Light Therapy for Clear and Vibrant Skin with Dr. Haworth

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light)

Everyone wants clear vibrant skin, but nature has a way of sabotaging us with frustrating imperfections. These problems of course are partially dependent on a genetics but also environment plays a significant role in how page. Specifically tobacco and sun damage leave their marks on my skin. Good skincare and avoiding these aforementioned hazards can certainly ameliorate the situation for us all.

But what happens if damage has already taken place? This is where plastic surgery and the exciting technological field of lasers come to play. Fortunately, skin rejuvenation techniques have advanced beyond the painful procedures of the past (such as full facial dermabrasion and deep phenol peels). Our Intense Pulsed Light (IPL) photofacial system (Lumenis® One)offers comfortable and effective photofacials for the treatment of sun damage and visible veins.

IPL – HOW IT WORKS:

IPL uses short bursts of high energy light to penetrate into the skin and correct a variety of abnormalities. It has been used to effectively treat the redness associated with rosacea, removal of broken facial veins and brown spots associated with sun damage. The broad spectrum of light penetrates the skin and is absorbed by either the blood (when treating vascular lesions/rosacea) or the melanin (when treating pigmented lesions) , in turn damaging them. The body’s natural processes then remove the injured tissue, giving the skin a more even and youthful appearance.One of the advantages of IPL is that it is non-ablative and noninvasive, meaning it does not involve surgery or destruction of the skin. This does not mean that any practitioner without training can utilize this machine. Many instances of burns and permanent skin damage has occurred because many under-qualified personnel (frequently in unsupervised MediSpas) have employed this machine with settings beyond their expertise.

IPL is similar to laser therapies in that it uses a beam of light to target pigmentation and wrinkles and eliminate them with heat. However, instead of using just one color, or wavelength, of light, IPL uses a range of wavelengths. This gives our physicians the ability to adjust how deep in the skin the light goes and what structures it targets. Different structures in the skin absorb different wavelengths of the light more effectively. This prevents the use of excessive energy and damage to other layers of the skin. IPL treatments typically involve three to five visits spaced three to six weeks apart. The procedure takes about 20 minutes and patients can return to their normal routine immediately. IPL infrequently causes some side effects including mild discomfort during treatment and skin turning pink, freckling, mild swelling and feeling a little sore immediately after the procedure. Side effects are minimal and typically fade within two weeks of the procedure.

IPL treatments are quick, gentle and noninvasive with no interruption of routine activities for the patient. By helping to remove age spots (sun-induced freckles) and broken capillaries, the skin of the patient appears more even, luminous and younger-patients can even see dramatic results within a very short time period.