IPL for Fair Skin Types?

Our office has many different treatments for scars depending on the depth of atrophy or hypertrophy. Scars require a combination approach using our HI DEF protocol which uses a combination of lasers, topical scar modulation, and RF treatments to pixelate scars, improve contour, reduce hyperpigmentation, and improve the visibility of the scars so that they are no longer visible in ambient light. Everyone has a unique pattern of scarring and we employ our HIDEF technique to improve texture, color, contour, and topography. We often use a combination of treatments that begin with a careful examination to examine the micro texturing of the acne scars. Atrophic scars and indented scars can benefit from injectable fillers such as Radiesse, Sculptra, and Restylane with or without subcision to remove tethered scars and atrophic depression. Hyper-redness in scars can be improved with V beam laser, Excel V, BBL, IPL, and Venus RF to improve the redness and reduce the visibility of deep scars. Fractional Thulium laser and clear & brilliant can also reduce the inflammation and redness of the scar when combined with topical therapy. Fractional lasers such as Fraxel, erbium, and CO2 laser can be combined with radio frequency and also fractional RF to improve textual issues and microtopography. Subcision and TCA cross are also used for deep ice pick scars and narrow valley scars in order to improve the micro texture. Above all, our combination approach with our clinical nurses and board-certified plastic surgeons can improve the quality of your skin by using at home Melarase creams combined with PRP treatments in our office to improve your skin quality and tone. I recommend getting a formal evaluation with an experienced team of experts in order to reduce your scarring.

Finally, hyperpigmentation of scars can be improved with at-home Melarase AM, Melarase PM, and Melapads to help reduce active PIH and melanin deposition.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

IPL or photofacial laser treatment mainly works to partially shrink and collapse superficial blood supplies on sun exposed areas of face, neck, and or chest. Therefore, IPL laser is perfect for a fair skin individual with rosy complexion. IPL is also helpful to remove sun spots. However, IPL may not be as usfullyj in wrinkle or pore size reduction.

The IPL is a fair option for you for the skin issues you are describing.
With that said, we view IPL as the printer/fax/copier/scanner of the cosmetic world and would recommend the following lasers for your issues. Rather than trying to treat many skin conditions (like the generalist IPL devices), these lasers are more specifically designed for just these conditions.

Sun/age spots - q-switched lasers for permanent resolution (IPL is temporary)
Broken capillaries - Pulsed dye or KTP lasers.

You may ask yourself, why is IPL so highly recommended? The reason we feel is that many practices that do not focus on laser procedures do not want to buy the best laser for each skin condition they treat. They'd rather buy just one device and hope that it can address a bit of everything.