Facial Treatments

Body Treatments

Skin Care

Photo Facial

Looking for a treatment for sun damage with little downtime? An IPL treatment, also called a Photo Facial, can treat signs of sun damage such as brown spots, broken capillaries, redness and spider veins. IPL uses intense pulsed light to rebuild collagen and even skin tones, it also can treat rosacea. There is very little recovery time and few side effects, making this a very popular procedure. Typically a series of treatments is required to achieve the desired result.
When to Consider IPL / Photorejuvenation

IPL improves the look of skin without a full surgical procedure. It treats redness and brown spots, also improves fine wrinkles and increases skin elasticity.

Considerations

Pros:

  • Little to no downtime for recovery
  • Virtually any part of the body can be treated
  • Stimulates collagen growth
  • Reduces skin discoloration
  • Treat acne flare-ups and rosacea
  • Smooth and refine your complexion

Cons:

  • Several treatments are needed to reach optimal results
  • Tanned or darker skin limits effectiveness
  • Must avoid sun after each treatment

Detailed Procedural Info

How is an IPL / photorejuvenation procedure performed?
IPL uses a broad-spectrum light, which penetrates multiple layers of skin, targeting dermis (the lower layer) while leaving the epidermis (the top layer) unaffected. The heat generated by the light encourages healing of the skin within, treating multiple skin issues.

What does IPL or photorejuvenation feel like?

This is a very gentle and relatively painless procedure. Many patients describe it as a rubber band being snapped against the skin. Afterwards you may feel a slight sunburn sensation.

Preparing For Your Procedure.

Prior to your procedure, please do the following:

  • Moisturize regularly, avoid exposure to the sun, and wear sunscreen with SPF 30 or higher
  • Stop smoking for at least six weeks prior, to encourage better healing
  • Avoid aspirin, and other medication or herbal supplements that encourage bleeding
  • Do not use Retin-A or other skin creams that affect skin sensitivity
  • Let us know if you are taking antibiotics as some increase skin sensitivity
  • If you have been diagnosed with the herpes virus, you may want to take antiviral medication to reduce the chance of an outbreak on the day of the procedure
  • No matter what procedure is performed, hydration is very important, both before and afterwards.

Come to your procedure with your face perfectly clean. We apply a numbing cream to the face and after about fifteen minutes, we will remove the cream. At this point you will wear eye protection to shield your eyes from the light. Gel is applied to the skin and the IPL device is pressed into the skin, emitting a light that heats up the dermis and promoting healthy healing.

Aftercare And Recovery

You can expect very little to no recovery time. Intense IPL treatments may produce sunburn-like symptoms for up to two weeks. Although it is unlikely, some scabs or blisters may appear after your IPL treatment. Often patients may notice that their blemishes on their skin darken for about two weeks after treatment. This is normal because the skin needs to shed for the results to become visible. Eventually they will fade to a lighter appearance than prior to treatment. Although the results are subtle at first, your skin will continue to improve after each successive treatment. You will likely notice the largest improvement to your skin after three months.

How Long Will the Results Last?

How long your results from your IPL treatment last largely is dependent on the types of blemishes you are treating and the severity of blemishes. Most basic IPL treatments require two to six procedures, spaced four weeks apart. It is important to know that while an IPL can reduce issues such as brown spots, spider veins, and flushing for a long period of time, it does not stop the skin from aging. New wrinkles and blemishes will appear over time. This is why many patients choose to do a few treatments every winter.

Associated Costs

Insurance does not cover the cost of IPL treatments in our office. The cost of IPL treatments are dependent on the areas being treated and the number of treatments necessary for optimal results. A complementary consultation will allow us to evaluate and create a treatment program that will meet your needs.

Limitations And Risks

  • Most patients will have a slight burning sensation after the procedure. Some may see light scabbing, blistering, or crusting. This is normal and will diminish within a few days. Be sure to contact our office with any concerns so we can evaluate your symptoms.
  • It is very uncommon but some patients experience some bruising, slight bleeding, or scarring.
  • Those patients who are living with herpes simplex virus may find that the IPL can trigger an outbreak. Antiviral medication used prior to the treatment can reduce the change of this occurring.

We are here to answer any questions that you might have. Please give us a call to see if IPL is right for you.