“Professional results in your own home.” Surely you have encountered this more than once promise in beauty, health and personal care products. And yes, it is true that many professional devices have a home version. But do they work the same? Do they offer similar results? Does its misuse have significant health risks? As with everything, it depends on each case.
Massages and contractures
Let’s analyze what happens with products for massages, muscle contractures, electrostimulation… Curiously, there are some that are the same for both the home user and the professional. We are talking, for example, about pressotherapy devices such as those of Renpho —with thousands of reviews on Amazon— or the one from Innovagoods; a technique that helps to recover the muscles after significant efforts, to fight against fluid retention and edema in the upper and lower limbs. Also about massage guns that have become so fashionable, especially among massage fans. crossfit with outstanding models such as those of Therabody either Hyperice.
With them, the aim is to warm up the muscles before a workout, eliminate subsequent discomfort and even improve performance, using vibration and percussion. “They may be machines to take into account to eliminate slight discomfort at home, but in the event that there really is an injury, their use could be counterproductive; for example, in a fibrillar rupture,” explains Sergio Gutierrez, director of the clinic Physio&Sport. In these cases, it is always advisable to go to a specialist who will use different techniques and equipment depending on each patient.
Regarding TENS, a device that applies electrical currents through the skin to control pain. And here there is a clear difference between those used by professionals and those that can be bought for home. While the electrotherapy machinery that clinics usually use is very complete, allowing the creation of different action programs in which it is possible to vary the types of currents, frequencies and intensities to achieve the best results, domestic models such as those of Beurer either Medisana They are characterized by their simplicity, with pre-established programs for discomforts, pains and specific areas. “The risks of using a device of these characteristics are practically zero; The only thing that can happen is that you use a type of current or program that is not the most appropriate for the pathology. Therefore, the ideal is to always be advised by a professional depending on the circumstance,” completes Gutierrez.
For face and body
And what about devices for beauty-related facial and body treatments? Experts agree: they are not usually an alternative to professional treatments, but rather a complement to enhance or prolong their results. “In many cases the technology is the same, but it differs in that it has been applied to smaller and more manageable devices, and even wireless ones,” says Vanja Gudelj, PR Manager at Foreo, a firm with a wide variety of devices that are used both in beauty centers and at home, such as FAQ 202an anti-aging mask, or BEAR 2which uses microcurrents to tone skin and muscles.
This type of device does not usually have significant side effects because they are prepared for non-professional use: laser epilators have safety systems so that they do not shoot if the head is not completely in contact with the skin, for example. In any case, it is always essential to take some precautions before using them. It is therefore essential to carefully read the instructions for use and safety warnings to know how to apply them, in which areas and in which not. “And, on the other hand, choose safe and quality devices and not be guided only by price,” says Gudelj.
Dental hygiene at home
Lastly, let’s talk about oral hygiene. This case is especially curious because professional and home treatments are different and it is difficult for the same devices (and components) to be used in both cases. But at the same time, they are totally united. “Going to a dental clinic to take care of your oral health is essential, but oral care at home is essential. One thing cannot be understood without the other, and the patient plays a priority role in both,” states Dr. Ángel Alcaide, dentist and head of scientific relations at Oral-B.
In this sense, toothbrushes, oral irrigators… are considered essential in domestic oral hygiene. And they are products that do not pose a risk to health. But there are others who do, as warned by Dr. Adriana Toro Mattozzi, specialist in Orthodontics at the Intersalud Dental Clinic and member of Top Doctors. “Currently, there are different types of dental treatments on the market, on the internet, social networks and online purchases, that are offered directly to the patient without being supervised or dispensed by a dentist or a specialist in the sector. This type of treatment can affect your oral health without achieving the desired objectives.
These are, for example, dental whiteners, which do not reach the appropriate concentrations to be efficient and, at home, can cause irritation to the gums due to poor handling, pulpitis and inflammation of the pulp that causes sensitivity in the teeth, many sometimes irreversible.
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