Intense Pulsed Light Photofacial - Results, Alternatives

asked 4 years ago by anon
Latest answer by Usha Rajagopal, MD
Question viewed 42,980 times
Tags: alternative, results, sun damage

My doctor sent me an email that his office now offers IPL photo facial. When do you recommend IPL for your patients? For what skin conditions is it best? Are there better alternatives to IPL photo rejuvenation for sun damaged skin?

5 answers to Intense Pulsed Light Photofacial - Results, Alternatives

Intense Pulse Light is good for treating sun spots, red spots, and fine wrinkles

Intense Pulse Light can treat sun spots, small veins, rosacea, and other forms of skin discoloration. This machine uses light to target your pigment and blood within your skin while sparing the other structures of the skin for less down time. You usually need 3-4 treatments to be fully effective often times but because of the essentially no downtime, this form of treatment is very popular. Intense Pulse Light can also be used to reduce unwanted hair as well. Here is what I usually... more

Philip Young, MD
Bellevue Facial Plastic Surgeon

I really like IPL for certain patients

IPL uses a range of wavelengths of light to target brown (and, to a lesser degree, red) discoloration. This discoloration occurs over time and after many years of sun exposure. Filters are used to cut off wavelengths of light that could be harmful (in darker skinned patients, filters decrease the risk of damaging the normal pigment in the skin). I recommend IPL for my fairer skinned patients who have brown discoloration, age spots, and freckles, particularly on the face, chest, and... more

Jordana Gilman, MD
New York Dermatologic Surgeon

IPL reduces the irregular discoloration of the skin caused by sun damage

Chronic sun damage causes irregular brown and red discoloration of the skin. These " sun spots" and "broken capillaries" are in the surface of the skin and make the skin look old. IPL reduces these discolorations and makes the skin tone more even and bright. It does this by heating up the structures that hold the color, damaging or destroying the blood vessel or the "sun spot". The process is called Selective Photo - Thermo - Lysis. Selective because it... more

Robert Swanson, MD
Bay Area General Surgeon

IPL treats age spots, sun spots

IPL (or Photofacial, same thing) is an excellent way to safely and effectively treat sun damage, age and brown spots, freckles, rosacea, and wrinkles in one comprehensive treatment. Although you will notice an improvement with just one treatment, I recommend a minimum of three treatments for more significant results. Each Photo Laser Facial session lasts approximately 45 minutes (plus additional time to apply topical anesthetic prior to the procedure). see video

Usha Rajagopal, MD
San Francisco Plastic Surgeon

IPL Photofacial

IPL (Intense Pulsed Light) is a light based device used to treat sun damage small veins and fine lines/texture. "Photofacial" is the term used for the treatment itself. A photofacial is the process of removing sun damage, fine lines and/or facial redness with the IPL.

Harold J. Kaplan, MD
Los Angeles Facial Plastic Surgeon

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