TWO doctors from the region believe they have stumbled on the holy grail of cosmetics - a way of making wrinkles disappear.

If their invention catches on, the two men, a surgeon and a GP, could end up as multi-millionaires.

The medics, eye surgeon Jim Haslam, from Darlington Memorial Hospital, and GP Dr Gordon Dougal, from Peterlee, in east Durham, have already shown how a patented infra-red light therapy device can clear up cold sores twice as quickly as conventional creams.

Now, after a highly-successful trial involving North-East volunteers, the doctors have shown that the same frequency of infra-red light can smooth out facial wrinkles.

Today, the partners are launching their light therapy device, called Restorelite.

The doctors say that anyone using the device for just a few minutes every day can expect to see facial wrinkles "disappear" as the surrounding skin becomes more supple.

Dr Dougal, who has a degree in electronic engineering as well as medicine, has been using the technology on his own face for six years and looks markedly younger than his 48 years.

The doctors recruited a number of women who volunteered to use the device for at least ten minutes a day, concentrating on the skin around their eyes.

Photographs taken at the start and at the end of treatment, under identical lighting conditions, showed a reduction in wrinkling in virtually every case.

Ninety-five per cent of the volunteers said that they could see a difference.

Mr Haslam said: "We have spent £30,000 on research at Sunderland University and what we have found is that the therapy improves white cell function. We now think it improves the function of all cells."

One of the volunteers, Helen Illingworth, who works at a doctor's surgery in Spennymoor, County Durham, has been using Restorelite for six months.

She said: "After the first month, I noticed there were changes in the texture of my skin around the eye. It was smoother. After two months, I could see my eye was more open where the skin has lifted. It is absolutely wonderful and really easy to use."

Pauline Lee, who works at the same surgery, said: "There is a difference. It smooths the wrinkles out. I am still using it, I think it's fine, if you are patient enough to put the time in."

For more information about Restorelite, which retails at £110 plus postage and packaging, visit the website www.restorelite.co.uk or telephone (0800) 0523939.