Ipl laser for age spots and sun damage is a procedure that has been used since the 1990s to help reduce the appearance of skin imperfections, including freckles, age spots, and melasma. These marks are caused by exposure to the sun’s rays over time, which can lead to permanent discoloration of the skin. Since Ipl laser treatment is a non-invasive procedure that uses light energy to remove these marks, it is often considered a more effective alternative to invasive surgical procedures like chemical peels or microdermabrasion.
The Procedure, The process involves applying a gel to the area being treated, which is then followed by infrared light pulses delivered through a handpiece that is held directly against the skin surface for about 10 seconds per pulse in order to target specific areas of pigmentation. This method allows for precise targeting without causing damage elsewhere on the body (such as with chemical peels).
Read on to learn more about Ipl Laser For Age Spots And Sun Damage, Ipl For Acne Scars At Home and Intense Pulsed Light: The New Acne Scar Treatment
Ipl Laser For Age Spots And Sun Damage
*Disclaimer: Please note that there is no guarantee of specific results. Results may vary.
IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) treatments utilize advanced technology that is non-invasive to remove brown spots and sun spots anywhere on the face, hands, legs or elsewhere on the body.* It is also potentially effective for the treatment of melasma, red spots and rosacea.* At the Laser Aesthetic Center, we offer IPL treatments with Cutera’s LimeLight Facial™.
Treat Brown Spots and Sun Damage with Pulsed Light Treatments
IPL treatments may be administered to any part of your face, neck, upper chest or anywhere else on the body. While some IPL treatments are only successful for patients with light skin and dark spots, the LimeLight is also able to treat dark spots on darker skin tones, unlike other IPL technologies. It treats brown spots caused by sun damage.*
Post-treatment, patients often see a uniform skin tone and an overall improvement in surface imperfections.* IPL treatments not only manage existing spots, they can also remove deeper spots that are not visible yet, but if not treated, will become visible in the future as we age. In this way, the Limelight acts as a source of preventive treatment. For some patients, IPL treatments have also been found to help with melasma that is associated with post pregnancy.*
Important information for your IPL treatment:
- Our aestheticians will meet with you and evaluate your skin care needs prior to recommending IPL treatments. We will ensure that your skin is healthy and safe to treat.
- A thorough consultation will be done to ensure that you know what to expect pre, during and post procedure
- Treatment sessions typically last between 15 minutes to a half hour.
- Typically you will need 4 IPL treatments to achieve maximum results.*
Areas Appropriate for IPL Treatment
…as well as most other areas of the body.
How Intense Pulsed Light Treatments Treat Sun Damaged Skin
The LimeLight’s various settings allow your aesthetician to personalize your treatment according to your skin type and tone. True to its name, an IPL treatment delivers short blasts of light to brown spots on the skin. The brown spots attract the laser light. As the pulse reaches the skin, patients will feel a mild sensation, but this is alleviated by the cooling tip on the hand piece.*
After treatment, the skin will be slightly pink, with the sun damage appearing darker. But within a few days, the spots may begin to flake off from your skin, fading from your complexion. The treatment goal is for sun damage to decrease, leaving your skin evenly toned. IPL treatments can also be effective on post pregnancy melasma.*
In order to learn more about whether the LimeLight can even out your skin tone by removing brown spots, schedule a consultation.
Ipl For Acne Scars At Home
Acne is among the most common skincare concerns for people of all ages. Acne typically begins in adolescence, but for many people acne or the scarring it leaves behind can last well into adulthood. While there are many great acne treatments including prescription medication like Isotretinoin (formerly referred to as Accutane), laser therapy, chemical peels, and dermabrasion, Intense Pulsed Light Therapy (IPL) is a highly effective treatment for both acne and acne scarring.
IPL is non-surgical, nearly painless, and requires no downtime (recovery time). Even better, IPL treatments can address a variety of different acne-related concerns simultaneously. Here’s how IPL photofacials can help you stop future breakouts and minimize the appearance of acne scarring.
ABOUT INTENSE PULSED LIGHT (IPL) FACIALS
There are two primary types of photofacials, Light-Emitting Diode (LED) and Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). Intense Pulsed Light is the stronger of the two and treats skin with a laser technology that sends quick pulses of scattered light to the treatment area.
This scattered light is what makes IPL a unique form of laser therapy. Traditional laser therapy operates at just a single wavelength, sending a focused laser to a specific area. IPL operates at several wavelengths simultaneously, making it a preferred method for treating a range of skin concerns at once including rosacea, hyperpigmentation, and broken capillaries. Most important for acne sufferers, the scattered light from IPL can simultaneously address acne, redness and scarring.
HOW IPL WORKS
IPL’s varying wavelengths of light contact the treatment area where they are converted to heat. This heat not only targets and kills acne-causing bacteria, but triggers an immune response that tells the body to build more collagen, repairing acne scars. Changes take place at the deeper levels of skin, leaving skin’s outermost layer undamaged.
