Intense Pulsed Light
Intense Pulsed Light
Ask the Experts –
Dr. Toscano and Dr. Teleszky answer your questions about . . .
Intense Pulsed Light
Q: I have some brown areas on my face and chest and the back of my hands. What are they and can you make them go away?
A: Ultra-violet sun damage is very common in Florida but we also see a lot of other hyperpigmented areas like age spots, freckles, blemishes and even hormone-induced brown spots like melasma. Reddish areas like rosacea, superficial blood vessels and cherry red spots are common also.
The good news is that we can erase most of these spots with Intense Pulsed Light or IPL. Our machine, the Quantum made by Lumenis, is the most powerful and effective IPL on the market and works remarkably well, especially on sun damage.
It’s difficult to tell you exactly what kind of discoloration you might have without actually looking at it but our consultations are always complimentary so please call us for an appointment.
Q: I have never heard of IPL before. Is it a laser? What is it and what does it do?
A: IPL is not a laser. IPL is a machine that produces a brilliant, powerful but brief flash of light. Areas of brown and red pigmentation absorb this light, break up, rise to the surface and flake away leaving the skin cleaner, clearer, smoother and tighter.
Q: Wait, how can light repair damage caused by light?
A: IPL pulses are filtered so that harmful ultraviolet waves are removed and only brown and red wavelengths pass through and into your skin. The blemishes in your skin absorb this light and are destroyed. In addition, IPL also causes new collagen to form leaving your skin noticeably tighter, smoother and firmer, a welcomed additional effect.
Q: What is the down time? And how painful is it?
A: Unlike a laser, downtime after an IPL treatment is very minimal. You may appear a little red for a day or so, like a mild sunburn. Then the browns and reds darken a bit, like coffee grounds, rise up to the surface and disappear.
The pulses of light feel like a warm “snap” on the skin. Our Lumenis IPL has a chilled sapphire tip that cools the skin before every pulse. In addition, we use anesthetic cream to provide an extra level of comfort.
Q: How many treatments will I need and is it permanent?
A: You will see a dramatic improvement after just one IPL treatment, but to really break up all the pigment, we recommend a series of five, spaced about three weeks apart.
The cells which produce the pigment live deep within the skin and may continue to produce a small amount of pigment so we recommend a single touch-up treatment once a year but this is not always necessary.
Q: How much does IPL cost?
A: Usually a single treatment involves two full passes with the IPL over the entire face followed by two or three additional focused pulses on individual spots. A facial treatment costs about $400. Additional areas like the neck, décolleté or hands can be added for about $100 per area.
We offer a 20% discount on a series of five treatments. You can try a single treatment and, if you like the results, you can apply the price of your first treatment toward the discounted price of the full series.
Q: How do you measure my progress?
A: At REDBAMBOO Medi•Spa, we take your photograph with the revolutionary Visia facial analysis system. Visia uses a specialized UV filter to peer a few millimeters below the skin surface to highlight and document areas of UV damage. After a few IPL treatments, we repeat your Visia analysis and compare the “before and after” UV photographs to measure your progress. The Visia analysis is, of course, complimentary.
A simpler answer is that you, yourself, will easily notice a dramatic improvement in your skin after just one treatment. After completing a series, your skin will have that smooth, clear, clean, “peaches ‘n cream” complexion that you’ve always wanted.