The 23 Best In-Office Treatments to Sculpt, Lift, and Enhance
“Everyone does Botox,” Lindsay Lohan recently told ELLE. There’s no doubt about it—the aesthetics industry is booming. In-office treatments both big and small have become less taboo. (On the bigger end, Kylie Jenner was just praised for detailing her breast augmentation specs.) It’s no surprise, then, that the already $80 billion aesthetics industry is projected to be worth nearly $145 billion by 2030.
These in-office services are not created equally. For this year’s Tools and Treatments Awards, we worked with some of our favorite practitioners to try out dozens of different offerings. These ranged from tried-and-true favorites like Botox, lasers, and Hydrafacials to new and next-gen treatments like a Korean skin-tightening device and biostimulatory fillers.
We asked staff to rank services based on how painful they were, if they’d pay for them with their own money, and if they’d recommend them to their friends. The winners all cleared these criteria by a long shot. Keep reading for the best aesthetic treatments out there.
Best Fast-Acting Neurotoxin
Dysport proves that neuromodulators are not one-size-fits-all. Like all neuromodulators, Dysport paralyzes the muscle it is injected into, but it diffuses and spreads a bit more than Botox and sets in faster; results start showing up in two days compared to a week. Dysport is approved for the glabellar lines, or the frown lines between the eyebrows. Our tester used Dysport primarily as a preventative treatment, and after only one day, she noticed smoother, firmer skin in the targeted areas. Her appointment only took 30 minutes—fast enough to do on your lunch break.
Best Classic Neurotoxin
Like Ozempic for GLP-1 drugs or Kleenex for tissues, Botox has become the default word for neurotoxins. That’s for good reason—it’s FDA-approved to treat moderate-to-severe forehead lines, frown lines, platysmal bands, and crow’s feet. Our tester noted that Botox effortlessly smoothed out her forehead, crow’s feet, and “eleven” lines between her eyebrows, and that she looked natural, not frozen.
Best Biostimulatory Filler for Facial Volume
Radiesse, a biostimulatory filler, is made with hydroxyapatite (CaHA) gel microspheres (similar to the minerals found in bones and teeth), and meant to stimulate collagen and elastin production. It’s not immediate—full results can take up to a week. Our reviewer noted that it helped add volume to her face, but looked natural and not as obvious as a hyaluronic acid filler: “I could see a difference in my cheeks.”
Best Glow-Boosting Neurotoxin
Daxxify is the first and only neuromodulator to be powered by peptides. Because of this, people often talk about the “Daxxify look,” or a kind of radiant glow after getting it. It’s not imagined—in a clinical study, 64 percent of patients saw improvements in their skin texture within two weeks. It’s also fast-acting, so results can be seen within two days, unlike typical neuromodulators. Our tester noticed dewy results settling in within three days.
Best Injectable Moisturizer
In recent years, many in-the-know aesthetics patients would fly to Europe to get Profhilo, an injectable moisturizer that has yet to be FDA-approved stateside. Now, the U.S. has Skinvive, which is a microdroplet hyaluronic acid filler many dermatologists compare to Profhilo. Injected all over the face, it pulls water from the deeper layers of skin into your epidermis to hydrate and improve your skin barrier, which translates to radiant, more supple skin. While Profhilo requires monthly injections, Skinvive only needs to be injected twice a year. Our tester called Skinvive “incredible” and says that it has completely transformed his skin, making it much more moisturized and glowy. The results were so impressive that he even ventured to skip his skin care routine after a night out and still woke up looking completely refreshed.
Best Biostimulatory Filler for Collagen Production
Unlike other fillers, Sculptra is biostimulatory–meaning that it doesn’t just look like it’s giving your skin more volume, it does so by actually stimulating collagen. Made of a polymer called poly-L-lactic acid, it softens deep lines and thickens skin over the course of six to 12 weeks. Our tester really liked how natural her treatment looked, and called the overall effect “softening.”
Best Lip Filler
A hyaluronic acid-based filler specifically designed for the lips, Volbella is distinct for its enduring effects—often lasting up to a year. This is thanks to the brand’s technology, which creates a formula that allows the filler to hold its shape for longer. Our tester had gotten lip filler before, and noticed a difference using this product. He reported it was less painful (all Juvéderm products also have numbing lidocaine in them), and observed that the filler felt “lighter, more natural, and not as dense” as his first filler experience.
