Freckles, the hair in unwanted places, age spots, birthmarks, and varicose veins are just a few of the things that people would want to get rid of. Fortunately, there is a treatment that can address these skin problems – IPL or Intense Pulsed Light. Also known as Photofacial, IPL is a non-invasive treatment used to minimize skin discoloration due to sun damage, freckle, brown spots and other vascular problems too.
What is IPL?
IPL, or Intense Pulse Light, is similar to laser treatment but they are not the same. It has become the buzzword in the beauty and skin treatment industry today. It provides aesthetic and therapeutic purposes. While laser treatment only focuses on one wavelength of light, IPL releases light of many different wavelengths. It is then scattered and penetrates deep down to the second layer of the skin. IPL treatment is used to perform several skin treatments such as hair removal, Photorejuvenation or the removal of wrinkles and other signs of aging, and acne treatment.
Who is a good candidate?
IPL treatment is available for almost anybody but the results may vary from one person to another. With IPL treatment, there are people who are the best candidate for it. These people will surely get the maximum benefits of IPL treatment without experiencing any side effects. There is always the risk of skin pigment changes after the treatment and it can be very visible on darker toned skin-types.
It is also not recommended for people with keloid scars. Before undergoing IPL, talk with your skincare expert first to get more advice on what solution is best for you. Moreover, IPL aims to treat the following conditions:
- Brown or red blemishes
- Sunspots
- Age spots
- Vascular redness
- Broken blood vessels
- Rosacea
- Mole-like discolorations
- Hormonal pigmentation
- Acne and acne discoloration
- Discoloration in the neck, chest, and hands
How does IPL work?
There will be no surgery or incision involved in the IPL procedure. There is a handheld machine that will be passed across the skin that you want to be treated; the machine will deliver the pulses of broad-spectrum light to the layers of your skin. The treatment is not painful; however, it can be uncomfortable like tiny rubber bands flicking the skin. You may also request a topical anesthetic cream to be applied to your skin before the treatment.
After the treatment process, you may notice mild scabbing on your skin that looks like sunburnt skin. However, this won’t affect your day to day activities. You can go back to work right after the treatment. You can also use light makeup after the treatment, but you have to make sure to apply and remove them very gently so as not to irritate your skin.
