Age Spots and Sun Damage

Typical Treatments

The Science of Light:  IPL™ Helps Restore the Skin’s Youthful Glow

There are an overwhelming number of options available to improve the skin’s appearance, from creams and peels to microdermabrasion and laser treatments.  Can any of these procedures provide significant improvements without interrupting daily routines?

IPL Skin Treatments using Photorejuvenation offers a solution that:

            Addresses skin conditions that are most visible
            Treats the entire face, not only small spots
            Causes little discomfort
            Offers an immediate return to routine activities
            Provides gradual, natural-looking improvement
            Produces long-lasting results

Photorejuvenation with IPL is the most versatile of all treatment options.  Patients often schedule appointments during their lunch hours.  IPL can treat numerous skin conditions at once.  It is effective on red blemishes that originate from blood vessels, as well as brown pigment blemishes in the form of freckles, age spots and other sun damage.  IPL also treats the neck, chest and hands, where sun damage is often most visible.

Getting Started

Practitioners determine an IPL treatment plan for each new patient, accounting for the number and severity of skin conditions being treated, as well as skin type.  On average, four to six treatments are recommended, scheduled at three-week intervals.  Each session usually lasts about 20 minutes, with patients returning to normal activity immediately afterwards.  IPL treatments provide gradual, natural improvement with excellent long-term results.

What to Expect

Before a treatment, a cold gel is usually applied to the areas to be treated and patients wear protective eyewear.  During treatment, a physician or trained staff member gently applies the smooth, glass surface of the IPL hand piece to the skin.  Light is delivered to the skin surface in precise pulses that are typically pain-free.  Occasionally, some signs of treatment, such as redness, can last for one or two hours.  In most cases, the entire face is treated, but the therapy can also work well on the neck, chest and hands.  Results from a full series of treatments usually last for a year or more.

IPL treats the damaged superficial layer of the skin, while delivering thermal energy to deeper tissue.  Clinical studies are now underway to quantify the effect this energy has on collagen production, which helps firm and tighten the skin.  Some providers may refer to Photorejuvenation with IPL under other commercial names such as FotoFacial™, EpiFacial or others.  Prospective patients should verify that they will be treated with IPL technology.