POSTED UNDER IPL REVIEWS
IPL First Time - 49 Years Old - to Treat Facial Spider Veins/brown Spots
ORIGINAL POST
I was recommended to Angel Aesthetics and went in...
cherry7866June 21, 2016
WORTH IT$199
I was recommended to Angel Aesthetics and went in for my consultation. I explained the main reason for my visit was to address the small red veins on my upper cheeks, chin and around my nose. The IPL was recommended for me, and we moved from consultation to treatment. It was explained what steps would take place, there could be some bruising, and it would be soon be over in about 20 minutes or so. The cost was $300 or I could sign up for a treatment plan at $199 per month, which is what I did.
My face was cleaned, then numbed with a lotion, then some cooling and a fan - then my eyes were covered and gel was put on my skin. A test "zap" was done on my cheek - it didn't hurt much but it didn't prepare me - the treatment was much more intense than the test.
The first area was on the side of my nose and it hurt so badly! When I got home and did some reading afterwards I read the pain was described as a rubber band snap - NO! no - no. This is how it felt to me - like a red hot poker that had been resting in a campfire was pushed into/through my skin. It was seriously that painful. Prepare yourself - it is not pleasant! Several times I wondered if I should just ask her to stop and while I did ask her to stop - it was only for a moment and not permanently. It was painful but did not last forever and I was hoping for the results to be worth the pain.
When she did the other side of my nose - again it was the same sensation. Some places were much more sensitive to the pain while other places were not as much but it was still very intense everywhere. She treated my cheeks, chin, around lip area, forehead, and tip of nose. Several times I asked her to stop for about 10 seconds and that allowed me to breathe. But soon it was over, and it was actually tolerable. I can't imagine what it would be like for someone to experience a greater degree or longer treatment. This ended at my exact threshold.
She said I had a small bruise on the side of my nose, and my face felt very odd for a while (numb). When I got home, I was afraid to look in the mirror - expecting a real burn since the sensation was so darn hot and I was very surprised: I did not have a hole burned through the sides of my nose -ha ha. I was reddish in my cheek area and the bruise was minimal. The following day I had swelling in one jowl but it went away within a day. Over the next few days I saw brown spots which others described as coffee grounds - appear on my skin.
I saw about 50% improvement in the appearance of my red spider veins on my cheeks. Around my nose the veins almost completely gone, as well as dramatic improvement to the redness on my chin.
As I have very minimal brown spots - the IPL made them more visible and brought tons of brown specks to the top. I didn't really like that because it made them seem more like a problem then before treatment but everything I read online said if you see these brown specks, hooray - your treatment is working. I have included many pictures of day to day progress.
After a while, nothing seemed to change so I stopped taking photos and just watched and waited for the brown "coffee ground" specks to fall off but 2 weeks later and they were still there. 2 weeks later (today) I returned and had a dermaplane to remove the lingering spots and a cutera laser treatment.
I am very pleased with this treatment and while it was significantly painful, I would do it again if I could continue to see results with the red spider veins. I would also highly recommend Angel Aesthetics in Denver. She is caring, delicate, honest and real.
My face was cleaned, then numbed with a lotion, then some cooling and a fan - then my eyes were covered and gel was put on my skin. A test "zap" was done on my cheek - it didn't hurt much but it didn't prepare me - the treatment was much more intense than the test.
The first area was on the side of my nose and it hurt so badly! When I got home and did some reading afterwards I read the pain was described as a rubber band snap - NO! no - no. This is how it felt to me - like a red hot poker that had been resting in a campfire was pushed into/through my skin. It was seriously that painful. Prepare yourself - it is not pleasant! Several times I wondered if I should just ask her to stop and while I did ask her to stop - it was only for a moment and not permanently. It was painful but did not last forever and I was hoping for the results to be worth the pain.
When she did the other side of my nose - again it was the same sensation. Some places were much more sensitive to the pain while other places were not as much but it was still very intense everywhere. She treated my cheeks, chin, around lip area, forehead, and tip of nose. Several times I asked her to stop for about 10 seconds and that allowed me to breathe. But soon it was over, and it was actually tolerable. I can't imagine what it would be like for someone to experience a greater degree or longer treatment. This ended at my exact threshold.
She said I had a small bruise on the side of my nose, and my face felt very odd for a while (numb). When I got home, I was afraid to look in the mirror - expecting a real burn since the sensation was so darn hot and I was very surprised: I did not have a hole burned through the sides of my nose -ha ha. I was reddish in my cheek area and the bruise was minimal. The following day I had swelling in one jowl but it went away within a day. Over the next few days I saw brown spots which others described as coffee grounds - appear on my skin.
