About IPL Photofacials
Patients with fine facial wrinkles, slightly loose skin, brown blotchy pigmentation and scattered blood vessels can be improved with "facial photo-rejuvenation" using the Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) "Light Facials". This works without the scabs and downtime created by the higher energy pulsed CO2 and Erbium YAG lasers. Some collagen tightening and remodeling occurs with repeat treatments. Usually 5 treatments are recommended for optimum results.
For best results, we recommend using this treatment in combination with the microdermabrasion treatment.
The IPL Photofacial can help with:
- Evening out skin tone.
- Reducing brown spots.
- Reducing the signs of Rosacea.
- Reducing the signs of Telangiectsias.
- Increasing collagen production thus minimizing fine lines and wrinkles.
- Reducing pore size.
- Creating smoother, softer skin.
- Improving sun damaged skin.
- Helping to improve some pre-cancerous skin lesions.
- Reducing unwanted hair.
How much discomfort will I have?
The treatments are now essentially painless with the application of the topical anesthetic available in our office. No anesthetic needles are required.
How to prepare the skin for treatments?
The skin should be clean and dry. A good skin care regimen will enhance the improvement created by the photo-rejuvenation therapy.
How often can treatments be done?
For most patients five treatment sessions spaced at three weeks apart will be sufficient for achieving the best results. After an initial series of five, it can be done once or twice a year.
What are the side effects?
The appearance right after treatment is similar to what you will see after a good exercise workout. The flushing and redness will last from a few minutes to several hours in most cases, but can last days and sometimes a week. The brown age spots and uneven pigmentation will turn darker after treatment and will darken over the next 3 - 5 days. The pigment will slough off at about a week to ten days post treatment. Blisters can occur but are uncommon.
How much improvement can I expect?
Patients with minimal wrinkles, but blotchy uneven texture with facial blood vessels can expect great improvement. Your first change will be an improvement in texture and tone. Your skin will feel softer and smoother. This first phase occurs after the second treatment. Improvement in color and wrinkles occurs after the fourth or fifth treatment. Those that have severe wrinkles and scars will require a more assertive treatment program.
Post-treatment information
Immediately following treatment, a soothing lotion or ointment can be applied to the treated area. In most cases, the low energy nature of "photo-facials" enables patients to resume all activities. The only restriction is sun/UV exposure. A high, broad spectrum sunscreen should be used every day to promote desired results with treatments. Zinc and Titanium Oxide are the best ingredients for the most effective sunscreen protection.
Bathing
There are no restrictions for taking a shower or bath. If treated for Rosacea, avoiding prolonged time in a hot tub is advised.
Exercise
Resuming a regular exercise regimen is permitted. Unless the exercise causes flushing, you may want to avoid for 24 hours due to irritation.
Sun Exposure
Sun exposure and tanning beds need to be avoided as much as possible through the treatment series. Sun exposure and tanning beds can make skin blotchy when treating hyper-pigmentation and melasma.
Make-up and topicals
Make-up can be applied immediately following treatments and topicals that cause possible irritation should be avoided for 48 hours.
Adverse effects
It is rare to have significant scabs and blistering. In some cases this can occur, if so, avoid sun, irritation skin care and do not pick off scabs as this can cause scarring.
Treatment end point
Most patients achieve desired results with a treatment series of 5. These treatments should be repeated in three week intervals. Some patients require more than five treatments depending on their severity of sun damage, wrinkles and brown spots.