Intense Pulsed Light - IPL - Beauty by Stefany

Intense Pulsed Light – IPL

What is Intense Pulsed Light

Intense pulsed light (IPL) is a cosmetic skin treatment. People may use it to reduce the signs of aging, pigmentation, vasculature, reduce acne, or remove unwanted hair. An IPL treatment uses the power of broadband light to deliver pulses of intense light to penetrate the layers of the skin. Most patients describe experiencing a fast, pinching sensation during treatment, with minimal discomfort. There is no need for injections or incisions, giving patients the bonus of no downtime required.

What is unique about IPL?

Unlike lasers, an IPL device sends out more than one wavelength of pulsating light. It can treat a range of skin conditions at the same time. After IPL, you may look younger because your skin tone is more even. While laser therapy uses a set wavelength depending on the procedure, intense pulsed light therapy uses multiple different wavelengths of light released in pulses. You can think of it as a strobe light passing along the skin. IPL isn’t a focused beam like a laser. It instead is dispersed beams of light that work together. As the light penetrates down to the second layer of skin, it allows the cells to absorb its energy, heat up, and eventually destroy the pigmentation within the cell. This is how age spots, other discoloring blemishes, moles, birthmarks, and rosacea are diminished.

What to expect?

•Your skin may be temperature sensitive for several days after treatment. Brown spots and freckles will appear darker while healing.
It should take 4-6 weeks to see the full result and 2-3 treatments may be required to achieve an optimum result.
The sessions are designed to provide no downtime however, occasionally you may find that your cheeks and under eye areas are slightly puffy after treatment. You may use cold compresses (5 minutes on and 10 minutes off) several times an hour to help ease both redness and swelling.
Sleeping with your head elevated for the first night will also help decrease any swelling you may experience.
Redness around the treated area for a few hours to days.
Freckles and age spots may darken for three to seven days before starting to fade.
Skin flaking for up to 10 days.
Minor bruising that may last two weeks or less

What to avoid after IPL?

No hot showers for 48 hours.
For 2 days after a treatment avoid taking aspirin, Ibuprofen, drinking alcohol, heavy exertion and activities which may cause skin flushing.
Avoid harsh topical products such as retinols and glycolic acid products for one week after each session.
Avoid direct sunlight on the treated area and use a sunscreen with SPF 30 or greater for 4 to 6 weeks after treatment.
No swimming for a week, especially in pools with chemicals such as chlorine.
No strenuous exercise for 48 hours. You can hit the gym after about 2 days post-therapy.
No hot tubs or Jacuzzis for 48 hours.
Avoid activities that cause excessive perspiration for 24 hours.
Do not pick at or remove any loosening or peeling skin.
No electrolysis, facial waxing, or depilatories (hair removal products) for 14 days after a treatment.

Before your appointment

• It is imperative that you avoid significant sun exposure and tanning beds for at least 4 weeks prior to your treatment.
Avoid applying self-tanner for 2 weeks prior to treatment.
Avoid aspirin and Ibuprofen for one week prior to your treatment. Inform the doctor if you are taking blood thinners or regularly take aspirin or ibuprofen.
Avoid alcohol for 2 days prior to treatment.
Inform the doctor if have taken Accutane (oral acne medication) in the past year.

Treatment Information

Pre treatment

Avoid sun exposure / tanning beds for 2 weeks pre and post. Avoid pain medicine, such as Aleve, Aspirin for 3-7 days. Topical numbing cream or local anesthetic may used and cold compress may be applied a prior to treatment.

Post treatment

Keep out of the sun, out of pools/lakes/bath water until healed. Apply recovery balm and keep it covered for 5-6 days while healing. Apply ice 10 minutes post treatment. Basic reminders:

Use sunscreen to protect the treated skin which is particularly sensitive to sunlight following treatment.
Don’t apply makeup or any potentially irritating product on treated skin while it heals.
Avoid shaving treated areas unless the skin is healed.
Don’t soak in baths, hot tubs or pools unless the skin has healed completely.

When will I see results? How long do they last?

Pigment

It will take four to six weeks to see the full results from a single treatment, however you should see dark spots fade and slough off within a week. If you complete a series of treatments about one month apart, the maximum results will be visible in two to three months after the last treatment

Veins

The results of IPL begin to appear right after treatment and continue to improve over the next few days to weeks. It does take some time for veins to fully collapse and be reabsorbed by the body, so full results cannot be seen right away. If symptoms accompanied the spider veins, they are usually relieved immediately after treatment.