Intense Pulsed Light / Photofacial Treatments

The three primary contributors to the aged appearance of the face are telangiectasias (visible facial vessels), areas of irregular pigmentation and wrinkles. Other visible signs of sun damage and aging include solar lentigines (sun spots), spider veins and seborrheic keratoses (age spots).

 

Years of cumulative sun exposure and aging also lead to increased pore size and rough and uneven skin texture. Skin laxity and loss of elasticity also contribute to the aging process by resulting in wrinkling of the facial and neck skin.

 

The Starlux Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) Device produces a smooth pulse of filtered light that is delivered through specialized hand pieces that are tailored to a patient’s skin type and desired result.

 

The goals of IPL treatments are:

- Improvement in skin tone.

- Reduction in irregular areas of pigmentation and brown spots on the skin.

- Decrease in visible signs of blood vessels on the face and facial flushing.

- A more youthful appearance.

 

Treatments are provided at roughly four-week intervals. One should expect consistent visible improvement with each treatment. The number of treatments required depends on the specific condition that is being treated and its severity. Three to six treatments may be required to reverse the signs of photo aging in someone with chronic UV light exposure.

 

Prospective patients should avoid tanning and any sun exposure before the treatment.  Sun avoidance is a critical part of good skin health and is discussed in detail at your consultation and evaluation.

 

There is generally no downtime associated with Starlux treatments and significant discomfort is unusual. Adverse side effects such as temporary hyperpigmentation are uncommon but can occur. The IPL treatment with the Starlux  is a non-invasive procedure.

 

More invasive options to IPL treatments include Erbium Laser Resurfacing, CO2 Laser Resurfacing, Dermabrasion, and deep chemical peels.  Though effective, patients have tended to gravitate away from these procedures recently due to prolonged recovery times, significant periods of altered pigmentation and risks of scarring.

 

The Starlux decreases the appearance of blood vessels on the skin by causing coagulation, vasospasm and vasoconstriction of the vessels.  It targets the pigment in the brown spots, causing it to dissipate and progressively lightening the appearance of the spots.  Areas of redness tend to be reduced leaving a natural, regular skin tone.