Acne is the bane of anyone’s existence. It can be painful, it can be embarrassing, and it can make you feel like you can’t leave your house. But there is hope! Ipl laser for cystic acne is a way to get rid of your acne without having to constantly apply creams and antibiotics that just don’t seem to be working.
Ipl laser for cystic acne will help you clear up your skin by using heat energy that destroys the bacteria that causes acne. The laser heats up the oil glands under the skin so that they become damaged, which prevents them from producing excess oil that causes breakouts. This treatment is minimally invasive and very effective at treating acne in its early stages, as well as preventing future breakouts from happening again.
Read on to learn more about Ipl Laser For Cystic Acne, Ipl For Acne Scars At Home and Why Ipl Is A Great Treatment For Acne
Ipl Laser For Cystic Acne
Tried popping pills, chemical peels and steroid injections, only to be left with overly sensitive skin and feeling sick and tired of pumping your body full of more toxins? Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) treatments could be the natural and non-invasive treatment you’ve been looking for to regain that baby-smooth, spot-free complexion.
Though we also use a highly effective glycolic acid peel from the Jan Marini range that’s packed with goodness and suitable for all skin types. These act to resurface the skin and are effective for both pigment disturbance and superficial scarring. Depending on your skin type and problem areas, these amazing acne products can be used alone or combined with IPL treatment.
The crux of IPL treatment for acne is that it addresses a variety of skin issues, from spots to scars, without harming healthy cells. IPL treatment can even treat cystic acne, which consists of fluid-filled cysts embedded in the skin that are painful to the touch. Regular acne treatments can’t touch cystic acne but IPL treatment penetrates the skin tissue to get right to the source of infection and inflammation.
Two US actress/models, Kendall Jenner and Denise Richards, have chalked their clear complexions up to the wonder of light and laser. If it’s good enough for part of KKW’s crew and a Bond Girl, it’s good enough for us!
How does the IPL acne treatment work?
- Non-erosive polychromatic (many coloured) lights and a broad light spectrum acts to blitz bacteria, reducing active acne as well as correcting superficial blemishes and redness
- The pulsed light penetrates multiple layers of skin and, deep within the skin, promotes collagen synthesis to combat inflammation and reduce scarring
- Yellow and green light targets the P. bacteria on the skin that causes inflammation
- Red light focuses on overactive sebaceous glands that are responsible for breakouts
- The heat created by the light promotes shrinkage of inflamed sebaceous glands and healing of the skin from the inside out
- Each treatment is short with mild to moderate discomfort
- We recommend 2-4 appointments
What to expect at your IPL treatment appointment
Before treatment:
- Emma, our skincare technician, will give you a full free consultation
- Emma will give you a patch test, at least 24 hours before treatment
During treatment:
- Emma will apply a cold gel to your problem area
- You’ll be given protective eyewear and made comfortable on one of our comfy treatment beds
- Emma will massage the skin with the IPL probe to target your problem areas with the healing light
- Most treatments are painless but some people may experience a mild to moderate sensation, similar to an elastic band flick
- The treatment lasts around one hour
After treatment:
- As always, be careful of exposure to UV rays and remember to wear SPF protection
- Be sure to drink plenty to encourage your body to detox and replenish
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.