Ipl Laser For Facial Redness
Chemical peels, which remove dead skin cells from the face, can also be used to alleviate facial redness and restore a more even skin tone. You can get a chemical peel done at home or at a dermatologist’s office.
The IPL Laser is a light-based device that has proven to be a highly effective option for improving the appearance of rosacea symptoms. The laser emits an electrical pulse which triggers natural skin healing processes to counteract the effects of inflammation that are present in rosacea patients. Read on to learn more on ipl treatment for rosacea/does ipl hurt.
Ipl Laser For Facial Redness
The Lumenis IPL with OPT™ is considered the industry’s ‘Gold Standard’ for treatment of vascular lesions and its efficacy has been proven in over 80 peer reviewed papers (IPL bibliography of studies and peer reviewed articles). The IPL procedure removes facial superficial vessels and as a result dramatically decreases or completely eliminates facial redness. The vascular components of Rosacea can vary from flushing to telangiectasia and can have different densities and depths. With a choice of multiple vascular cut-off filters and unique pulse sequencing, Lumenis’ IPL with OPT™ can coagulate each sub-type of capillaries, reducing the redness and simultaneously triggering neocollagenesis which limits the reccurrence of the condition.
Light-based treatments such as intense pulsed light (IPL) and laser are a fast and effective way of treating redness and visible blood vessels on the face caused by rosacea. A series of treatments usually results in marked improvement of redness and blood vessels on the face.
What is intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment?
Both intense pulsed light therapy and laser devices use a series of very high energy brief flashes of light which can destroy unwanted tissue.
Spot Check Clinic uses broadband light (BBL) a relatively new form of IPL which allows fast treatments with no downtime.
The difference between intense pulsed light and laser is that IPL uses a range of light frequencies where laser uses just one. Some lasers can penetrate deeper and treat more destructively than IPL. Specialised vascular lasers are sometimes required to treat resistant blood vessels in rosacea, but in the majority of cases IPL is effective and has fewer post-treatment side effects.
In practice, the term “IPL laser” is often used, because of the similarities in the treatment technology, equipment, experience and effects.
How does an IPL laser help rosacea?
IPL and lasers can specifically target skin structures of a specific colour by emitting light of selected wavelengths. For example, a wavelength of 532nm is absorbed by red structures. In the skin, this means blood and the vessels containing it.
The light absorbed by the target is converted into heat which destroys the target structure but not the surrounding tissues.
How does it impact the skin?
IPL and laser impact the skin by eliminating coloured structures in the skin. Depending on factors such as wavelength, intensity and duration of flashes of light, the effect of IPL treatment on the facial skin could be:
- Improving rosacea appearance by reducing visible blood vessels and redness
- Improving rosacea inflammation by reducing the number of Demodex mites on the facial skin
- Reduction of pigmentation, clearing of freckles
- Rejuvenation effects: clearer, brighter skin. Reduction in wrinkles and tightening of saggy skin
- “Laser hair removal” effect due to targeting the pigment in hair follicles
IPL treatments on other parts of the body can treat signs of sun damage and ageing skin as well as achieving other cosmetic effects:
- Chest: freckles, pigmentation, redness and blood vessels
- Hands: freckles and “age spots”
- Back, legs, armpits and other areas: reduce hair growth
Are there any side-effects to pulsed light therapy?
Immediately after treatment, there is redness of the face and a mild sunburn-like sensation which lasts a few hours
A small number of people experience mild puffiness under their eyes on the day after treatment.
After repeated treatments to the beard area, there may be a reduction in hair growth.
There is a small risk of burns in the affected area.
Eye injury is possible, but rare due to the use of safety goggles during treatment.
If you have a history of cold sores, IPL treatment may trigger an outbreak.
Due to the intense flashing light, people with epilepsy or light-induced migraine should not be treated.
What does an IPL treatment feel like?
