New face treatment gives youthful glow without surgery


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Lately, I’ve found myself contemplating the idea of facelifts. It’s hard not to when you see celebrities from my millennial generation, such as Lindsay Lohan and Christina Aguilera, somehow looking more radiant now than in their twenties. Between my hectic professional life, active social calendar, and the constant stream of stressful news, I’ve noticed more fatigue in my appearance. As I approach my 38th birthday, I can’t help but think about Catt Sadler, one of my professional role models, who underwent a facelift at 48. I’ve started wondering if I should begin saving for this expensive procedure.

Although I’m no stranger to trying unconventional beauty treatments for my journalistic endeavors – including facials using salmon sperm and masks containing powdered bird droppings – I’m not quite ready for surgical intervention.

Recently, I had the chance to experience SomaCell, an innovative FDA-cleared treatment promising age-defying results without pain or recovery time.

According to founder Kim Laudati, “SomaCell stands out for its unique ability to treat and enhance all structural layers, not just the skin. It refines, lifts and smooths fine lines, wrinkles, sagging skin, droopy jowls and overall facial laxity while boosting the health and vitality of the entire facial structure, from the foundational layers to the visible surface.”

Unlike traditional treatments that intentionally damage the skin to promote healing, such as lasers and chemical peels, SomaCell employs acoustic wave therapy to stimulate angiogenesis – the natural formation of new blood vessels and cells that diminishes with age.

The procedure offers additional benefits: no risk of infection or scarring, and compatibility with all ages and skin types. When I visited Laudati’s NYC practice, IT Intelligent Treatment, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that no numbing cream was necessary.

“SomaCell feels like a massage,” Laudati explained, mentioning that some clients actually fall asleep during treatment.

While the noise level kept me awake – “I joke that the first part sounds kind of like a jackhammer, and the second like a helicopter,” she said – the experience was indeed painless. (“‘No bruising, no pain, no nothing,’ to quote one of my patients,” she’d told me.)

Laudati methodically worked from under my chin upward, using two different SomaCell attachments that reminded me of massage guns. She concentrated on my eyebrows and jawline for lifting effects, and targeted laugh lines and other age-prone areas. Only when treating bony areas did I notice mild, manageable sensitivity.

She emphasized that SomaCell uses gentler acoustic wave therapy rather than focused shockwave therapy, commonly used for cellulite treatment. “Semi-permanent to permanent damage can be done, for example, to the nervous system, optical nerves and facial structure,” she cautioned about misusing shockwave therapy on facial areas.

After my initial 45-minute session, my skin looked luminous without any redness. I could immediately apply makeup and continue normal activities, including sun exposure with proper SPF protection.

The true transformation became evident after my second and third treatments, particularly around my eyes. My dark circles diminished noticeably, my eyebrows appeared lifted, and my perioral lines softened, accompanied by an unmistakable radiance.

“You don’t have to wait two, four or even six months for the visual results to begin being noticeable — they happen per treatment and keep getting better,” Laudati explains, suggesting six weekly or more frequent sessions for optimal results.

At $900 per treatment, the complete series totals $5,400 – significant but considerably less than a traditional facelift’s $50,000+ price tag in NYC.

Three treatments in, with visible improvements documented in my before-and-after photos, I’m enthusiastic about continuing my SomaCell journey. If it postpones the need for surgical intervention, I consider it a worthwhile investment.