Photo Facial Treatment
Photo facial," this special laser-like skin treatment can rid ruddy cheeks, shrink pores and get you camera ready just in time for holiday photo ops.
Also known as "IPL," or intense pulsed light, a photo facial can even out skin tone, shrink pores and treat rosacea. Though by no means new, the treatment is receiving renewed interest for being fast and practically painless. IPL Photofacial is an ideal treatment for skin care concerns ranging from redness, light acne scars and rosacea to broken capillaries and hyper pigmentation. IPL Photofacial involves a non-ablative laser that has been carefully calibrated to seek out specific pigments in the skin - redness, darker discolored patches or dark spots from acne scarring. The actual IPL Photofacial procedure feels like the mild snapping of rubber bands against the skin's surface. With each snap, the IPL Photofacial penetrates deep below the skin's surface to treat the issues at the source. For successful elimination of redness, sun spots and old acne scars, a patient will likely require multiple IPL Photofacial treatments. The Photofacial can truly create a marked difference in the patient's skin over time, since the skin continues to improve for weeks after the actual IPL treatment.

Immediately following an IPL Photofacial, a patient is free to resume his or her daily activities. Each IPL Photofacial treatment is conveniently quick and takes only about fifteen to twenty minutes from start to finish. For this reason, many patients seamlessly integrate their IPL Photofacial into their lives by getting treatments during their lunch hour. A brief period of facial redness is the most common side effect of the IPL Photofacial, although this can easily be covered up with liquid foundation, powder or a concealer until the redness subsides, usually within an hour or so.

As we get older, some of that damage is manifested by irregular or blotchy pigmentation spots, called solar lentigenes which can occur on face, arms, hands, shoulders, and chest. These spots detract from beauty as they interfere with the clarity of skin color.

To combat this, our Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) system uses the 600 nm wave length and specifically targets this superficial pigment in the epidermis. By using a wavelength spectrum with strong melanin absorption and weak hemoglobin absorption, much lower fluence (power) is needed for effective treatment. Pulses are controlled by a closed-loop power control that regulates every pulse for consistent, safe results. A standard pulsed light system, in contrast, uses a broad spectrum and requires much higher fluences for similar outcomes since a large portion of the light is not effective in the treatment.

Two to four treatments are needed for optimum results. Some discoloration may be seen in the area immediately following the treatment. Within one to three weeks the lesion gradually flakes off.

IPL Treatments take only a few minutes and are usually quite painless. The sensation of a mild brief pinching sensation is sometimes felt.

No program is complete without good products including 4% hydroquinone, a chemical that blocks the pigment uptake and manufacture by the cells. We offer a full line of skin care products to help complement and enhance the results of your laser treatment. For long-term benefit, any treatment should always be combined with an effective sunscreen. We offer several choices of different sunscreens that are specifically designed to protect your skin above and beyond over the counter sunscreens.

Can treat:

• Chronic facial redness
• Dilated blood vessels
• Liver spots
• Brown skin discoloration
• Sun damage