Best Scalp Treatment
Like a Hydrafacial for your scalp, this treatment uses a mixture of suction and a gentle peel to exfoliate and remove dead skin. Once the scalp has been purified, a mixture of good-for-your-skin ingredients like niacinamide, a peptide complex, and B5 are spread over the scalp to nourish it. Our tester said, “A host at a restaurant told me, apropos of nothing, that he hadn’t seen such shiny, beautiful hair in a very long time.”
Best Body Treatment for Stubborn Areas
What if you could work your muscles without ever stepping foot in a gym? Emsculpt makes that possible by using high-intensity focused electromagnetic technology to stimulate muscle contractions. In just 30 minutes, this in-office treatment tones muscles, and you can use it on your core, buttocks, biceps, triceps, calves, and thighs. Results can be seen after four treatments. Our tester described the muscle contractions as “intense” and said the treatment involved lying down for 30 minutes while the machine worked on her abs (she likened the sensation to someone slapping her stomach). After four rounds of treatments, she saw results. “There was noticeably less fat on my stomach, and my waist even appears to be smaller,” she said.
Best Lymphatic Drainage Treatment for the Body
This machine provides full-body lymphatic drainage via a roller with silicone spheres that quickly spin as they’re massaged over the body. The treatment is fast-acting, lasting approximately 30 minutes, and provides a similar feeling to a deep-tissue massage. Our tester noted that she felt much lighter after each treatment. Following her first one, she did feel a slight soreness, but this faded quickly. She noticed a reduction in the appearance of cellulite in certain tough areas, like the thighs, and said she would try regular treatments for more significant results.
Best Muscle Strengthening Treatment
The experience of Pure Impact is so easy that fans say it redefines the idea of “no pain, no gain.” Using a mixture of electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) and the brand’s Plyopulse technology, it works to induce deep, involuntary muscle contractions. With multiple paddles, it can be used to target more than one set of muscle groups in a 30-minute treatment block. Our tester went in skeptical, but came out impressed, even after just one session. It helped her abs look more toned and defined, with results that lasted for weeks.
Best In-Office Hair Removal Treatment
Unlike other hair removal treatments, this one utilizes three different wavelengths and ultra-short pulses to make it safe and painless for darker and pale skin tones. Our tester had heard horror stories about laser hair removal, but he found this treatment to be painless and noticed visible results, even after just one treatment.
Best Ultrasound Treatment for Fine Lines and Wrinkles
For those looking to rejuvenate their skin with a gentler alternative to microneedling, Sofwave offers an effective solution. This non-invasive ultrasound treatment requires no downtime and no needles. Its ultrasound technology helps stimulate collagen, smooth fine lines and wrinkles, and lift skin. Compared to other face-tightening treatments our tester tried, it was a little bit more painful, but still tolerable. The downtime was also non-existent, without residual soreness or redness. She noticed that after a few weeks, there was some subtle tightening in her jawline, eyebrows, and cheeks that increased over time and had her looking more refreshed.
Best Hydrating In-Office Treatment
Think of Hydrafacial as an all-in-one vacuum and steam mop for your face. Its patented technology cleanses, extracts, and hydrates skin, leaving you glowing in just 30 minutes. Our tester reported that the experience was painless, although she could feel the light exfoliation and suction. Though her results weren’t immediately obvious, she noted that she received compliments on her glowy skin and would try the treatment again.
Best In-Office Exfoliating Facial
Though cleansers do a good job of ridding the skin of surface-level buildup, sometimes you need something that goes the extra mile. The DiamondGlow machine has a patented diamond-tip wand that deeply cleans and gently exfoliates, so that the most sensitive skin remains unbothered. Simultaneously, it infuses the skin with serums to improve the appearance of skin tone and texture. The tips are customizable, using varying degrees of abrasion and suction based on your skin’s needs. Our tester liked that the treatment was quick enough to do on your lunch break, painless and relaxing, and left her skin feeling “ultra glowy” immediately after. In the days following, she also noticed how soft and plump her skin felt, and how smoothly her makeup applied.
Best Collagen-Stimulating Treatment
Using a combination of radio frequency and microneedling, this machine stimulates collagen to tighten and firm skin. Our tester reported that the treatment is bearable with numbing cream (she said it seemed like someone was “stapling her face,” but she could only feel pressure in most areas). Post-procedure, she saw noticeable tightening and firming effects on her jawline and cheeks.
