The treatment is a fractional resurfacing treatment i.e. only a fraction of the skin is treated as the skin around the micropores remains untreated. This minimises complications and allows the skin to recover quicker with less downtime compared to a fractional treatment where all the skin is treated at once. This is why several treatments are needed to reach the desired outcome.

Tixel is infinitely safer than plasma pen and is more effective. The risk of gridding and permanent scarring with a plasma pen is very high and it is a very risky aesthetic procedure.

Tixel offers much more efficient collagen regeneration than micro-needling and is a superior treatment. You can safely treat around the eye area with Tixel, which you are not able to do with micro-needling due to the increased trauma, and there is no bleeding.

CO2 laser requires more downtime and has more risk of side effects. You can safely treat around the eye with Tixel without the need for eye shields as it is not a laser, and there is no bleeding scarring or debris that occurs with CO2 laser.

Semi-ablative and ablative Tixel - The settings can be adjusted to make the treatment more or less ablative. The more ablative the deeper the treatment and the longer the healing time. Ablative treatments are used for fine lines, wrinkles, scarring and stretch marks. Depending on how ablative the treatment is, there are usually a few days of downtime, and we may use numbing cream.

Meso-Tixel - This is a more superficial treatment. The micropores created by the heat provide channels, and when the topicals are applied to the skin they are able to reach into the dermis via these micro-channels. Topical lightening agents are applied to the skin after the treatment to help reduce pigmentation and melasma and neurotoxin to minimise rosacea. The channels remain open for 6 hours. No anaesthesia is required and there is minimal downtime.

Treatments are tailored depending on the desired result and the amount of downtime you are accepting of. We will discuss this with you prior to your treatment.

Meso-Tixel - There is minimal downtime. The skin will feel a little warm and look flushed and slightly red after the treatment. You can apply make-up to cover any redness after 24 hours. As the micro-channels created in the skin remain open for 6 hours it is very important that you follow your aftercare instructions and keep the area clean to avoid the risk of infection.

Semi-ablative and ablative Tixel - As this is a deeper treatment there will be some downtime. After treatment the skin is slightly swollen and red for 3 to 4 hours. Swelling can last longer in some instances. Patients experience mild erythema and heat sensation for 3 to 4 hours. Redness will fade over the coming days and you will likely notice some micro crusting and a grid like pattern which will gradually disappear over the next week. You can wear makeup from 48 to 72 hours post treatment as you are healing and use a mild exfoliant on day 4 to 5. Your skin may feel like sandpaper and quite dry during the first week so it is important that you apply moisturiser often and drink lots of water. We will give you a post care cream to use for the first couple of days.

You will need to avoid strenuous exercise and very hot baths/showers/spas for the next 48 hours. We recommend sleeping with your head propped up on a pillow for the next 2 nights to reduce swelling.

You will need to wait a minimum of 2 weeks (depending on the intensity of the treatment), before having any semi-invasive treatments such as injectables, IPL, micro-needling and peels.

It is normal for your skin to feel sensitive and warm for a few days after treatment, like you’ve been in the sun. Swelling and redness are common for 2-3 days after treatment and micro-crusting with a grid-like pattern that appears a couple of days later and gradually fades. Tixel is considered very safe and lower settings can be used for those concerned about downtime.

Rare side effects can include prolonged redness and swelling, transient or permanent pigmentation changes (hypo and hyperpigmentation), cold sore reactivation, infection, and very rarely scarring. It is important that you follow all pre and post-care instructions to help reduce the likelihood of these side effects occurring and let us know all medications you are taking and if there are any changes to your medical history.

Unsuitable candidates include:

• Patients who are currently pregnant or breastfeeding.
• If you have had recent sun exposure for prolonged times or fake tan in the area to be treated (we recommend waiting 4 weeks).
• Those taking certain medications such as Roaccutane.
• If you have an important upcoming event in the next 2 weeks we recommend waiting.
• If you have had toxin treatment or a peel in the last 2 weeks or IPL/dermal fillers/Profhilo/microneedling in the past 4 weeks.
• Those with highly sensitive or irritated skin.
• The treatment may not be as effective on those patients with mild to severe laxity.

