IPL

Many cosmetic problems are the result of exposure to light, but light can also be a helpful treatment for anyone who wants a clear complexion. So how does that work?

First of all, it helps to understand that we’re talking about different kinds of light.

Ultraviolet radiation from the sun (and tanning beds) is a wavelength that is especially damaging to the skin. UV light, as it’s often called, can trigger defensive melanin production, which causes dark spots to develop. It can also break down helpful proteins, like the collagen and elastin that give skin its structure and resilience. Other UV-related problems include thinning skin, more visible veins, and textural irregularities—not to mention an increased risk of skin cancer.

Intense pulsed light makes use of different wavelengths, which do not cause damage like UV waves. Instead, the light energy enters the skin, where it is absorbed by darker-pigmented areas. Taking in so much intense light energy causes those areas to heat up, prompting natural rejuvenating changes.

The name of the treatment—intense pulsed light—already basically explains what is happening during a session. These are not weak beams of light shining continuously on unwanted spots. Each treatment involves intense and powerful pulses of many wavelengths of light, all emitted by the Lumecca device, which is designed to be safe, effective, and as comfortable as possible.

Lumecca intense pulsed light is ideal for targeting a range of pigmentation issues, including freckles and red or brown “age spots.” As heat is generated in the unwanted spots—known as “lesions”—the pigmented cells are killed off and eventually flake away or are broken down. The result is a clearer look in the treatment area.

Visible vessels, such as spider veins, are different from spots, but the problem is still due to pigmentation. Spider veins are typically fine lines that spread across the nose or cheeks, although they can also develop elsewhere on the face and body when blood fails to properly flow as it should. As blood pools, it causes veins to swell, making them more noticeable through the surface of the skin. Intense pulsed light treatments focusing on spider veins heat red pigmentation in the blood—known as hemoglobin—which rapidly raises the temperature and damages the entire vein. Basically, the unwanted and improperly functioning veins are sealed off so that they are ultimately broken down.

Rosacea is a chronic skin condition known for causing intense and persistent facial redness. Although multiple factors contribute to the condition, intense pulsed light can help in the same way it collapses spider veins. Treating fine vessels beneath the surface reduces the redness and makes uncontrollable flushing and blushing less noticeable.

Intense pulsed light is also helpful for treating general signs of sun damage, including poikiloderma, which is a mottled look associated with cumulative UV exposure.

Note that intense pulsed light treatments are for cosmetic improvements—not medical treatments. Anyone with skin cancer concerns should see a medical professional devoted to helping patients get the proper diagnosis and treatment for the disease.

IPL can be used virtually anywhere on the body where spots, sun damage, and similar issues are found. The most common areas for application are sun-exposed features, such as the face, the neck, the décolletage, the legs and arms, and the hands. If you have spots, redness, or hyperpigmentation elsewhere you would like to treat, talk to us about your cosmetic goals so we can help you determine what the best approach would be.

Your first stop on the road to IPL is a personalized consultation that will help the Fresh Faces Rx team get a better idea of the results you are looking for, as well as take a closer look at your skin. We will recommend that you avoid skin-darkening sun exposure or tanning for at least a month prior to your session. This is because intense pulsed light works best on darker-pigmented cells that clearly stand out from the surrounding tissue.

The treatment itself will involve both bright flashes of light and a sensation similar to something elastic snapping against your skin as the device works. Lumecca is designed to maximize comfort as it generates high heat in the treatment area, but we can also work with you to make sure you stay as comfortable as possible before, during, and after a session.

Most treatments are completed in a matter of 30 to 60 minutes, give or take, but your individual session will depend on how many areas you are having treated, how large they are, the severity of the problem, and other details.

Your skin will likely feel warm and appear red—sort of like a sunburn—for an hour or so after your treatment. Be sure to take extra care of your sensitive skin by avoiding sunlight as much as possible and wearing plenty of sunscreen and covering up if you need to go out.

Over the next 24 to 48 hours, the targeted spots may grow darker and become more visible, after which they will flake off. Similarly, visible veins may change color—even turning a very light shade—before gradually fading.

Improvements to complexion and sun-damaged areas can develop within a few days of an intense pulsed light treatment, then continue to develop over one or two more weeks. It can also take about two weeks for the results of vein treatments to be seen.

We often recommend multiple treatment sessions in order to maximize results and get the clearest complexion possible.