With BBL, the form of intense pulsed light treatment we use at our clinic, your treatment will normally incorporate “in motion” treatment, where the BBL handpiece glides across the treatment area. During this treatment, the handpiece gives off very brief flashes of extremely bright light, three or four times per second. This light is bright so you will need to wear goggles during your treatment.
The flash of light feels hot briefly — a fraction of a second —and the sensation settles almost instantly.
Larger blood vessels require more concentrated “corrective” treatments. The nurse or dermal therapist will hold the handpiece over the area of concern and treat it with a single (or for a long vessel more than one) strong flash of light. This treatment feels similar to traditional laser or IPL treatments. It can be painful — similar to the flick of an elastic band — but the pain settles quickly due to a powerful cooling system in our IPL device.
No pain relief is required.
After treatment, the treated area often feels warm with a mild sunburn-like sensation. The treating nurse or dermal therapist will apply a soothing balm to help settle this discomfort, which usually lasts a few hours(usually less).
IPL for rosacea before and after photos
The following photos are provided by Sciton Inc. All photos show patients before and after treatment using BBL (broadband light), the form of IPL used at Spot Check Clinic.
How many treatments will I need for my rosacea?
An initial course of three to five sessions will usually be sufficient to clear most of the facial redness and vessels in mild to moderate rosacea. The number of sessions varies from person to person and would normally be discussed with your doctor or the registered nurse administering the treatments.
Avoiding rosacea triggers and using suitable skin care products will help keep rosacea under control, but rosacea is a chronic condition, and redness of the face and dilated blood vessels are likely to reappear in future. Most people benefit from further maintenance IPL laser treatments every 6 months to 2 years.
Are there any alternative treatments?
Rosacea responds best to a combination of treatments and skin care.
Skin care in rosacea
Avoiding rosacea triggers and keeping the skin clean and moisturised are the most important part of ongoing rosacea treatment.
Everyone with rosacea should have a skin care routine incorporating daily cleansing, moisturising and sunscreen, often together with products containing niacinamide, vitamin C or other ingredients that settle inflammation of the skin.
Medical treatments
Medical treatments include topical creams and oral medications. These are useful for settling symptoms of inflammation, flushing and dry scaly skin. These symptoms sometimes don’t respond well to laser or IPL treatment
Low level light therapy
Low level light therapy is a gentle form of light without any major side effects. It has been shown in some cases to reduce facial inflammation caused by rosacea, as well as having skin rejuvenation effects.
This treatment has not been widely studied in the treatment of rosacea, but it might be recommended for people unable to tolerate IPL or prescription medications (such as pregnant patients).
Does Ipl Hurt
During the procedure, people may feel a pinching sensation. Some individuals have described this as a feeling similar to an elastic band being “snapped” on the skin. Many IPL providers will help people overcome this discomfort by offering a local anesthetic or chilling gel.
Check the manufacturer’s instructions before purchasing any device, as this should give you a clearer picture of what’s suitable.
As a rule, though, IPL is safe and effective on dark blonde to black hair (not including grey or ginger) and on most skin tones aside from the darkest shades.
It works best on pale skin with very dark hair.
Which areas of the body are suitable for IPL?
Most home IPL devices can be used on the legs, underarms, bikini area, and face.
When choosing which to purchase, look for models that come with various settings and attachments. These can be changed depending on the skin tone and size of the area you’re looking to cover.
To avoid mishaps, shave the area before using your device and avoid flashing the same area repeatedly.
Like other hair removal treatments, IPL shouldn’t be used on broken or irritated skin, tattoos, infections, or burns.
What are the results I can expect from IPL?
Although the results you get will vary depending on the device, your skin type, and typical growth, you can expect a significant reduction in hair after your first few goes.
IPL devices curb hair growth by putting the follicle into ‘rest’ mode, but new hair will eventually grow, so it’s best to use yours every two weeks to begin with.
Over time, the hair should either stop growing or grow more slowly, after which you can skip the shaving step and use your IPL tool every month or two.
After three treatments with the Lumea Prestige, testers reported a 92% reduction in hair. After four treatments, they were able to go eight weeks without topping up.
