Benefits of IPL PhotoFacial
Do you feel like your skin needs a fresh start? If exfoliation and topical creams aren’t giving you a blemish-free glow, it might be time to consider professional skin resurfacing. Skin resurfacing treatments, like the IPL photofacial, can help people of all ages achieve better skin tone and texture.
How IPL Photofacials Work
IPL stands for “intense pulsed light.” During an IPL photofacial, a light-emitting device is precisely calibrated to target specific skin concerns or to deliver comprehensive full-face rejuvenation. Heat is generated when the pulses of light emitted by this device are absorbed by the melanin (pigment) and red blood cells in the skin.
This heat emulates a superficial injury, but unlike a burn, it won’t cause any lasting damage. The IPL device activates the skin’s natural healing processes without harming delicate dermal tissue. IPL therapy should not cause scarring, infection, or other complications when administered by a qualified professional.
As your skin attempts to repair itself, it will shed its dull, damaged outer layer and form supple, vibrant new skin. During this process, skin-firming proteins (like collagen and elastin) are produced in abundance, mitigating some of the effects of age-related collagen loss.
The light emitted during IPL therapy also breaks down the dark pigment inside age spots and freckles, creating a more even skin coloration.
IPL treatments use poly-chromatic (broad spectrum) light to work their magic. This type of light comprises many different wavelengths, unlike the light emitted by conventional medical lasers, which is usually limited to a narrow band of wavelengths.
By adjusting the wavelengths of light emitted during IPL therapy, our specialists can calibrate the IPL photofacial to react with specific skin conditions. The adjustable nature of this procedure makes IPL treatment extremely versatile and easy to customize.
This procedure can be used to treat a single issue or to address multiple problems simultaneously. Let’s make your custom IPL Photofacial plan!
10 Benefits of the IPL Photofacial
With so many available skin resurfacing options, it can be difficult to select the best treatment to meet your needs. If you’re wondering how photorejuvenation compares to similar treatments, like chemical peels, reviewing the unique benefits of the IPL photofacial is a great place to start.
Alternatively, you can arrange a consultation with our experts to discuss if IPL Photofacial is the best option. Ten of the top reasons our patients choose the IPL photofacial are outlined below:
1. Having a photofacial is one of the best ways to treat sun-damaged skin.
When it comes to aging, the sun is your skin’s worst enemy: Most of the changes in skin conditions we associate with getting older are a direct result of exposure to UV radiation.
Sunlight breaks down the collagen in our skin, making it weaker and more susceptible to wrinkling and sagging. Sun damage also causes dark “age spots” to form on highly exposed areas (like the hands and face) and gives the skin a lined, leathery, weathered look.
If you think you look older than your actual age, habits like intentional tanning or spending a great deal of time outdoors may be to blame.
The IPL photofacial combats the effects of UV damage in two ways: First, it penetrates and draws out discolored cells that have formed deep in the dermis. By dissolving these cells, intense pulsed light removes dark age spots and excessive freckling to restore an even, dewy complexion.
After this stage of deep exfoliation, the skin begins to generate a significant amount of new collagen, replacing collagen stores destroyed by the sun. As a result of this healing process, the skin becomes stronger and more supple.
Wrinkles and fine lines disappear may be lessened, and many patients also see some reduction in facial sagging. These effects are subtle and will not compare to aggressive treatments such as a facelift.
2. Photofacials can treat stubborn acne.
Intense pulsed light can tackle the causes of acne and its lasting side effects, like scarring. This procedure also kills harmful bacteria and reduces redness and inflammation. Repeated IPL photofacials encourage the skin to shed and renew its outer layer, gradually eliminating scar tissue.
Before you have an IPL photofacial, you may need to stop using topical and systemic acne medications for up to six months. Generally, skin resurfacing is only recommended for patients who aren’t experiencing a substantial reduction in acne symptoms through medication alone.
3. Intense pulsed light is an excellent way to eliminate visible veins and capillaries.
Because intense pulsed light is absorbed very efficiently by red blood cells, the IPL photofacial is one of the best treatments for visible blood vessel abnormalities. Our patients use the IPL photofacial to dissolve broken capillaries and spider veins for a more even, youthful complexion.
This procedure is also ideal for treating conditions that cause diffuse redness, like rosacea.
4. Having regular photofacials can prevent premature skin aging.
Intense pulsed light is unique in its ability to change the structure of skin cells, making them behave more like young cells. A 10-year study conducted by Stanford University in California demonstrated that having two to three photofacials per year for a decade can positively alter the genes of dermal cells.
