What Tixel Does
Tixel treatment in London uses heat rather than light. A grid of titanium rods is brought into brief, direct contact with the skin, creating tiny controlled thermal injuries that prompt the skin to repair itself by producing collagen and elastin. It is that repair response that drives the skin rejuvenation, which is why results build over the months afterwards rather than appearing overnight.
It is used for a range of skin conditions: fine lines and wrinkles, uneven skin texture and tone, hyperpigmentation, acne scarring, and sun damage. Because the heat transfer is direct and brief rather than spreading through the tissue as a laser's does, it can be used close to the eye, which is where most devices stop. That is the reason Alice had it done there.
The Consultation
"Dr Tapan shows me the device and points out that the rods on the device are made of titanium. There are 81 of them and they heat up to 400°C, at which point they will be lightly applied all around my eye area.
They can also be used across my eyelids, to give a mini eyelift effect. Wow. Part of my brain is fascinated. The other half is appalled: 400°C? That will hurt. That will burn. That will show.
'Yes, it's a light, controlled burn,' says Dr Tapan. 'Where the tip of each rod touches, it will burn away skin. But you have anaesthetic cream to dull the sensation and unlike a laser, where the heat spreads more widely, there is less risk of injury. The burned spots produce collagen and elastin to repair the damage and rejuvenate the skin.'"
Why the Eye Area Is Different
"This skin is thin in the first place, and, after menopause, collagen production tails off, meaning the skin's ability to repair and regenerate itself is very limited. As Dr Tapan described, damaging skin with Tixel's hot rods has been shown in trials to stimulate the production of both collagen, the protein that keeps skin firm, and elastin, which gives skin its bounce, so should translate into firmer, springier skin around my eyes, and less obvious crow's feet."
The skin around the eye is the thinnest on the face, which is both why it shows age first and why so many devices cannot be used there safely. It is also why treatment in this area needs a practitioner who works on it regularly rather than occasionally.
Does Tixel Hurt? What the Treatment Feels Like
"When it's treatment time, I'm more than a bit apprehensive. 400°C is pretty damn hot. Dr Tapan marks out the treatment area with white lines of chinagraph pencil like a huge pair of goggles. Then he fires up the Tixel, warns me it will flash when it touches my skin, and we're off.
I have to admit that, even with the anaesthetic cream and Dr Tapan's zen-like couch-side manner, it stings. The one saving grace is that each sting is just a momentary flash of pain. It's more agreeable than some lasers I've tried, which have a way of delivering a really biting pain just after the initial sting.
But after the patch under my lower lashes, the rest of the treatment is very comfortable. It doesn't hurt half as much around my crow's feet, and I can't feel the bit above my eyebrows at all. Dr Tapan then lowers the temperature of the device, asks me to shut my eyes and works lightly across my eyelids.
I keep very, very still and it's over before I can imagine holes being burned in my eyelids, and before I remember that I'm still wearing my contact lenses (to my amazement, they don't melt, but it would have been better to take them out beforehand)."
Two practical notes from that. Contact lenses should come out before treatment, and topical anaesthetic is applied beforehand and needs time to work, so the appointment is longer than the treatment itself.
Aftercare and Recovery
"He tells me to leave the area alone for the rest of the day and gives me a vial of high-strength vitamin C serum to help heal the skin, the tiny burn marks create channels into the skin, so products penetrate much better, and advises me to use lots of sunscreen."
That last point is not incidental. Skin that has just been treated is more vulnerable to UV, and sun exposure in the days afterwards is the most common reason a good result is undone. Daily sun protection is part of the treatment rather than an optional extra, and it does more for long-term skin health than anything you apply afterwards.
Expect the treated area to feel warm and look pink initially, with a fine bronzed or grid-like appearance over the following days as the surface heals. It is visible, so plan treatment ahead of anything you care about being photographed at.
The Results She Saw
"Over the next fortnight, the skin heals up nicely, and my trusty magnifying mirror reveals that the area of treated skin is a good deal smoother and fresher-looking than the skin on my cheek, which wasn't treated. The heavy hooding on my eyelids looks noticeably lighter and, yes, the crow's feet are definitely reduced. To get the best results, which should last at least a year, will take three rounds of treatment, each a month apart."
That is one person's account of her own treatment, and results vary from person to person depending on skin quality, age and how many sessions are completed. What is consistent is the structure she describes: a course rather than a single session, with treatment intervals of roughly a month, and the improvement can be expected to build over the months that follow rather than appearing at once.
Read more about Alice's story.
Who Tixel Suits, and Who It Does Not
Tixel works on skin quality: texture, fine lines, tone, and the crêpey thinning that shows around the eyes. It is a good option for people who want meaningful change without the downtime of ablative resurfacing, and it reaches areas most devices cannot.
It is not a substitute for surgery. Significant excess skin on the upper lid is a surgical problem, and no energy device will resolve it. It also will not address volume loss or muscle movement, so if the concern is hollowing or deep dynamic lines, the honest answer is a different treatment or a combination. We would rather say that at consultation than have you complete a course expecting something it cannot do.
If your concern is laxity lower down the face, skin tightening or laser resurfacing may be the better route, and that is a conversation worth having before committing to any course.
Prices
Tixel at PHI Clinic starts from £395. Results build over a course rather than a single visit, and your practitioner will set out how many sessions your skin is likely to need, and the full cost, at consultation before anything is agreed.
See What Tixel Could Do for Your Skin
Reading someone else's account only takes you so far. Whether Tixel is right for your skin depends on what is actually causing the concern you have, which is what an assessment is for.
Book a consultation with our team at PHI Clinic, 102 Harley Street, London. We will tell you honestly whether Tixel treatment in London is the right answer, whether something else would serve you better, or whether the result you want needs more than a device can give.