Does IPL work for my hair and skin type?
You may have heard that laser and IPL hair removal are unsuitable for darker skin or lighter hair.
This is because the light used in these procedures is drawn towards dark tones and may not be able to differentiate between Black skin and black hair or white skin and light blonde hair.
Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) is one of the top light-based therapy treatments that currently exist, and every day more people around the world find out about its benefits as they use it to remove their acne, broken capillaries, stretch marks, and much more. Yet, the procedure has not been fully rosy for everybody and it is not difficult to find reports of various people being unhappy about their treatment.
While IPL remains highly recommended, there are some side effects most people are unaware of before they begin the treatment. This leads to people coming out of the procedure with much worse skin than they had before they started, which nobody wants. To make sure that you don’t fall into the same traps as countless others, we will be discussing the potential impact of IPL on your skin, including whether it can give you burns, affect your skin texture, and much more.
Can IPL Ruin Your Skin?
While you may have read about countless dangers of IPL, the chances of your skin being damaged by IPL are very few. This mostly lies in the technology behind the procedure. IPL is non-invasive and non-ablative, which means that the light beams can target the lower layers of your skin without affecting the top layers. This makes the procedure highly safe, while also resulting in little downtime.
Essentially, if you take the right steps before getting your IPL, then you should only expect to come out on the other side of the treatment looking fresh and revitalized. Unfortunately, many people read about the potential benefits of IPL and jump into the procedure without doing much research, which is where things can start to go wrong.
While IPL is a fantastic procedure with marvellous benefits, it is not for everybody. There are certain skin tones that we suggest do not use an IPL treatment at any time, because it can easily lead to hyperpigmentation or discoloration. Additionally, IPL may not be the best solution for all issues, and you should speak to a skin therapist or licensed provider before you undergo the treatment.
Does IPL Change Skin Texture?
If you have any texture-related skin issues, then IPL is one of the top options to help solve this. During your treatments, the heat from the technology will help to destroy older or dead cells in the target area, which will then help to stimulate the growth of newer and healthier cells.
Naturally, these newer cells will be much firmer and richer in proteins such as elastin or collagen. So, after your IPL treatment, your skin will feel much firmer and supple. Additionally, any imperfections or issues in that problem area will be reduced or turn completely invisible. This will help to improve the level of your appearance, giving you a more youthful and vibrant look.
Will IPL Burn Marks Go Away?
While burns are extremely rare when you undergo an IPL treatment, they may still happen, and you should remain wary of this. In any case, if you do receive a burn from an IPL, don’t fret, it will generally go away over time and you should not expect any lasting effects.
However, you should still speak to your provider if you do notice any burn. This can be extremely helpful, especially if you still have more sessions in your treatment plan. Once your skin therapist is aware of the burn, they will give you the best tips on how to manage it, while also ensuring that the settings on the device are more suitable for your skin during the next session.
Can IPL Cause Hyperpigmentation?
Hyperpigmentation is one of the possible side effects of IPL and other light-based therapy treatments. However, this may depend on the type of procedure that you desire to use the IPL for. To ensure that this does not affect you, we suggest that you speak to your skin therapist about the dangers of hyperpigmentation on your skin before you begin your treatment.
Another factor that can lead to hyperpigmentation is your skin tone. As hyperpigmentation is caused by an excess production of melanin, those with dark tones are naturally at a higher risk. This is why we always recommend that you stay away from IPL if you have darker skin, as the chances of hyperpigmentation are extremely high.
If you have a medium skin tone and are unsure about the potential effects that the therapy may have, then you should speak to your provider about this. They will examine your skin and decide if the treatment is going to be safe for you.
What Are The Dangers Of IPL?
We have already discussed many of the risks associated with IPL, such as burning, hyperpigmentation, scarring, etc. Unfortunately, while many of these side effects can be avoided, many clients and providers do not take the necessary precautions before an IPL treatment, leading to several health risks and damage to the skin.