Most people find the treatments fairly comfortable and describe it as feeling hot, similar to being sunburnt. Numbing cream can be applied depending on the intensity of the treatment, but in most cases, it is not needed. The treatment is very tolerable. Even though the tips are heated to 400 degrees Celsius, the contact time with the skin is milliseconds and is a very controlled heat. By the time it reaches 0.1mm (100 microns), the temperature has dropped to 50 degrees Celsius. As the pain receptors are at 50 microns, pain levels are relatively low compared to other resurfacing devices.

The treatment itself only takes about 10 to 45 minutes depending on the surface area being treated and the number of pulses, so it is very quick.

At your consultation, we will go over your pre and post-procedure instructions. You will need to avoid the sun where possible and wear sunscreen for four weeks prior to treatment and during your treatment course. If you get cold sores in the area being treated you will need to tell us. We may also recommend skin preparation for 2-4 weeks prior to treatments depending on your skin type.

Do not wear any fake tan or makeup to your Tixel appointments and avoid harsh exfoliants or sponges for the week prior to treatment. You will need to wait 4 weeks post dermal fillers and Profhilo and IPL and 2 weeks post anti-wrinkle injections, peels, and any other semi-invasive treatments to the area. Stop using Retinol 5 days prior to treatment.

Tixel Skin Resurfacing should only be performed by a Dr or Registered Nurse trained in cosmetic medicine. Registered Nurses working in the field of cosmetic medicine must have oversight from a Dr with specific qualifications such as Dr’s who are a member of NZSCM. As with all our injectable treatments, your treatment will be performed by a Registered Nurse trained in cosmetic nursing. Our cosmetic nurse Jaime has been working in the industry for over 13 years and has oversight from Dr Henryk Poczwa, member of NZSCM and owner of the Vein and Skin Clinic in Wellington. Dr Poczwa visits Invercargill regularly and meets with Jaime.

If you are a new patient, you will need to book for a Cosmetic Consultation prior to treatment. If you are an existing patient and have not yet spoken to us about this treatment, you will need need to book a Cosmetic Consultation.

If you are an existing patient and have already spoken to us about the treatment and you are a suitable candidate, you can book the Tixel Resurfacing treatment option.

You can book here.

Tixel skin resurfacing treatment can be a stand-alone treatment or combined with other services to further enhance your treatments and meet your aesthetic goals. A personalised treatment plan can be created at your cosmetic consultation. Treatments typically combined with Tixel skin resurfacing include:

Medical grade skincare - prescribed for your individual skin care needs to improve skin health and quality improving the overall result of your treatments and aiding recovery time.

Botox and Xeomin (Anti-wrinkle injections) – to reduce muscle contraction and smooth out the overlying skin, softening lines, and wrinkles, and preventing the formation of deeper lines.

Profhilo (bioremodelling) - used to provide deep hydration and improve mild to moderate skin laxity. Profhilo also works well as a preventative treatment as it stimulates fibroblast cells to increase collagen and elastin formation and has been shown to preserve fat stem cells under the skin lost with aging. This is not a volumising product like dermal fillers.

IPL photorejuvenation - to reduce redness, rosacea, pigmentation, sunspots and improve skin tone.

Dermal Filler - to volumise areas that have lost volume over time and fill deeper lines where reduced muscle contraction is not recommended. Dermal filler is also used for definition, volumisation and hydration to the lips.

DermaFrac (microneedling with serum infusion) - combines collagen induction therapy with needling, suction to aid in lymphatic drainage and serum infusion in a quick, low pain, low downtime, and effective treatment. Used to improve skin texture, hydration, brightness and reduce the appearance of pigmentation, dark spots and acne.