Beauty Series Part 2: Laser Technology

By Nancy Noreman

If we are lucky and blessed, it happens. We age. We look in the mirror, and the reflection is older. It is a bit saggy, and, yes, we need to squint to see it. Maybe that is a small blessing—we cannot see the minor imperfections. We pull the mirror closer and examine ourselves. We give a tug here, a pull there and wish some things would magically go away or that we had special tape to hold them in place.

When I do a useless mirror check like that, I have a tiny voice in my head of a lady I met 25 years ago in the gym. She was about 50 years old, in very good shape, with a tight-and-toned figure. Her face looked older than her physique, and I remember thinking to myself, “She looks pretty good for her age—good for her! I hope I can look that good when I am that age.”

Every so often I would talk with her during cardio or between sets, and she shared some wise words. “ Honey,” she said, “when you get older, you have to choose between your ass and your face. If you want a small, lean butt, you will have a more weathered-looking face.”

That was upsetting, but it made sense. As we get older, we loose elasticity in our skin. If you are thin, your face will look gaunt and weathered, as opposed to plumper and fuller, the way it is when you are younger. “I will choose thin,” I told myself. Of course, being 25, I thought it was forever away.


Nancy Demonstrates a Beauty Laser Treatment

Well, guess what? Forever away is now, and I’m almost that age. Every year on my birthday I like to gift myself with something that celebrates me. That is what started me on this Beauty Series, and through my research I’ve learned that I don’t have to choose between my butt and my face when I get to 50. Modern laser technology has brought us to a whole new level of beauty procedures that rejuvenate the face without surgery. In that spirit, I offer you the Fountain of Youth—Forever Young BBL™ (Broad Band Light) and Skin Tyte™.

Finding an Expert

Living in New York, the center a fashion and beauty, I looked for the person I thought was the most informed and knowledgeable on the subject. (If you know me, you know that I have always done my homework well—since grade school!) It was important to find someone who could help me understand the differences between the various technologies now being offered. As I made my inquiries, one name kept surfacing, Sharon Grasso.

One of the things I admired about Sharon when we met was that she was very direct. I approached with her as a client/patient, sort of undercover, and she told me immediately that I was not going to see much difference. She did not try to sell me. Major points for that! I mean, in my head, I was all ready to go—so she had me at hello—but still I appreciated her approach. She explained that my results would be more preventative than something that would give me knockout before and after pictures. The procedure would be great as a preventive measure if I wanted to start now, or I could wait a few years. It was totally up to me. I chose to have some sessions now because I wanted to report it properly and understand the process.

Did it hurt? Not at all. It feels like you are lying on the beach—warm but not too hot. Some people describe a “mild discomfort.” I did not experience it that way. For me it was quick and painless, and best of all, there was no downtime! You walk right out the door and go about your business without a hiccup in your schedule. Even more amazing, this process truly makes your skin look younger, vibrant and tighter, so you can say buh-bye to lines and dull, tired-looking skin and hello to that alive and bright face you were wondering how to get back.

Meet Sharon Grasso

Sharon is a NYS Certified Clinical Instructor, Licensed Permanent Makeup Specialist, and Licensed Medical Aesthetician, and her company is Permanent Touch Cosmetics. I tried to ask her the questions that I thought you would want to know.

I’m intrigued that the process works on both men and women. If someone is on the lean side, especially if he or she is dieting for a competition and looking gaunt in the face due to lower body fat, will this process work?

Yes, yes, yes! BBL works and is especially good for this. It works by creating new collagen cells through a process called collagenesis. I try to compare the process to building muscles and exercising. We go under the dermal layer to create new collagen, and when you train, you have to get into the muscle using protein to create hypertrophy.

BBL is often coupled with a facial treatment called Skin Tyte™, which uses pulsed light to heat your skin deeply with infrared energy while cooling and protecting the entire treated surface.

How long will it take before I can see results?

The process involves a round of treatments once a month for six months, with a follow-up maintenance program that consists of once a month quarterly. Typically you see results after three months, but some say after the first treatment.

What is a good age to start, and why?

The early mid-40s, when you still have active collagen cells.

Why would someone choose laser treatments and skin tightening instead of a facelift?

Some people do not have the option of plastic surgery for various reasons, such as medical, financial, or emotional. Others may choose to do both a facelift and laser treatment plus skin tightening because surgery just removes some of the skin; it doesn’t treating the skin that is still there. Each person is an individual case.


Sharon also has a big practice in permanent makeup, including procedures for eyebrows, lips, eyelids, and corrective scar revision. I have been fixated lately on the gorgeous eyebrows so many women are walking around with, and so I had many more questions for her. Check out Sharon’s Website at PermanentTouchCosmetics.com, and watch for Part 3 of my Beauty Series covering the do’s and don’t of permanent cosmetics.