The genetic expression of aged skin cells treated regularly with intense pulsed light resembles that of young, healthy skin cells. As such, researchers think intense pulsed light can prevent (and not just treat) many superficial signs of aging.
To make the most of the IPL photofacial’s age-fighting properties, you must avoid sun exposure, especially in the weeks before and following IPL treatment. (All skin resurfacing procedures make the skin temporarily more sensitive to UV radiation, so applying an SPF 50 sunscreen is a must.)
You should also keep your weight stable because weight gain and loss distort the skin and avoid unhealthy habits, like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. Taking these steps will preserve the collagen and elastin in your skin. Learn more here!
5. Photorejuvenation can be performed on multiple areas of the body.
Though the IPL photofacial is most frequently used for facial rejuvenation, it can also renew the neck, upper chest, shoulders, hands, arms, and legs.
If you have signs of sun damage on multiple parts of your body, treating them all with intense pulsed light may give you a more uniformly youthful look. When you visit Faces for a consultation, our specialists will let you know whether or not this approach is right for you.
6. The IPL photofacial pairs well with other non-surgical treatments.
The gentle lifting and revitalizing action of the IPL photofacial can be complemented with other non-surgical procedures, especially injectables like BOTOX® and dermal fillers. BOTOX® can reduce wrinkles in areas photofacials can’t treat, like the region around the eyes.
Dermal fillers enhance the lifting effect of IPL therapy by replacing facial volume lost with age. These compounds can also fill in any deep creases that aren’t alleviated by skin resurfacing alone.
7. IPL treatment offers deep rejuvenation with very little downtime.
The IPL photofacial is powerful enough to access the deeper layers of the dermis but gentle enough not to cause excessive swelling, redness, or lasting irritation. The pulses of light emitted during IPL therapy are less concentrated than a laser beam, so IPL treatment is much less risky than laser skin resurfacing.
Most people who have a photofacial can apply makeup immediately after their appointment and return to work within 24 to 48 hours. If any side effects occur after this procedure, they’re usually limited to mild redness and skin sensitivity.
This lack of downtime makes photorejuvenation an appealing alternative to deep chemical peels, which can produce symptoms of redness and flaking for up to two weeks.
8. Photorejuvenation is quick and convenient.
IPL treatments typically take under half an hour to complete, so you can easily schedule your procedure around other commitments. Most patients experience mild discomfort during the treatment- similar to being popped with a rubber band.
Some individuals will benefit from a topical numbing cream for some more sensitive areas. Three to six of these quick treatments, spaced one month apart, create beautiful results for most people.
9. The IPL photofacial is very affordable.
Though the cost of the IPL photofacial varies depending on your location and how experienced your care provider is, this procedure is one of the most affordable skin rejuvenation methods.
The photofacial costs less than other laser treatments while also being safer and more convenient. An IPL treatment can cost as little as $700, whereas laser skin resurfacing usually costs about $2000- $3000.
10. Intense pulsed light can remove unwanted hair.
People with lighter skin and dark hair can use intense pulsed light to painlessly eliminate unwanted face and body hair. Like laser hair removal, IPL can quickly remove hair from large areas.
IPL hair removal targets the melanin in hair follicles, causing hair shafts to heat up. This heat damages targeted hair follicles, preventing hair growth.
Make the first step to blemish-free and younger skin. Let’s talk!
Are There Any Downsides to Photorejuvenation?
Though the IPL photofacial’s ability to target melanin is useful for many applications, it presents a challenge for tanned patients and those with naturally dark skin. Light therapies can cause skin lightening or hyperpigmentation when applied to darker skin.
Patients with tanned skin, dark skin, or melasma should consider having a chemical peel instead of photorejuvenation. If you’re concerned about the downtime associated with chemical peels, our specialists can use a mild peel formula to ensure rapid, painless healing.
People with certain skin conditions, like eczema and psoriasis, may not be good candidates for intense pulsed light therapy.
Patients with these conditions should choose skin treatments, like our comprehensive facial, that won’t cause inflammation. IPL treatment is not recommended for pregnant women or people with chronic health conditions.
Finally, if you’re interested in hair removal, you should know that hair removed with IPL may grow back faster than hair removed with a targeted laser. However, IPL hair removal produces little pain or irritation during treatment, so it remains an appealing option for pain-sensitive patients. IPL treatments can also be safely repeated (as necessary) to keep unwanted hair growth at bay.