I saw about 50% improvement in the appearance of my red spider veins on my cheeks. Around my nose the veins almost completely gone, as well as dramatic improvement to the redness on my chin.
As I have very minimal brown spots - the IPL made them more visible and brought tons of brown specks to the top. I didn't really like that because it made them seem more like a problem then before treatment but everything I read online said if you see these brown specks, hooray - your treatment is working. I have included many pictures of day to day progress.
After a while, nothing seemed to change so I stopped taking photos and just watched and waited for the brown "coffee ground" specks to fall off but 2 weeks later and they were still there. 2 weeks later (today) I returned and had a dermaplane to remove the lingering spots and a cutera laser treatment.
I am very pleased with this treatment and while it was significantly painful, I would do it again if I could continue to see results with the red spider veins. I would also highly recommend Angel Aesthetics in Denver. She is caring, delicate, honest and real.
Replies (14)
July 1, 2016
Thank you for review!) Did you do it at summer time? Did you avoid sun after the treatment?
I have the same red spider veins on my nose and cheeks and want to do IPL, but I'm afraid to do it on summer because of the sun.
I have the same red spider veins on my nose and cheeks and want to do IPL, but I'm afraid to do it on summer because of the sun.
July 6, 2016
Yes, I stayed out of the sun for about a week and I always wear high SPF sunscreen. The first treatment fixed about 50% - I only have a tiny tiny one left on my nose and under my nostrils. On my cheeks - it is slowly progressing. I had a cutera laser treatment and that improved another 50% - and it was much less painful. I definitely recommend the IPL as far as results, just a warning - be prepared that it is no pain, no gain. I could be hyper sensitive, it could be the fairness of my skin - I don't really know. I spoke with one of my high school classmates who also had it done and she could only tolerate one treatment. Keep in your mind that it is over quickly - and for me, the results have been worth it. My husband has even commented on how great my skin looks. In fact, after the IPL (he didn't know I had anything done) - when he got home, he said my skin was glowing.
July 3, 2016
Wow! Just wow. My treatments didn't hurt that bad, and I am a whimp! Lol But you had a lot more redness than I did. Maybe she had the laser cranked up. Your results are amazing though!!! Whatever you went through was def worth it. I have extremely sensitive skin & b/c im so whimpy, I asked my nurse to have it on a very low setting. She only cranked it up a notch in certain spots and was good about warning me & allowing me to recover.
July 15, 2016
I am very sensitive and it's possible that I was expecting something else. I've just had sclerotherapy on my legs and phlebectomies so I was kind of expecting the same sting that the sclero gives. Even though I know it's a completely different procedure, my brain was expecting that. I still have a few veins on my nose but it's really improved and I'm so happy about that. I envisioned myself looking like WC Fields in a few more years, ha ha. Also, thank you! I took the pictures for myself to chronicle my experience and document my progress but then thought I'd share since I have come to realself for research.
July 13, 2016
I have rosacea on the upper cheeks ( red small veins ) dermatologist said IPL teatments would help, i purchased 3 treatments on groupon, first treatment was like nothing, this is the 2nd day of 2nd treatment i am very very red, swollen, and painful. the treatment was very painfull, i didn't expect so much pain, I'm paying for pain ? they wanted me to purchase redness relief cream for $84.00 same brand & size can be purchase on line for $40.00, i didn't purchase as i have percription cream for rosacea. hope i am better on day 3.
July 15, 2016
I saw groupons for these types of treatments in my area. But after meeting with someone (not groupon related) and getting a very strange vibe, I decided to go with a recommended aesthetician. I felt uncomfortable going with a discounted service for my face and after seeing online some terrible procedures some people have had, they were my cautionary tales. I hope you're feeling better and the procedure was worth it. I am exceptionally pleased, even though I'm not finished with my treatments - after many years of the redness and seeing immediate improvement, I think I will go through another IPL if it is suggested.
July 15, 2016
What type/brand/manufacturer of IPL machine was used?
UPDATED FROM cherry7866
1 month post
July 8 photos
cherry7866July 15, 2016
Just celebrated my 50th birthday and I am very pleased with the way my skin looks after the IPL and cutera laser treatments in June.
Replies (4)
Wow, thank you for your informative, thorough review and pics! Really good details in your post! You mentioned you signed up for a monthly treatment plan - are you planning to have more treatments done?