To ensure that you are not affected, you should make sure that you do the following before an IPL treatment:
1. Follow the Instructions of Your Provider :
Before you begin your IPL procedure, your skin therapist will likely give you a set of instructions to follow. This can range from not shaving your hair immediately before a hair removal treatment to staying away from the sun for a given period. If you receive any of these instructions, you must follow them.
You should remember, any guidance that your skin therapist provides is for your care and will aid in stopping any side effects. So, if you are unable to follow them, we suggest that you speak to your provider about the possibility of rescheduling. Following these guidelines will also ensure that you see the maximum benefits of any treatment.
2. Enquire About The Training of Your Service Provider:
The therapist delivering your IPL must not only be well versed in using the technology but must also be able to understand the impact that the treatment will have on your skin. Such knowledge can be a key factor in stopping any side effects. However, because IPL can be extremely exciting, most people simply dive into the first hands offering them the treatment, regardless of their experience.
Before you begin your sessions, you should engage in a detailed conversation about IPL treatments with your provider. You should also try and discover the level of experience or training that they have in treating your condition. So, if you would like to use IPL for Rosacea, but a therapist does not have much training or experience in treating this, then we suggest that you seek another provider.
You must also ask your provider about the potential health risks of using IPL to treat the issue that you are facing. This will mean that you will not be thrown off by any side effects if they occur. Understanding the potential health risks will also allow you to weigh your options. So, if you are highly uncomfortable with burning and feel that it is not worth the risk, you may want to find other types of treatments.
3. Speak to Your Provider About Your Current Medication:
IPL is likely not the first solution that you have sought out for your skin issue and you may already be on some form of medication. If this is the case, then we suggest that you speak to your provider about this before the treatment, especially if they make your skin more sensitive to light.
Such medication can easily lead to adverse effects, such as burning or scarring. However, if your skin therapist is aware of the medication, they can examine it and determine if it is safe to continue using during IPL. On the other hand, if you would like to continue the medication while on IPL, they can also adjust the intensity of the light to accommodate for its effects, which should help reduce the possibility of any health risks.
How Long Does It Take For Dark Spots To Fade After IPL?
IPL for dark spots is another highly popular use of the treatment, and one of the common questions we get is, “how quickly will my dark spots fade after IPL?” Fortunately, the process for treating dark spots is relatively quick and it shouldn’t take long before you begin to see good progress.
Generally, your dark spots should begin to fade within two weeks of your first session, though this will depend on various factors, such as how deeply the pigment is located. In any case, you should see huge gains after you complete your first full treatment and your skin should look much more uniform.
However, you should not expect your dark spots to completely fade after just one treatment. So, if you would like further progress, we suggest that you speak to your provider about the possibility of another treatment. You must remember, IPL is a gradual process, and you can only see continuous improvement if you stick to your treatment plan.
Ipl Treatment For Rosacea
IPL uses controlled light in specific wavelengths to alleviate the inflammation, redness, pimples and uneven skin tones caused by the condition. IPL offers a gentle, long-lasting solution for those suffering from Rosacea by providing a gradual and natural improvement to the skin’s appearance.
Rosacea is a chronic skin condition which expresses itself in redness on the face and sometimes on the neck and chest. The exact cause of Rosacea is yet unknown and many who are affected by it are unaware of their condition.
Rosacea can be effectively treated using Intense Pulsed Light (IPL). IPL uses controlled light in specific wavelengths to alleviate the inflammation, redness, pimples and uneven skin tones caused by the condition. IPL offers a gentle, long-lasting solution for those suffering from Rosacea by providing a gradual and natural improvement to the skin’s appearance.
The Lumenis Solution
The Lumenis IPL with OPT™ is considered the industry’s ‘Gold Standard’ for treatment of vascular lesions and its efficacy has been proven in over 80 peer reviewed papers (IPL bibliography of studies and peer reviewed articles). The IPL procedure removes facial superficial vessels and as a result dramatically decreases or completely eliminates facial redness. The vascular components of Rosacea can vary from flushing to telangiectasia and can have different densities and depths. With a choice of multiple vascular cut-off filters and unique pulse sequencing, Lumenis’ IPL with OPT™ can coagulate each sub-type of capillaries, reducing the redness and simultaneously triggering neocollagenesis which limits the reccurrence of the condition.
