What is IPL therapy?
IPL (intense pulsed light) therapy is a photorejuvenation treatment that reduces sun damage, brown spots, facial telangiectasias, fine lines, and wrinkles.* IPL therapy can address numerous skin conditions, without injuring the skin’s surface. The procedure offers a gentle, long-lasting solution for the visible signs of aging and sun damage without surgery or downtime. At Skin Medical Aesthetics, we use the ICON laser system to provide intense pulsed light treatments to clients in and around Windham, Maine.
Which skin conditions can ICON treat?
Using ICON’s Max-G hand piece, we can effectively treat:
- Age spots, which are the flat, light brown spots that appear on the face, shoulders, arms, and hands. Spots develop in these areas because they see the most sun exposure.
- Freckles, which are the harmless spots that are more common among people with a fair complexion.
- Sun damage, which leads to premature skin aging. As a result, brown discolorations usually form on the face, neck, chest, back, shoulders, and hands.
- Facial telangiectasias (broken capillaries). As a result of broken blood vessels, small, red or purple lines develop on the nose, cheeks, and chin.
- Fine lines caused by facial expressions people make, smoking, sun exposure, and genetics.
- Wrinkles and deeper creases commonly found in the face and neck. The most common causes are aging and environmental factors.
How does IPL photorejuvenation work?
IPL systems transmit light energy. Light energy is easily absorbed into targeted cells in the skin. This light energy is converted to heat energy, which causes “damage” to specific target areas. This damage breaks up skin pigmentation and speeds up skin cell turnover. Intense pulsed light systems differ from lasers in that they deliver multiple wavelengths of light to the skin, instead of just one. ICON’s Max-G handpiece can be used on the face, neck, chest, hands, and other areas of the body that need improvement.
What can I expect during treatment?
During your initial consultation at Skin Medical Aesthetics, we will create a custom treatment plan for you. When you come in for the actual procedure, we will apply a topical numbing gel to the treatment area(s) first. This will ensure that you have a comfortable experience. After the numbing gel sets in, we will use the IPL handpiece to deliver broad spectrums of light through gentle pulse technology to target your skin conditions. You may experience the sensation of heat or brief stinging from the pulses of energy.
If we treat any hyperpigmentation on your body, those spots may darken after the procedure, but they will eventually flake off. Over the next couple of weeks, your body’s natural healing process will work to replace the damaged cells.
What can I expect from the results?
Facial veins can be treated successfully with one treatment.* If you suffer from hyperpigmentation, you may require additional sessions. On average, patients usually receive 1-6 sessions (spaced 1 month apart) for optimal results.* A majority of patients notice an improvement to their skin texture and tone, as well as a more rested appearance.*
Before and after photos
