Maintaining worry-free skin isn’t always a simple matter. Dermal abnormalities or unwanted hair can frustrate some people to the point of debilitating stress. Add in the natural aging factor and the challenge becomes greater. Advertised products abound for every possible condition from acne to zits. They promise miraculous results. Most can deliver only temporary cosmetic relief mostly due to the fact that they lack sufficient penetration power. IPL photorejuvenation is one remedial treatment that is effective due to its depth. It is used to treat spots, wrinkles and large pores. It can also help treat acne and rosacea (redness on the face).
What It Does
The pulsed light stimulates the regeneration of collagen by transmitting energy into bodily tissue. Essential for skin elasticity, collagen is a rich protein comprised of specific amino acids. It’s a primary ingredient of the body’s diverse connective tissue and is manufactured in the dermis, the second of the skin’s three layers. Aside from sun damage or chronic inflammatory skin disorders, life’s aging process naturally diminishes collagen production throughout the body. The latter is evidenced by those familiar specks, often referred to as liver spots, on the hands and face. Selected sagging skin, another conspicuous sign of thinning collagen, can also improve from periodic boosts to collagen. IPL can’t reverse aging, but the therapy has presented notable results for skin rejuvenation.
How It Does It
The system involves a handheld instrument with a filtered flashlamp that is calibrated to emit powerful, pulsating wavelengths of multicolored light in fluctuating strengths. The light source is applied directly to the patient’s skin allowing a defined wavelength to penetrate. Only the problematic vascular or pigmentary lesions are targeted.
Before contact, a topical anesthetic is applied, and the patient’s eyes are protectively masked.
Considerations
The advantages to IPL treatment are significant. Enhanced self-esteem by an improved appearance is foremost. Further, it’s non-invasive, performed on an outpatient basis, doesn’t require prolonged absence from work or usual activities, generally causes minimal discomfort, and is safely effective. On the other hand, IPL therapy may cause undesired pigmentation changes on darker complexions or tanned skin, may initially necessitate multiple treatments to achieve the desired results, and is generally ineffective on skin that has lost too much elasticity.