A few weeks ago I mentioned something that I was going to write about called micro-coring.
I teased about it being a facelift without surgery, which I think many of us are looking for.
From my research thus far, nothing is going to replace a facelift. But many things can help stave it off.
And for those who don’t want to have surgery it’s a good alternative.
So what is micro-coring?
It’s a new technology and machine (Ellacor), which was cleared by the FDA in 2021, and developed by Boston plastic surgeon William G. Austen, Jr., MD, and dermatologist Rox Anderson, MD.
Micro-coring is a minimally-invasive procedure where hollowed needles (5 mm in length) are inserted into the skin and remove tiny pieces of skin at regular intervals.
It treats moderate to severe wrinkles in the cheeks and chin without scarring. And it tightens jowls. It’s meant for the lower face but there are ongoing trials for future use on knees, arms and possibly scars. Some practitioners are experimenting on different areas but those are off-label uses.
The procedure takes about 25 minutes and is said to be well tolerated by patients with the use of local anesthesia.
Patients will experience swelling, skin oozing, redness and possible bruising for up to seven days. Mostly it’s a few days of downtime but everyone heals differently.
Micro-coring is its own technology and is very different from microneedling, lasers and energy devices.
Dr. Paul Jarrod Frank illustrates:
I’m not sure if I’m going to try this procedure. But if I do I will let you know.
If this is something you are interested in search, “Ellacor near me”. And if you don’t have a practitioner near you right now (because it’s so new), it’s only a matter of time. Places are popping up quickly.
Have a great weekend.
Sandy
References:
Pivotal Study to Evaluate the Effectiveness of a Micro-Coring Device Treating Moderate to Severe Facial Wrinkles. ClinicalTrials.gov NCT 03573271; submitted for publication. 51 subjects completed the pivotal study; subjects were treated 2-3 times with 7%-8% skin removal and up to 5mm needle coring depth. Each patient heals differently; mild to moderate side effects may still be present up to 30 days post-treatment per physician assessment. All clinical data, including patient healing, treatment pain on the 0-10 Wong-Baker Scale, Global Aesthetic Improvement Scale scores, and Subject Satisfaction is on file with Cytrellis.
Cytrellis announces FDA clearance for breakthrough ellacor micro-coring technology. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/cytrellis-announces-fda-clearance-for-breakthrough-ellacor-micro-coring-technology-301341572.html. Published July 27, 2021. Accessed Feb. 9, 2022.
Pozner JN., Et. al. Cytrellis: A Novel Microcoring Technology for Scarless Skin Removal: Summary of Three Prospective Clinical Trials. Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2021.
