IPL for Sun Damage on Neck?

Fractional laser is an amazing and highly effective treatment in our office. We use the laser treatment to help with acne scars, large pores, fine wrinkles, tissue collagen loss, scars, sebaceous hyperplasia, active acne, and for brightening dark pigmentation. Although there are very strong fractional lasers such as CO2 laser, we use lighter treatments for corrective skincare and maintenance of results. Our Thulium fractional laser, clear and brilliant laser, and Ultra Thulium laser are excellent options in our clinic. We also perform CO2 fractional and erbium depending on skin tone and tolerance for downtime. Patients do have to use a Melarase cream before and after treatment to help further reduce pigmentation after laser. Dark spots can improve with these treatments. I recommend fractional laser for incisional scars as well, especially after plastic surgery.

Best,
Dr. Karamanoukian
Realself100 Surgeon

IPL (photo facial) works well on redness on the face, neck and chest as well as brown discoloration caused by sun damage. Usually 3-4 treatments are needed. V Beam laser is another good choice for redness.

For mixed red and brown sun damage on the neck, Poikiloderma of Civatte as it's known, IPL is an excellent option.  We frequently treat patients with our Limelight IPL with great results.  Patients are very pleased.  It's important to treat the neck and chest when treating the face so everything blends and matches as well as it can. When patients only concentrate on the face (which is quite common), the rest of the body often doesn't match and starts to looks significantly older than the face from sun damage.  Always remember to do whatever you do on the face on the neck and chest as well (i.e. treatments, sunscreen, creams, moisturizer, etc) 

 

Thanks for the question.

IPL is very effective in managing several of the stigmata of photo aged skin including sun spots and redness secondary to broken capillaries. Typically, a minimum of 4 treatments is necessary to see optimal results. The procedure requires no downtime and in the right hands has very little downside risk of side effects.

Regards,

Glenn Vallecillos, MD, FACS

Yes, intense pulsed light is excellent for improving sun damage signs within the neck.  It can improve texture, lessen irregular brown pigment, and improve some redness.  Selective use of true lasers can further improve treatment of these elements as well. 

Consult experienced, board-certified plastic surgeons or dermatologists in your area.  Be aware that many doctors offices, and "med-spas," offer similar technology but without the technical expertise.  To put it humorously, you need to know more about the witch or warlock, than about the wand they're using.

PS: Prior skin preparation and avoidance of active sun exposure can be important to safe, good outcomes.

The sun damage that occurs on the sides of the neck and in a V distribution on the chest is called Poikiloderma of Civatte.  The components of this sundamage are thinning of the skin (atrophy), dilated blood vessels, and and areas of lighter (hypopigmentation) and darker (hyperpigmentation) skin.

Although IPL does not affect the skin atrophy, it is excellent for the redness and hyperpigmentation that are part of this type of sun damage.

It is also essential before and after the IPL treatment to use a high SPF broad spectrum sunscreen in those and other sun-exposed areas to protect from further damage.