Intense pulsed light (IPL) photo rejuvenation

Intense pulsed light (IPL) photo rejuvenation is a light treatment that improves Sun damaged skin: Age spots, brown spots, discoloration, redness, broken blood vessels, freckles, fine wrinkling and rosacea.

A lot of people look in the mirror and think they need a face-lift, when in fact what they want is for their skin to look rejuvenated, eliminating the uneven colouring, erasing the fine lines, and reclaiming the healthy glow of youth. When it comes to facial skin rejuvenation, laser treatments are fast replacing the need for plastic surgery.

I’ve been fascinated by lasers for years and have had an opportunity to use some of these specialized skin laser & IPL procedures which take years off your appearance. Why go under the knife when you can achieve the results you want with minimal invasiveness and little down time?

Several techniques have been used to improve the aesthetic appearance of Sun damaged skin. Light-based devices such as lasers have been employed to remove the upper Sun-damaged portions of the dermis to induce synthesis of new dermis. More recently, some authors have proposed to use non-ablative methods to induce collagen/elastic tissue synthesis without removing the overlying epidermis.

Among them, the intense pulse light system emits a non-coherent multi-wavelength light.

Both the pleasure and stresses of life, along with the simple passage of time, tend to cause our skin to appear older. IPL Photo rejuvenation is a non-invasive treatment that erases skin damage without disruption of the skin’s surface, hence, no “downtime”. Using intense pulsed light, one can simultaneously treat a wide range of facial concerns safely and effectively, such as unwanted hairs, broken capillaries, skin discoloration, age spots, freckles, mottled pigmentation and the symptoms of rosacea.

IPL laser

Intense pulsed light technology is a treatment breakthrough that can correct a variety of benign skin conditions, such as facial skin imperfections, the signs of aging, birthmarks, unwanted hair, unsightly small veins, and other blemishes. It offers a safe, non-invasive solution that can be tailored to your individual condition and skin type, providing superior cosmetic results and outstanding satisfaction.

Frequently asked questions?

What is intense pulsed light?

Intense pulse light is a revolutionary technology that positively affects the appearance and health of your skin. Unlike lasers, IPL is more gentle, easier to administer, and requires no recovery time. Furthermore, the skin station uses a patented specific pattern multi-wavelength light output.

What does that mean to you?

Well, this type of output is MUCH BETTER than your typical laser treatment. Lasers are focused on a single wavelength. The multi-wavelength light is more highly absorbed by all of the elements of your skin, including melanin, blood and water. Lasers can compromise the properties of one or more of these elements, rendering them less effective and even damaging to your skin.

This light absorption and the effect that it produces are known as photonic rejuvenation.

Your skin is stimulated to produce new collagen. This results in clearer, smoother, tighter and softer skin. Red blemishes from broken blood vessels and brown spots of pigment from Sun damage respond to intense pulsed light. The light is changed to heat energy as it reaches to the level of the collagen beneath the skin surface. This is biggest advantage as against available laser therapy in Indian medical field today.

The skin station can also remove unwanted hair safely and effectively using the intense pulse light system to stop hair follicles from producing hair. Intense pulsed light technology is a treatment breakthrough that can correct a variety of benign skin conditions, such as facial skin imperfections, the signs of aging, birthmarks, unwanted hair, unsightly small veins, and other blemishes.

It offers a safe, non-invasive solution that can be tailored to your individual condition and skin type, providing superior cosmetic results and outstanding satisfaction. This new procedure is called photo rejuvenation.

What should I do to prepare for IPL treatment?

Use broad spectrum sunscreen every day and avoid Sun exposure for 3 weeks before treatment. Some patients are also asked to use bleaching cream. Certain oral or topical medications increase light sensitivity and may need to be temporarily discontinued.

How does IPL light treatment work?

The light is selectively absorbed by "targets", melanin (brown discoloration) and hemoglobin (in blood vessels). The target heats up and is destroyed while surrounding skin is unaffected, allowing selective removal of brown and red discolorations and abnormal blood vessels in Sun damage treatment.

IPL acne rosacea light treatment treats small blood vessels that are abnormally reactive, improving the redness, flushing and spider veins of rosacea. Removal of spider veins on nose and cheeks improves appearance.

What conditions can photo rejuvenation treat?

Imperfections from Sun damage and photo aging. Enlarged pores, dull complexions and other facial imperfections or abnormalities can detract from your well being and appearance, no matter how healthy and young you feel.

Photo rejuvenation provides long-term improvement of complexion and skin texture, with only the slightest interruption in your busy lifestyle. IPL photo rejuvenation is performed in the comfort and privacy of specialized dermatological medical facility.

After a series of treatments, you can see a significant reduction of unwanted pigmentation and the appearance of a smoother, revitalized skin. The same treatment can be used effectively on the neck, the chest, and the hands.

Why are multiple treatments necessary?

Depending on the number of conditions you are treating, and the severity of the individual problem, a series of five or six treatment sessions are recommended. You can return to work the same day and resume all your regular activities.

By dividing the full program into several treatments, the procedure provides gradual improvement with very low risk - and, it preserves the wonderful “no downtime” feature that people appreciate so much.

What conditions can it treat?

• freckles
• age spots (lentigos)
• Sun spots (solar lentigos)
• cafe au lait macules (birthmarks)
• seborrheic keratoses
• hyper pigmentation
• port wine stains
• rosacea
• clears your complexion
• diminishes unsightly veins
• reduces unwanted freckles
• restores Sun damaged skin
• removes unwanted hair
• spider veins (face and legs)

How long do IPL results last?

Much of the results are permanent if the skin is Sun protected. New discolorations may develop over time especially if there is continued Sun exposure. Additional treatments may be given if desired.

What will I look like after IPL treatment?

There is little or no downtime and most patients resume their usual activities immediately after treatment. Dark spots and age spots get darker for 5 days then peel off. Patients who have a moderate amount of redness, flushing or dilated blood vessels may experience several days of redness and occasionally bruising. Rarely crusting or scabbing occurs.

Is IPL safe or what are risks of IPL?

IPL laser treatment is suitable for all skin types, but as with most cosmetic treatments there is a light risk of scarring.

The main advantage of IPL over traditional cosmetic procedures is its ability to deliver smoother, younger-looking skin immediately and much more comfortably, with little down time.

Treatment advantages:

While laser resurfacing is among the most popular and effective skin rejuvenation procedure, it is often not the most practical for most of us. Laser resurfacing carries significant disadvantages, including being limited to facial use only, lengthy recoveries, and weeks or months of redness following procedures.

However, IPL treatments are also effective for sensitive, non-facial skin, such as the neck, chest or hands/arms, where laser resurfacing (and strong chemical peels) pose much greater risks of scarring. Since lasers produce only a single wave length of light, the body areas that they can effectively treat are limited.

IPL treatments are performed with many wavelengths at the same time, allowing the light to gently penetrate all levels of the skin where abnormal, easily dilated vessels are found. As a result, IPL serves as a less traumatic, gentle alternative to laser resurfacing, at about half the cost and no major down time. You can now with multiple passes using a long-wave length, will be able to see a difference with Class I and Class II wrinkles.