Best Ultrasound Treatment for Skin Tightening
Often called a “facelift alternative,” this treatment uses ultrasound to stimulate collagen at the deep levels of the face (the superficial muscular aponeurotic system, also known as SMAS, or the area often targeted in facelifts). Prime is the newer version of the original, and the latest machine is faster (up to 20 percent less treatment time), thanks to a larger applicator and more advanced technology. Our tester reported that she noticed definite tightening in the forehead and “loved the results,” also calling it “not as painful as she heard it would be.”
Best Face Sculpting Treatment
When you want to tone your body, you lift weights in the gym. When you want to tone your face, you can turn to EmFace. Using radio frequency heating, EmFace stimulates collagen and elastin production, which helps to strengthen and plump the skin, while high-intensity focused electrical stimulation contracts the facial muscles for a sculpted look. Our tester found that the treatment was comfortable and relaxing, with the ability to adjust the intensity. Though results usually take eight to 12 weeks to develop, she noticed an immediate glow after each session. After three sessions, she was able to build up to 100 percent intensity, and she reported that her skin was so smooth that she felt comfortable enough to to skip makeup for the rest of the day.
Best Laser to Even Skin Tone
UltraClear is the first cold ablative fiber laser that stimulates collagen without making your face extremely red. (“Cold” in this instance is talking about a wavelength, not a temperature.) The device delivers quick pulses of energy in intervals to help avoid heat damage and pain. Unlike other ablative lasers, UltraClear’s 3DMiracl treatment has less downtime and often doesn’t require numbing cream, though there may be a bit of redness or swelling. Our tester experienced four to five days of redness and sensitivity, but ultimately felt the results were well worth it. After treatment, her skin appeared supple and even.
Best Laser for All Skin Tones
Miria by Avava is a non-ablative resurfacing laser treatment designed to rejuvenate. It uses a precise technique that targets deep layers of the skin—without damaging the outermost layer—to tighten and firm. It is suitable for all skin types, including deeper tones. Because the special technology effects such deep layers, there is a lower risk of pigment disruption, which can lead to hyperpigmentation for melanated skin tones. Though our tester noted that the pain was tolerable, she did use numbing cream ahead of her treatment. She also reported that the treatment was quick but that the best results came with continued sessions.
Best Tightening Treatment With Minimal Pain
Before this year, you’d have to book a flight to try this radio frequency device. But it’s now available in U.S. markets for the first time. Known in Korea as “Volnewmer,” Everesse is popular across the world for its ability to lift and tighten the skin. The device uses radio frequency energy (6.78 MHz monopolar to be exact) to stimulate collagen. It is able to target the dermis (the deep layers of your skin) while keeping your epidermis (the surface) protected. Unlike many skin-tightening treatments, you don’t need to numb your skin beforehand. Our tester found the treatment to be comfortable and quick—it took 30 minutes to treat her entire lower face. While the treatment delivers warm pulses to skin, she felt like it never got too hot, and she had no downtime. She also noticed immediately that her cheeks looked lifted and her jawline looked more defined.
Best In-Office Microneedling
SkinPen was the first-ever microneedling device to receive FDA clearance, and it continues to be the gold standard. Using fine needles, the device creates tiny injuries in the top layer of your skin, which triggers your body’s natural healing process and leads to increased collagen production. Our tester shared that she had obvious results, even after just one session. It erased capillary damage on her left cheek and improved her skin texture overall. “My pores look smaller, and my complexion is more even,” she said, though she noted that her recovery time was somewhat lengthy—her skin was red for five days post-treatment.
Best In-Office Microneedling Alternative
Microneedling effectively boosts collagen and elastin by creating tiny punctures in your skin, but Sinclair’s Enerjet offers a unique alternative to the scary-sounding wounds: It uses high-pressure air, rather than needles, to stimulate collagen. Jet technology helps deliver healing agents like hyaluronic acid deep into the skin—even on sensitive and delicate areas, like around the eyes and the lips—without creating trauma on the outermost layer (though you may still have some minor marks after treatment). It isn’t painful—our tester says it felt like someone softly thumped her skin with their finger. She got the treatment along her hairline and noticed an immediate eyebrow lift.
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