There are several skin care treatment these days that promise younger smoother skin and a few that are touted as the “Gold Standard” by Doctors for achieving the desired results. Even many that are approved by the FDA as being safe and effective from the IPL (intense pulsed light) Photo Facial to fillers such as Botox cosmetic should be entered into with discretion. I know many women and men that have used these treatments with great results, but some have had lesser talked about adverse reactions that have only worsened the problems. I personally have experienced the latter and want to share my experiences with you as a cautionary tale for anyone considering this treatment. This is the first in a series about my own issues with the IPL laser treatments.
The IPL photo facial can treat a variety of skin conditions such as hyperpigmentation (brown spots), sun damage, broken capillaries, spider veins, and facial redness. An IPL is non-ablative and emits a high intensity broad band blast of light at very high energy levels through a hand-held device. It delivers to the deeper part of the dermis while the epidermis layer or surface layer is untouched. The treatment takes on average 20-30 minutes with no real downtime. Some IPLs have cooling devices, but it can still be uncomfortable, or even painful depending on your tolerance level. The average treatment costs $300-$500
I had tried treatments in 2006 with good results so in 2010 just prior to closing my skin care spa I noticed a few new areas of hyperpigmentation showing up on my face. I realized that these areas were probably popping up due to a peel that I had recently had at the Dermatologists office. At the time they weren’t dire just annoying, especially because I took such good care of my skin … But within a month or so they were looking a bit darker so I decide to have a few IPL (intense -pulsed light) photo facials to see if it would help. I asked a few professionals I knew for referrals but ultimately I returned to the very reputable establishment that had previously treated me, if for no other reason than familiarity and because I liked the owner.
As the first zap of the laser ( much like the feeling of a rubber band) touched down on my skin over and over I remembered how intense the feeling was, but I was comforted by the provider that this would help encourage the collagen production in my skin and zap those dark patches.
Example of the average results from an IPL
When the treatment was finished all I could think about was the hot feeling in my face as if I had received a major sunburn, but I was eager for the results that I would experience as my face healed. I was given a cooling ice pack to help combat the hot feeling in my face and scheduled my next appointment knowing that for the IPL treatments to be really successful I would need a series of three to five. Once at home I examined the state of my very warm skin…. This time the dark patches had “crisped” up ( my nickname for the scab like patches that appear after your spots have been zapped) with such intensity that I was a tad taken aback. I now realize the I was probably burned in the first treatment and applying cooling packs for more than just a few minutes was not a good idea.
Within days the spots naturally exfoliated off and my skin looked great… But within a week or two there seemed to be a whole new crop of pigmentation on my face that the laser brought forth. I mentioned this in detail at my second appointment and was told in a cheerful but dismissive manner that the laser was doing its job and not to worry. Afterwards the “crisped” areas seemed to multiply… And this time I was really concerned. Being in the skin care business I know enough about the subject to know the potential dangers and I know how pigmentation can be exacerbated.
Within a week post treatment once I realized that I now had even more pigmentation I called the office to voice my concerns and questions – Was the thermal heat from the laser creating more pigmentation and multiplying the original problem? Or could it be that the temperature might have been a bit too much for me? Unfortunately my concerns were eschewed away and even responded to in a manner as if to say that I was being silly… Remember, I have been in the skin care business for a while myself so I am not your average consumer. I was again told more treatments were necessary to achieve the desired result.
Even after a discussion with one of the owners, I was told that my concerns of the thermal heat from the laser causing dermal scarring was something “they had never even heard of”. At this point there was a cautionary voice in the back of my mind, a red light if you will that I should have listened to, but because I didn’t want my face to look like this forever I reconsidered, rationalizing that if they said one more treatment was really going to help then I would give it a try just one more time. I should have known better.