Forever Young Photofacial

First, the skin to be treated is cleaned. Then a cool gel is applied to the area being treated. Eye shields are worn to protect the eyes from the powerful light. With the patient in a comfortable, relaxed position, the IPL handpiece is gently applied to the skin. During treatment, there will be bright flashes of light from the IPL device. The light pulses are applied in a stamping pattern until the entire area is treated.

Treatments usually take 20-30 minutes, depending on the size of the area(s) being treated.

When the pulses of light are applied to the skin, patients feel a mild prickling sensation. Some patients describe this feeling as the snapping of a small rubber band against the skin.

After just one treatment, patients notice significant improvements in the complexion and clarity of their skin. Multiple sessions provide even better results. The number of treatments required is determined by the particular needs of each patient. Patients with more severe skin damage and those with significant vascular problems (e.g., rosacea) will need more treatments. In general, patients have a series of three to six treatments, approximately one month apart.

The area being treated cannot be tan on the day of the procedure. So, avoid direct, excessive sun exposure or tanning for one month prior to treatment.

Redness and slight warmth of the skin are normal after treatment and usually subside within one to three hours. In patients with more pigment, a few days of redness and pinpoint bruising is possible after IPL. Within 24-48 hours after the treatment, you will notice a darkening of the pigmented spots. Within 7-10 days afterward, these pigmented lesions will dry up and flake off, leaving the skin smooth and clear. After treating vascular lesions, the blood vessels will darken a bit, then fade away by 7-10 days.

You can apply makeup immediately after IPL. Take care to moisturize your skin well for about a week, then resume your normal skincare routine. Sun damage causes the bothersome brown and red pigments. So, it is important to protect your skin from the sun using sunscreen daily. Avoid sun exposure and use sunblock daily for one month following each treatment session.

The skin will continue to look younger and more brilliant over time, with the most visible results ten days to two weeks after IPL. Having multiple photofacial sessions will improve the final result.

You will certainly ‘turn back the clock’ with IPL, but the clock keeps ticking! So, after completing a series of monthly treatments, most people return for maintenance treatments every six months. Repeat treatments are required due to subsequent sun damage after the procedure. Thus, complete sun protection will protect your investment and prolong your results.

Dr. Patrick Bitter Jr. and Dr. Jason Pozner performed a study that showed the benefit of regular IPL treatments:

Dr. Patrick Bitter Jr. and Dr. Jason Pozner studied the effects of Photofacial (Intense Pulsed Light, IPL) also known as BroadBand Light and published their findings in Cosmetic Dermatology®, a peer-reviewed journal about improving, repairing, and renewing the skin. Photofacial (Intense Pulsed Light, IPL) is a nonablative treatment designed to rejuvenate the skin by clearing away brown pigment, ugly vessels and redness. The study followed 15 participants for approximately nine years to evaluate the long-term anti-aging effects that regular treatments had on their perceived age. Over 400 evaluators analyzed clinical photographs of the participants before and after an average of nine years of regular treatments. On average, the evaluators perceived the patients to have aged by only two years during this nine-year period. The results of this study indicate that regular Photofacial (IPL) treatments (every 6-12 months) can reduce and delay the long-term signs of skin aging. At Shea Aesthetic Clinic we have certainly found Dr. Bitter and Dr. Pozner’s findings to be true. The aging clock is significantly slowed when our patients receive regular IPL treatments.

Most patients do not experience any side effects. Skin reactions usually resolve within a few hours. Occasionally patients will experience redness and swelling of the skin for up to 2-3 days. This typically occurs in patients with a significant amount of pigment in their skin. Patients may find they are sensitive to sunlight immediately after treatment. So, it is recommended to avoid direct sunlight and tanning for two weeks after treatment.

This treatment cannot be performed on brown or black skin as the dark pigment in the skin will attract so much light energy that the skin will burn. Moles or any suspicious lesions will not be treated. This treatment is not suitable for pregnant or nursing women. Patients must be off Isotretinoin (Accutane) for at least six months prior to treatment.