WHY IPL IS A GREAT TREATMENT FOR ACNE
Many cosmetic lasers are finely tuned to a single frequency, making them suitable for treating just one issue at a time. For example, the laser that treats discoloration isn’t the same laser that can treat acne scarring.
Intense Pulsed Light, on the other hand, uses broad-spectrum light which is capable of treating several issues at once. This is ideal for acne treatment, which involves addressing inflammation, redness and discoloration, scarring and skin smoothness.
IPL photofacial wavelengths (also known as filters) each address a specific area of concern:
- Blue light at 420 nm neutralizes acne-causing bacteria
- Yellow light at 560 nm calms swollen cysts and lesions
- Red light at 590 nm decreases oil production
The short, quick pulses of IPL make it a relatively comfortable and painless treatment. Minimal damage to the top layer of skin means no downtime is required. For patients with low tolerance for oral antibiotics, IPL is a safe and effective alternative for acne treatment.
IPL FOR ACNE SCARS
IPL Photofacials are also a great choice for minimizing the appearance of nearly all forms of acne scarring. IPL treatments can be used to create a controlled version of the body’s natural scarring response. This effectively triggers a healing response that removes the existing (excess) collagen that gives scars their raised and/or discolored appearance. IPL also provides a means of physical exfoliation that produces new, smooth, and scar-free skin along the treatment area. This effect is very similar to other exfoliating-focused treatments like microdermabrasion or chemical peels. However, IPL causes far less discomfort during treatment and does not require any recovery time that is inherent to those harsher options.
IPL is great for acne scars because it can address multiple issues simultaneously. For example, IPL can address both the discoloration (both hyperpigmentation or hypopigmentation) and scar tissue related to pitted acne scars.
WHAT IS IPL TREATMENT LIKE?
Intense Pulsed Light therapy treatment begins with the application of a cooling gel to protect the top layer of skin in the area being treated. The IPL device is then pressed against the skin as quick pulses of light are emitted. As your provider slowly moves the device across the treatment area, the flashes of light continue. After treatment, a post-treatment skincare product is applied to reduce redness and speed healing.
Does IPL Hurt?
IPL is a minimally painless treatment; most patients describe the sensation as similar to a quick pin prick. It is less painful than other treatments like chemical peels or microdermabrasion.
How Long Does A Treatment Take?
An IPL photofacial treatment takes anywhere from 15-60 minutes, depending on the size of the area to be treated.
How Many Treatments are Required?
Improvements may be visible after the very first treatment, but best results typically require multiple IPL sessions. A total of 4-6 sessions are recommended, each scheduled two weeks apart.
How Much Downtime is Needed?
Downtime after an IPL photofacial is minimal. You might feel like you have a slight sunburn, a feeling that goes away after 4-6 hours. Some peeling may occur within the first week, a sign that your skin is repairing itself.
IS IPL TREATMENT FOR ME?
Intense Pulsed Light Therapy can be a great alternative to other harsher methods of acne treatment like oral antibiotics (like Accutane), dermabrasion, or chemical peels. IPL photofacials are non-invasive, near painless and require no downtime. However, they are powerful enough to address both currently occurring acne breakouts and moderate to severe acne scarring. See your dermatologist to find out if IPL is right for you!
How many ipl treatments for acne scars
Understanding IPL
Now there’s a new alternative to treating acne scarring: Intense Pulsed Light (IPL), which involves a series of short pulses of light. This light then targets the affected skin cells and thereby lessens the appearance of acne scars. It truly is a dermatological breakthrough, and one that our NYC office performs on patients regularly. Not only does IPL help our New York patients in terms of the discoloration associated with acne, but overall, the complexion has a refreshed look following treatment.
Intense Pulsed Light: The New Acne Scar Treatment
When you’re plagued by acne scarring, you often feel less confident. You may notice red and/or brown marks on your skin, and this can certainly diminish how you feel about your complexion. When treated using IPL at our NYC dermatology office, you will notice a difference. Sometimes referred to as a photofacial, IPL is non-invasive and gentle on your skin. The look of your acne scarring will be significantly reduced.
IPL Treatments: The Process
Our New York dermatologists and providers are well-trained in IPL technology. First, they will apply a gel. This is then followed by the actual IPL treatment utilizing intense pulses of light. The visit generally lasts about fifteen minutes, and most patients require anywhere from 3-5 sessions. Often, we will treat patients using IPL in conjunction with other types of acne scar protocols.
Are IPL Treatments Used for Anything Else?
IPL treatments have also been successful as far as treating the actual acne outbreaks. We’ve had a number of NYC patients come in in order to address their acne related concerns. The IPL light can kill the bacteria that causes acne to begin with. We’ve also used photofacials to address such issues as sun spots and rosacea. The IPL treatments have become incredibly popular because they are so gentle while still highly effective in terms of smoothing out the overall skin tone.
After an IPL Treatment
There may be some slight redness following your IPL treatment; however, there really is no downtime at all. And as the treatment only lasts fifteen minutes, many even opt to have it done on their lunch break and return immediately to their normal activities afterward. We always recommend sunscreen after treatment.