines, stretch marks, and cellulite. Key Points •
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There are no known negative side-­‐effects Increases the absorption of skincare products applied to the skin Promotes collagen through controlled mechanical stimulation of the dermis It can be used on thin skin and on the face, neck and body Complete preservation of the epidermis during the procedure No permanent damage to the skin and no pain during procedure No bleeding, infection, discoloration or other complications on the treated area Can be used to boost the effects after a clinical treatment This type of needling can be done on people who have had laser resurfacing Can be used on areas of the skin where laser resurfacing cannot reach