Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XVIII

Tria – Summer’s Secret Weapon By Sophie McMullan I t’s an issue that all of us ladies (and gentlemen) have to deal with on a regular basis – but one that nobody really likes talking about. We’re forever on the hunt to find a discreet solution to it. It crops up all over our bodies and as we age, shows itself in places we weren’t expecting. Have you guessed it yet? Yes, it’s unwanted body hair. The world over, we all have this problem in common and how we choose to deal with it depends on our lifestyle, budget, preferences and knowledge. Most ladies own a razor andmost ladies make a visit to their waxing therapist every now and again. What a bore it all is, having to put yourself through an uncomfortable experience just to be rid of something that we never wanted in the first place. And yet, it keeps coming! The latest innovation that our beauty salons can offer us is laser therapy. This is where a powerful LED light is beamed into the skin to effectively kill the hair follicle and therefore prevent it from growing back again. It’s a time-consuming process which takes several sessions and laborious visits to the salon – and if you want more than one area treated, that will take evenmore time andmoney. Now, however, I think the solution to all this has been created. Enter the Tria® Hair Removal Laser 4X. It’s a rather revolutionary device that uses the same diode laser technology that you can sign up for in salons, only now you are in control. Reassuringly, it’s the only FDA-approved product on the market that is clinically proven to give results over time (as little as three months), and eventually can be permanent. The Tria 4X device itself is a beautifully streamlined product. Completely cordless (aside from when you’re charging it, of course) it has a battery life of half an hour, which means you can treat whichever area of your face and/or body in the comfort of your own home, on your own time. It’s really easy to use too. With the digital display on the top of the device, you can see the battery life, pulse-counter (howmany times you’ve beamed the laser in a session) and the treatment level which goes from one (the most gentle) up to five. Simply select how strong you think you can handle, or just start at one and work your way up at each session. Be sure to check if you’re compatible beforehand, though, as it’s not suitable for everyone. Ideally it works on those with light to medium skin tones with medium to dark hair. There is a sensor on the base of the Tria which will scan your skin before you use it to ensure you’re suitable – a nice safety feature. As far as using the Tria 4X, it’s pretty simple. Your skin needs to be clean, shaven (so the laser can get to the follicle easier) and towel dried. Then when you’re set up, simply place the smooth tip onto the area you wish to treat. From there, you need to move the device up and around the area by lifting and repositioning. The laser pulses should be fairly close together, though, so you do need to concentrate in terms of the pattern you’re making so you don’t miss any areas. They say that each section should overlap the last one by approximately one quarter of an inch. Press the button and the Tria will beep twice, indicating the laser has done its magic and you can move on to the next. You’ll hear a sterner-sounding beep if you’ve not held it against the skin properly! In which case, just lift and try again. As with anything, practice makes perfect. I mastered it after about five minutes but I would say, set aside plenty of time. It’s more time-consuming than you might think, especially if you’re going for larger areas like your legs. But areas such as your underarms and face, for example, will of course take far less time and fewer beeps. They even offer you a diagram of how many pulses each area should take and the time, as a rough guide. It’s all explained really well in the information, and in addition, there’s their website (www.tria.com) with YouTube videos to help you see what it’s all about. All in all, I’d highly recommend it. Whether you suffer a lot with unwanted body hair or there are just a few areas that get on your nerves, it will tackle them all. And who’s to say you can’t share it with your friends or partner. It’s totally hygienic to do so and will justify the cost. This system is not on the cheap side, but if you add up the amount you’ll spend with an expert performing the treatment (plus the time), I think I’d rather let the expert lay in my hands. With summer fast approaching, you can zap any unwanted hair and enjoy a fuzz-free beach season. Smooth operator indeed! 2 8 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I