City Matters Edition 012

CITYMATTERS.LONDON 07-13 December 2016 | Page 13
Wellness Matters
Ab-solutely fab
City’s top 3 ab workouts
WHY NOW IS BEST TIME TO TRY LASER HAIR REMOVAL TREATMENTS
Major laser
hair eraser: laying down the
groundwork for summer
CXWORX
This internationally-renowned Les Mills
workout hones in on the torso and sling
muscles that connect your upper body to your
lower body. Trainers will take you through a
workout that uses resistance tubes and weight
plates, as well as body weight exercises like
crunches and hovers.
Lesmills.com/uk
Get Ab Fab
A strong core is so much more than a six-pack.
Virgin Active’s aptly named class promises
to work your back, butt, abs and obliques to
build a rock solid midsection that helps ease
lower back pain and prevent injury.
Virginactive.co.uk
Core
Fitness First advertises a flatter stomach,
a leaner waist and stronger abdominals in
this quick and effective class that focuses on
targeting the muscles of your core using a
variety of equipment, including stability balls
and BOSUs.
Fitnessfirst.co.uk
WINTER has well and truly set
in and, as the temperature drops,
our motivation to keep up various
health and beauty regimes goes
right down along with it.
While it’s tempting to throw
another layer on and put off
skincare maintenance until spring,
experts say the drying effects of
heaters coupled with less exposure
to the sun actually makes winter
the best time to try non-invasive
skincare procedures, particularly
laser hair removal.
What is it?
Laser hair removal is a procedure
that permanently removes unwanted
hair from your face and body.
It is usually performed as a
course of treatments at skincare
clinics by qualified technicians,
but there are also at-home devices
on the market that are designed for
self-treatment.
How does it work?
The procedure works by using a
handheld device that distributes
gentle pulses of laser light into
your hair follicle, penetrating each
strand and preventing it from
producing new hair.
Laser hair removal is not to be
confused with Intense Pulse Light
(IPL), which is another form of
permanent hair removal treatment
that uses a broad-spectrum pulse
of light to target hair follicles. The
number of treatments depends
on the device used, the size of the
area being treated, skin and hair
type, but usually at least four to six
sessions are required.
What are the benefits?
Laser hair removal has been
available in the UK since the
mid-1990s, although the take-up
here has been slower than in other
more sun-loving countries.
Beautician Alessandra Valencia
says she found Britain about
five years behind her native
Colombia when it came to skincare
technology, prompting her decision
to open Primas Beauty Clinic
with her three cousins earlier this
year.
The clinic offers facial treatments,
semi permanent make-up and laser
treatments for hair removal and
skin reparation.
Winter, she says, is the best time
to begin a laser treatment because
there’s generally a three to six
month turnaround before you see
results, so it’s all about laying the
groundwork for summer.
“Less exposure also means you’re
giving your skin plenty of time
to heal and any redness to settle
between treatments,” she says.
Primas uses a new laser
treatment device called the MeDio
Star NeXT Pro. It’s touted as the
fasted hair removal laser system on
the market, but there’s an added
benefit.
“The laser penetrates deeper,
which boosts the collagen in the
skin, plumping it up,” she says. “It’s
like a facial for your legs – no more
dry, scaly skin.”
How much does it cost?
Laser hair removal treatments start
at £55 per session for a small area,
and are cheaper when you buy in
bulk.
Where can I try it?
Primas Beauty Clinic is based at
12 Ludgate Square EC4M 7AS.
stopping a problem: bus
stops could hold the key
to tackling air pollution
It’s Not Magic!
Bus stop air filters could fight pollution
POLLUTION busting bus stops could be the
answer to London’s air quality woes, according
to a UK start-up.
Piccadilly-based Airlabs has suggested
adding oxidation filters to bus stops and the
sides of buildings to zap exhaust fume particles
and pump out fresh air for pedestrians.
The filters, which cost around £4,000, work
best in high-density areas like the City and
Oxford Street, where the Capital’s pollution
levels are at their worst.
Airlabs chief executive Sophie Power told the
Evening Standard the technology is particularly
beneficial for pedestrians close to exhaust level
on the road.
She said: “We take in air through the unit,
which is then passed out to provide clean air
where people need it.
“This method is low energy and low
maintenance, so is well suited to the city’s
infrastructure.” Ms Power says the system,
which has been given the backing of Londonbased
technology group SGO, is effective
against nitrogen dioxide and PM2.5, pollutants
commonly found in exhaust fumes that have
been linked to respiratory diseases.
Research by Policy Exchange and King’s
College London shows that it leads to nearly
9,500 deaths each year in the Capital. If air
pollution stayed at current levels it would reduce
the average life expectancy across all Londoners
born in 2010 by up to two years.
Scientists from the environmental research
group at Kings College London performed
kerb-side tests in Marylebone Road and found
that 87% of nitrogen dioxide had been removed
from the air.
Ms Power said the units have been adjusted
so that they now remove “almost all” NO2 and
further testing is planned for Oxford Street.
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